Key success factors of health research centers
A mixed method study
Keywords:
Key factors, Success, Research CentersAbstract
Background: In order to achieve success in future goals and activities, health research centers are required to identify their key success factors.
Objective: This study aimed to extract and rank the factors affecting the success of research centers at one of the medical universities in Iran.
Methods: This study is a mixed method (qualitative-quantitative) study, which was conducted between May to October in 2016. The study setting was 22 health research centers. In qualitative phase, we extracted the factors affecting the success in research centers through purposeful interviews with 10 experts of centers, and classified them into themes and sub-themes. In the quantitative phase, we prepared a questionnaire and scored and ranked the factors recognized by 54 of the study samples by Friedman test.
Results: Nine themes and 42 sub-themes were identified. Themes included: strategic orientation, management, human capital, support, projects, infrastructure, communications and collaboration, paradigm and innovation and they were rated respectively as components of success in research centers. Among the 42 identified factors, 10 factors were ranked respectively as the key factors of success, and included: science and technology road map, strategic plan, evaluation indexes, committed human resources, scientific evaluation of members and centers, innovation in research and implementation, financial support, capable researchers, equipment infrastructure and teamwork.
Conclusion: According to the results, the strategic orientation was the most important component in the success of research centers. Therefore, managers and authorities of research centers should pay more attention to strategic areas in future planning, including the science and technology road map and strategic plan.
References
Rastgar A. Structure of research centers in Qom city [MS thesis]. Tehran University; 2000.
Evaluation report of research centers. Iran: Ministry of Health; 2001.
Lee SS, Osteryoung JS. A comparison of critical success factors for effective operations of university
business incubators in the United States and Korea. Journal of small business management. 2004; 42(4):
-26. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-627X.2004.00120.x.
Austin D. Understanding critical success factor analysis. 2002. Available from:
https://www.w3.org/2002/ws/arch/2/04/UCSFA.
Pellow A, Wilson T. The management information requirements of heads of university departments: a
critical success factors approach. Journal of Information Science. 1993; 19(6): 425-37. doi:
1177/016555159301900602.
Bahari A, Modi B, Yaghubi N, Alamolhodaei H. Identify and prioritize the key success factors of science
and technology park in Khorasan Razavi. Roshd-e-Fanavari. 2012; 8(30): 13-21.
Freund YP. Critical success factors. Planning Review. 1988; 16(4): 20-3. doi: 10.1108/eb054225.
Hanafizade P. Strategic information system. Tehran. 2013.
Yaghobi A, Shariati M. The factors affecting the performance of research centers; case study, research
centers in former Ministry of Jihad Sazandegi. Iranian Agricultural Extension and Education Journal. 2007;
(3): 1-12.
Barragán-Ocaña A, Zubieta-García J. Critical factors toward successful R&D projects in public research
centers: a primer. Journal of Applied Research and Technology. 2013; 11(6): 866-75. doi: 10.1016/S1665- 6423(13)71593-1.
Löfsten H, Lindelöf P. Science parks in Sweden–industrial renewal and development? R&D Management.
; 31(3): 309-22. doi: 10.1111/1467-9310.00219.
Salami R, Behgozin A, Shafeie M. Identify and assess the critical success factors of science and technology
parks in Iran: expert opinion. Roshd-e-Fanavari. 2011; 8(29): 63-72.
Hsieh HF, Shannon SE. Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research.
; 15(9): 1277-88. doi: 10.1177/1049732305276687.
Manu FA, Sriram V. Innovation, marketing strategy, environment, and performance. Journal of business
Research. 1996; 35(1): 79-91. doi: 10.1016/0148-2963(95)00056-9.
Azhar SM. Strategic orientation and performance: The case of equifinality from a developing market
perspective. The Business Review. Cambridge. 2008; 10(2): 120-8.
Jantunen A, Nummela N, Puumalainen K, Saarenketo S. Strategic orientations of born globals-Do they
really matter? Journal of World Business. 2008; 43(2): 158-70. doi: 10.1016/j.jwb.2007.11.015.
Aragón ‐ Sánchez A, Sánchez ‐ Marín G. Strategic orientation, management characteristics, and
performance: A study of Spanish SMEs. Journal of Small Business Management. 2005; 43(3): 287-308.
doi: 10.1111/j.1540-627X.2005.00138.x.
Davodi H, Fomi HS, kalantari K. Investigate the barriers of agricultural technology development in Tehran
University of science and technology parks. Journal of Science & Technology Policy. 2011; 4(4): 1-10.
Peymankhah S, Ghafarzadeh M. Comparison of conventional approaches in designing road map of
technology strategies. Fifth International Conference on Management: Iran, Tehran; 2007.
Andrews R, Boyne GA, Walker RM. Subjective and objective measures of organizational performance: An
empirical exploration. Cambridge University Press: 2006; 14-34.
Sarcheshme BS, Nokarani B, Madah M. Approach to management of intellectual capital in organizations
and research centers: case study Jahad Daneshgahi research centers. Seventh International Conference of
Industries and Mines R & D centers. Iran, Tehran; 2008.
Siegel DS, Westhead P, Wright M. Science parks and the performance of new technology-based firms: a
review of recent UK evidence and an agenda for future research. Small Business Economics. 2003; 20(2):
-84. doi: 10.1023/A:1022268100133.
Haeri O. Research and development units, national research chain rings. Third Conference of Research and
Development Centers of Industries and Mines. Iran, Tehran; 2001.
Gower S, Harris F. The funding of, and investment in, British science parks: A review. Journal of Property
Finance. 1994; 5(3): 7-18. doi: 10.1108/09588689410078557.
Gower SM, Harris FC. Science parks in the UK: regional regenerators or just another form of property
development? Property Management. 1994; 12(4): 24-33. doi: 10.1108/02637479410071036.
Vilà PC, Pagès JL. Science and technology parks: creating new environments favourable to innovation.
Paradigmes. 2008.
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 KNOWLEDGE KINGDOM PUBLISHING
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
