Identifying and ranking factors affecting the success of information and communication technology innovation ecosystem

Considering the role of information and communication technology in economic and social development and the global movement towards knowledge-based societies, the importance of innovation in this field is significant. Innovation does not happen in isolation and is the result of collaboration between different actors in an innovation ecosystem. The purpose of our research is identifying the factors influencing the success of information and communication technology innovation ecosystem in Iran and prioritizing them.
Method: First, by literature review and 12 semi-structured interviews during 2023, the factors influencing the success of information and communication technology innovation ecosystem were identified and with the fuzzy Delphi questionnaire, the relevance of the factors was checked. Then, factors were prioritized with Analytical Hierarchy Process. questionnaires were completed by 9 university and policy making experts and 335 information and communication technology companies.
Findings: By literature review, the factors affecting the success of information and communication technology innovation ecosystem were identified and categorized in 5 criteria including human capital, financial resources, policy, infrastructure and market issues and 21 sub-criteria. According to the literature review findings, expert team including technical, financial, research and development and management skills play an important role in gaining market share. Financing in the form of venture capital and long-term loans is also an important factor for the growth of information and communication technology businesses. Beside the financing and the human capital, facilitating the access to financial resources and providing business advice to information and communication technology companies owners are also important. Infrastructural preparation in the form of technical preparations (hardware and software) and the existence of innovation infrastructures are another important factors for the growth of this businesses. Advertising and marketing skills and economic analysis including profit estimation and return on investment are also 2 other influential factors. After reviewing and summarizing the literature, based on the interviewees opinion, 4 factors including 1) the possibility of international collaboration; 2) existence of market and commercialization specialists; 3) the existence of legal experts and 4) the implementation of information and communication technology by public organizations were another considered factors.
Conclusion: The prioritization of the effective factors was done through the AHP method. Based on analyzing questionnaires, policy criteria and then financial criteria were identified as the most important dimensions affecting the success of the information and communication technology innovation ecosystem. The most important sub-criteria are marketing techniques, commercialization specialists, conducting financial and economic analysis, facilitating access to financial resources, conducting international collaboration and providing banking resources. Attention and strengthening of these factors will be effective in the formation of information and communication technology businesses and fostering innovation in this field. The important point in our research is the experts' emphasis on the necessity of international collaboration in information and communication technology innovation ecosystem. According to them, these international networking will lead to entry into the global supply chain of information and communication technology, competitiveness and production of technology according to needs. In addition, the existence of market experts in the information and communication technology field, especially considering the different nature of the products, is one of the basic needs of businesses in this field, and the technical and management skills dos not guarantee the success of market share. The findings of our research indicate that paying attention to demand side factors (market) plays an important role in the success of information and communication technology innovation ecosystem. These factors are manifested in the form of the presence of commercialization specialists, the use of marketing techniques, and financial feasibility studies. Feasibility study of the market is done by preparing a business plan and feasibility of needs, examining product demand, forecasting sales and determining the rate of return on investment. According to our research experts, paying attention to the demand factor will be facilitated by reducing the information asymmetry and attracting the attention of government and public organizations and institutions in the use of information and communication technology.
Keywords: Innovation ecosystem, information and communication technology, innovation, information and communication start-up, investment in information and communication technology, collaboration of information and communication technology players