Journal of Industrial Sociology

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Historically, women's primary focus was on domestic tasks, but the industrial revolution prompted a reevaluation of their roles in society. In contemporary times, women have widely entered various areas of society. However, evidence shows that there are widespread inequalities in the fields of education, health, economics, and politics between women and men. These inequalities are especially pronounced in the economic sector. In spite of the growth of positive attitudes towards women's management and favorable global conditions for assigning managerial positions to women, they continue to face numerous obstacles. This phenomenon is also evident in Iran, where their share in managerial positions, particularly in the industrial sector, is very small. Since there has been  limited research on the challenges faced by female managers in the industrial sector, this study aims to explore the obstacles encountered by this demographic by focusing on women in management roles within the industry.
Method: This research was carried out within a qualitative framework employing thematic analysis. The research field was the industrial organizations in Mashhad city. The participants consisted of 12 women managers from the industrial sector who were selected  by means of purposive sampling method gradually during the data collection and analysis process. The data collection tool was a semi-structured in-depth interview. Each interview lasted between 75 and 120 minutes. All interviews took place at the factory site and with prior appointments and necessary coordination with the participants. The interviews were concluded upon reaching data saturation. Finally, the credibility of the data was established through evaluation technique by the participants.
Findings: On the whole, six key themes emerged from the data analysis. These themes are as follows: 1) the challenge of balancing housekeeping with factory management, 2) the challenge of motherhood alongside management, 3) the challenge of nursing, 4) the challenge of marital responsibilities, 5) the unequal opportunity prerequisite of double effort, and 6) the challenge of insecurity. Each of these themes was discussed in detail. 
Conclusion: The research findings reveal that female managers, compared to their male counterparts, face unique and additional challenges alongside conventional workplace difficulties, requiring greater capabilities and resources to overcome them. Although women managers bear significant responsibilities regarding their work, housekeeping remains a priority for them, and they continually seek plans to create a balance between housekeeping and business. Undoubtedly, women constitute half of development, and effectively utilizing their capacities necessitates removing the obstacles they face in the workplace.

Abstract Introduction: Employees in the industrial sector require various traits to enhance their performance. one of these characteristics is the health of the family. The healthier an individual's family is, the greater their motivation to excel in their job. Company productivity heavily relies on its workers, who are considered as vital human resources. Thus, increased productivity enables the company to remain competitive and sustain its operations. As a result, industrial firms not only prioritize the skills and technical competencies of their employees but also place significant emphasis on improving the health of their families. In spite of the considerable workforce contributing to industrial productivity in Iran, there has been limited social research focusing on the health of workers' families. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to examine the relationship between social adjustment and social support with the health of families of industrial workers.
Method: This research was conducted within the framework of quantitative methodology using a survey approach. The population comprised the workers in industrial companies in Ardakan city, exceeding 3000 individuals. A total of 400 workers were selected from the glass, tile and ceramic, machinery, and iron smelting and production industries through a cluster random sampling method. The research instruments used to measure the variables of family health, social adjustment, and social support were the questionnaires by Hovestadt et al. (1985), Bell & Walsh (2015), and Vaux et al. (1986), respectively. All questionnaires have been validated in Iran in previous research, and their reliabilities were confirmed using Cronbach's alpha coefficients, with values for family health, social support, and social adjustment reported at 0.89, 0.66, and 0.89, respectively. Pearson correlation and regression analyses were employed to analyze the relationships among the variables utilizing SPSS software.
Findings: The results of the study demonstrated that social support has a positive and significant impact on family health (r=0.307, P<0.01). Additionally, there is a positive and significant relationship between social adjustment and family health (r=0.222, P<0.01). The findings from the multivariate regression analysis revealed that social adjustment and social support could explain approximately 15% of the variance in family health.
Conclusion: According to the findings, the research concludes that social support and social adjustment can improve the health of workers' families. This implies that industrial companies, by enhancing family health through social support and fostering environments for social adjustment, could contribute to the productivity of their workforce. Such efforts could ultimately lead to enhanced efficiency within industrial companies.

Abstract Introduction: In an industrial society, labor became centralized within factories, compelling employers to hire numerous individuals as workers who exchanged their effort for wages to meet the production objectives of the factory. This arrangement soon gave rise to several conflicts, particularly disputes between workers and management, which is a perennial issue in labor relations across different societies. In Iran, as the factory system has expanded and work has become more concentrated in these settings, tensions between employees and employers have emerged as a major social challenge. The persistence of these conflicts has negative consequences for the country. This study aims to examine the conflicts between workers and employers subject to the labor law in terms of the country's industrial indicators.
Method: This study employs a quantitative longitudinal approach, utilizing time-series methodology. To measure conflicts between workers and employers, the total number of complaints was analyzed, and to measure the industrial indicators the added value of the construction industry to GDP, the percentage of total employers, the number of establishment licenses for industrial workshops, women's employment in the industrial sector, production from large industrial workshops, and employment within these workshops were assessed. The time frame analyzed spans from 2001 to 2021, and the required data were collected from the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI), the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare (MCLS), the Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Trade (MIMT), the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran (CBI), and the World Bank (WB). To investigate both short-term and long-term relationships, the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model was implemented utilizing Microfit software version 5.
Findings: The results indicate that there is a positive and significant relationship between the production of large industrial workshops (T-Ratio=5.2, Prob.=.002), the percentage of total employers (T-Ratio=5.7, Prob.=.001), the number of establishment licenses for industrial workshops (T-Ratio=6.7, Prob.=.001), and employment rates in large industrial workshops (T-Ratio=5.6, Prob.=.001) with regard to the number of complaints. Furthermore, findings show a negative and significant relationship between the added value of the industrial sector to GDP (T-Ratio= -4.3, Prob.=.005) and women's employment in the industrial sector (T-Ratio= -5.3, Prob.=.013) with the number of complaints.
Conclusion: This research concludes that workers' complaints against employers are influenced by macro-industrial indicators. Specifically, while the production of large industrial workshops, the percentage of employers, the number of establishment licenses, and the level of employment in large industrial workshops contribute to an increase in complaints, the added value of the industry to GDP and the level of employment of women in the industrial sector notably reduce the number of complaints.

Abstract Introduction: Work ethic, as a set of moral values that stems from hard work and dedication, is a fundamental issue in modern industrial society. Every country requires a strong work ethics because a human resource with advanced work ethics plays an effective role in advancing the goals and national development of countries. Work ethics are considered the most important cultural factors in economic development. With women's widespread entry into the workforce, which is characterized by ethics based on collectivism, conscientiousness, and cohesion, a new aspect of work ethics is expected to emerge in organizations. However, this issue has not received much attention in Iran. Accordingly, the main purpose of this research is to investigate the relationships between gender attitude and religious beliefs in shaping the work ethics of women and men working in workshops subject to the labor law of Bushehr province, utilizing Jessie Bernard's Female World Theory.
Method: The current research is conducted employing a survey method.  The population is composed of both women and men who work in workshops in Bushehr that are governed by labor laws across the three sectors of industry, agriculture, and services. Using a random cluster sampling method, 400 individuals were selected. In order to collect data, researcher-made questionnaires were used. The validity of the questionnaires was measured through face validity, while their reliability was measured using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for internal consistency. The relationships between variables were analyzed using SPSS software.
Findings: The findings revealed that gender attitude and religious beliefs have a significant influence on work ethics. Individuals who have more traditional gender attitudes are more likely to exhibit a strong work ethic in terms of cohesion and collectivism. In contrast, those who have a more modern gender attitude tend to demonstrate a stronger work ethic in the dimension of conscientiousness. In addition, the research findings showed that there is no significant difference between women and men regarding work ethics and the three dimensions of cohesion, collectivism, and conscientiousness.
Conclusion: This research concludes that work ethics are influenced by gender attitudes and religious beliefs in different ways. Furthermore, there is no substantial difference in work ethics between women and men. Although women have demonstrated conscientiousness, cohesion, and collectivism as work ethics at home, they do not differ from men in their work ethics outside the home and within formal work environments. This suggests that women are similar to men in their participation in the labor market in contemporary industrial society.

Abstract Introduction: Women in the contemporary industrial world have entered the field of entrepreneurship on a large scale due to the globalization of trade and economy. A large portion of the world's economic activities is controlled by women, and their entrepreneurship is now a global phenomenon. Iranian society has made extensive efforts for several decades to achieve an advanced industrial society with its specific socio-economic requirements and has achieved some progress in some cases but the development of women's entrepreneurship is still limited and facing many challenges. According to evidence, the share of women in the Iranian economy is decreasing, and this will create many problems in the future in today's industrial world, which requires women's economic participation. Therefore, the main purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between government policies, information technology, family role expectations, and organizational factors with women's entrepreneurship.
Method: This is a quantitative study conducted using a survey method. The population is comprised of women in Ahvaz who have established and managed a business independently or in partnership and have been active for at least one year. From this population, 140 entrepreneurs in the fields of industry, agriculture, and services were selected using the convenience sampling method. The research instruments included the scales by Stevenson and Lundstrom (2002), Asadi et al. (2010), Hornsby (1993), Kopelman et al. (1983), and finally, Kordnaeij (2002) which were utilized to measure government policy, information technology, organizational support, family role expectations, and entrepreneurship respectively. These questionnaires have been standardized in Iran, and calculation of Cronbach's alpha coefficients showed that they all have high internal consistency.
Findings: Based on the descriptive findings, the most common areas of women's entrepreneurship are the service, industry, and agriculture sectors, respectively. The analytical findings indicate that there is a significant relationship between the variables of government policy, information technology, family role expectations, and organizational support with women's entrepreneurship. The findings also reveal that organizational support, family role expectations, government policy, and information technology, respectively, exert the most significant influence on women's entrepreneurship. These variables are able to explain  0.718 of the variances in women's entrepreneurship.
Conclusion: This research concludes that by making changes in government policies, strengthening information technology, adjusting expectations of women's family roles, and finally, increasing organizational support, women's entrepreneurship can be promoted and help develop their entrepreneurship. Women's entrepreneurial activities in the contemporary industrial world are crucial for creating employment and contributing to the development process, making it imperative to identify and eliminate its obstacles.

Abstract Introduction: Employees in hospitals and polyclinics, which are considered basic and superior industries of the service industry, are widely exposed to burnout due to demanding work conditions. This is especially exacerbated in psychiatric hospitals. Because treatment in these centers requires continuous contact and engagement with many clients and patients, which necessitates working more than the required hours. As a result, it strengthens the tendency towards work addiction. Considering the enlargement of the healthcare sector in the country and the growth in the number of employees in this sector, conducting such research is greatly important. Therefore, the present study attempts to examine the relationship between workaholism and occupational burnout, focusing on the mediating role of psychological capital among employees in the healthcare industry. 
 Method: This is quantitative research that was carried out using the survey method. The population of the study includes all social workers and medical staff at Ibn Sina Psychiatric Hospital in Mashhad, totaling 420 participants. A simple random sampling method was employed to select a sample size of 201 individuals as the sample size. Data were collected using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (2001), Luthans' Psychological Capital Questionnaire (2007), and the Spence and Robbins Workaholism Scale (1992). The validity of these research instruments in Iran has been proven in previous research. Moreover, their reliabilities were established through internal consistency by means of Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The values for burnout, workaholism, and psychological capital were.82,.80, and.74 respectively. Descriptive data were analyzed using SPSS software and the relationships between research variables were examined through structural equation modeling (SEM) using Amos software. 
Findings: Based on the research findings, there is a positive and significant relationship between workaholism and psychological capital with a coefficient of 0.75. The results also indicate that there is a negative and significant relationship between workaholism and burnout with a coefficient of -0.32.  Furthermore, the psychological capital negatively and significantly impacts burnout with a coefficient of -0.59. According to the coefficients in the model, the psychological capital and workaholism variables can explain 0.72 of the variance in burnout among the social workers and medical staff. 
Conclusion: Special job conditions cause hospital employees to experience burnout. The consequences of this can be detrimental to human resources. Based on the research findings, this study concludes that workaholism and psychological capital contribute to a decrease in burnout. The nature of workaholism in hospitals and the psychological capital that is strengthened through the support of managers can alleviate job burnout among the personnel of healthcare industry.

Abstract Introduction: In order to meet organizational objectives, it is essential to utilize human resources effectively; however, procrastination, which acts as a harmful delay in completing tasks, serves as a significant barrier to the effectiveness of these resources within the organization. As a global phenomenon, procrastination is increasingly prevalent in organizations and can decrease overall productivity. Evidence suggests that procrastination is present and rising among Iranian workers in both the public and private sectors. This issue can have numerous negative consequences for organizations, particularly those that experience a significant influx of referrals and interactions, such as Cooperative, Labor, and Social Welfare (CLSW) offices. While procrastination in organizations is influenced by numerous factors, this study aims to investigate the effect of career plateauing on organizational procrastination, mediated by job satisfaction.
Method: This research was conducted within a quantitative framework using a survey method. The population comprised employees of the Cooperative, Labor, and Social Welfare offices in Isfahan province. A total of 217 participants were selected through a multi-stage random sampling method to collect the necessary information. To measure procrastination and job satisfaction, the questionnaires developed by Baran Metin et al. (2020) and Panigrahi and Al-Nashash (2019) were utilized, respectively. Additionally, a researcher-designed questionnaire was employed to assess career plateauing. The research instruments were validated through construct and face validity, and their reliability was assessed by measuring internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha coefficient. SPSS and AMOS software were used for data analysis.
Findings: The results of the direct and indirect effects test of the research model indicated that job satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between content plateauing and procrastination in the form of refusing to complete organizational tasks on time. Moreover, job satisfaction fully mediates the relationship between structural plateauing and dimensions of organizational procrastination. However, job satisfaction could not mediate the relationship between comprehensive plateauing and dimensions of organizational procrastination. Additionally, there was no statistically significant difference between the average level of organizational procrastination in terms of employment type, alignment of job field with organizational position, place of service, education, and organizational position. In contrast, a significant difference in the average level of organizational procrastination was found based on gender, marital status, alignment of education with job roles, and field of activity.
Conclusion: Based on the findings, this research concludes by controlling the level of career plateau organizational procrastination among employees can be minimized. An effective  strategy to achieve this is to enhance job satisfaction within the workforce.   

Abstract Introduction: Mobile phones are among the contemporary communication technologies that have made a significant impact on human life. It is estimated that there are more than 7 billion users of this technology worldwide. The unique features of  mobile phones have made them more influential on the social life, lifestyle, and consumer behavior of users than other communication technologies. Mobile phone technology is expanding rapidly in Iran, as in other parts of the world. The growing significance of this communication technology in Iran necessitates a thorough understanding of its social function. The purpose of this study was to provide a sociological explanation for the patterns of mobile phone usage among young people.
Method: A survey method was utilized for this research. The research sample comprised 400 young people aged 17 to 30 from Shiraz, who were selected using a multi-stage stratified sampling method. Data were collected using researcher-developed questionnaires. Face validity and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were used to measure the validity and reliability of the questionnaires, respectively. Frequency and percentage distributions were used to describe the data. Independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and regression analysis were employed using SPSS software to examine the relationships between variables.
Findings: The findings showed significant differences in recreational mobile phone use based on gender, marital status, social class, and parental education. Males, singles, individuals from upper social classes, and those with highly educated parents exhibited greater recreational use. However, no significant difference was observed in recreational use based on respondents' education levels. Regarding non-recreational use, significant differences were found with respect to social class, respondents' education, and parental education. Individuals from upper social classes, those with higher education levels, and individuals with highly educated parents demonstrated greater non-recreational use. However, no significant differences were observed in non-recreational use with respect to gender or marital status. Moreover, there was no significant relationship between non-recreational use and satisfaction with mobile phones. The results of regression analysis showed that the independent variables could explain .103 of the variance in non-recreational use and .114 of the variance in recreational use variances.
Conclusion: Based on the findings, this research concludes that the patterns of use of mobile phone technology is closely related to the individual’s lived experiences and education of individuals. Given the high usage of mobile phones by young people as a modern and industrial communication tool, and the high share of recreational use among young people, it is necessary to conduct further research focusing on the content of youth recreational use and its possible harms.

Abstract Introduction: Since its inception, the automobile industry has been widely welcomed and developed all over the world because of its tangible efficiency. This industry has resulted in traffic accidents, which have become one of the most significant social issues worldwide today, resulting in millions of lives being destroyed or injured annually. The rate of traffic accidents and deaths has become an acute social issue in Iran due to the rapid expansion of the automobile industry and roads and streets. Theoretically, traffic accident fatalities are explained by a variety of factors. However, the influence of modern communication technologies, such as the Internet and mobile phones, on traffic accidents and fatalities at a macro level has not been given much attention in Iran. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between the mobile phone and internet technologies and traffic accident fatalities at a macro level from 1991 to 2022.
Method: A time-series method was made use of in this quantitative longitudinal research to examine the relationship between mobile phone and the internet penetration variables and traffic accident fatalities in Iran from 1991-2022. To assess traffic accidents, the index of urban traffic accident deaths per 100,000 populations was employed. In order to measure mobile phone penetration, the number of mobile phone subscribers was utilized as an index. Finally, to measure the internet penetration, the number of internet users was used. The required data were collected from the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI), the Iranian Legal Medicine Organization (ILMO), and the World Bank (WB). To analyze both short-term and long-term relationships, the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model was employed utilizing Microfit software version 5.
Findings: According to the research findings, in the long-term relationships, with the increase in the number of mobile phone subscriptions, the number of traffic accident fatalities has significantly increased (Prob.=0.000; T-Ratio=10.4; Coefficient=0.44). Moreover, the findings of the research indicate that the number of traffic accident fatalities has decreased in the long run as a result of the increase in internet penetration rate (Prob. =0.000; T-Ratio=-7.8; Coefficient=0.37).
Conclusion: The present study concludes that modern mobile phone and the internet communication technologies are affecting traffic accident casualties in Iran, which is a significant social issue. However, their effects are not the same. The increase in mobile phone usage has led to an increase in traffic accident casualties, but the increase in internet usage has resulted in a reduction in traffic accident casualties.

Abstract Introduction: The marriage industry is a growing phenomenon that has transformed the cultural purpose of marriage into a platform for economic and commercial activities. The planning of wedding ceremonies has increasingly  shifted from families to specialized service providers, encompassing various professionals such as hairstylists, tailors, jewelry vendors, photographers, and catering companies. This trend of specialized wedding services, coupled  with families' eagerness for lavish celebrations, has fueled the expansion of service centers. This has created value and wealth within the marriage phenomenon. The objective of this research is to identify the “primary” activities in the value chain of the marriage industry, identify the “supporting” activities in this industry, and present a “model” of the value chain in the marriage industry. 
Method: This research employed an exploratory and qualitative approach. In this approach, three primary sources were employed. 1)a review of existing documents to identify the various activity centers within the marriage industry. 2) a review of online information pages of each of the marriage industry sectors to identify areas of activity and services in this industry. 3) interviews with 33 managers of service centers in order to provide a value chain model in the marriage industry. This research was conducted in Mashhad city.
Findings: Based on the research findings, 12 major sectors are active in the marriage industry which include clothing, hairdressing, jewelry, wedding car, advertising, floristry, wedding table arrangement, videography, event halls, notary services, ceremony management,  and gifts. The “primary” activities of the value chain in the marriage  industry were identified as: thinking and recognizing opportunities, developing a business plan, attracting and organizing resources, initiating a business, and maturing are the “Furthermore, basic infrastructure, government policies and support, human resource management, securing financial resources, consulting, and skills training are the “supporting” activities in the value chain of this industry. Finally, a business model of the marriage industry value chain was developed, which includes four dimensions: product, customer interaction, structure management, and financial dimensions, and nine key  components: value delivery, target customer, distribution channel, relationships, value creation, capability-centricity, partner network, cost structure, and revenue model.
Conclusion: On the basis of the research results, the primary activities, supporting activities, and business model of the marriage industry in Iran were identified and designed. Due to changes in the lifestyle of young people and cultural changes, the marriage industry is trying to transform itself and provide up-to-date services. However, many sectors of  the marriage industry in Iran are still not fully specialized. .

Abstract Introduction: The global makeup and beauty industry is rapidly expanding in an amazing way all over the world. This phenomenon has led to an unprecedented increase in attention to the body, and the changing and modifying of the body through various cosmetic surgeries. Although the consumption of the cosmetics and beauty industry is on the rise among men as a global rule, women are the main consumers of this industry. The makeup and beauty industry in Iran has grown, making it the seventh country in the world to import cosmetic products and the thirteenth in the world to perform cosmetic surgeries. Given the expansion of the consumption of the makeup and beauty industry among women, th main purpose of this research is to understand the mental meanings behind the decision for women with higher education to have rhinoplasty.
Method: This research was conducted through the use of a qualitative approach and the grounded theory method. Female postgraduate students who had received cosmetic surgery were included in the study's participants. Using the purposive snowball sampling method, 20 individuals were selected and the necessary information was collected from them using semi-structured in-depth interviews. The interviews lasted until the theoretical saturation was achieved. All interviews were audio-recorded with the permission of the participants and then were transcribed on paper. The collected data were categorized in terms of open, axial, and selective coding. To ensure the validity and reliability of the findings, two techniques were employed; member review and analytical comparisons. Throughout the study, ethical considerations were a priority for the researchers, especially the consent to participate in the research and the anonymity of the participants.
Findings: After coding the data, nineteen main categories were extracted as follows: sexual objectification, social limitations, restrictions on clothing, inadequate information, verbal violence, traditional roots, stereotypical self-images, childhood experiences, dysmorphia, inability to self-expression, the influence of mass media, medicalization of society, widespread use of cosmetic surgery, body dramatization, body instrumentalization, extreme consumerism, changing the meaning of beauty, risks, and improving self-confidence. These categories cover the causal, contextual and intervening conditions, the strategy, and the consequences. Based on the findings, the core category of this research is self-alienation of women, which overshadows all categories.
Conclusion: This research concludes like workers alienated from the product of their labor, women are alienated from their bodies, their abilities, and their desires. Therefore, cosmetic surgery and excessive use of cosmetics and toiletries are understood within the context of women's self-alienation rather than as a spontaneous decision.

Abstract Introduction: Despite the fact that the industrial revolution has boosted human capabilities, it has posed risks to the environment as well. One of the key environmental challenges is the substantial increase in the production of municipal solid waste, which is escalating rapidly across the world. It is estimated that municipal solid waste production will reach more than 3.4 billion tons in 2050, which is a serious threat to the environment and human life. Reducing waste production, reuse, and recycling are three major approaches in municipal solid waste management that are being considered in different countries around the world. It is widely agreed that among the strategies for waste management, minimizing waste generation is the most effective. In Iran, the rise in industrial activities has significantly contributed to an increase in waste production; however, efforts to minimize waste generation have not been prioritized. Therefore, this research aims to study the determinants of reducing waste production among citizens.
Method: The research was performed under a qualitative methodology, employing the thematic analysis technique. The participants were 15 citizens in Abadan who were selected utilizing a purposive sampling method. Data were collected using in-depth and semi-structured interviews. The interviews were conducted in a location that the samples determined and were convenient there. Accordingly, some interviews were conducted at the participants' homes, some in the park, coffee shop, their workplace, or the researcher's workplace. Each interview lasted an average of one hour and continued until theoretical saturation. All interviews were recorded with the participants' permission and written down on paper after completion. Then, they were organized in the form of primary themes, sub-, and main themes. Finally, the credibility of the data was achieved by means of the member-checking  technique.
Findings: The findings indicate that citizens' perceptions of waste fall into two primary categories: garbage as a valuable object and garbage as disposable and worthless. Furthermore, the findings from the determinants of reduction of waste production led to the extraction of eighteen sub-themes. After analysis and classification based on relevance and similarity, the sub-themes were categorized into seven main themes as follows: 1) environmental attitudes, 2) subjective norms, 3) review and assessment of perceived behavior, 4) citizenship commitment, 5) education and learning, 6) satisfaction with municipal performance, and 7) control and supervision.
Conclusion: Based on the results, this research concludes that by strengthening environmental attitudes, developing mental norms, increasing citizenship commitment, expanding education, increasing satisfaction with the municipality, and improving control and supervision, waste production can be reduced.