Enumerating the Mental Models of Senior Managers in Confronting Strategic Change: A Case Study of Tehran Municipality

Strategic change in public organizations is inherently challenging. The diversity of mental models among top managers regarding strategic changes is a key challenge that can lead to improper implementation, hidden resistance, and erosion of organizational trust if unaddressed. This study aims to identify and categorize these mental models among top managers of Tehran Municipality. Using Q methodology, 117 statements were extracted from the concourse, screened to select 41 statements as the final Q-sample, and sorted by 23 top managers. Data were analyzed using factor analysis with Varimax rotation. Findings reveal eight distinct mental models explaining 79.3% of the total variance: Visionary Architects of the Islamic Model, Structural Reformists of Justice, Participatory Structural Breakers, Pioneers of Smartization, Strategic Behaviorists, Need-Oriented Ideologues, Institution-Oriented Indicator Advocates, and Process-Oriented Innovators. This diversity reflects the complexity of managerial interpretations and the difficulty of achieving consensus in public organizations. The findings have practical implications for change management in Tehran Municipality, including mapping mental model distribution, designing tailored communication packages, and forming specialized working groups for consensus-building.