Quarterly Journal of Governance Knowledge

Quarterly Journal of Governance Knowledge

A comparative review of the technological Catch up policies in Iran and China with the Metasynthesis method

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Technology Management and Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Allameh University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Purpose: This research aims to compare technological catch-up policies in Iran and China to identify weaknesses and opportunities for improvement in Iran's technology development policies. By examining China's successful experiences in reducing its technological gap with developed countries, the study seeks to discover common and distinctive patterns in the technological catch-up approaches of both countries.
Design/methodology/approach: The study employs a meta-synthesis method based on Barroso and Sandelowski's seven-stage model to systematically analyze and integrate previous research findings. The research corpus includes scientific articles on technological catch-up published about Iran (without time limitation) and China (2010-2023). After searching domestic and international databases and screening articles, 273 open codes for Iran and 355 for China were extracted using MAXQDA 2020 software and categorized under axial codes and organizing themes.
Findings: Data analysis identified seven main categories in both countries, with six related to general policies and one addressing policy-making considerations. The comparative analysis revealed that while both countries emphasize domestic market support, R&D investment, and industry-specific policy approaches, significant differences exist. Iran focuses more on government investment, infrastructure development, higher education, and organizational structures. China emphasizes enhancing local companies' technological capabilities through foreign partnerships, knowledge networks, strategic use of its large domestic market, and gradually evolving policies that adapt to increasing technological sophistication.
Research limitations/implications: The study is limited to published academic literature and may not fully capture unpublished or classified policy documents. Future research could extend this comparative approach to include other successful catch-up countries like South Korea, particularly in specific technological domains such as semiconductors, petrochemicals, telecommunications, and Automotive industry.
Practical implications:The findings provide valuable insights for technology policymakers, knowledge-based development researchers, and industry leaders in Iran. Policymakers can adopt more effective strategies by focusing on developing domestic companies' technological capabilities, leveraging the domestic market strategically, and creating conducive innovation networks. The research highlights the importance of shifting from government-centric technology transfer to building sustainable technological capabilities within firms.
Originality/value:This study contributes to the technological catch-up literature by providing a structured comparison of Iran and China's approaches using meta-synthesis methodology. It identifies critical policy gaps in Iran's approach compared to China's successful model and suggests concrete areas for policy improvement. The findings emphasize that successful catch-up requires attention to the gradual, competitive, and strategic nature of technological development, rather than purely focusing on government investment and education.
Keywords
Subjects

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