A Typology of the Concept of Academic Authority from the Perspective of Faculty Members: A Case Study of Imam Sadiq University

Gholipour, Hossein; ShaiganNariman, Soroush

doi:10.30497/smt.2026.249792.3699

A Typology of the Concept of Academic Authority from the Perspective of Faculty Members: A Case Study of Imam Sadiq University

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Hossein Gholipour ¹

Soroush ShaiganNariman ²

¹ Faculty of Islamic studies and Management, Imam Sadiq University, Tehran, Iran

² Faculty of Entrepreneurship, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

10.30497/smt.2026.249792.3699

Abstract

Over the past two decades, the concept of scientific authority has been strongly emphasized in the high-level policy documents of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a fundamental prerequisite for realizing the New Islamic Civilization and enhancing national power. However, the exclusive focus on scientific authority within the existing literature has resulted in the neglect of other dimensions of the concept of "authority," thereby causing strategic confusion in the prioritization of academic resources and endeavors. Aimed at identifying and formulating a typology of the concept of "authority," the present study examines Imam Sadiq University (ISU) as a mission-oriented case study. This study adopted a qualitative approach within an interpretive paradigm. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 31 faculty members and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that authority is not a static attribute but a social relationship comprising three pillars: the agent, the content, and the audience. The results suggest that determining the preferred typology of authority is a fundamental prerequisite for organizational configuration and the alignment of managerial efforts toward realizing the desired visions.

Keywords

Authority

Scientific Authority

Typology

Mission-oriented University

Imam Sadiq University

Subjects