نقش دولت الکترونیک در عملکرد کارکنان ادارۀ کل ورزش و جوانان استان قزوین با میانجی شفافیت سازمانی

Background and Purpose
Employee performance evaluation is a critical process for organizations, particularly in the context of enhancing transparency and leveraging electronic tools. Continuous evaluation of employee performance enables senior management to systematically review and align employee contributions with organizational plans and objectives at various levels (Chen et al., 2019). Transparency within organizations forms the foundation of government decisions and the mechanisms that govern the distribution of power and income. It is widely recognized as one of the most effective tools for combating administrative corruption, establishing efficient governance, and fostering a stable society. Transparency in this context entails the free flow of information and its accessibility to all stakeholders involved in decision-making processes, facilitated by the use of electronic tools.
Organizational transparency plays a pivotal role in promoting better and more accountable employee performance (Mohabi Zarin Dareh, 2019). One of the primary means of achieving transparency in organizations is through the adoption and implementation of electronic tools, specifically the establishment of electronic government (e-government) systems. E-government refers to the use of new technologies by governments to provide citizens and stakeholders with access to information and services, thereby improving service quality and expanding opportunities for democratic participation (Sarboland, 2020).
The necessity of this research arises from several considerations. Firstly, the concepts of electronic government and organizational transparency as they relate to employee performance have not been thoroughly examined within the context of sports organizations in Iran. Despite the essential role these concepts play in organizational effectiveness, their specific impact within sports organizations remains underexplored. Secondly, the multifaceted relationships among these variables—e-government, transparency, and employee performance—have not been systematically investigated, not only in sports organizations but also more broadly in other organizational contexts within the country. Understanding both the status of these variables and the nature of their interrelationships is crucial for effective organizational management. Lastly, while international research provides valuable insights, there is a pressing need for localized and specialized studies that address the unique characteristics and challenges of Iranian sports organizations. Such research is necessary to inform effective analysis, management, and implementation strategies tailored to the local context.
Methods
This study employed a field-based, descriptive-correlational research design with an applied purpose. The data collection methodology combined both qualitative and quantitative approaches to provide a comprehensive analysis of the research variables. The statistical population comprised all managers and employees of the General Directorate of Sports and Youth in Qazvin province, totaling 100 individuals. The entire population was considered for sampling; however, for initial reliability testing of the research instrument, 25 individuals participated in a pilot study. Subsequently, 75 participants were purposefully selected as the final sample, completed the research questionnaires, and their responses were analyzed.
The research instrument was a structured questionnaire consisting of 47 items designed to measure three primary variables and their eight dimensions. The variables included e-government (with dimensions such as website development, internet accessibility, website creation duration, support and development, and electronic services), organizational transparency (comprising transparency of laws and regulations, transparency of work and activity procedures, and transparency of administrative and employment affairs), and employee performance. Responses were recorded on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (completely agree). The questionnaire items were adapted from previous studies relevant to the research variables to ensure content validity and relevance.
To establish the validity and reliability of the research instrument, the opinions of 15 experts were solicited, including 5 sports management professors, 4 doctoral students, and 6 managers and employees from the Sports and Youth Department of Qazvin province. After confirming content and face validity, the questionnaire was distributed among 25 individuals from the statistical population in a pilot study. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were calculated for the e-government (0.79), organizational transparency (0.76), and employee performance (0.77) variables, indicating acceptable internal consistency. Further reliability (composite reliability) and construct validity (model fit) were evaluated and are reported in the findings section.
The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to assess the normality of the data distribution. The significance level for all components was less than α > 0.05, indicating that the data were not normally distributed. Given the complex structure of the model, the non-normal distribution of the main variables (as determined by SPSS software), and the analytical preferences of the researcher, SmartPLS software was employed for factor analysis and path analysis to examine the relationships among variables.
Findings
The analysis of the data revealed several key findings. Among the dimensions of the e-government variable, the provision of electronic services had the highest mean score (4.26), indicating that electronic services were the most developed aspect of e-government in the organization. In contrast, the dimension of website creation time had the lowest mean (3.51), suggesting room for improvement in the timeliness of website development.
Factor analysis further elucidated the significance of various dimensions within each variable. For e-government, the most influential dimensions were the development of electronic services (0.85), support, development, and equipment (0.83), website creation duration (0.82), internet and intranet accessibility (0.75), and website development (0.67). For organizational transparency, the transparency of work and activity steps (0.93), transparency of administrative and employment affairs (0.90), and transparency of laws and regulations (0.77) were identified as the most significant dimensions.
Path analysis of direct relationships demonstrated that e-government had a significant positive effect on both employee performance (coefficient = 0.32) and organizational transparency (coefficient = 0.81). Organizational transparency, in turn, had a significant positive effect on employee performance (coefficient = 0.55). The Sobel test for indirect relationships confirmed that e-government also influenced employee performance indirectly through the mediation of organizational transparency.
 
Conclusion
The findings of this research indicate that the use of technology and e-government in sports organizations, such as the Sports and Youth Department, is currently limited. However, the adoption of e-government has the potential to significantly enhance employee performance and organizational transparency. To realize these benefits, it is recommended that sports organizations increase transparency in their operations and improve employee performance through the expanded use of information technology and the streamlining of administrative processes. Managers should prioritize transparency within their organizations to further enhance employee performance.
Based on the results, future research should continue to explore the impact of e-government and information technology on employee performance in sports organizations, examining different aspects of e-government and new technological applications. Additionally, research should investigate the barriers and challenges to achieving transparency in sports organizations, as well as extend the analysis to sports federations and governing boards.