Sociological Analysis of Strategies to Increase the Social Responsibility of the IRCS with an Emphasis on People’s Participation in Disasters

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Promoting social responsibility in a relief organization can lead to the development of people's participation in its operations. This study has been conducted with the aim of sociological analysis of the strategies to increase the social responsibility in the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) with an emphasis on the development of people’s participation in disasters. METHODS: In this qualitative study, the sample population included experts and rescuers of the IRCS. The sampling method was purposeful until theoretical saturation was reached and therefore 22 people were interviewed. The data collected by semi-structured interview and analyzed in three stages of open, axial, and selective coding. The validity of the research was also examined through triangulation. FINDINGS: Based on data analysis, strategies consist of 9 main categories, 51 subcategories and 230 primary codes. In general, after analyzing the data obtained from the research, a paradigm model of strategies for increasing the social responsibility of the IRCS was designed with emphasis on people's participation in disasters. CONCLUSION: In order to increase people’s participation during disasters in the IRCS, it is necessary to educate and promote a humanitarian participatory culture, create an organizational identity, increase the Society’s responsibility towards public participants, apply merit management, attention to the implementation of organizational justice and attention to social accountability processes by the IRCS must be considered.