A Functional-Structural Analysis of Policies for the Internationalization of Knowledge-based Companies

International trade studies, given the limitations of small and medium-sized enterprises to enter international processes, emphasize the need for government support for the internationalization of these firms. The purpose of this article is the pathology of policies adopted to support the internationalization of knowledge-based companies in Iran; To this end, the structural shortcomings of the existing programs and their limitations in addresing the functions of internationalization policy have been examined. The functions of internationalization policy are the processes that must be implemented by policies to support the internationalization of business. The functions used in the analytical framework of this research are identified by reviewing the internationalization experience of business in different countries. The identified functions of internationalization policy are “Providing information, Coordination of initiatives, Human resource development, International networking, Trade facilitation, Funding & reducing business risks, Development of international trade infrastructures, and Special business support”. Thereupon, the internationalization support measures in Iran high-tech sector were analyzed based on function, implementation time, and the executive body of each measure. The results of this study show that internationalization policies over time have been designed and implemented more specifically and with higher participation of the private sector. However, obstacles such as poor cross-sectoral coordination, limited access to international trade infrastructure, and inefficient structures in design and implementation have limited the effectiveness of these policies.