Modeling interactive relationships of social capital and readiness for change with the ability of schools to response to environment: in schools in Shiraz city

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Professor, Department of educational administration and Planning, School of Education and psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

2 Master's degree in Educational Administration, Department of Educational Administration and Planning, School of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Background and Objective: This study aimed to examine the current status and model the structural relationships among social capital, readiness for change, and the ability of schools to response to environment in Shiraz. This research is applied in nature and employs a descriptive-correlational design using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).
research methodology: The statistical population consisted of school employees in Shiraz (approximately 17,000 individuals), with the sample size determined using Cochran's formula. Through simple cluster sampling, 105 schools and 416 participants were selected. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires for social capital, readiness for change, the ability of schools to response to environment. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and Amos 24 software, employing one-sample t-tests, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis..
Findings: The results indicated that social capital and readiness for change were at a level above average, while school environmental responsiveness was at a desirable level. Furthermore, significant positive correlations were observed among the three variables. Structural model analysis revealed that in the interaction model, social capital does not have a significant direct effect on environmental responsiveness; however, readiness for change exerts a significant direct effect. Additionally, the interaction effect between social capital and readiness for change was found to be significant.
Conclusion: The findings confirm that social capital plays an indirect role in predicting school environmental responsiveness by strengthening readiness for change. These results emphasize the strategic importance of simultaneously enhancing social capital and readiness for change to improve the organizational responsiveness of schools to environmental transformations.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Abdolahzadeh, M., Zahed Babelan A., Moeinikia, M., & Khaleghkhah, A. (2025). Identifying and Explaining the Pattern of Factors Affecting School Resilience in Elementary Schools: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Applied Educational Leadership, 6(4), 109-133. DOI: 10.22098/AEL.202 5.18547.1652. [In Persian]
Armenakis, A. A. & Harris, S. G. (2002). Crafting a change message to create transformational readiness. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 15(2), 169–183. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872679304600601.
Armenakis, A. A. & Harris, S. G. (2021). Reflections: Our journey in organizational change research and practice. Journal of Change Management, 21(1), 1–17. DOI: 10.1080/14697017.2021.1894935.
AIBAGHI ESFAHANI, SAEED, SABOKROO, MAHDI, BARZEGARLOO, MAHIN, & AZAMI, MOHAMMAD MEHDI. (2017). THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL CAPITAL ON ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH IN PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS. SOCIAL CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, 4(2), 199-220. SID. https://sid.ir/paper/266944/en. [In Persian]
De la Vega Rodríguez, L. F. (2015). Educational accountability: high and low points of its implementation and challenges for Latin America. Estudios sobre Educación, 29, 191–213. DOI: 10.15581/004.29.191-213.
De Valle, N. A. C. (2021). How Does Family Firm Status Moderate the Relationship Between Organizational Readiness for Change and Organizational Resilience in Times of Crisis? (Doctoral dissertation, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte).
Davoodi, K., Izadi, H. & Khordiar, S. (2019). Identifying and prioritizing factors affecting the improvement of managers’ responsiveness in the public sector accounting system with a grounded theory approach. Danesh-e Hesabdari(AuditingKnowledge),19(77),141–165. https://search.isc.ac/dl/search/defaultta.aspx?DTC=8&DC=1134082. [In Persian]
Helin, T. (2022). Two different school realities within one city: Resources and social capital at primary school according to teachers (Master’s thesis). https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:1633036.
Hejazi, A., &Mohamad Mirzaee, H. (2026). Identifying the dimensions and components of self- management in elementary school students; a mixed-method study, Scientific-Research Quarterly of Applied Educational Leadership, 7(1),221-239. DOI: 10.22098/ael.2025.176
39.1588. [In Persian]
Iqbal, Y. & Wardana, A. (2019). Social Capital and School Principal Roles in Improving School Quality of SMA Muhammadiyah 3 Yogyakarta. In 6th International Conference on Educational Research and Innovation (ICERI 2018) (pp. 27–31). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/iceri-18.2019.6.
Jordan, J. B. (2015). A study in how linking social capital functions in community development (Doctoral dissertation). The University of Southern Mississippi.
Jones, R. A., Jimmieson, N. L. & Griffiths, A. (2005). The impact of organizational culture and reshaping capabilities on change implementation success: The mediating role of readiness for change. Journal of Management Studies, 42, 361–386. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2005.00500.x.
Ladd, H. (2001). School-based educational accountability systems: The promise and the pitfalls. National Tax Journal, 54(2), 385–400. DOI: 10.1017/S002205070000020X.
Rafferty, A. E., Jimmieson, N. L. & Armenakis, A. A. (2013). Change readiness: A multilevel review. Journal of Management, 39(1), 110–135. DOI: 10.1177/0149206311429379.
RezaeiŲŒL (2026). An Assessment of Dimensions and Factors Affecting Quality of Technical Performance (Teaching-Learning) at Shiraz Primary Schools. SHIRAZ univercity. [In Persian]
Swanson, E., Kim, S., Lee, S. M., Yang, J. J. & Lee, Y. K. (2020). The effect of leader competencies on knowledge sharing and job performance: Social capital theory. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 42, 88–96. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2020.01.003.
Salimian, Z. (2022). Explaining the structural model of teachers’ perception of schools’ social capital and teachers’ psychological capital with their readiness for change in elementary schools of Fars province (Master’s thesis). University of Shiraz, Faculty of Psychology and Education. [In Persian]
Torkzadeh, J. & Razi, E. (2024). Management for Sustainability: The Change Approach in Social Systems. Second Edition. Qom: Research Institute of Hawza and University. [In Persian]
Torkzadeh, J., Jahani, J. & Razi, H. (2018). Investigating the mediating role of environmental responsiveness in the relationship between organizational cohesion and external image. International Journal of Humanities, 25(2), 77–89. https://www.noormags.ir/view/fa/articlepage/1467730. [In Persian]
Torkzadeh, J. & Abdsharifi, F. (2015). Predicting readiness for organizational change based on employees’ perception of organizational structure type with the mediating role of organizational cohesion. Improvement and Transformation Management Studies, 24(78), 33–64. https://search.isc.ac/dl/search/defaultta.aspx?DTC=8&DC=1104555. [In Persian]
TORKZADEH, JAFAR, & NAJAFI, ZAHRA. (2020). Factor Structure Analysis of Power of Response to Environment Scale in Public Schools of Shiraz. JOURNAL OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, 8(3 ), 199-214. SID. https://sid.ir/paper/960153/en. [In Persian]
Torkzadeh, J., Sadeghian Sorki, M., Marzouqi, R. & Jahani, J. (2019). Problem identification of Farhangian University graduates with an approach to environmental responsiveness (Case study: Campuses of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province). Ta’lim va Tarbiyat (Educational Sciences), 35(1), 31–50. https://www.magiran.com/p1988768. [In Persian]
Torkzadeh, J. & Najafi, Z. (2021). Structural modeling of the relationship between leadership worldview and environmental responsiveness with the mediating role of organizational coherence. Journal of School Administration, 9(1), 472–497. https://search.isc.ac/dl/search/defaultta.aspx?DTC=8&DC=1257564 [In Persian]
Torkzadeh, J. & Ghasemimanesh, S. (2022). A descriptive analysis of social capital, organizational cohesion, and organizational responsiveness to environment in schools. 7th National Conference on Innovation and Research in Management, Psychology, and Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872679304600601. [In Persian]
Torkzadeh, J., & Mohtaram, M. (2022). SAKHTAR SAZMANI TEOURI, TAHGHIGH VA TARAHI (ROYKARD TAVANASAZ VA BAZDARANDEH) [Organizational Structure: Theory, Research, and Design (Enabling and Inhibiting Approach)]. Tahirih Andisheh, Chape Avval (First Edition). [In Persian]
UNESCO, G. (2017). Accountability in education: Meeting our commitments. Global Education Monitoring Report. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000259526.
Weiner, B. J. (2009). A theory of organizational readiness for change. Implementation Science, 4(1), 1–9. DOI: 10.1186/1748-5908-4-67.
Yu, J., Lo, C. W. H. & Li, P. H. Y. (2017). Organizational visibility, stakeholder environmental pressure and corporate environmental responsiveness in China. Business Strategy and the Environment, 26(3), 371–384. DOI: 10.1002/bse.1935.
Zhang, J., Cao, Z., Zhou, X., Liu, J. & Jia, H. (2024). The influencing mechanism of robustness of emergency medical logistics: Mediating role of knowledge integration. Systems, 12(10), 424. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems12100424.
Applied Educational Leadership
Volume 7, Issue 2
July 2026
Pages 1-17

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 20 December 2025
  • Revise Date: 31 May 2026
  • Accept Date: 31 May 2026

Share

How to cite

Statistics