Organizational Behaviour Studies Quarterly

Organizational Behaviour Studies Quarterly

Designing a Model for Managing Non-Work-Related Digital Behaviors in Government Organizations Using Interpretive Structural Modeling

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
1 Professor, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Management, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
2 PhD student in Human Resource Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Business Administration, University of Lorestan, Khorramabad, Iran
10.22034/obs.2026.2094009.3699
Abstract
Research Background: The non-work-related use of the Internet and digital technologies by employees during working hours—referred to as "non-work-related digital behaviors"—has in recent years become a serious challenge for human resource management and organizational productivity, particularly in government organizations. Such behaviors lead to consequences including reduced concentration, diminished performance, time wastage, weakened information security, and lower service quality. Therefore, a deep understanding of the dimensions and mechanisms underlying this phenomenon is essential.

Research Objective: The present study aims to design a comprehensive and indigenous model of non-work-related digital behaviors in government organizations in Khorramabad, Iran, and to explain the structural relationships among the components affecting it.

Research Design; Methodology: This study is applied in terms of purpose and exploratory in nature, employing a mixed-methods (qualitative-quantitative) approach. The statistical population consisted of experts and specialists in management and organizational behavior working in government organizations in Khorramabad, who were selected through purposive sampling. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and quantitative data were gathered using matrix-based questionnaires. Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data, and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) was employed to explain the relationships among the identified components.

Findings: The findings revealed that non-work-related digital behaviors are a multidimensional phenomenon, explainable through four main categories of components: (1) contexts and underlying conditions (e.g., job stress, low satisfaction, and weak supervision), (2) intervening factors (organizational culture, policies, and leadership style), (3) types of non-work-related behaviors (social media use, web browsing, personal email,

Conclusion: The proposed model, by mapping the causal hierarchy of factors, enables the identification of leverage points for managerial intervention. Based on this model, effective management of these behaviors requires multi-level actions ranging from reducing job pressures and reforming organizational culture to formulating clear policies and strengthening employees' self-control.

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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 13 August 2026