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1- Department of Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.
2- Department of Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran. , Mousavi.na@lu.ac.ir
3- Department of Management, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran.
Abstract:   (937 Views)

Purpose: Although a superficial examination of the phenomenon of ‘silent expectancy’ might lead one to interpret it as fraught with adverse outcomes, a deeper perspective reveals its constructive implications. From this standpoint, the present study was conducted with the aim of attaining a rich and nuanced understanding of the consequences of silent expectancy for the replacement of political managers in the governorates of western Iran.
Methodology: The research method employed was qualitative. Accordingly, a descriptive phenomenological strategy based on Colaizzi's approach was used. Face-to-face interviews, as well as audio and text messages received from eleven participants in the governorates of Ilam, Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Lorestan, and Hamadan, were analyzed using this method.
Findings: The consequential experience of silent expectancy was articulated in the form of nine themes and twenty-two meaning clusters. The findings reveal that the consequences of this phenomenon are like a coin, with two sides. On the dark side of silent expectancy, regression has become the dominant mode of behavior, taking political shortcuts has become legitimized, the functions of human resource management have been distorted, and society has suffered from arrested development and a lack of political and social maturity. On its bright side, organized personality gradually undergoes transformation, the organizational climate is prevented from becoming pathological, patterns of individual action and reaction remain stable, subjective expectations turn into reality, and the competencies of soft power are strengthened.
Originality: This research represents a valuable step toward introducing yet another of the lesser-known phenomena in the field of organizational behavior studies within Iran's administrative system.
Recommendations: To utilize the capabilities of competent individuals in political management positions, the Ministry of Interior should prevent the forced or voluntary disembarkation of qualified individuals from the country's management train by providing a platform for self-expression, psychological safety, and equal opportunities for advancement.

     
Type of Study: Applicable | Subject: Administrative structures
Received: Sep 15 2025 | Accepted: Dec 02 2025

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