IC-driven Internationalisation: The first seminar organised by IDLab and the Iran University of Science and Technology has taken place
On September 15, the first joint seminar of the International Laboratory of Intangible-driven Economy and the team from Iran University of Science and Technology took place, focusing on key factors for successful internationalization of companies from developing countries. During the seminar, two studies were presented, revealing the role of intellectual resources and the transfer of complex technologies in entering global markets.
The project “Internationalization of Companies from Developing Countries: The Role of Intellectual Resources in Response to Exogenous Shocks” is implemented within the framework of "International Academic Cooperation of HSE University'' competition.
Intellectual Capital as a Driver of Regional Exports
The first presentation was delivered by Dilmurod Tillashaikhov, a research assistant at the International Laboratory of Intangible-driven Economy, who is investigating how the intellectual capital of Russian regions influences their export potential. The study is based on three key components of intellectual capital: human capital (education levels, number of graduates and researchers), structural capital (R&D expenditures and patent activity), and relational capital (volume of foreign direct investment and number of international partnerships).
The research also notes that, despite the growing number of publications on intellectual capital, there remains a gap in studies directly linking this factor to regional-level export performance. This work aims to fill that gap using Russia as a case study — a country where export performance varies significantly across regions and where data on services exports has only been available since 2018.
Seven Keys to Successful Technology Transfer
The second presentation was delivered by Hamed Ahmadi, a PhD student at Iran University of Science and Technology, who examined the challenge of adopting Complex Product Systems (CoPS) in developing economies. These include high-tech, capital-intensive products such as aerospace systems, energy infrastructure, and telecommunications networks. Ahmadi emphasized that successful technology transfer serves as a powerful engine for development, whereas failure can lead to so-called "immiserizing growth" - a situation in which a country’s welfare declines due to misguided specialization.
Based on a systematic analysis of 30 academic studies, his research identified seven interrelated factors - or "dimensions" - that determine success in this domain. Success is not achieved through excellence in any single dimension, but rather through the simultaneous integration of all seven.
Both presentations sparked lively discussion and demonstrated that, in the 21st century, international success is determined less by access to raw materials and more by the ability to manage knowledge, build complex ecosystems, and strategically master advanced technologies.
The first joint seminar under the International Academic Cooperation project was successfully held. The format of the academic event featured presentations by early-career researchers - two PhD students from HSE University and the partner university. It was particularly interesting to observe that our teams employ different methodologies: we use quantitative methods, while our Iranian colleagues apply qualitative data analysis techniques. In this regard, we not only discussed the presented research but also exchanged valuable experience on applying diverse research approaches. We sincerely hope that Dilmurod and Hamed will soon formalize their findings into academic papers and submit them to relevant peer-reviewed journals. Best of luck to them!