Exploring the Implications of Humanistic Management in Social Businesses

The humanistic management approach, with its emphasis on human values and needs, is recognized as an influential factor in enhancing justice and effectiveness within social enterprises. This study aims to explore the consequences of humanistic management in social businesses. The research is applied in purpose, descriptive-survey in terms of data collection, and categorized as a mixed-method study. The statistical population consisted of managers of social enterprises and university faculty members, from whom 18 participants were selected using purposive sampling and the principle of theoretical saturation. In the qualitative phase, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and the validity and reliability of the instruments were confirmed through structural–content validity (by sharing preliminary interpretations with participants) and intra-/inter-coder reliability. In the quantitative phase, data were gathered using a researcher-made questionnaire, the content validity of which was approved, and its reliability confirmed through test–retest. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis with MAXQDA software, leading to the identification of consequences of humanistic management in social enterprises. In the quantitative phase, fuzzy cognitive mapping was employed to prioritize the factors and determine their causal relationships. The findings indicate that fifteen consequences of humanistic management were identified. Moreover, the results show that, in order of importance, enhancing the resilience of social enterprises, fostering a human-centered organizational culture, increasing environmental sustainability, improving the image and brand of social enterprises, and strengthening public trust represent the most significant outcomes of humanistic management in social businesses.
 
 
Extended Abstract
Introduction
The humanistic management approach, emphasizing human values and needs, is recognized as an effective factor in strengthening justice and efficiency in social businesses. In fact, humanistic management, as a new management paradigm, seeks to create organizations in which humans are at the center of attention and decisions are made by considering their human and social dimensions. This approach can lead to improved organizational performance, increased employee job satisfaction, and enhanced social responsibility. The present study was conducted with the aim of exploring the consequences of humanistic management in social businesses.
 
Method
The present study is of mixed type (qualitative-quantitative) with an applied approach and a descriptive-survey nature, examining the consequences of humanistic management in social businesses. In this approach, first a qualitative method was used to identify the key consequences, and then quantitative data were used to measure the importance and relationships between the consequences. This combination was carried out in order to benefit from the depth of qualitative analysis and the accuracy and generalizability of quantitative analysis. The statistical population of the study consists of social business managers and university professors, from which 18 individuals were selected as sample members based on purposive sampling and the principle of theoretical saturation. It is worth noting that the professors were selected due to their scientific expertise and familiarity with humanistic management topics. Managers were also selected based on their work experience in social businesses and the identification of individuals who apply a humanistic approach (respect and trust in employees) in their management style. In the qualitative part, the data collection tool is a semi-structured interview, and the validity and reliability of the tools were confirmed using content structural validity (after initial analysis, the findings or interpretations of the interviews were shared with the participants themselves) and intra-coder reliability (refers to the consistency and stability in coding by a single coder at two different times: in this way, through the intra-coder method, the researcher coded the interview data and information after redistributing the interviews among the experts and again measured the stability and consistency of the results, which showed agreement and consistency between the two codings) and inter-coder reliability (reflects consistency and agreement among different coders. Regarding inter-coder reliability, a sample of the texts was provided to another expert for coding, and the results of his coding were compared with the researcher's coding). The data collection tool in the quantitative part is a researcher-made questionnaire, which was confirmed using content validity and test-retest reliability. In the qualitative part of this research, the data obtained from the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis with MAXQDA software, and the consequences of humanistic management in social businesses were identified. In the quantitative part of the research, using fuzzy cognitive mapping, the prioritization of factors and their causal relationships were determined.
 
Results
The findings indicate that by analyzing the data in the qualitative part, fifteen factors were identified as consequences of humanistic management: improving the image and brand of the social business, creating a sense of collective ownership, increasing public trust, increasing transparency and accountability, increasing environmental sustainability, increasing productivity in human resources, promoting employee self-actualization, creating a human-centered organizational culture, increasing a sense of collective ownership, reducing deviation from the social mission, promoting social responsibility, improving social justice, improving and developing soft skills, promoting the resilience of social businesses, increasing creativity and innovation, and increasing flexibility and agility. Also, the analysis and review of the data in the quantitative part indicate that, respectively, promoting the resilience of social businesses, creating a human-centered organizational culture, increasing environmental sustainability, improving the image and brand of the social business, and increasing public trust were identified as the most important consequences of humanistic management in social businesses.
 
Conclusion
The main focus of humanistic management is on valuing human aspects and improving the quality of work relationships, and it plays a key role in strengthening organizational foundations and social businesses. By creating sustainable motivation and promoting job satisfaction, this management style not only improves organizational productivity but also paves the way for the realization of social missions and sustainable development. What distinguishes this approach from traditional management is its emphasis on synergy between economic and social goals, which is of great importance especially in social business structures. Therefore, humanistic management not only helps to improve the internal functions of social businesses but also assists in fulfilling their social missions and sustainable development. In other words, it can be acknowledged that applying a humanistic management style can increase the commitment of social businesses to environmental protection and facilitate the implementation of green strategies within an ethical cultural context.