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

Yahyaie, Leyla; SAMADZADE, Habib

doi:10.22034/jitle.2025.546981.1044

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