Abstract

Purpose: Innovation ecosystems are essential for regional development; however, technology-based firms in peripheral regions continue to experience limited growth despite supportive national policies. While previous studies have identified individual barriers to innovation, little attention has been given to the interactions among institutional, geographical, and managerial factors. This study aims to identify the structural misalignments affecting technology-based firms in the North Khorasan Science and Technology Park and to develop an integrated framework explaining their interactions.



Methodology: This qualitative study adopted an interpretivist approach using thematic analysis. Data were collected through 15 semi-structured interviews with park managers, evaluators, and founders of technology-based firms selected through purposive and snowball sampling. The data were analyzed following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis framework. Trustworthiness was ensured using Guba and Lincoln’s criteria.

Results: The analysis identified eight interrelated themes representing structural misalignments within the regional innovation ecosystem: financial bottlenecks, bureaucratic inertia, leadership and human capital deficiencies, social capital erosion and network isolation, cultural barriers, geographical constraints, inadequate support infrastructure, and legal and governance gaps. Together, these themes constitute a system of interacting barriers that constrain innovation and technology commercialization.

Discussion: The findings indicate that innovation challenges arise from the interaction of institutional, managerial, and geographical misalignments rather than isolated barriers, extending current understanding of innovation ecosystems in peripheral regions.

Conclusion: The proposed structural misalignment framework contributes to innovation ecosystem theory and offers practical implications for science park management and regional innovation policy by emphasizing coordinated institutional reforms, network brokerage, and place-based support mechanisms.