Identifying the influential factors on the effectiveness of industrial parks and using an MCDM method to rank them: case study of Iran

Purpose This study aims to detect the influential factors and their respective variables that affect the effectiveness or demand-driven level of the industrial parks in Iran. A hybrid procedure is sought to be developed, which embraces both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to identify the aforementioned factors and variables. Design/methodology/approach This study is incorporated with both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. To implement the qualitative approach, the researchers used focus groups and the related literature. The quantitative methodology has been carried out via a reliable questionnaire that obtained the viewpoints of 700 experts. The reliability of the designed questionnaire has been investigated through Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. By conducting several one-sample t -tests, it was confirmed that the identified factors and variables are significantly influential on the effectiveness of Iran’s industrial parks. The Kruskal–Wallis statistical test was used to determine the priorities of the factors. This research also used a multi-criteria decision-making method, namely, the weighted aggregates sum product assessment (WASPAS) to rank 15 industrial parks of Khorasan province in Iran according to the identified factors. Findings Comprehensive analyses have been conducted on the identified factors. Results indicate that the infrastructural facilities factor has the highest priority when it comes to affecting the effectiveness of the industrial parks. After that, industrial land and internal factors take the second and the third positions in terms of importance. A total of 15 industrial parks of the aforementioned province have been ranked by the WASPAS. The ranking offered by the WASPAS has been approved by the experts. Originality/value Based on the literature investigations, the authors were convinced that there is a scarcity of studies investigating the influential factors that affect the effectiveness or demand-driven level of industrial parks (especially in Iran). Hence, this research has been conducted to propose a procedure equipped with quantitative and qualitative techniques that detect these important factors and their subordinate variables. By means of the developed procedure of this research, it is possible to locate future industrial parks, plan for establishment of future industrial areas and plan for development of current industrial parks.