Validation of a Model for Developing Foresight Skills among Managers of Sepah Bank
Keywords:
Foresight, managerial skills, organizational development, banking, confirmatory factor analysis, structural modelingAbstract
The objective of this study was to design and validate a model for developing foresight skills among managers of Sepah Bank in Alborz Province. This applied research employed a cross-sectional survey design. The statistical population consisted of 985 managers and employees of Sepah Bank, from which 278 participants were selected using the Krejcie and Morgan table; ultimately, 289 valid questionnaires were collected. Data were gathered using a researcher-made questionnaire comprising 112 items, 21 components, and 6 main factors, whose validity was confirmed by banking and academic experts and whose reliability was approved using Cronbach’s alpha. Data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with SPSS and LISREL software. Model fit was assessed through indices such as chi-square/df ratio, RMSEA, GFI, and AGFI. CFA results indicated that all model paths were statistically significant at the 0.05 level, with all t-values exceeding ±1.96. The highest factor loading was observed for organizational culture and behavior (0.97), followed by communication skills and flexible organizational structure. All causal, contextual, intervening, strategic, and outcome factors demonstrated significant and strong relationships with the main latent construct. Model fit indices showed acceptable and strong fit (χ²/df<3, RMSEA<0.08, GFI and AGFI>0.90). Strategic factors such as continuous learning, research skills, and effective communication exhibited the strongest effects, while outcomes such as strategic planning, value creation, competitive advantage, and decision-making agility were directly influenced by foresight skill development. The findings indicate that developing foresight skills among banking managers is a multidimensional process shaped by organizational, environmental, and technological factors, and it enhances organizational agility, competitive value creation, and strategic decision-making within the banking sector.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Azadeh Ali Barouti Tabar, Naser Abbaszadeh, Hamid Shafizadeh (Author)
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