Designing a Model for Sales Personnel Guidance in Large Shopping Malls: A Qualitative Study in Baghdad Family Mall

Document Type : Original Article (Qualitative)

Authors

Dep. of Business Management, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran.

Abstract
This study aimed to identify the dimensions and components of sales personnel guidance in Baghdad Family Mall and to propose a paradigmatic model in this context. The research is applied in its purpose and qualitative in nature, employing a Grounded Theory approach. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 20 experts—including active sales personnel from various departments of Family Mall in Erbil—and analyzed through a three-stage coding process (open, axial, and selective) using MAXQDA 10. The findings led to the development of a paradigmatic model where the core phenomenon is ‘employee guidance,’ with an emphasis on internal motivation and passion. This phenomenon is shaped by causal conditions, including personality traits, professional competencies, work conscience, and experiential capital. Furthermore, contextual factors, such as organizational support, training facilities, and a learning-oriented physical and psychological environment, as well as intervening factors, such as specific retail environmental challenges and internal organizational processes, influence this process. In response to these conditions, strategies such as structured training, precise scheduling, and on-the-job learning are adopted, resulting in outcomes such as professional and organizational development, enhanced individual efficiency, and personal well-being in the workplace. These results can serve as a foundation for retail managers to improve human resource productivity by fostering a coaching-oriented culture and optimizing guidance processes.

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  • Receive Date 06 February 2026
  • Revise Date 23 April 2026
  • Accept Date 31 May 2026