Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Sherko Mohammadi ¹
• Mohsen Nazarzadeh Zare ²
• Keostan Mohammadian Sharif ³

¹ Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.

² Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Malayer University, Malayer, Iran.

³ Ph.D. of Higher Education Development Planning, Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

Abstract

 

Introduction
Commercialization of academic research has become a popular interest in most countries of the world. Because the process of commercialization of academic research plays a significant role in the economic development of societies, Thus, universities and higher education institutions are expected not to limit their functions only to teaching and research but also to take a part in production and economic value creation. This function is called the commercialization of research products (CRP). Some studies have shown that on the one hand, cultural and social factors and on the other hand, organizational, financial, and economic factors have a close relationship with the CRP. This evidence shows that it is not enough to formulate policies for CRP, but also providing internal and external infrastructures is a crucial factor.

Research Question(s)
What are the obstacles which are preventing CRP in Iran’s academic system?

Literature Review
2.1 Policy-making Approaches in Organizations
Nowadays, what differentiates successful and unsuccessful organizations is not necessarily a quantitative issue. Rather, is a qualitative one, so the nature of the obstacles which the organizations are confronted is the main issue. To clarify the kind of obstacles that hinder CRP, we used Okumus’s conceptual model of Implementing a strategy. The model has four variables: content, context, process, and outcome. The meaning of the content is the strategic orientation that the organization chooses and seeks to follow. Context factors include all the physical, social, and cultural contexts of the organization in which strategies are implemented. The process also includes all the ways and methods that the organization undertakes to implement and operationalize its strategic plans. Finally, the outcome includes all the achievements that the organization achieves after implementing the strategy. In general, we are facing two approaches, the first approach is the strategic evolutionary cycle and the second is the vicious cycle of formalism.

Methodology
In the present study, the researchers used a qualitative approach and an emergent design, which is one of the designs used in the grounded theory method. The study population included all the key informants in the field of CRP. A total of 9 key informants were selected through the theoretical sampling method and by relying on the theoretical saturation. An unstructured interview method was also used to collect data. Member check was also used to credibility the research data. To analyze the research data, first, open codes were extracted from the interviews and then summarized and reduced to axial codes. After conceptualizing and reducing the axial codes, a selective theme was extracted.

Results
The findings of this study showed that the cultural, economic, academic major, educational, process, contextual, and individual barriers are obstacles to the commercialization policy of research in Iran's academic system.

Discussion
Instead of taking the strategic evolutionary cycle, the Iranian academic system has taken the vicious cycle of formalism. Thus, most of the policymakers of Iran's higher education system also have a transformational desire in their mind. This view is caused problems in Iran's academic system; because the main strategic path is ignored.

Conclusion
Only economic and social institutions can be comprehensive that provide the necessary platforms and fields for the linkage of universities with the industry and the commercialization of research. Inclusive institutions are institutions that allow wide participation of individuals in their economic and political spheres and encourage individuals to use their talents and have creative ideas and thoughts. Such institutions need to protect private property, and legal systems without bias and provide social services. In such conditions, universities can undertake a strategic evolutionary cycle. It is not surprising that the capabilities that have been proposed for the commercialization of research include factors such as evaluating technological innovations, protecting intellectual property rights, identifying business partners, and creating a platform for creating ideas and producing new technologies. All of these find meaning in inclusive institutions; hence societies that have monopolistic economic and social institutions are unable to provide such platforms, and this is the reason why industry-related projects also face failure in those societies. For this reason, academic research in such societies does not turn into actions or cannot achieve social achievements.

Acknowledgments
The authors appreciate all the faculty members who participated in the research.

Keywords

• Commercialization of research
• Problems
• Strategic evolutionary cycle
• Formalism
• Strategic approaches