Identification of Ethical Indicators and Components of Human Resource Managers in Employee Separation and Job Placement in Medical Universities of the Western Region of Iran

Abstract

The rapid transformation of organizational environments and the necessity of achieving the objectives outlined in the country’s Twenty-Year Vision Document have compelled human resource management in the public sector to reconsider its ethical policies—particularly in processes of employee separation and job placement. The present study aimed to identify the ethical indicators of human resource managers in employee separation and job placement in medical universities located in the western region of Iran. From the perspective of purpose, this research is applied in nature, and methodologically, it is qualitative, based on the Grounded Theory approach within the Strauss and Corbin framework. The statistical population consisted of human resource managers, experts, and faculty members specializing in administrative ethics and human resource management, from whom 12 experts were selected through purposive and judgmental sampling. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding methods. The analysis of the data resulted in the extraction of 285 basic themes, 36 organizing themes, and 5 overarching themes, which were classified under five main components: “selection and recruitment,” “motivation and communication,” “performance management,” “compensation,” and “empowerment.” Based on these findings, a conceptual model for developing ethical policymaking among human resource managers was proposed, demonstrating that managerial ethics in employee separation is not merely limited to compliance with legal formalities but is largely influenced by organizational culture, perceived justice, transparent communication, and post-separation support mechanisms. Implementing an ethics-oriented approach in university human resource management requires the formulation of participatory strategies, the establishment of a fair evaluation system, and the institutionalization of ethical behaviors at all managerial levels.