Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences & pyschology , Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences , Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
3 M.Sc. Student in Career Counseling, Payame Noor University, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to design a model of the job competencies of online business consultants. The research method was qualitative with a contextual approach. The samples were first selected purposefully and then through snowball method. The interviews were conducted in an in-depth, semi-structured manner. With the process of open, central, and selective coding, 5 selective categories and 24 central categories were extracted. Causal conditions (the effort to acquire specialized knowledge, mastery of information and communication technology, experience in online business, having discipline in work and flexible management), background conditions (management and structural performance of the government, development of consulting culture in society), intervening conditions (non The stability and lack of structure of the country's economy, inefficient and cumbersome bureaucracy, lack of laws supporting business owners and weaknesses within the job, strategies (strategies planned by the government, acquiring up-to-date knowledge and information in the field Online business, practical training of online business, having discernment, use of reference groups) and consequences (strategic thinking, self-empowerment, civil ethics in work, performance management) were extracted. The obtained categories, while differentiating the job of consultants, achieved a model that can be the basis of the performance of online business consultants.
Introduction
Competence in its best definition is a combination of visible and measurable knowledge, skills, abilities, and characteristics that help improve employee performance and ultimately lead to organizational success. (Müller-Frommeyer, 2017). Therefore, having proficiency in the field of job competencies related to online business will help them to prosper more (Hakak et al., 2020).
One of the main reasons for the failure to survive or achieve the expected growth in online businesses is the lack of knowledge and expertise in online business management. Therefore, the presence of competent entrepreneurship consultants plays an important role in this field. (Reid et al., 2019).
Since the purpose of business consulting is specific and strategic, the chosen approach should be a combination of providing advice based on the consultant's experiences and coaching. In addition to this skill, having general business experience will play a significant role in guiding clients in aspects of strategic planning, business development, and responding to existing business challenges. Of course, these services will be efficient enough when the consultants have sufficient competence in personality, moral and skill dimensions (Rajab pour, 2020).
Research Questions
In the context of which causal, contextual, and intervening factors, job competencies of online business consultants are formed? What strategies do online business consultants take to strengthen job skills? What consequences will the adopted solutions have for improving the performance of online business consultants?
Literature Review
Researchers have identified different components of job competence including: motivation, social skills, self-awareness, empathy, self-regulation, cognitive skills (Liikamaa, 2015), strategic contribution, business knowledge, personal credit, technology (Mufti et al., 2016), systemic thinking, acceptance of interdisciplinary diversity, intrapersonal competence, practical and strategic management (Solansky, 2020).
Some researches show the competencies needed by business consultants, including the competencies of motivating and giving hope, keeping entrepreneurs' information confidential and protecting their intellectual property rights, alertness to new work opportunities, and the ability to prepare a business plan (Hatami&Azizi, 2015). Also, the job competence of employees has been identified in terms of personal characteristics, knowledge, and skills (Babashahi et al., 2017). The competencies of the consultants of organizations, in addition to specific personality competencies, were also extracted in the sub-categories of intelligence, knowledge of management and organization, strategic thinking, situational assessment, and leadership of leaders (Vakili et al., 2021).
Methodology
The method of this research was qualitative based on a contextual approach. The area investigated in the current qualitative research was formed by experts of online business consultants. In this research, the samples were selected purposefully and the sampling process continued as a snowball. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were completed with 18 experts until the theoretical saturation criterion was reached. The duration of each interview was between 50 and 80 minutes.
Results
The analysis of the research data in the three stages of open, central, and selective coding finally resulted in 24 central categories, 5 major categories, and one core category which covers all the emerged categories, which is mentioned in the table below.
Table 1. Coding results (source: findings of the current research)
Selective coding
Axial coding
First order axial code
Second order axial code
Job competency
Knowledge-oriented, skill-oriented
and ethical
Get updated information
-
Having multiple skills
practical skill
Communication skills
Speaking skill
Listening skills
Ethics of consultants
-
gaining experience
and knowledge in the age of information
and communication
Trying to acquire specialized knowledge
Mastery of information and communication technology
Online business experience
Having order and discipline at work
Correct management of programs
Background
conditions from
macro to
micro levels
Administrative performance of the government
Structural performance of the government
The growth of counseling culture in society
Economy
bureaucracy
and restrictive
culture
Instability and unstructured economy in Iran
Inefficient and cumbersome bureaucracy
Lack of laws supporting business owners
Limitations and weaknesses within the job
Strategies
structural-
operational) to
strengthen job
competence
Selective
coding
Systematic and planned government strategies
Get up-to-date business knowledge and information online
Practical and practical online business training
Having the power of discernment
Axial coding
Strategies
structural-
operational)
Use the experience of others and reference groups in your field of work
Personal,
professional
and social promotion
Strategic thinking
Self-empowerment
Civil ethics in performing job duties
performance management
Finally, during selective coding (central extraction, causal and contextual conditions, interventional conditions, strategies, and consequences), central categories in each sector, systematically related to other categories, relationships in a clear communication framework, and the research paradigm model were drawn that narrate the process of forming job competencies online. The model is illustrated in Figure1.
Figure 1. Derived contextual model
(source: findings of the present research)
Intervening conditions of economy, bureaucracy and restrictive culture
* Instability and unstructured economy
* Inefficient and cumbersome bureaucracy
*Lack of laws supporting business owners *Limitations and weaknesses within the job
Causal conditions for gaining experience and knowledge in the age of information and communication
* Trying to acquire specialized knowledge
* Mastery of technology
Information and communication
* Online business experience
* Having order and discipline at work
*Flexible management
Background conditions from macro to micro levels
* Administrative performance of the government
* The structural function of the government
* Growth of counseling culture in the society
Consequences of personal, professional and social promotion:
* Strategic thinking
* Empowering yourself
* Civil ethics in
Performing job duties
*performance management
The central phenomenon of online business consulting job competencies model
* science-oriented
* Skill oriented
* Moral oriented
Strategies structural-operational) tostrengthen job competence
* Systematic and planned strategies of the government
*Acquiring up-to-date knowledge and information in the field of online business
*Practical and practical online business training
* Having the ability to recognize
*Using the experience of others
Conclusion
The main goal of this research was to design a model of the job competencies of online business consultants. According to the obtained results, the conceptual model of the research was extracted in six main sections, including causal, contextual, intervening, strategic, consequences, and central conditions. The extracted model shows that for the formation of a science-oriented, skill-oriented, and ethical multi-dimensional desirable occupational competency model, both the implementation of strategies at the macro-management and structural levels of society and the agency and active role of actors in this field are needed. It is important to achieve this by acquiring the necessary specialized knowledge and strengthening one's civic capabilities. In this regard, inefficient and cumbersome bureaucracy, lack of sufficient supporting laws for business owners, instability, and unstructured economy in the society are the most important limitations in the model based on the mentality and immediate experiences of the interview. Those involved in online business consulting are depicted. Therefore, if the competency model of online business consultants of this research is implemented, it can play a significant role in improving the performance management of consultants to their clients in a scientific way, not based on personal experiences and based on trial and error.
Keywords: Job Competency, Consultant, Online Business.
Keywords
Main Subjects
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