Designing and Validating the Model of Intra-Organizational Social Capital for Staff of the General Directorate of Education in Ardabil Province: A Comparative Study of Line and Staff Units Using a Mixed-Methods Approach

Rapid transformations in educational systems and the necessity of enhancing organizational efficiency have further highlighted the importance of examining intra organizational social capital within the education system. This study aimed to design and validate a model of social capital among line and staff employees of the General Directorate of Education in Ardabil Province, using an exploratory mixed methods approach (qualitative–quantitative). In the qualitative phase, data were collected through 18 semi structured interviews and analyzed using thematic network analysis in MAXQDA, leading to the identification of three main dimensions structural, relational, and cognitive and key components in the two groups of line and staff employees. In the quantitative phase, the statistical population consisted of employees of the education departments across Ardabil Province, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, specifically confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), in AMOS software. The model validation results indicated desirable validity and reliability of the research structure; accordingly, composite reliability indices (CR>0.7), convergent validity (AVE>0.5), and statistical significance levels (p<0.001) were confirmed. The results of second order factor analysis showed that all model paths possessed the required validity, except for the component of innovation in educational management among staff employees (t statistic = 1.639), which was not significant at the 0.05 level. Comparative and Managerial Findings: Analysis of the level of social capital, based on the desired benchmark value of 4, showed that the organization’s overall social capital was at an acceptable level; however, substantial differences were observed across components. Components such as “evaluation processes” (4.05), “intra school collaboration” (4.05), “communication with educational experts” (4.99), and “effective communication skills” (4.99) were found to be at a desirable level. In contrast, components such as “interaction with the local community” (3.00), “planning and budgeting processes” (3.01), “interdepartmental collaboration” (3.07), and “trust building and transparency” (3.01) were identified as requiring immediate improvement. Accordingly, it is recommended that, in order to enhance social capital, the education organization focus on developing an inclusive culture, strengthening network based interactions, revising evaluation systems, and creating supportive conditions for employees’ innovative ideas. This model can serve as an operational basis for human resource policymaking and improving educational performance within the managerial system of Ardabil Province.