Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Research

Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Research

Identification of Key Factors Shaping Windows of Opportunity for Technical Knowledge Transfer in the New Silk Road Context

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Zahra Torkashvand 1
AmirAli Rashidi 2
1 Department of Human Geography and Planning, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran. Tehran. Iran
2 Faculty of Management, Azad University. Roudehen Branch. Roudehen. Iran
10.22034/eir.2025.533905.1198
Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study is to identify, refine, and prioritize the factors influencing the emergence of windows of opportunity for technical knowledge transfer within the context of the development of the New Silk Road. Methods: The research adopts a mixed-method approach structured in three phases. In the first phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 subject-matter experts, from which 60 initial factors were extracted through thematic analysis using NVivo software. In the second phase, the same experts conducted a quantitative assessment using a Likert scale and the TOPSIS method, resulting in the identification of the top 20 factors with the highest preference scores. In the third phase, these selected factors were hierarchically analyzed using a combined fuzzy DEMATEL and ANP approach. First, causal relationships among the factors were examined using DEMATEL, and the influence threshold was determined based on the mean impact value. Subsequently, based on the resulting significant relationships, fuzzy pairwise comparisons were conducted within the ANP framework. Results: The key causal and driving factors shaping these windows of opportunity were identified as strategic technology development planning, national industrial policies, and the establishment of technology absorption institutions. In contrast, academic innovation, targeted public investment, and regional capacity were found to be more effect-driven and reactive in nature. Conclusion: By integrating qualitative and quantitative methodologies and employing a causality-driven analytical framework, this research contributes a novel conceptual model for technology transfer in the context of regional cooperation. The findings underscore the necessity of foresight-oriented policymaking, the development of soft infrastructure, and the establishment of intermediary institutions to enhance technology absorption capacity.
Keywords
Technology transfer
technological window of opportunity
New Silk Road
multi-criteria causal analysis
technology absorptive capacity
Subjects
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