Designing Factors Affecting Research and Development Strategies in Domestic Automotive Companies with Emphasis on Structural-Interpretive Approach (ISM)

The purpose of this research is to design a model of factors affecting research and development strategies in domestic automotive companies with emphasis on structural-interpretive approach. The present study is mixed in terms of developmental purpose and method. The statistical population of the research consists of employees and managers of domestic car companies. The statistical sample of this research has been purposefully and judiciously selected from managers and employees working in the domestic automotive industry who have at least 5 years of experience in the research and development unit and customer relations. In the qualitative part, semi-structured interviews have been used to identify research components. Qualitative sector coding process analysis has led to the identification of 7 components of business strategy, supportive policies, investment attraction, knowledge capital, cultural development, and research and development implementation network and research and development management. The identified components are included in the quantitative section of the ISM questionnaire. Based on the results obtained from the ISM analysis, it can be acknowledged that there are direct and indirect effects in the matrix; the most influential factor is supportive policies and the most dependent in the matrix is the direct effects of attracting investment and knowledge capital in the matrix of indirect effects.