Managers’ Perceptions of Vertical Mobility in Organizational Structure: A Study in the Social Security Organization of the Southwest Region

Abstract

The present study was conducted with the aim of explaining managers’ perceptions and lived experiences of vertical mobility within organizational structure, with emphasis on the Social Security Organization in the southwest region of the country. This study adopted a qualitative approach and employed Colaizzi’s phenomenological method to explore the nature and dimensions of managerial mobility from the perspective of managers who had experienced such situations. The participants included 21 managers of the organization (18 men and 3 women), selected through purposive sampling. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews, each lasting between 40 and 90 minutes. Data analysis was conducted in seven stages based on Colaizzi’s framework. The findings revealed that vertical mobility (both promotion and demotion) is influenced by a set of individual, organizational, and extra-organizational factors. In terms of promotion, themes such as managerial competencies, career trajectory, organizational performance, trust from senior managers, and political and cultural variables emerged as prominent. In contrast, in cases of organizational demotion, managers’ lived experiences highlighted issues such as regulatory structures, intra-organizational pressures, and personal requests. The results of this research may assist decision-makers in the field of human resources in improving managerial appointment and mobility processes.