Abstract

Dynamic industrial and economic growth depends on research and development (R&D). The R&D activities in emerging technologies must be managed with the objectives of reducing time, cost, and uncertainty, which necessitates the use of collaborative tools in R&D. If properly aligned with appropriate policy-making and effective implementation, the novel approach of open R&D can facilitate access to emerging technologies, such as nanotechnology, and bridge the gap between scientific knowledge production and the commercialization of nanotechnology-based products.
This study aims to identify the key influencing factors of open R&D in Iran’s emerging nanotechnology ecosystem. Accordingly, ecosystem actors were identified and ranked. Initially, through a literature review, 31 influencing factors were extracted across five dimensions: strategic analysis, partner selection and collaboration formation, implementation, evaluation, and outcomes. These factors were refined to 25 through a three-round fuzzy Delphi survey involving 12 experts. The identified factors were then weighted using Shannon entropy. The findings revealed that monitoring strategy, absorptive capacity, and prototype development had the highest weights (or variability), while open culture, sustainable value creation, and intellectual property rights had the lowest weights (or highest consensus).
Given that successful open R&D thrives within an ecosystem, the ecosystem actors were identified through domestic and international studies to develop a conceptual model. Subsequently, 22 experts participated in a questionnaire-based evaluation, and the actors were ranked using the fuzzy VIKOR method. The results indicated that universities were the most influential actors, followed in ranking by knowledge-based small enterprises, intermediary institutions, research institutes, and large corporations.