Innovation in Teaching, Learning and Evaluation

Innovation in Teaching, Learning and Evaluation

Identifying and Prioritizing the Factors of Cynicism toward Organizational Change in Educational Environments Using the Fuzzy Cognitive Map Method

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Leyla Yahyaie 1
Habib SAMADZADE 2
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Salmas Branch, Salmas, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Salmas Branch, Salmas, Iran
10.22034/jitle.2025.546981.1044
Abstract
Organizational change cynicism is considered one of the major obstacles to the success of transformative initiatives in educational settings. This negative attitude can reduce teachers’ motivation, commitment, and participation in change processes, ultimately threatening the effectiveness of educational organizations. The present study aims to identify and prioritize the factors influencing cynicism toward educational changes by employing the Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCM) method. First, through a literature review and expert interviews, nineteen factors were extracted and categorized into three groups: individual, organizational, and managerial. Subsequently, the causal relationships among these factors were weighted based on the opinions of 72 school principals and teachers, and the fuzzy model was analyzed using MATLAB software. The results indicated that lack of clarity in organizational goals, absence of a feedback system, insufficient managerial support, feelings of ineffectiveness in change processes, and organizational injustice have the highest centrality and play key roles in the causal network of cynicism. The findings suggest that communication and managerial structures have the greatest impact on the formation of cynicism, and their improvement can significantly enhance the acceptance of educational changes.
Keywords
Organizational cynicism
Organizational change
Fuzzy cognitive map
Educational environments
Subjects
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Innovation in Teaching, Learning and Evaluation
Volume 2, Issue 2
Summer 2025
Pages 73-90