Practice In Iran Research Articles

Corporate Social Responsibility and Institutional Theory: Evidence from a Developing Islamic Nation

Despite plethora of literature in the field of corporate social responsibility (CSR), the institution perspective of CSR is still sparse and very much fragmented and confined to studies from the Anglo Saxon perspectives. This study aims to fill this gap by providing empirical insights on the role of institutions in shaping the CSR concept, policies & practices in a developing Islamic country–Iran. Through a multiple case study approach, data was collected based on semi structured interviews with Iranian firms and institutions such as regulatory bodies, media and non-governmental organizations. Findings revealed that the adoption of CSR practices in Iran is very much influenced by industry-specific conditions, national socio-economic situation and company size. We found that informal institutions such personal values, culture, religion and traditions played a more prominent role in shaping the CSR policies and practices in Iran as compared to formal institutions such as laws and regulations. Media had a minimal role in the promotion of CSR and due to lack of healthy governance structures; firms were reluctant to adopt CSR practices since they could not see its actual value.

Corporate social responsibility in Iran from the perspective of employees

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices in Iran from the perspective of employees.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve the objectives of this research, the perceptions of 142 Iranian employees were examined regarding the CSR practices of their respective organizations. The required data were collected using a questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to refine scale items and confirm the factorial structure of the scale applied. Descriptive statistics and a t‐test were used to analyze the data.FindingsThe paper unveils information about the current status of CSR in Iran from the perspective of employees, and shows that on average Iranian employees perceive their organizations to be committed to CSR, although the mean CSR scores were relatively low in all dimensions. Also, this research shows that while the four‐factorial structure of Truker's CSR scale was confirmed in the Iranian context, some of the items had to be removed from the original scale when measuring CSR.Research limitations/implicationsThe relatively low mean on the categories of CSR among Iranian organizations from the perspective of employees indicates the infancy level of CSR among Iranian organizations and calls for further awareness among Iranian organizations and managers about the issue of CSR. This research also shows that researchers need to be cautious when using CSR scales that have been developed in Western or European contexts to measure social responsibility activities of organizations in culturally different contexts such as the Middle East. A major limitation of this research pertains to sample size, which limits the generalizability of the findings to the whole country.Practical implicationsThis research indicates the infancy level of CSR among Iranian organizations and calls for further engagement of Iranian organizations in social initiatives and community outreach endeavors.Originality/valueBeing among the first research studies of its kind to examine the CSR status in Iran, this study provides invaluable understanding and insights about the status of CSR in Iran, an important country in the Middle East. Furthermore, it validates and supports a recently proposed CSR scale by providing empirical findings from a culturally different context.

Aflatoxin contamination level in Iran's pistachio nut during years 2009–2011

An efficient monitoring system for sampling, analyzing and issuing the export certificates for pistachio consignments has been established in Iran in recent years. Accordingly, 3181 commercial raw pistachio nut lots were supplied for testing for European export certification since January 2009 till December 2011. Aflatoxin analysis was carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection after immunoaffinity column clean up with recoveries ranging from 77 to 99%. Amongst 8203 sub-samples analyzed, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was detected in 1921 cases (23.4%) with the mean and median values of 2.18 ± 13.1 ng/g and <LOD, respectively. Total aflatoxin (AFT) was detected in 1927 sub-samples (23.5%) with the mean and median values of 2.42 ± 14.7 ng/g and <LOD, respectively. AFB1 level in 556 (6.78%) and 428 (5.22%) sub-samples was above the maximum tolerable levels set for AFB1 in Iran (5 ng/g) and European Union (EU) (8 ng/g). The mean contamination levels of AFB1 (2.18 ng/g) and AFT (2.42 ng/g) were lower than the maximum tolerable levels set in Iran and EU. The contamination levels of pistachio nut for export to EU were ∼50% of those found in 2002–2003 indicating a satisfying improvement in hygienic conditions of pistachio cultivation, harvesting and post-harvesting practices in Iran.

Some issues on Murabahah practices in Iran and Malaysian Islamic banks

The purpose of this paper was to analyze the nature of Murabahah contract in the fully grounded Islamic banking system that is, Iran and Malaysia. The approach taken was descriptive. Although, the main principle of Islamic financial institutions is prohibition of usury, it is surprising to see that Islamic financial institutions are still practicing usury in their transaction as evidenced in Iran. In the case of Malaysia however, BBA home financing is used by Islamic financial institutions and the profit rate is still dependent on the market interest rate due to arbitrage activities. There is no transparent framework for Murabahah contracts in Islamic banks. Indeed there is a need for the banking standard regulators to set a clear and disciplined framework for this type of banking contract. There are currently, Murabahah security (Sukuk) for finance, Murabahah security (Sukuk) for liquidity, companies Murabahah security (Sukuk) and mortgage Murabahah security (Sukuk) products in the Islamic niche of the financial market. A combination of Murabahah Security for Finance and Mortgage Murabahah Security has been the underlying Murabahah instrument. The study hopes to improve the overall competency and reliability of the Islamic banking system in the world. The finding of this study will be a basis for further research in Murabaha with respect to the regulatory environment and Shari’ah compliance.

Cancer disclosure: Experiences of Iranian cancer patients

This study explored Iranian patients' experiences of cancer disclosure, paying particular attention to the ways of disclosure. Twenty cancer patients were invited to participate in this qualitative inquiry by research staff in the clinical setting. In-depth, semistructured interview data were analyzed through content analysis. The rigor of the study was established by principles of credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. Four themes emerged: the atmosphere of non-disclosure, eventual disclosure, distress in knowing, and the desire for information. Non-disclosure was the norm for participants, and all individuals involved made efforts to maintain an atmosphere of non-disclosure. While a select few were informed of their diagnosis by a physician or another patient, the majority eventually became aware of their diagnosis indirectly by different ways. All participants experienced distress after disclosure. The participants wanted basic information about their prognosis and treatments from their treating physicians, but did not receive this information, and encountered difficulty accessing information elsewhere. These challenges highlight the need for changes in current medical practice in Iran, as well as patient and healthcare provider education.

The Status of Strategic Information Systems Planning Practices in Iran: An Organizational Perspective

The Status of Strategic Information Systems Planning Practices in Iran: An Organizational Perspective

The effects of biosolid application on soil chemical properties and Zea mays nutrition

The application of biosolid as a fertilizer in agricultural cultivation is a common practice in many countries. This study investigates the effects of sewage sludge and compost usage on soil chemical properties and Zea mays nutrition in comparison with those of iron and manganese sulfate solution. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized block design with the following treatments: sewage sludge and compost with three levels (0, 25 and 50 t ha−1) and iron and manganese sulfate solution (1 g l−1 solution) with three replications. The application of sewage sludge (50 t ha−1) had highly significant (P < 0.01) positive effects on cation exchange capacity and organic matter, total nitrogen, phosphorus, iron and manganese diethylenetetramine-penta-aceticacid-extractable in soil, and nitrogen, phosphorus, iron and manganese in plant. Also, compost application (50 t ha−1) increased significantly (P < 0.01) the electrical conductivity in soil and potassium in soil and plant. Dry biomass increased significantly (P < 0.01) from 7.7 to 28.7 g per pot with sewage sludge application (50 t ha−1). Application of biosolid as fertilizer sources has become a common practice in Iran, especially in the agricultural lands. The reuse of these nutrients had some beneficial effects on soil fertility, such as increased cation exchange capacity, pH, organic matter, total nitrogen, phosphorous, iron and manganese. However, these benefits were limited by the presence of some potentially toxic trace metals in biosolid.

Visualizing Belief and Piety in Iranian Shi‘ism

In her book, Ingvild Flaskerud once and for all dispels the idea that Islamlacks and opposes all forms of visual art. Hers is a pioneering work, whichguides her readers through Twelver Shi‘i visual culture in Iran. She framesher discussion by drawing on semiotic theory, particularly Charles SandersPeirce and Roland Barthes, in order to show both the interpretive possibilitiesinherent in visual piety and the ways in which meaning is fixed.Flaskerud is uniquely positioned for writing about visual piety, as she hasalready produced an artistic visual film (“Standard Bearers of Hussein:Women Commemorating Karbala,” 2003) on Shi‘i women’s practices inIran. Visualizing Belief and Piety in Iranian Shi‘ism is a Geertzian “thick description”(Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures) composed of three parts,each of which is followed by black-and-white pictures analyzed in thatpart. The first two parts address two iconographic themes respectively. Thethird discusses the usage of pious art in votive practices and ritual spaces ...

Building Deconstruction and Material Recovery in Iran: An Analysis of Major Determinants

The construction industry is one of the main resource consumers and waste generators, which has several environmental, social and economic impacts. Deconstruction of buildings is the careful dismantling of a building so as to make possible the recovery of construction materials and components, promoting reuse and recycling. This idea was emerged as an alternative to demolition in consequence of increasing environmental concerns and rapid increase in the number of demolished buildings. The aim of this study is to investigate the benefits and the main determinants of deconstruction according to current construction practice in Iran, based on analyzing a typical residential building in Tehran. It then gives some practical suggestions for promoting current and future demolition industry in Iran.

Using SCOR model with fuzzy MCDM approach to assess competitiveness positioning of supply chains: focus on shipbuilding supply chains

This paper proposes a Fuzzy Multiple Criteria Decision Making (FMCDM) approach for supply chain competitiveness positioning. In this paper, the Fuzzy Screening is used for selecting fit indexes for positioning supply chains' competitiveness from Supply Chain Operation Reference (SCOR) model. Then, the relative weights of the chosen competitiveness positioning indexes were calculated by Fuzzy AHP. Furthermore, according to the concept of the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution, a closeness coefficient is defined to determine the ranking order of all supply chains' competitiveness by calculating the distances to the both fuzzy positive-ideal solution and fuzzy negative-ideal solution simultaneously. The analysis results shows that the proposed hierarchy FME-MCDM algorithm using the SCOR model is very well suited as a useful and effective competitiveness positioning tool of supply chains for the identification of opportunities and threats and appropriate strategy selection decisions. Further research involving other sectors and industries needs to be undertaken in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the key factors associated with the implementation of supply chain competitiveness practices in Iran. This could also help develop a generic model to positioning supply chain competitiveness. This paper provides an attempt to adopt the concept of supply chain competitiveness positioning to the shipbuilding supply chain context and culture.

Sexual dysfunctions in patients with diabetes: a study from Iran

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that causes short and long-term complications. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of sexual dysfunctions (SD) among diabetic patients in Iran and to examine whether glycemic control has a role in SD.MethodsA consecutive sample of diabetic women and men who were registered in the Isfahan Endocrine and Metabolism Center, Iran were studied. Sexual dysfunction was evaluated using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) in women and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) in men. In addition the level of glycosylated hemoglobin was assessed to classify the diabetes status in patients.ResultsIn all 200 patients (100 male and 100 female) were entered into the study. The mean age of patients was 48.6 (SD = 7.3) years and most had type 2 diabetes (91.0%). The results showed that sexual dysfunctions were widespread in both gender and 165 (82.5%) patients reported that experienced at least one sexual dysfunction. There were significant associations between sexual dysfunctions and gender and type of diabetes (P = 0.04). Women and patients with type 1 diabetes had higher rates of SD. No major differences were found between SD and age, diabetes status, duration of diabetes and hypertension. In addition, glycemic control did not show a significant association with SD in both genders.ConclusionThe findings of this study showed that SD prevalence was high in diabetic patients of both genders and the glycemic control did not correlate with the frequency of SD in the study population. It is recommended that SD should be addressed more precisely in health care practice in Iran.

Language planning and language-in-education policy in Iran

This paper explores the effects of different political ideologies on language, using as examples three historical stages and three political periods in the history of Iran, and the differing policies adopted in these eras concerning language and language education. Over the years, political ideologies have served as a barrier as well as a contributor to language use (whether first or foreign) and to language teaching. The paper then turns to explore local language policies and the status of the Persian language in the modern era, focusing particularly on foreign language teaching policies after the Islamic revolution and their implications for teaching and learning activities and practices in Iran’s educational system. Finally, using several Iranian political periods as an example, this study demonstrates how globalization has influenced the teaching of foreign languages, especially English.

The Perception and Practice of Evidence Based Library and Information Practice Among Iranian Medical Librarians

Objective – Evidence based library and information services help to link best evidence with decision making in library practice. Current library and information science practice operates in both a knowledge and evidence-based environment. Health service librarians provide information services in an evidence based health care context to improve patient care. But the evidence based practice movement has influenced many fields of human knowledge, including librarianship. Therefore, this study seeks to answer the following questions: 1) What are the perceptions of Iranian medical librarians regarding the use of an evidence based approach in their decision making processes? 2) Do Iranian medical librarians apply an evidence based approach in their professional work? 3) How do Iranian medical librarians practice an evidence based approach? 4) What are the barriers and limitations for Iranian medical librarians who engage in evidence based library and information practice (EBLIP)?&#x0D; &#x0D; Methods – This study utilized a survey to discover medical librarians’ attitudes and perceptions towards the use of an evidence based approach to library practice in Iran. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire to identify medical librarians’ attitudes toward EBLIP.&#x0D; &#x0D; Results – The findings of the study indicate that Iranian medical librarians are aware of EBLIP and that they utilize an evidence based approach towards their LIS work. They practice the five steps of an evidence based answering cycle in formulating, locating, assessing, applying, and redefining questions. However, they have less knowledge about levels of evidence, research methodologies, and critical appraisal. &#x0D; &#x0D; Conclusions – Medical librarians in Iran are familiar with the concept of an evidence based approach. More training is needed in some elements of evidence based practice to improve their approach to evidence based library and information practice.

Is the Annual Number of Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantations in Iran Lower Than the Middle Eastern Countries?

Deceased donor organ donation is inadequate; hence, the number of patients on the waiting lists is progressively growing in the world. However, in Iran the deceased donor rate has increased over the past 10 years, from less than 1% by the end of year 2000 to almost 16.3% (approximately 311 cases) of kidney transplantations in 2007. Although the percentage of deceased donor kidney transplantation in some countries of the region are higher than Iran, the absolute annual number in Iran is higher than the Middle Eastern countries. The outlook for deceased donor kidney transplantation practice in Iran is promising. Meanwhile, the annual number of kidney transplantations from deceased donors in Baqiyatallah hospital, as the second transplant unit in terms of the volume of kidney transplantation in Iran, increased from 0.4% in 2002 to 14% and 31% in 2007 and 2008, respectively.

Comfort as a basic need in hospitalized patients in Iran: a hermeneutic phenomenology study

This paper is a report of a study conducted to explore the comfort experiences of hospitalized patients during their admission to medical-surgical wards in an Iranian hospital. Comfort has various definitions, ranging from a basic human need, to a process, function or an outcome of nursing. As comfort is a substantive need throughout life in health and illness, providing comfort is a major function and challenge for holistic nursing care. This hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted between July 2006 and April 2007 in six medical-surgical wards of one of a university hospital in Iran. Data were generated with 22 participants (16 hospitalized patients and six nurses), using in-depth interviews to capture their detailed experiences of comfort. Analysis based on the framework of Diekelmann enabled data interpretation and elaboration of shared themes. One constitutive pattern, 'Comfort: a need of hospitalized patients' and four related themes - A friend in hospital, Relief of suffering within a calm environment, Seeking God, and Presence among family - were identified in the data. These findings offer unique insight for planning and implementing appropriate clinical practices in Iran, especially in caring for Muslim patients. Two major implications are to: (1) consider comfort criteria during nursing assessment and planning of care during a patient's hospitalization and (2) note that Shiite people in particular are more comfortable and feel better when they are able to follow their religious principles.

Is There a Significant Trend in Prevalence of Consanguineous Marriage in Tehran? A Review of Three Generations

Consanguineous marriage is a common practice in Iran. The present study surveyed the trend in consanguineous marriage across three generations of Iranians. Index cases, consisting of 400 individuals attending the diabetes and osteoporosis clinic in Shariati Hospital, were interviewed. Data on consanguinity status for 1789 marriages within the index cases' families were obtained. Generation 1 consisted of marriages contracted before 1948, Generation 2 consisted of marriages contracted between 1949 and 1978, and Generation 3 consisted of marriages contracted after 1979. Prevalence of consanguineous marriage within these three generations was 8.8%, 16.6% and 19%, respectively, and represented a significant trend (p < 0.001). First cousin marriage was the most common type of consanguinity (69%). Socioeconomic level of families was not significantly related to having a consanguineous marriage. These data suggest that premarital genetic counseling and mass media efforts are needed to increase public awareness about genetic risks associated with consanguineous marriage.

An examination of human resource management practices in Iranian public sector

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze HRM practices in Iran in view of underlying cultural, political and economic factors.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is organized in three major parts. The first part deals with HRM concept and Iranian social context. The second part presents methodology and data analysis. The third part discusses results and illustrates HRM practices in Iranian organizations. The study involves in‐depth interviews with four Iranian managers and data collected from 82 respondents through Likert‐type questionnaires (n=82, rate of response=44 per cent).FindingsThe findings in the paper shed light on the main HRM functions in the Iranian public sector. Staffing is marked by pervasiveness of networking, entitlement, compliance with Islamic/revolutionary criteria and high job security. Compensation is described by features such as fixed pay, ascription/seniority‐based reward, and hierarchical pay structure. Training and development programs are found to be unplanned and spontaneous. Finally, the paper shows that the appraisal function receives little attention and tends to be based on subjective and behavioral criteria.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper shows that the study is limited in terms of HRM functions, sector and sample size. Further research may make comparison between large/state‐owned and small/private organizations.Practical implicationsThe findings in the paper might be valuable for MNEs, NGOs, international negotiators, expatriate managers, investors and those who are concerned with this part of the world.Originality/valueThe paper presents a convenient approach in assessing HRM variations. The combination of qualitative and quantitative data provides a thick description of HRM enriched by secondary data and previous research. Given some commonalities between Iran and other developing countries, the findings might be of potential interest in comparative studies dealing with management transferability.

Prescription and nonprescription drug use in isfahan, Iran: An observational, cross-sectional study

Background: In Iran, nonprescription (ie, over-the-counter [OTC]) and prescription- only drugs are available at pharmacies. Self-medication and self-prescription practices are widespread. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess self-medication and self-prescription practices in Iran, with an emphasis on determining the extent to which prescription-only drugs are obtained without a prescription and dzaracterizing those who engage in this practice. Methods: This observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at pharmacies in Isfahan, Iran, between August 2001 and March 2002. The pharmacies were randomly selected from clusters categorized by the number of prescriptions handled or claims submitted to a major insurance company. Drug requesters were categorized accordingly: those who requested drugs with a prescription and those who requested drugs without a prescription. Prescription-only and nonprescription drug items requested at pharmacies were identified and included in the analysis. Cluster sampling was used to determine sample size and also to ensure that the results were reflective of the population studied. In addition, questionnaires were completed by persons who were seeking drugs without a prescription. Observations were also carried out in each pharmacy. To ensure measurement reliability, we conducted a pilot study before the commencement of this study. We determined sample size based on a >90% power to detect change. Results: Fifty pharmacies were selected for inclusion in the study. A total of 33,282 drug items were identified on prescriptions presented at the pharmacies. This number served as sample size for this study. Of this number, 10,101 items were requested without a prescription, of which 9653 items (95.6%) were available and dispensed. Of the items dispensed, 5504 (57.0%) were prescription items. The percentage of prescription-only drugs sold without prescription to total pharmacy sales was 21.9%, 22.8%, 19.5%, and 10.7% in pharmacies with the fewest to the largest (<500, 500–999, 1000–1499, ≥1500) number of prescriptions, respectively. Individuals requesting OTC and prescription-only drugs without presenting a prescription used 1 of 3 behaviors: (1) verbal request (85.0%); (2) presenting the empty box, blister pack, or a sample of the drug (12.1%); or (3) showing a piece of paper (which was not a prescription) bearing the name of the drug (2.9%). The percentage of those with medical insurance who sought a drug without a prescription was significantly greater than the percentage of those who did not have medical insurance (61.6% [663] vs 38.4% [413], respectively; P < 0.001). Conclusions: The common practice of requesting and obtaining prescription-only drugs without a prescription in Iran, especially among persons with medical insurance, warrants research to identify the motives for this behavior and to improve the enforcement of existing laws regarding the dispensing of prescription-only drugs.

Iranian Mother`s Child Feeding Practices During Diarrhea : A Study in Kerman

Diarrhea as the second common pediatric disease accounts for approximately 2000000 deaths per year in children less than 5 years of age in developing countries. Cultural dictates and nutritional habits in different communities increases the nutritional problems of diarrhoeal episodes. This study was aimed to investigate the practice of Kermani mothers in relation to the nutrition of their children during diarrhea. The present cross-sectional study was performed from March through July 2005 on 330 randomly selected mothers having a 6-24 months child with no underlying disease and at least one acute diarrhea episode during the last two months in her child. Data gathered by using a questionnaire filled out by interviewing subjects. Age and the educational level of subjects in contrast to their job and number of children had no effect on their practice. Most of the subjects (84.2%) breastfed their children at the time of healthy state and 80% did not give their children rich soup during diarrhea. Most of the subjects quitted giving fats (74.5%) Iron supplement (91%) and multivitamin (86%) at the time of diarrhea but 88% continued giving fruit juice. Mothers that their source of knowledge was mass media showed better practice in this regard comparing to others (P<0.05). Although according to the present study mothers practice in Iran is better in comparison to that in other developing countries (India Pakistan Nepal...) we have still serious problems resulting from insufficient training programs and consequently poor knowledge that may lead to persistent improper nutritional habits. Therefore public training especially via mass media is highly recommended to decrease improper nutritional habits during diarrhea. (authors)

Living unrelated kidney donor transplantation in Iran

In the September and November 2006 issues of Nature Clinical Practice Nephrology, two articles regarding living unrelated kidney donor transplantation alluded to the practices in Iran. Having served in the planning, supervision and implementation of various aspects of health care in Iran, including organ transplantation (ANH), and as transplant nephrologists who have actively participated in the care of transplanted patients in Iran (ANH and NG), we feel obligated to elucidate the realities surrounding organ transplantation in Iran. So that unbiased researchers are provided with information to judge for themselves.