2024 : 12 : 14
Javad Soltanzadeh

Javad Soltanzadeh

Academic rank: Assistant Professor
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3176-8816
Education: PhD.
ScopusId: 55190826000
HIndex: 4/00
Faculty: Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences
Address: Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Mazandaran, Iran
Phone: 011-35302530

Research

Title
Technological catch-up in the Iranian steel industry: Integrating regime-based and complex product systems approaches
Type
JournalPaper
Keywords
Technological catch-up; Steel industry; Technological regimes; Market regimes; Complex Product Systems; Iran
Year
2024
Journal Resources Policy
DOI
Researchers Javad Soltanzadeh ، Soma Rahmani ، mahdi Majidpoor

Abstract

Researchers in the technological catch-up field have recently directed their attention toward a regime-based approach and Complex Product Systems (CoPs) streams. Within this context, studies on each stream demonstrate how industry-specific frameworks in developing countries influence technological catch-up dynamics. This study explores these dynamics by analyzing market and technological regimes within Iran's steel industry as semi-CoPs, comprehensively. The study utilizes historical and content analyses to delineate five capability-building waves and extract themes and dimensions from documents and expert interviews conducted within the steel industry. The findings show that Iran's steel industry catch-up strategy is based on a path-following in which synthesizing overseas technology transfer with indigenous technological developments occurs. That is, firms enrich their indigenous capabilities through reverse engineering of established technologies like MIDREX, progressing to re-engineering existing technologies in iron-making. The enhancement of capabilities, coupled with the employment of opportunity windows, has paved the way for the path-creation in minor technology that has ultimately resulted in the advent of PERED technology. Finally, the findings are further compared with other domestic industries and insights are sought from international counterparts for researchers and participators.