Imam Hossein University Strategic Management of Organizational Knowledge 2645-4262 7 3 2024 09 22 Designing a cognitive model of retaining knowledge workers in technological and knowledge-based companies of Yazd Science and Technology Park Designing a cognitive model of retaining knowledge workers in technological and knowledge-based companies of Yazd Science and Technology Park 29 54 209374 10.47176/smok.2024.1779 FA Seyyed Habibollah Mirghafoori Associate Professor, Department of Industrial Management, Faculty of Economics, Management and Accounting, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran 0000-0001-5362-6590 Mitra Aghazade Bafgh Master of Industrial Management, Department of Industrial Management, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran 0009-0000-8313-3674 Ali Saffari Darberazi Assistant Professor, Department of Industries, Technical and Engineering Faculty, Bam Higher Education Complex, Bam, Iran 0000-0002-0933-1629 Journal Article 2024 07 25 Purpose: In growing industries, knowledge workers play a vital role in the success of organizations due to the high value of their knowledge and expertise. The departure of these employees can bring high material and moral costs to organizations. Therefore, this study aims to identify the factors affecting retaining talented and knowledgeable workers. Methodology: This study was conducted in a mixed manner; in the first stage, (58) factors affecting the retention of talents were identified through a literature review as a qualitative part. The statistical population includes experts from technology and knowledge-based companies, managers, and experts from the Yazd Science and Technology Park campuses, and sampling was done as a convenience sample. In the second stage, using a quantitative method, the opinions of (17) experts from the Science and Technology Park and universities were collected through a questionnaire and analyzed using the intuitive fuzzy cognitive map method. The relationships between the factors were determined using FCMapper software and plotted in Pajek software. Findings: The findings showed that the factors affecting the retention of knowledge workers were divided into four dimensions: environmental, organizational, individual, and job. In the research of Sarfarazi et al., the factors affecting the retention of knowledge workers were also divided into the above four groups. In the environmental dimension, the three factors of job opportunities in the labor market, migration, and personal and family life of the individual were identified as the most critical factors affecting the environmental dimension due to their highest degree of centrality. Job opportunities in the labor market had the highest degree of centrality and influence on migration, which caused a change. Since personality traits have the highest degree of centrality among the factors of the organizational dimension, the most critical factor affecting the retention of key employees was identified in the organizational dimension. Career path management, promotion, and career development by being influenced by the personality characteristics of the CEO and supervisor has an impact on the empowerment of knowledge workers and ultimately leads to an increase in the retention of knowledge workers. The specialized capabilities of the organization's knowledge and talented employees have the highest degree of centrality among the factors of the individual dimension, and the essential factor in this dimension is introduced. Research limitations: The present study was also accompanied by various limitations. Among these limitations, one can mention the failure to consider the time factor in the analyses. From a methodological point of view, although the intuitive fuzzy cognitive map is a powerful method, it may only partially reflect some complex or nonlinear relationships between factors. In addition, the failure to examine temporal changes in factors affecting employee retention and the study's limitation to a specific period are other limitations of this study. Originality/value: Organizations should pay special attention to these critical factors and ensure the retention of knowledge workers through strategic planning to recruit and retain them. Purpose: In growing industries, knowledge workers play a vital role in the success of organizations due to the high value of their knowledge and expertise. The departure of these employees can bring high material and moral costs to organizations. Therefore, this study aims to identify the factors affecting retaining talented and knowledgeable workers. Methodology: This study was conducted in a mixed manner; in the first stage, (58) factors affecting the retention of talents were identified through a literature review as a qualitative part. The statistical population includes experts from technology and knowledge-based companies, managers, and experts from the Yazd Science and Technology Park campuses, and sampling was done as a convenience sample. In the second stage, using a quantitative method, the opinions of (17) experts from the Science and Technology Park and universities were collected through a questionnaire and analyzed using the intuitive fuzzy cognitive map method. The relationships between the factors were determined using FCMapper software and plotted in Pajek software. Findings: The findings showed that the factors affecting the retention of knowledge workers were divided into four dimensions: environmental, organizational, individual, and job. In the research of Sarfarazi et al., the factors affecting the retention of knowledge workers were also divided into the above four groups. In the environmental dimension, the three factors of job opportunities in the labor market, migration, and personal and family life of the individual were identified as the most critical factors affecting the environmental dimension due to their highest degree of centrality. Job opportunities in the labor market had the highest degree of centrality and influence on migration, which caused a change. Since personality traits have the highest degree of centrality among the factors of the organizational dimension, the most critical factor affecting the retention of key employees was identified in the organizational dimension. Career path management, promotion, and career development by being influenced by the personality characteristics of the CEO and supervisor has an impact on the empowerment of knowledge workers and ultimately leads to an increase in the retention of knowledge workers. The specialized capabilities of the organization's knowledge and talented employees have the highest degree of centrality among the factors of the individual dimension, and the essential factor in this dimension is introduced. Research limitations: The present study was also accompanied by various limitations. Among these limitations, one can mention the failure to consider the time factor in the analyses. From a methodological point of view, although the intuitive fuzzy cognitive map is a powerful method, it may only partially reflect some complex or nonlinear relationships between factors. In addition, the failure to examine temporal changes in factors affecting employee retention and the study's limitation to a specific period are other limitations of this study. Originality/value: Organizations should pay special attention to these critical factors and ensure the retention of knowledge workers through strategic planning to recruit and retain them.

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