Purpose – Literature review indicates lack of using the Kano model in organizational behavior domain and managers’ satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to propose a Kano-based model for managers’ satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – In order to examine one of the proposed behaviors in this model, the role of employees’ organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) as an attractive behavior, has been investigated. The statistical population includes managers of the Isfahan’s financial service industries. After distributing questionnaires, 224 accurate questionnaires have been used for data analysis. In designing the survey questionnaire, the OCB questionnaire developed by Podsakoff et al. (1990) and Bell and Menguc (2002) has been used. For each of the OCB dimensions, some questions have been initially designed; then after collecting data, by using Kano evaluation table, the behavior types have been determined. Findings – Findings imply that by using the Kano model, five types of behaviors, i.e. must-be, one-dimensional, attractive, indifferent, and reverse can be identified. The findings related to case study also indicate that out of five dimensions of OCB, three dimensions of altruism, sportsmanship, and civic virtue are located in Attractive category; the courtesy dimension is located in must-be category; the conscientiousness dimension is located in one-dimensional category; and in reverse category, no dimension is located. In general, OCB is located in attractive category. Research limitations/implications – By using the results of this survey, a new classification of employees’ behaviors types can be suggested. The results of this study can help employees in understanding what kind of their behaviors causes managers’ satisfaction. Originality/value – The results of this study have an important contribution in the literature of the Kano model and OCB.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the characteristics of virtual social networks (VSNs) and to determine their salient attributes, including those that influence flow experience, trust and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) behaviors affecting users’ purchase intentions, and to provide important strategic implications contributing to the Internet marketing literature. Design/methodology/approach – Using a self-administered questionnaire, the data (n = 167) are collected from two Iranian Internet social networking sites, namely, facenama.com and cloob.com . Using LISREL 8.5, hypothesized relationships are examined through structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. Findings – According to the results of the study, despite all assumptions and studies to the contrary, eWOM behaviors in VSNs are derived from neither users’ flow experience nor their trust in VSNs, but they are mostly caused by VSNs’ attributes, from which four are investigated in this study, namely, communication and social relationships, entertainment, information disclosure and ease of use. Nevertheless, according to the results, VSN attributes also influence trust and flow experience, trust in a VSN environment influences users’ flow experience and eWOM in VSNs has significant impact on users’ purchase intentions. The findings also revealed that the level of education of a user affects how much he trusts the VSN environment. Practical implications – The author examined flow experience, trust, eWOM behavior, purchase intentions and the VSNs’ attributes to verify their relationships, providing a better understanding of an effective indirect marketing in VSNs. The results also have important implications for researchers. Originality/value – While flow experience, trust, word-of-mouth (WOM) behaviors and purchase intentions have been separately studied in Web sites, e-shopping malls and blogs, little research has sought to identify the existence of these elements within VSNs, their correlations with one another and how they are affected by VSNs’ attributes.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a new approach for evaluating the situational leadership theory (SLT). Design/methodology/approach – Statistical population includes the undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students of the University of Isfahan. For data analysis, 727 accurate completed questionnaires have been used. Initially, questions were developed for each SLT style, followed by analysis in which the type of styles were determined and classified using the Kano evaluation table. Findings – Based on the Kano's classifications, findings imply that, the appropriate leadership styles for undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students are directing, coaching and supporting styles, respectively. Originality/value – The approach and findings of this research contribute to the literature of SLT and the Kano model. Findings can be used as a guideline for lecturers in leading and motivating students.

Purpose Trust and impersonal trust, in particular, are of significant importance both for organizations and for innovative personnel, who are regarded human assets to organizations. The purpose of this study is to investigate the antecedents and consequences of impersonal trust in organizations. Design/methodology/approach The population of this study constituted the managers, specialists and personnel of a pharmaceutical company in Iran. Out of a total of 200 questionnaires having been administered, 187 were returned; and structural equation modelling (SEM) was used for data analysis. Findings The findings of the study indicate that personal learning has a significant positive effect (β = 0.64) on impersonal trust, that interpersonal communication has a significant positive effect (β = 0.14) on impersonal trust, and that organizational justice perception, also, has a significant positive effect (β = 0.14) on impersonal trust. In addition, the findings show that impersonal trust has a significant positive effect both on job satisfaction (β = 0.47) and on innovation (B = 0.42) and job satisfaction has a significant positive effect (β = 0.39) on innovation. Moreover, impersonal trust, through job satisfaction, has a significant indirect effect (β = 0.18) on innovation; and personal learning, through organizational justice perception, does not have a significant indirect effect (β = 0.014) on impersonal trust. Originality/value This study is among only a few studies having investigated the antecedents and consequences of impersonal trust together. Also, in a developing country like Iran, impersonal trust has rarely been studied.

This study aimed to identify and rank criteria of competency-based recruitment system in an empirical case study. The studied population was experts in human resources management and network administrators of Saderat Bank of Iran as an empirical case study. The study was conducted in two general phases based on qualitative methods (interviews and Delphi) in two stages and quantitative methods for assessing validity and ranking. The results showed that criteria of competency-based recruitment system could be categorised in 5 criteria and 22 sub-criteria. The identified criteria included competence, prospection, integrity, justice and flexibility. Second order factor analysis was used to examine construct validity of the extracted criteria and their questions; Cronbach's alpha was used to check its reliability. The results indicated good validity and factor loading of each component as a criterion of the competency-based recruitment system. Among the identified criteria, competence, prospection, flexibility, integrity and justice, respectively, were more important in the competency-based recruitment system.