Identify Barriers to Implementation of Science and Technology Policy in Iran

Incomplete implementation of policies is a problem which all developed and developing countries are face to. In the point of policy-making knowledge, the main reasons for this lack are the factors that hinder the implementation of the policies at different levels. This study has been carried out in order to identify the barriers of science and technology policy implementation in Iran, with emphasis on Holistic Scientific Map as a major plan, and 3 other sub-plans namely Aerospace Development Plan, Stem Cell Science and Technology Plan, and Medicinal Plants Document. To this end a combined method including a quantitative and a
qualitative phase have been used. In qualitative phase, with taking into account the previous studies, the barriers of policy implementation was classified in the form of a framework. Then a list of obstacles has been provided, corrected and competed with the help of some policymakers and aforementioned roadmaps and plans executives through conducting interviews. In quantitative phase, for weighting each recognized barrier, a questionnaire has been designed and distributed to 31 experts and policymaking executives through selective and subjective sampling. According to this survey, the main obstacles to implement science and technology
policy documents are: The problem of priorities, in a way that all the proceedings listed in the plan should have its own priority; Lack of foresight results in drafting documents; Non-compliance of policies with existed challenges; Absence of networking among policymakers; Non governing outreach policies; Lack of Intra- sectoral vision; The structure of detached bureaucracy; and lack of long-term vision to management and governance of policy programs.