Analyzing the Barriers Encountered in Innovation Process Through Interpretive Structural Modelling: Evidence From Turkey *

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the barriers in the innovation process in Turkey’s conditions, investigate the interrelations among them and develop a model that can measure the interacting effects of the barriers on the other barriers and in the innovation system. Since there has not been a research in the relevant literature, which has identified the innovation barriers in Turkey, a detailed review related with innovation barriers has been conducted. After identifying 32 internal and 29 external barriers from the literature review, the second step was to determine the valid barriers for Turkey. This validation was performed by means of a DELPHI study. After identification of 12 valid barriers for Turkey’s conditions, interrelations between 12 barriers were established by using ISM (Interpretive Structural Modelling). The research was conducted based on the opinions of the experts about innovation barriers. It was found that “finance of innovation” barrier affected all of the barriers in Turkey. In order to increase innovation performance of Turkey, “finance of innovation” barrier should be settled. There have been a number of researches about innovation barriers in general. The researches are either on firm level, sector level, or country level. However, there has been no research in literature specifially looking for the interrelation among the innovation barriers. This paper is should be taken as the first study not only in investigating the barriers in the innovation process in Tureky, but also in developing a model which could be used in solving the innovation barriers. The findings of this research warn the related academicians, managers and policy makers about the importance of defining and determining the barriers to innovation.