Journal of Iranian Public Administration Studies

Journal of Iranian Public Administration Studies

A Dimensional Analysis of the Phenomenon of Managers’ Necessary Evils in the Decision Making of Managers in a Public Organization

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mehrnoosh Olfati 1
Mostafa Hadavinejad 2
1 Master of Public Administration, Department of Management, Faculty of Administrative Sciences & Economy, Vali-e-Asr University, Rafsanjan, Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Department of Management, Faculty of Administrative Sciences & Economy, Vali-e-Asr University, Rafsanjan, Iran.
10.22034/jipas.2026.518274.1796
Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to explore the fundamental dimensions involved in the occurrence of necessary evils by managers in an Iranian public organization. Necessary evils are defined as work tasks in which individuals are inevitably required, as part of their professional role, to inflict harm on another person to achieve a greater good or objective. Given the significant research gap in the Iranian management literature regarding this concept, as well as the cultural, structural, and contextual distinctions of Iranian public organizations, this study sought to identify the dimensions, conditions, processes, and consequences of necessary evils within this specific context.
Methodology: This research employed a grounded theory strategy utilizing a dimensional analysis design. The spatial scope of the study was Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan as a public organization, and the participants were its managers, who were selected based on theoretical sampling. Adhering to the principle of theoretical saturation, 20 managers with management experience ranging from 1 to 16 years and work experience from 10 to 35 years participated in the study. Data were collected through open and in-depth interviews. Data analysis was conducted in three stages: dimensionalizing, differentiation, and integration/reintegration. To ensure the credibility, dependability, transferability, and confirmability of the research, strategies such as peer debriefing, colleague review, and simultaneous participant involvement in data analysis and interpretation were employed.
Findings: Data analysis led to the identification of 42 characteristics organized into 13 dimensions. The explanatory matrix containing the identified dimensions was developed as follows: "Buffering" was identified as the perspective or core dimension of the theory, representing the cognitive justification mechanism through which managers transform harm from a wrongful act into a necessary action, emphasizing the imperative to protect individuals' rights and organizational objectives. The context included "organizational objectives" (mission, macro, and operational goals) and "management functions" (planning, organizing, resource mobilization, directing, and controlling). Conditions comprised two categories of factors: "constraints" (financial, legal, and natural) and "deviations" (budgetary deviations, performance deviations, legal deviations, and natural deviations). Processes encompassed five categories of actions: disciplinary actions (from verbal warnings to dismissal), precautionary actions (regulatory and preventive), contractionary actions (cost reduction and elimination), destructive actions (demolition, permanent removal, and disposal), and emergency actions (temporary suspension and disruption). The consequences of necessary evils were identified at three levels: consequences for managers (guilt with varying degrees), consequences for the targets/witnesses of necessary evils (ranging from expressions of complaint to insults, threats, and physical confrontation), and consequences for the organization (improved productivity in the form of effectiveness and efficiency).
Conclusion: The findings revealed that managers in the studied public organization, guided by a deontological ethical perspective and motivated by the protection of organizational goals and stakeholder rights, engaged in necessary evils. By identifying the indigenous dimensions of necessary evils, this research has addressed the contextual, conceptual, and methodological gaps in the existing literature. The results suggest that one of the behavioral roots of administrative dysfunctions in the country lies in the systematic avoidance of performing necessary and painful actions, manifesting as organizational conservatism and inertia, the promotion of a "good manager" culture over an "effective manager" culture, and resistance to change at the macro level. Practical recommendations include appointing conscientious managers, public awareness-raising prior to performing necessary evils, documenting, and communicating the resulting productivity improvements, conducting management skills development programs, establishing supportive and consultative structures, and developing ethical charters based on procedural justice. Furthermore, eight research avenues are proposed for future studies, including examining necessary evils from employees' perspectives, investigating the role of personality and situational characteristics in their consequences, and exploring moderating factors influencing the reactions of targets and witnesses.
Keywords
Work Tasks
Necessary Evils
Grounded Theory
Dimensional Analysis
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  • Receive Date 21 April 2025
  • Revise Date 15 December 2025
  • Accept Date 05 January 2026