Communication: Solutions to Achieving Knowledge Capitalization

IntroductionIn today's world, knowledge and technology serve as the primary drivers of economic, industrial, and social development. Technological innovations are advancing at an unprecedented pace, reshaping lifestyles, production methods, and societal thought patterns. Within this context, un...

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Main Authors: Alihossein Hosseinzadeh, Karim Rezadost, Sajad Bahmani, Ali Arabi, Mehran Bondori
Format: Article
Language:fas
Published: University of Isfahan 2025-06-01
Series:Strategic Research on Social Problems
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Online Access:https://ssoss.ui.ac.ir/article_29449_79765723ea3f29fd9ddf760dea504315.pdf
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author Alihossein Hosseinzadeh
Karim Rezadost
Sajad Bahmani
Ali Arabi
Mehran Bondori
author_facet Alihossein Hosseinzadeh
Karim Rezadost
Sajad Bahmani
Ali Arabi
Mehran Bondori
author_sort Alihossein Hosseinzadeh
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionIn today's world, knowledge and technology serve as the primary drivers of economic, industrial, and social development. Technological innovations are advancing at an unprecedented pace, reshaping lifestyles, production methods, and societal thought patterns. Within this context, universities play a crucial role in generating knowledge and training specialized human resources. Their collaboration with industry is widely recognized as one of the most effective means of translating knowledge into practical application. Despite Iran's significant scientific capacity, which includes over 2,138 higher education institutions and ranks 15th globally in scientific production, the connection between universities and industry remains weak. The country ranks 128th worldwide in this regard, highlighting an underutilization of university-generated knowledge to address the pressing challenges faced by its industry and economy. Additionally, despite its rich natural resources, Iran has primarily relied on the sale of raw materials due to shortcomings in technological exploitation, failing to develop high-yield processing industries. In this context, establishing a robust connection between academia and industry is not only essential for economic development, but also a vital strategy for enhancing employment, increasing productivity, reducing resource waste, and bolstering the country's economic resilience against sanctions and global crises.  Materials & MethodsIn this study, a data-driven research methodology was employed. The research was conducted in Khuzestan Province, involving 44 provincial elites, including university professors and managers from knowledge-based companies and technology units. Participants were selected through theoretical and purposive sampling methods, with the theoretical sampling process continuing until saturation was achieved. Data collection involved in-depth and semi-structured interviews, while data analysis was conducted using theoretical coding techniques. Discussion of Results & ConclusionThe results of this research revealed several key factors contributing to the persistent disconnect between industry and academia in Iran. These included government ownership of industries, a lack of prioritization for research within organizations, overreliance on government funding by universities, and inadequacy of internal research and technology centers within industries. Additionally, the focus on domestic markets for produced goods, a predominance of theoretical approaches over application-oriented methodologies in universities, and a misalignment between industry and educational institutions further exacerbated this issue. One of the most pressing challenges identified was the state-owned nature of the nation's economic structure, which limited competition among state-run companies. In this environment, industry managers were typically appointed by the government and received extensive financial support, encouraging a reliance on government budgets rather than fostering performance improvement and innovation. This dynamic diminished incentives for leveraging university resources and scientific expertise within the industry. Moreover, the abundance of natural resources, particularly oil, had intensified this reliance on primary production activities, detracting from efforts to innovate and adopt new technologies. As a result, industries experienced stagnation in innovation and a decline in product quality. In many sectors, research was often conducted more for show than for practical application, failing to enhance production processes or product quality. The structural organization of universities in Iran was primarily driven by governmental needs rather than regional planning and industrial requirements. This misalignment reduced incentives for universities to collaborate with industries in pursuit of income and credibility. Furthermore, the emphasis on theoretical education over practical applications hindered the development of effective connections between university and industry. Consequently, much university research remained unutilized, serving merely as a showcase. Additional barriers to collaboration stemmed from structural issues within organizations and industries, where internal research often yielded no tangible results. These challenges ultimately obstructed the establishment of a productive relationship between academia and industry in Iran. Therefore, this research underscores the urgent need for structural reforms in both the university and industry sectors to address these gaps and promote effective collaborations that will drive technological and innovative development in the country.
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spelling doaj-art-2f05343b5bef4b7993ea2a965f3503f32025-08-20T02:39:04ZfasUniversity of IsfahanStrategic Research on Social Problems3041-86232025-06-01142678810.22108/srspi.2025.143294.204829449Communication: Solutions to Achieving Knowledge CapitalizationAlihossein Hosseinzadeh0Karim Rezadost1Sajad Bahmani2Ali Arabi3Mehran Bondori4Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, IranProfessor, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, IranAssistant professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, IranAssistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences; Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences; Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz; Ahvaz; Iran.Ph.D. student Sociology, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, IranIntroductionIn today's world, knowledge and technology serve as the primary drivers of economic, industrial, and social development. Technological innovations are advancing at an unprecedented pace, reshaping lifestyles, production methods, and societal thought patterns. Within this context, universities play a crucial role in generating knowledge and training specialized human resources. Their collaboration with industry is widely recognized as one of the most effective means of translating knowledge into practical application. Despite Iran's significant scientific capacity, which includes over 2,138 higher education institutions and ranks 15th globally in scientific production, the connection between universities and industry remains weak. The country ranks 128th worldwide in this regard, highlighting an underutilization of university-generated knowledge to address the pressing challenges faced by its industry and economy. Additionally, despite its rich natural resources, Iran has primarily relied on the sale of raw materials due to shortcomings in technological exploitation, failing to develop high-yield processing industries. In this context, establishing a robust connection between academia and industry is not only essential for economic development, but also a vital strategy for enhancing employment, increasing productivity, reducing resource waste, and bolstering the country's economic resilience against sanctions and global crises.  Materials & MethodsIn this study, a data-driven research methodology was employed. The research was conducted in Khuzestan Province, involving 44 provincial elites, including university professors and managers from knowledge-based companies and technology units. Participants were selected through theoretical and purposive sampling methods, with the theoretical sampling process continuing until saturation was achieved. Data collection involved in-depth and semi-structured interviews, while data analysis was conducted using theoretical coding techniques. Discussion of Results & ConclusionThe results of this research revealed several key factors contributing to the persistent disconnect between industry and academia in Iran. These included government ownership of industries, a lack of prioritization for research within organizations, overreliance on government funding by universities, and inadequacy of internal research and technology centers within industries. Additionally, the focus on domestic markets for produced goods, a predominance of theoretical approaches over application-oriented methodologies in universities, and a misalignment between industry and educational institutions further exacerbated this issue. One of the most pressing challenges identified was the state-owned nature of the nation's economic structure, which limited competition among state-run companies. In this environment, industry managers were typically appointed by the government and received extensive financial support, encouraging a reliance on government budgets rather than fostering performance improvement and innovation. This dynamic diminished incentives for leveraging university resources and scientific expertise within the industry. Moreover, the abundance of natural resources, particularly oil, had intensified this reliance on primary production activities, detracting from efforts to innovate and adopt new technologies. As a result, industries experienced stagnation in innovation and a decline in product quality. In many sectors, research was often conducted more for show than for practical application, failing to enhance production processes or product quality. The structural organization of universities in Iran was primarily driven by governmental needs rather than regional planning and industrial requirements. This misalignment reduced incentives for universities to collaborate with industries in pursuit of income and credibility. Furthermore, the emphasis on theoretical education over practical applications hindered the development of effective connections between university and industry. Consequently, much university research remained unutilized, serving merely as a showcase. Additional barriers to collaboration stemmed from structural issues within organizations and industries, where internal research often yielded no tangible results. These challenges ultimately obstructed the establishment of a productive relationship between academia and industry in Iran. Therefore, this research underscores the urgent need for structural reforms in both the university and industry sectors to address these gaps and promote effective collaborations that will drive technological and innovative development in the country.https://ssoss.ui.ac.ir/article_29449_79765723ea3f29fd9ddf760dea504315.pdfresearchindustryuniversityproductionknowledge-based
spellingShingle Alihossein Hosseinzadeh
Karim Rezadost
Sajad Bahmani
Ali Arabi
Mehran Bondori
Communication: Solutions to Achieving Knowledge Capitalization
Strategic Research on Social Problems
research
industry
university
production
knowledge-based
title Communication: Solutions to Achieving Knowledge Capitalization
title_full Communication: Solutions to Achieving Knowledge Capitalization
title_fullStr Communication: Solutions to Achieving Knowledge Capitalization
title_full_unstemmed Communication: Solutions to Achieving Knowledge Capitalization
title_short Communication: Solutions to Achieving Knowledge Capitalization
title_sort communication solutions to achieving knowledge capitalization
topic research
industry
university
production
knowledge-based
url https://ssoss.ui.ac.ir/article_29449_79765723ea3f29fd9ddf760dea504315.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT alihosseinhosseinzadeh communicationsolutionstoachievingknowledgecapitalization
AT karimrezadost communicationsolutionstoachievingknowledgecapitalization
AT sajadbahmani communicationsolutionstoachievingknowledgecapitalization
AT aliarabi communicationsolutionstoachievingknowledgecapitalization
AT mehranbondori communicationsolutionstoachievingknowledgecapitalization