Abuse of organizational resources is one of the serious and influential issues in work environments that can reduce productivity, increase costs, and weaken the trust of employees and stakeholders. Focusing on the financial, human, physical, information, and social resources of organizations, this research seeks to discover the roots of this problem and provide practical solutions to prevent it. The main objective of this research is to identify both common and specific factors contributing to resource misuse and to propose preventive solutions for responsible and optimal utilization of organizational assets.
This study adopts a qualitative approach and utilizes thematic analysis. Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 individuals, including employees, managers, and experts from both public and private organizations. Participants were selected based on their direct or indirect experience with resource misuse and their familiarity with organizational monitoring and control processes.
The findings indicate that the causes of resource misuse can be classified into two major categories: Common causes include weak supervision and control mechanisms, unhealthy organizational culture, and lack of employee training and awareness. Specific causes include poor financial transparency and planning (financial resources), economic pressures on staff (human resources), and individual motivations for information misuse (informational resources).
The results suggest that in order to reduce the misuse of organizational resources, in addition to strengthening oversight systems, improving employee training, and reforming organizational culture, the tailored solutions proposed in this study—specific to each type of organizational resource—must be operationalized. Implementing these solutions can lead to more efficient resource utilization and improved achievement of organizational goals.