Technology foresight about R & D projects selection; application of SWARA method at the policy making level

Abstract

Today the literature of planning and management programming of communities and countries is involved to futures studies. With the advent of diverse technologies, the importance of futures studies is more clear than ever nowadays. Technology foresight is necessary for decision and policy making in top level of policy making in governance, specially regarding the countries with governmental economics. Iran is one of such countries with complicated economic and governmental systems in many areas. For Iran as a developing country, one of the most important sections of technology foresight is planning and decision making on R&D projects selecting. The present study focuses on making a new line in this part of futures studies in the country. For this aim, a model is established and SWARA method is applied for evaluating the model. SWARA is a new effective MADM method for evaluating criteria in top level of decision and policy making. The most important part of this study is about identifying the importance of criteria and sub-criteria of the established model for R&D projects selecting in Iran. This research proposes a general framework for starting a new horizon in research activities in Iran.