Explaining the role of organizational culture on succession-planning at the Ministry of Health and Medical Education: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Developing and guiding new knowledge are futile unless the organizational culture can also be transformed. Future leaders cannot emerge out of an organizational environment that is not conducive to the accumulation of experiences. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the role of organizational culture in creating a succession-planning system at the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in 2014. METHODS: The present qualitative framework analysis held interviews with 23 director generals, administrative directors and deputies from the headquarters of the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education in 2014 who were selected through snowball sampling. The data obtained were analyzed in MAXQDA-10. Codes were extracted using inductive techniques. RESULTS: The cultural factors affecting succession-planning at the Ministry of Health and Medical Education were identified and classified under three main areas, including the cultural factors related to the directors with four themes (Directors’ job security, Constructive competition, Transparency and trust development, Creating opportunities), to the personnel with four themes (Organizational identity and loyalty, Trust in the organization, Talent and merit, Peer envy) and to the system with two themes (Values and beliefs, Politicization). CONCLUSION: Findings of the study show that establishment and institutionalization of the succession planning to the Ministry of Health and Medical Education is deeply affected by the components of organizational culture. Accordingly, unprofessional organization culture can deprive the organization of numerous advantages in multiple-succession planning.