Strategic management attitude

Strategic management attitude

The Transparency Paradox in Iran’s Governance: Interactive Modeling of E-Government, Human Development, and Perceived Corruption on Government Effectiveness

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
AliAsghar Abdeshahi 1
Hojjat Vahdati 2
1 Ph.D. Candidate in Public Administration, Department of Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran.
2 Lorestan University
Abstract
Inefficiency of the administrative system, weak transparency, and the persistence of corruption are among the most significant obstacles to enhancing government effectiveness in Iran, with profound consequences for governance, institutional trust, and systemic resilience. The aim of this research is to model the interactive and non-linear relationships among three key components e-government, the Human Development Index, and perception of corruption, in order to provide a data-driven framework for policy optimization. To this end, data from the period 2010 to 2024 were collected from international statistical databases and analyzed using Response Surface Methodology. The results indicate that human development is the strongest driver of government effectiveness, and without the enhancement of human capital, no technological transformation leads to sustainable effectiveness. Furthermore, e-government has an exponential effect on effectiveness, but this effect remains sustainable only when synergized with institutional integrity and human development. The most important finding of the research is the explanation of the "transparency paradox" in the Iranian context; meaning that although concrete anti-corruption measures improve institutional performance, their extensive and directional media coverage can increase the perception of corruption and undermine public trust. This gap between actual performance and public perception highlights the necessity of institutionalizing "public perception management alongside performance management" as a key governance strategy. In addition, the discrepancy between actual and model-predicted values indicates the role of exogenous factors such as sanctions and inflation in weakening government effectiveness.
Keywords
Human Capital
Institutional Health
Digital Transformation
Public Trust
Data-Driven Governance
Transparency Paradox
Public Perception
Response Surface Methodology (RSM)
Subjects
اخترشهر، علی(۱۴۰۱). اصول و روش حکمرانی مطلوب در انقلاب اسلامی با رویکردی بر اندیشه مقام معظم رهبری. سیاست متعالیه، 10(37)، 178-157. https://doi.org/10.22034/sm.2022.137816.1645
 امینی، سیدجواد، آروند، حمید، فرهنگ، سجاد، و تیموری، مائده(۱۴۰۳). طراحی و ارائه الگوی مفهومی هوشمندسازی سازمان‌های دولتی. فصلنامه نگرش مدیریت راهبردی، 2(2)، 50-9.
 پوراسمعیل، روح‌اله، پرتوی، اصغر، و ذوالقدر، مالک(۱۴۰۴). تأثیر دولت الکترونیک بر حاکمیت قانون و شفافیت در ایران. فصلنامه تحولات سیاسی- اجتماعی معاصر ایران، 4(3)، 96-78.
 حبیب‌الهی، ایمان، و شاه‌محمدی، محمد(۱۴۰۲). تدوین الگوی بومی- اسلامی سیستم حسابداری سرمایه انسانی. فصلنامه نگرش مدیریت راهبردی، 1(3)، 174-136.
 خامنه‌ای، آیت‌الله سیدعلی(۱۴۰۳). نخستین دیدار هیئت دولت چهاردهم با رهبر انقلاب. پایگاه اطلاع‌رسانی دفتر حفظ و نشر آثار حضرت آیت‌الله العظمی سیدعلی خامنه‌ای. https://khl.ink/f/57420
 خبرگزاری تسنیم(۱۴۰۳، ۱۰ دی). مبارزه بی‌امان دستگاه قضا با فساد. تسنیم. https://tn.ai/3228931
 خیاط رسولی، مینا، آل‌عمران، رؤیا، مهرگان، نادر، و محمدزاده، پرویز(۱۳۹۹). ارزیابی اثربخشی دولت و سیستم‌های مالی بر رشد بخش صنعت در ایران: کاربرد رویکرد BVAR. فصلنامه علمی پژوهش‌های اقتصاد صنعتی، 4(12)، 88-73. https://doi.org/10.30473/indeco.2020.7419
 صالحی وثیق، محمدرضا، و مکرمی‌پور، محمدباقر(۱۳۹۸). شفافیت و دولت الکترونیک: راه‌کارهای مقابله با فساد و فقر. مرکز توانمندسازی حاکمیت و جامعه. https://iran-bssc.ir/plans-projects/research-fields/transparency-against-corruption-poverty/transparency-egovernance/1948
کرمی، علی، تمجید، فرامرز، و محمودی، بهزاد(1396). نقش رسانه‌ها در مقابله با فساد. فصلنامه پژوهش‌های سلامت اداری، 9(3)، 159-131. https://www.salamatedari-mag.ir/article_252932.html
محمدیان، محمد(۱۴۰۲). تدوین برنامه‌ریزی راهبردی سرمایه انسانی یک سازمان نظامی. فصلنامه نگرش مدیریت راهبردی، 1(4)، 128-114.
مرادحاصل، نیلوفر، و کاظم‌پور، میرسعید(۱۴۰۲). ارزیابی اثر گسترش دولت الکترونیک بر بهره‌وری نیروی‌کار (مطالعه موردی: کشورهای درحال‌توسعه). پژوهش‌ها و چشم‌اندازهای اقتصادی، 23(1)، 112-85.
نریمانی، میثم، الیاسی، مهدی، و عطارپور، محمدرضا(۱۳۹۸). ارائه چارچوب نهادی برای افزایش اثربخشی نقش دولت و بخش عمومی در ارتقای توان فناورانه تولیدات داخلی: مطالعه موردی قانون حداکثر استفاده از توان داخل. مدیریت نوآوری، 8(2)، 47-21.
Adeoye, O., & Ran, B. (2024). Government transparency: paradoxes and dilemmas. Public Management Review, 26(8), 2194–2217. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2023.2181981
Ajzenman, N., Ardanaz, M., Cruces, G., Feierherd, G., & Lunghi, I. (2024). Unraveling the paradox of anticorruption messaging: Experimental evidence from a tax administration reform. Inter-American Development Bank. https://doi.org/10.18235/0012975
Bazie, P., Thiombiano, N., & Maiga, E. W. H. (2023). Fighting corruption in developing countries to meet the challenge of human capital development: Evidence from Sub-Saharan African countries. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 1–22. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-023-01330-9
Bernini, A., Bossavie, L., Garrote-Sánchez, D., et al. (2024). Corruption as a push and pull factor of migration flows: Evidence from European countries. Empirica, 51, 263–281. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10663-023-09600-0
Castro, C., & Lopes, I. C. (2022). E-Government as a Tool in Controlling Corruption. International Journal of Public Administration, 46(16), 1137–1150. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2022.2076695
Countryeconomy. (2025). Iran – Corruption Perceptions Index. Retrieved October 30, 2025, https://countryeconomy.com/government/corruption-perceptions-index/iran?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Dianda, I. (2025). Does corruption impede the accumulation of human capital in developing countries? Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, 33(4), 767–783. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecot.12447
Dipierro, A. R., و Rella, A. (2024). What lies behind perceptions of corruption? A cultural approach. Social Indicators Research, 172, 371–391. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-023-03294-4
Gnaldi, M., & Del Sarto, S. (2024). Validating corruption risk measures: A key step to monitoring SDG progress. Social Indicators Research, 175(3), 1045–1071. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-023-03238-y
Helms, B. (2024). Exit or voice? Corruption perceptions and emigration. State and Comparative International Development, 59, 138–175. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12116-023-09395-y
Manders, B. (2024, October 11). The fight of the IMF against corruption in developing countries: A quantitative assessment of conditionality using an instrumental variable approach [Master’s thesis, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences]. Erasmus University Rotterdam. Retrieved from https://thesis.eur.nl/pub/75499/eobs_118298.pdf
Mathews, P. G. (2005). Design of experiments with MINITAB. ASQ Quality Press.
Mohebi, M. (2016). Sociological analysis of administrative corruption, as one of the obstacles to development in Iran. Peace Mark Organization. https://www.peace-mark.org/en/articles/64-7-en
Myers, R. H., Montgomery, D. C., & Anderson-Cook, C. M. (2016). Response surface methodology: Process and product optimization using designed experiments (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Neo, S. (2025). Does corruption perception increase public servant corruptibility? An experimental analysis. Behavioural Public Policy, 1–25. doi:10.1017/bpp.2025.10006
Roxas, B. (2025). E-governance and sustainable human development in Asia: A dynamic institutional path perspective. Journal of Asian Business and Economic Studies, 32(1), 15–27. https://doi.org/10.1108/JABES-02-2024-0076
Schauseil, W(2019). Media and anti-corruption. U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, U4 Helpdesk Answer 2019:3. https://knowledgehub.transparency.org/assets/uploads/helpdesk/media-and-corruption_2019.pdf
Schneider, F. (2015). Does corruption promote emigration?. IZA World of Labor, (192). https://doi.org/10.15185/izawol.192
Seiam, D. A., & Salman, D. (2024). Examining the global influence of e-governance on corruption: A panel data analysis. Future Business Journal, 10(1), 29. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-024-00319-3
Tomiwa, T. (2022, September). The human development index: Examining impact on human flight and brain drain. Johns Hopkins University. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363365135_The_Human_Development_Index_Examining_Impact_on_Human_Flight_and_Brain_Drain
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2025). Human development indicators: Iran (Islamic Republic of). Humanitarian Data Exchange. Retrieved May 14, 2025, from https://data.humdata.org/dataset/hdro-data-for-iran-islamic-republic-of
Vega-Muñoz, A., González-Gómez-del-Miño, P., & Contreras-Barraza, N. (2025). The determinants of brain drain and the role of citizenship in skilled migration. Social Sciences, 14(3), 132. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14030132
Wahid Binesh, M. (2025). The reciprocal relationship between government inefficiency and corruption. International Journal of Social Science Research and Review, 8(4), 26–36. https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v8i4.2636
World Bank. (2025a). Worldwide governance indicators: Iran (Islamic Republic of). DataBank. Retrieved May 14, 2025, from https://databank.worldbank.org/iran/id/d73269b2
World Bank. (2025b). E-Government Development Index (EGDI). Data360. Retrieved May 14, 2025, from https://data360.worldbank.org/en/dataset/UN_EGDI
Zaitul, Z., Ilona, D., & Novianti, N. (2023). Good Governance in Rural Local Administration. Administrative Sciences, 13(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13010019
Zou, Q., Mao, Z., Yan, R., Liu, S., & Duan, Z. (2023). Vision and reality of e-government for governance improvement: Evidence from global cross-country panel data. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 194, 122667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2023.122667
 

  • Receive Date 13 November 2025
  • Revise Date 07 December 2025
  • Accept Date 10 January 2026
  • First Publish Date 10 January 2026
  • Publish Date 22 December 2025