The Model of the Impact of Returning Iranian Experts on the Performance of Knowledge-Based Companies in Iran

Abstract

 After experiencing decades of migration after the world wars, the modern world is witnessing the return of expert immigrants to their countries. Iran also participates in this process by adopting policies to attract elites to the country. Studies have shown that returning experts, having strengths, capabilities, and characteristics that result from their education, work, and experience abroad, as well as weaknesses resulting from being far from the country's business environment, affect the performance of companies through specific mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of graduates or immigrant experts on the performance of knowledge-based companies in Iran. In the first step, the characteristics that affect the performance of knowledge-based companies were identified. These characteristics included "personality characteristics", "social network characteristics" and "specialized characteristics" which affected the model under study as independent variables. Then, the mechanism of this effect was studied by examining the mediating variables "technology capability development" and "financial resources attraction". In this way, the model of the effect of returning specialists on the performance of knowledge-based companies was designed. In this thesis, the sequential data-based research method was used and qualitative research was conducted first and then quantitative research was conducted. In the qualitative study section, interviews with experts and content analysis were used. Using the results of content analysis of the interviews and related literature, a questionnaire was designed for the quantitative part of the study. In the quantitative study section, the final model was designed using the aforementioned questionnaire and then analyzing their outputs through partial least squares structural equation modeling. The resulting model suggests that "personality trait" directly affects company performance. "Social network trait" affects performance through the mediation of resource attraction. "Specialty trait" affects performance through the mediation of "technology capability development". This study also examined the effects of the control variables "company size", "company life stage" and "company field of activity" and it was observed that these variables do not have a significant effect on company performance. The findings of this study provide great assistance in policy-making for cooperation with returning specialists, including residents and non-residents.