Competence Gap Analysis of Tehran Municipality Knowledge Workers in Confronting Artificial Intelligence Using Importance-Performance Analysis

This descriptive-survey study aimed to strategically prioritize the competency gap among Tehran Municipality knowledge workers facing artificial intelligence integration, using Johannessen's (2021) "Balanced Competence Paradigm". Data were collected via a questionnaire from 22 organizational experts. Reliability was confirmed via Cronbach's alpha (importance: 0.82, performance: 0.95). Paired t-tests revealed significant gaps across all 16 competencies. Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) demonstrated that foundational technological skills (STEM), "Change adaptability", and "Reflection" fall into the critical "Concentrate Here" quadrant. Conversely, interactive human-centric competencies (Communication, Collaboration, Social skills, Leadership) emerged as irreplaceable competitive advantages in the "Keep Up the Good Work" quadrant, while purely emotional skills were identified as "Possible Overkill". Findings indicate that successful smart urban management requires shifting from traditional administrative training to data literacy and critical thinking. Strategically reallocating resources to address technological deficits, while leveraging employees' communication strengths in hybrid teams, ensures progression toward a human-centric smart organization rather than an algorithmic bureaucracy.