Iran Journal of Nursing

Introduction
Organizational commitment is a critical factor for any organization’s success. It is a psychological state that binds an employee to an organization, thereby reducing absenteeism and turnover. This commitment is not only beneficial for the organization but also motivates employees to work effectively, enhancing organizational performance. The importance of organizational commitment is well recognized in various sectors, including academic institutions. This study aimed to provide recommendations for improving the organizational commitment of the faculty members of Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran.

Methodology 
The present study used the triangulation approach conducted at the IUMS from the summer of 2020 to June 2023. In the first phase, Allen and Meyer (2004)’s revised version of organizational commitment scale (OCS) was completed by the faculty members of the IUMS. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were used to analyze the collected data. In the second phase, 15 purposefully selected faculty members participated in interviews, ensuring their maximum diversity. Graneheim and Lundman’s qualitative content analysis was used. The findings were finally presented, along with practical recommendations.

Results 
The OCS scores were in a range of 74-124 (Mean=99.86), indicating that the organizational commitment of the faculty members was above average. The mean scores for the OCS dimensions of affective, continuance, and normative were 4.39, 4.05, and 4.09, respectively, indicating that the highest score belonged to the affective commitment. This suggests that the faculty members had a strong emotional attachment to the university.
Based on the content analysis of the interviews, the factors influencing the organizational commitment of the faculty members were divided into two themes: Individual factors with one category of “motivation and internal control”; and organizational factors with the categories of “leadership and organizational climate”, “organizational behavior management”, and “reward system”. These factors can positively or negatively affect the faculty members’ commitment to the university. 
Individual factors refer to the individual characteristics of the faculty members that influence their commitment to the organization, including personal values, career aspirations, job satisfaction, and work-life balance. For instance, faculty members who value academic freedom and intellectual stimulation may be more committed to the university. Similarly, those who are satisfied with their job and have a good work-life balance may also exhibit higher levels of organizational commitment.
Organizational factors refer to the university’s environment that can affect faculty members’ commitment, including the organizational culture, leadership style, reward system, and opportunities for professional development. For example, an organizational culture that promotes collaboration and respect may foster higher levels of organizational commitment among faculty members. Similarly, a supportive and inclusive leadership style can enhance organizational commitment.
The most important proposed solutions were: Developing meritocracy criteria for key positions of the university, modifying the appointments and dismissals, supervising and monitoring the performance of the managers of the faculties and research centers in the fair distribution of resources, and law violations.

Conclusion 
The organizational commitment of the IUMS faculty members is influenced by individual, organizational, and-factors. Among these factors, meritocracy was the most important one. However, implementing a meritocratic system can be challenging. Therefore, it is recommended that meritocracy criteria be developed to make the process of appointments and dismissals more objective. This can help reduce discrimination and increase the organizational commitment of the faculty members. By addressing the identified factors, the IUMS can enhance its overall performance and create a more committed and productive academic environment. 
This study provides valuable insights into how action research can be used to improve organizational commitment in an academic setting. Further research is needed to explore the long-term impact of these factors on organizational commitment and performance.
The study’s findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing faculty members’ organizational commitment. Both individual and organizational factors play a significant role in shaping this commitment. 

Ethical Considerations
Compliance with ethical guidelines
This study has approval from the Ethics Committee of Iran University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.IUMS.REC.1398.857). Informed consent was obtained from the participants, after explaining the study objectives to them and ensuring the confidentiality of their information.

Funding
This study was funded by Iran University of Medical Sciences and the National Center for Strategic Research in Medical Education.

Authors' contributions
Conceptualization and supervision: Leili Borimnejad  and Ali Kabir; Methodology: Mehrnoosh Inanlou; Data collection: Mehrnoosh Inanlou and Leili Borimnejad; Data analysis: Salime Goharinezhad; Writing the initial draft, editing & review: All authors.

Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Iran University of Medical Sciences and Dr. Hourie Mohammadi for their support and assistance, and all participants for their cooperation in this study.