Strategic Evaluation of Green Technological Innovations in the Steel Industry Using the SWOT and Delphi Approach (Case Study: Khuzestan Steel Company)
Keywords:
Strategic assessment, green technological innovations, steel industry, SWOT, DelphiAbstract
Objective: The study aimed to identify and strategically evaluate key factors influencing green technological innovations in the steel industry and to propose actionable strategies for environmental sustainability, focusing on Khuzestan Steel Company.
Methodology: This qualitative, applied, and inductive research involved 15 PhD-level managers and consultants selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected via questionnaires, focus group sessions, and document analysis. A three-round Delphi process was employed to identify 14 strengths, 12 weaknesses, 13 opportunities, and 12 threats, with instrument reliability confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha (0.747 and 0.822). Based on the SWOT matrix, four strategic categories (SO, ST, WO, WT) were formulated, and the DEMATEL method was applied to prioritize key implementation factors.
Findings: Results indicated that environmental management programs (R+J=33.45) and supportive green innovation regulations (R+J=32.48) had the highest influence. Access to international financial resources (R+J=31.87), managerial coordination (R+J=33.65), and waste management infrastructure (R+J=33.31) were also critical, while R&D investment ranked lower due to lesser impact.
Conclusion: The findings highlight that focusing on environmental management, policy support, and international financing can significantly enhance green innovation and environmental performance in steel companies. The integrated SWOT–Delphi–DEMATEL framework provides a systematic model for strategic decision-making in sustainable technology development.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Mehran Ghazanfari, Heirsh Soltanpanah, Adel Fatemi, Roya Shakeri (Author)
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