Factors affecting the selection of managers of public libraries by using DEMATEL technique

The viewpoints of Librarians in Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Nowadays, the majority of organizations inefficiency and lack of organizational goals depends on the choice of incompetent managers. Management in the libraries is one of the necessary specializations, in the field of information science and knowledge that using methods, techniques, professional skills, knowledge and expertise, as well as valuable experience, is supported. Hence factors affecting appointment of managers are the most important and most sensitive issues in the process of every working library. This study aims to provide a quantitative analysis of the factors for choosing Solaris director of librarians in public libraries based on DEMATEL technique.
Methodology: This research is a practical study and uses a descriptive and analytical method. Having studied papers about factors affecting the selection of manager, 6 factors as main factors were determined. In order to verify the factors in public libraries of Iran, a questionnaire was designed and subsequently confirmed by librarians who are experts in this field. These factors include objective factors, management skills, knowledge and expertise, personality characteristic, attitude and insight, and professional credibility. Therefore, to analyze the factors and determine their interactive relations, DEMATEL approach was used and the relations were defined as numbers.
Findings: From the views of experts, the cause criteria based on importance are "knowledge and expertise", "managerial skills" and "attitude and insight"
Results: At the end, taking the DEMATEL approach into account, results show that "knowledge and expertise" were determined as the most impressive criteria, while "management skills" and "attitude and insight" were the most influencing criteria.