Identifying and Assessing Relationships between Variables Affecting Innovation in Petrochemical Companies Using DEMATEL Fuzzy Technique

the increasingly rate of change and as a result shortening product life cycle, has emphasis on innovation among industrial companies. The purpose of this research is to briefly discuss the role that innovation plays in global competition and to investigate the relationship among influential variables on innovation in petrochemical companies. Drawing from literature review we developed a research model. It consists of 26 factors and then with utilizing DEMATEL Fuzzy technique, they were reduced to seven variables, namely, culture of change, management performance, focusing on clients’ demand, financial conditions, product flexibility, using new technology and government support. Then the effects of above factors on organizational innovation have been assessed. Results emphasizes on vital role of culture of change among employees that must be at center of interest on managers. Also results indicate that clients’ interest is an independent variable that neither effects nor effected by other variables. Among other findings, results indicate that culture of change, management performance and using modern technologies are the most vital factors affecting innovation in petrochemical companies. Investment variable has been identified as an independent variable that has great effect on a number of effective variables in petrochemical companies.