Investigating the Windows of Technological Learning Opportunities with Complex Products and Systems in Latecomer Countries: Gas Turbine Industry in Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD in Technology Management at Allameh Tabataba'i University

2 Professor at Department of Management and Accounting, Allameh Tabataba'i University

3 professor at Maleke Ashtar University

4 Assistant Professor at Department of Management and Accounting, Allameh Tabataba'i University

Abstract

During last decades the subject of complex product systems (CoPS) in latecomer countries has been remarkably considered by many scholars. However, investigation of technological learning and catching up in these industries from windows of opportunity perspective has been overlooked. Even the research works that employed the windows of opportunity perspective to expose phenomena such as catch-up cycles, does not distinguish between products and complex systems with consumer products with a mass production system. So, the present study uses a qualitative approach and a case study strategy to explore the opportunity windows in the gas turbine industry in Iran as an industry with complex products and systems. Moreover, this study compared the windows of the gas turbine industry in Iran with the 5 selected industries to identify similarities and distinctions among them. Our findings show that the sequence of opportunity windows in the gas turbine industry in Iran is as follow: the opportunity window for the domestic market, the opportunity window of policies, technology learning window instead of technology opportunity window, and the window of opportunity for the foreign market. Some parts of our findings can be explained by considering the technological and market regimes for complex products and systems.

Keywords


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