A Functional Analysis of Technological Innovation Systems in Developing Countries: An Evaluation of Iran’s Photovoltaic Innovation System

Mohammad Esmailzadeh, Siamak Noori, Alireza Aliahmadi, Hamidreza Nouralizadeh and Marcel Bogers
Additional contact information
Mohammad Esmailzadeh: Department of Progress Engineering, University of Science and Technology, Tehran 16846-13114, Iran
Siamak Noori: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Science and Technology, Tehran 16846-13114, Iran
Alireza Aliahmadi: Department of Progress Engineering, University of Science and Technology, Tehran 16846-13114, Iran
Hamidreza Nouralizadeh: Department of Progress Engineering, University of Science and Technology, Tehran 16846-13114, Iran

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-20

Abstract: For developing countries to catch up, it is vital that they develop emerging technologies and the system that supports that development. The literature suggests developing a technological innovation system (TIS) framework to investigate the development of technologies in a country. Nonetheless, most of this research focuses on developed countries without taking into account developing countries. Therefore, in this paper, we have two main goals. First, reviewing the indicators introduced to the functional analysis of TISs and modifying these indicators based on developing countries’ circumstances. Second, applying this framework to the specific case of Iran’s renewable energy program by using these indicators for analyzing Iran’s photovoltaic TIS to identify the problems. Accordingly, we review indicators used for a functional analysis by considering the needs of developing countries, and we propose a list of indicators that can be used for assessing functions in developing countries’ TISs. The results show that, to evaluate some functions of TIS, we need to use new indicators in developing countries. Finally, we propose some policy recommendations to tackle these functional problems.

Keywords: technological innovation system; photovoltaics; functional analysis; developing countries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/5/2049/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/5/2049/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:5:p:2049-:d:329527

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().