A Model for Classification and Study of Success Factors in International Collaborative Networks

Collaborative networks have been considered as a key policy tool in the last decades in the field of science and technology. Therefore S&T policymakers and officials needed to know the measures affecting the success and failure of these networks. Four inter-Islamic S&T networks -established under the umbrella of S&T standing committee (COMSTECH) of Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) - were the cases of this study. Conducting a qualitative inquiry and using multiple-case study method, we collected related data adequately from in-depth interviews with key informants, observation, and archived documents. In this research, 24 success factors of regional/ international S&T collaborative networks were identified and categorized through developing a conceptual model. These factors divided to two main endogenous and exogenous groups. The results reveals that besides the general success factors of networks, there are some specific factors playing important role in each network that need to be addressed.