Journal of Resource Management and Decision Engineering

The Impact of Water Challenges on Social Security and Their Consequences for the Development of Khuzestan Province

Sohila Afsharpour ^* iD

This study aimed to investigate the impact of water-related challenges on social security and to identify their consequences for the development of Khuzestan Province. This qualitative study employed an applied, interpretive research design. The study population consisted of university faculty members, researchers, policy specialists, public-sector experts, and professionals in water resources management, environmental studies, sociology, social policy, security studies, regional planning, and sustainable development in Tehran. Participants were selected purposively based on relevant academic or professional expertise, and sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. A total of 24 participants were included. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews addressing water scarcity, drought, declining river flows, water quality, wetland degradation, governance, livelihood insecurity, migration, institutional trust, social cohesion, and developmental consequences. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis through iterative coding, categorization, constant comparison, and abstraction. MAXQDA software was used to organize and manage the qualitative data, and trustworthiness was enhanced through credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability procedures. The analysis identified eight major themes: structural and environmental water pressures, livelihood and economic insecurity, social instability and weakening of social cohesion, migration and demographic disruption, institutional distrust and governance challenges, deterioration in public health and quality of life, constraints on regional development, and intensification of social-security risks. Water insecurity was found to operate through a cascading pathway in which hydrological and environmental pressures weakened livelihoods, increased migration and perceived inequality, reduced institutional trust, intensified social tensions, and ultimately constrained agricultural, industrial, demographic, environmental, infrastructural, and institutional development. Feedback mechanisms also indicated that underdevelopment, human-capital loss, weak governance, and environmental degradation could further intensify future water insecurity. Water challenges in Khuzestan should be understood as an integrated environmental, social, security, and developmental issue requiring coordinated policies that combine sustainable water governance, ecological restoration, livelihood resilience, distributive justice, institutional trust, and balanced regional planning.

Organizational Resilience Architecture in Crisis: Formulating a Grounded Theory Model for the Mazandaran Red Crescent Society

Seyed Adel Rezaei Jamnani iD , Seyed Mohammad Hossein Hashemi Nasab ^* iD , Ghasemali Talebi Panbeh Choleh iD , Mohammad Reza Zand Moghadam iD

The present study was conducted with the aim of formulating a paradigmatic model of organizational resilience under crisis conditions within the Mazandaran Red Crescent Society. In terms of purpose, this research was applied, and in terms of approach, it employed an exploratory mixed-method design. In the qualitative phase, data were collected and analyzed using Grounded Theory based on the systematic approach of Strauss and Corbin through semi-structured interviews with 16 experts in organizational behavior, human resource management, and managers of the Mazandaran Red Crescent Society. Through the processes of open, axial, and selective coding, 428 final codes were identified and organized into 33 main categories and 125 subcategories. The qualitative findings indicated that organizational resilience during crises in this organization is shaped by causal conditions including effective leadership, a flexible organizational culture, advanced information systems, human resource capabilities, support mechanisms, crisis preparedness, and preventive capacities. These factors operate within contextual conditions such as organizational structure, physical resources and facilities, policies and regulations, access to emerging technologies, and developmental infrastructure. Furthermore, intervening conditions, including stress management, team coordination, change management, support systems, motivation, and commitment, influence the effectiveness of strategies such as planning, effective communication, strengthening support networks, process innovation, stakeholder participation, optimal resource allocation, enhanced decision-making, and training and preparedness. These strategies ultimately lead to outcomes including organizational sustainability, improved performance, increased public trust, reduced recovery time, enhanced organizational credibility, greater flexibility, and strengthened innovative capacities. In the quantitative phase, the extracted model was validated using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) based on data collected from 625 employees of the Mazandaran Red Crescent Society. The results demonstrated an acceptable model fit. Accordingly, the proposed model can serve as an analytical and operational framework for strengthening organizational resilience in emergency response organizations under crisis conditions.

A Mathematical Integrated Model for Shop Scheduling Routing Considering Reliability and Maintenance under Uncertainty Conditions

Mohammad Rajabpour iD , Masoomeh Zeinalnezhad ^* iD , Vahid Hajipour iD

This study presents an integrated mathematical model for shop routing and scheduling while considering machine reliability and maintenance under uncertainty conditions. The primary objective of the proposed model is to optimize production time and system costs through effective machine management, activity scheduling, and preventive maintenance planning. To achieve this objective, the mathematical model incorporates a set of decision variables and parameters, including machine-related costs, energy consumption costs, and maintenance and repair costs. Furthermore, the model includes constraints related to activity continuity, precise activity scheduling, compliance with time restrictions, costs associated with machine utilization, and machine maintenance levels. The proposed model is particularly applicable to manufacturing environments that require efficient management of resources and machinery and can assist production managers in reducing operational costs and production lead times. The model can be solved using numerical optimization algorithms, and its results can support optimal decision-making regarding scheduling, routing, and machine maintenance in manufacturing systems.

The Ecosystem Model of the Country’s Prisons with an Emphasis on Prisoner Behavioral Reform (Case Study: Tehran Prisons Organization)

Pedram Mohammadzadeh iD , Seyed Mehdi Alvani ^* iD , Seyed Ahmad Hosseini Golafshani iD , Afsaneh Zamani Moghadam iD , Seyed Abdullah Sajjadi Jaghargh iD

Prisoners, as a vulnerable group within society, face numerous challenges that not only affect their quality of life but also influence their successful reintegration into society. Prison conditions are recognized as a determining factor in the process of prisoner rehabilitation and reformation. In this regard, various factors, including hygiene and sanitation, security, the social environment, and educational and support programs, can play a significant role in reducing tensions and improving prisoners’ quality of life. This study seeks to examine the environmental and social conditions of prisons and identify the impact of rehabilitative and educational programs on prisoners’ capacity for successful reintegration into society. Furthermore, it investigates the economic and social support mechanisms that may facilitate this process. This research was conducted using a qualitative approach and employed in-depth interview content analysis methods. The study population consisted of inmates from several selected prisons, as well as staff members and specialists working in the field of correction and rehabilitation. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews using purposive sampling to ensure a comprehensive examination of diverse perspectives. Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis to identify key patterns and concepts. Through ongoing data collection and continuous analysis, theoretical saturation was ultimately achieved, such that no new data contributed substantial additional information to the findings. This process enabled the generation of more precise results regarding the effects of prison conditions and rehabilitative programs on prisoner rehabilitation.

Development of a Model of Factors Affecting Startup Success Using Directed Content Analysis

Fatemeh Aminsaffar iD , Gholamreza Tavakoli ^* iD , Abolfazl Bagheri iD , Manoochehr Manteghi iD

Startup success is a multidimensional phenomenon, and explaining it solely through a single factor such as an innovative idea, venture financing, or market growth is insufficient. This study aims to identify the factors affecting startup success and to develop its conceptual model based on case-based evidence. The research is applied in terms of purpose and qualitative in terms of approach. In the first stage, relevant studies on startup success were reviewed using Sandelowski and Barroso’s seven-step meta-synthesis method, and the main factors were extracted. Then, to develop the model, three startups with different conditions, including a successful and developing startup, a growing startup, and an unsuccessful and discontinued startup, were examined as case studies. The meta-synthesis findings indicated that the factors affecting startup success can be classified into five main categories: leadership and team, product or service, market and customer, business model and finance, and external environment. The case study results showed that sustainable startup success depends not only on the existence of these factors but also on their alignment and executability. Accordingly, components such as strategic focus, simplicity of value proposition, specialized trust-building, continuous customer support, revenue model executability, stakeholder alignment, and ecosystem leverage were added to the initial model. The developed model can be used to assess startups’ growth status, sustainability, and investment readiness.

Designing a Crowdfunding Investment Marketing Model for Enhancing Sustainable Urban Revenues: A Case Study of Tehran Municipality

Abolghasem Yousef Soltanieh iD , Mahmoud Ahmadi Sharif ^* iD , Arezo Ahmadi Danyali iD , Nader Gharibnavaz iD

https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.jrmde.372

This study aimed to design and validate a crowdfunding investment marketing model for enhancing sustainable urban revenues in Tehran Municipality, with emphasis on the role of innovation drivers. This applied study was conducted using a mixed-methods exploratory–confirmatory design. In the qualitative phase, the Delphi technique was used to identify and validate the main dimensions and indicators of the model based on the opinions of 15 experts in urban management, municipal finance, innovation, investment, and crowdfunding. In the quantitative phase, a structured questionnaire was administered to 250 managers and senior experts of Tehran Municipality who were involved in financial, investment, planning, innovation, and public participation domains. Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, reliability testing, and structural equation modeling through SPSS and SmartPLS/AMOS. Inferential findings confirmed the adequacy of the measurement model. The KMO values for innovation in urban management, crowdfunding investment marketing, and sustainable urban revenue were 0.874, 0.884, and 0.893, respectively, and Bartlett’s tests were significant at p < 0.001. The extracted factors explained 57.45% of the variance in innovation, 68.30% of the variance in crowdfunding investment marketing, and 72.63% of the variance in sustainable urban revenue. Reliability was also confirmed, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.907, 0.931, and 0.923, respectively. Structural equation modeling showed that innovation drivers had a positive and significant effect on crowdfunding investment marketing (β = 0.78, t = 8.45). Crowdfunding investment marketing significantly affected sustainable urban revenue (β = 0.65, t = 6.12). The direct effect of innovation drivers on sustainable urban revenue was also significant (β = 0.32, t = 3.11), and the indirect effect through crowdfunding investment marketing was confirmed (β = 0.51, t = 5.88). The results indicate that innovation drivers provide the institutional, technological, and organizational foundation for effective crowdfunding investment marketing, while crowdfunding marketing functions as a strategic mechanism for converting citizen trust and participation into sustainable municipal revenues.

An Integrated Expert System for Prioritizing Concrete Railway Bridges Maintenance: A Hybrid Fuzzy Delphi - Fuzzy TOPSIS - MLP Framework

Hossein Farshad iD , Nader Abdoli Yazdi ^* iD , Ehsan Eshtehardian iD

Maintenance prioritization of railway bridges is a critical challenge due to limited financial resources and the direct impact of bridge failures on transportation network safety. Traditional approaches relying on individual expert judgment are inadequate for managing the complexity of maintaining precast concrete railway bridges, particularly in environmentally aggressive corridors. This study presents an integrated three-stage expert system (hybrid decision-support framework) for maintenance prioritization of 85 precast box-girder concrete bridges along the BonekuhGorgan railway corridor (Northern Iran). The proposed framework combines: (1) Fuzzy Delphi for extracting, screening, and weighting maintenance criteria through the judgment of 15 domain experts; (2) Fuzzy TOPSIS for quantitative prioritization and computation of the Intervention Priority Index (Cl+) across three inspection periods (2020, 2022, and 2024); and (3) Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) neural network for predicting the future trend of the Cl+ index and supporting preventive maintenance planning. In the Fuzzy Delphi stage, 12 key criteria were identified from 20 initial candidates; expansion joints (C5) and guardrails (C12) received the highest weights (w = 0.096). Kendall's concordance coefficient (W = 0.69) and Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.847) confirmed satisfactory consensus and reliability among experts. Fuzzy TOPSIS results showed that bridge B1, with Cl+ = 0.826, had the most critical condition requiring immediate intervention, while bridge B48, with Cl+ = 0.214, exhibited the lowest deterioration level. The MLP model with a 13-64-1 architecture and Walk-Forward Validation predicted the Cl+ index with R² = 0.931 and RMSE = 0.0214, demonstrating high generalizability. The results indicate that the proposed framework can serve as a practical Decision Support System (DSS) for railway bridge maintenance management, supporting optimal allocation of limited resources with scientific precision and transparency.

Predicting Costs and Risks in Construction Projects Using BIM and Artificial Intelligence Data Analytics

Mohammadmoein Zohreh ^* iD

This study aimed to predict cost overrun and project risk in construction projects using BIM-based indicators and artificial intelligence data analytics. This applied, quantitative, predictive, and analytical study was conducted on 64 construction projects in Tehran, Iran, with the participation of 148 construction professionals, including project managers, BIM specialists, cost and quantity surveying experts, planning and project control engineers, and site engineers. Data were collected using BIM-based project documentation, cost and schedule records, risk assessment forms, and expert validation checklists. The main variables included BIM maturity level, number of detected BIM clashes, design revision frequency, schedule deviation, material cost fluctuation, procurement delay, change orders, rework cost ratio, cost overrun percentage, and composite project risk score. Data were analyzed using correlation analysis and artificial intelligence-based predictive models, including multiple linear regression, decision tree, support vector regression, artificial neural network, random forest, and gradient boosting models. Inferential findings showed that cost overrun had significant positive correlations with schedule deviation, design revisions, BIM clashes, material cost fluctuation, and composite project risk score, while BIM maturity had significant negative correlations with cost overrun, schedule deviation, BIM clashes, and risk score. Gradient boosting regression produced the strongest cost prediction performance, with the lowest mean absolute error and root mean square error and the highest coefficient of determination, explaining 84% of the variance in cost overrun. For project risk classification, gradient boosting also achieved the highest performance, with accuracy of 0.89 and area under the curve of 0.93. Feature importance analysis identified schedule deviation, design revision frequency, BIM clashes, material cost fluctuation, and BIM maturity as the strongest predictors of cost and risk outcomes. The findings indicate that integrating BIM-based project information with artificial intelligence analytics provides a reliable predictive framework for early identification of cost overrun and project risk in construction projects. AI-based models, especially gradient boosting, can support proactive decision-making, improve cost control, and strengthen risk management throughout the project life cycle.

Journal of Resource Management and Decision Engineering

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The Mediating Role of Job Autonomy and Organizational Identity in the Relationship Between Transformational Leadership and Work Engagement (Case Study: Employees of Kurdistan Cement Factory)

Identifying and Prioritizing the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Predictive Maintenance and Repairs in the Automotive Industry

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The Impact of Accrual-Based Earnings Management on the Cost of Equity Capital of Companies Listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange with Control for Firm Size, Financial Leverage, and Growth Opportunities

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