Knowledge translation and commercialization: examining health promotion

Purpose The commercialization of research findings is considered a fundamental tool for creating social wealth in healthcare. Consequently, the acceptance of knowledge commercialization as a major mission of universities facilitates the entrepreneurship process in the knowledge-based economy era. The objective of this study was to identify the components related to research quality, knowledge translation and commercialization improvement in Iranian universities. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach utilizing conventional content analysis was employed. The participants comprised 16 experienced researchers, policymakers, research managers and individuals specializing in product-oriented research, selected through purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis. Guba and Lincoln’s evaluative criteria, including credibility, confirmability, dependability and transferability, were applied to assess the trustworthiness of the study. Findings The findings highlight several factors categorized into three categories: “personal motivations, specialized skills and research experiences” under researcher-related factors; “research services, research units, research budget, research capacity building, and research ethics” under research-related factors and “regulations and policies, university-industry relations, knowledge translation, annual evaluation, and international research collaborations” under organization-related factors. Practical implications This paper provides policymakers and government managers with an opportunity to strengthen the knowledge translation and commercialization infrastructure by redefining and strategically targeting the recruitment of students and technological elites. This work also highlights the importance of health decision-making at the micro, middle and macro levels. Originality/value The effectiveness and applicability of research can be enhanced by a framework comprising the researcher, research and organization, which lies at the core of knowledge translation and commercialization. This approach contributes to the development of scientific mentality and professional research, leading to an increase in commercially oriented research and more tangible benefits for society.