Identifying the Key Managerial Competencies in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Case Study: Tehran Province Industry, Mining and Trade Organization)
Subject Areas :
Fatemeh Karimi Jafari
1
,
AbbasAli HajiKarimi
2
,
Zahra Moradi Golriz
3
1 - Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Faculty of Management and Finance, Khatam University, Tehran, Iran.
2 - Associate Professor, Department of Management, Faculty of Management and Finance, Khatam University, Tehran, Iran
3 - MSc., Department of Management, Faculty of Management and Finance, Khatam University, Tehran, Iran
Keywords: competency model, managers, fourth industrial revolution, thematic analysis.,
Abstract :
The Fourth Industrial Revolution necessitates that managers reassess their approaches to supporting the adoption of digital technologies, managing an increasingly diverse workforce, and empowering employees. Managerial credibility in this new era should not rely solely on professional status or technical expertise but rather on the ability to effectively transfer managerial skills and adapt to dynamic digital contexts. The present study aims to identify the key managerial competencies required in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with a case study focusing on the Tehran Province Industry, Mining, and Trade Organization. The research is applied in terms of its outcome, developmental–exploratory in purpose, and qualitative in terms of data type. The study population comprised managers of the Tehran Province Industry, Mining, and Trade Organization, among whom 18 participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling methods until theoretical saturation was achieved. To ensure the validity of the qualitative research instrument, expert opinions from academics and professors familiar with the subject area were utilized, and participants were consulted during data analysis and interpretation. Inter-coder reliability was employed to confirm the reliability of the interview data. Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis method was used to analyze the qualitative data. The findings identified six core managerial competency categories for the Fourth Industrial Revolution era: personal, social, methodological, professional, technical, and managerial competencies, encompassing a total of 119 sub-competencies. The results highlight that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is a multifaceted phenomenon encompassing diverse technologies and requiring managers and organizations to cultivate a broad spectrum of competencies across functional and business domains. Managerial competencies are evolving toward the integration of digital tools and technologies within professional contexts—extending beyond digital proficiency to include the capacity to collaborate effectively and lead amid uncertainty in digital environments.
