Success factors of high-tech SMEs in Iran: A fuzzy MCDM approach

Purpose The purpose of this paper is threefold: to provide a comprehensive picture of factors contributing to the success of high-tech SMEs in Iran, to prioritize these factors, and to develop a performance evaluation model for high-tech SMEs based on their critical success factors (CSFs). Design/methodology/approach This study is conducted in three phases. First, 47 success factors were identified and categorized into 10 main factors. Second, a fuzzy analytic network process (ANP) method was employed to prioritize the success factors and to determine the CSFs. Third, a fuzzy TOPSIS approach is proposed to evaluate the performance of high-tech SMEs based on the weighted CSFs. Findings The results indicate that external factors are more important in the success of studied firms. “Policies and regulations”, “technological factors”, and “entrepreneur's characteristics” were determined as the most important success factors. Practical implications This paper provide managers with a guideline to focus on the most important success factors and improve the overall performance by implementing these CSFs progressively. Originality/value Most of the previous research in this area has been conducted in large firms in developed countries , and has focused on a limited number of success factors. This study contributes to the extant literature by investigating the effects of a broad range of factors in the success of high-tech SMEs in the context of a developing country.