Providing a Framework to Promote Iran's Scientific Visibility in the Path of Achieving Scientific Authority

Abstract

Purpose: The primary goal of this research is to develop a comprehensive framework to enhance the visibility of Iran's scientific output, thereby achieving scientific authority. Scientific visibility is a crucial dimension in evaluating the science system, as it reflects the extent of recognition, dissemination, and citation of knowledge produced within the global scientific community. This index not only measures the scientific impact of a country but also reflects its capacity to participate in the production and exchange of global knowledge and innovation. Despite significant quantitative growth in Iran’s scientific output over the past two decades, its visibility and qualitative impact remain below its potential, highlighting a gap between scientific production and international influence. This study aims to identify the multidimensional factors affecting scientific visibility and to develop an executive, policy-oriented framework that offers solutions to enhance the status and impact of Iranian science within the global knowledge system. Consequently, the study provides clearer insights into how Iran can strategically strengthen the global presence, recognition, and influence of its scientific contributions in an increasingly competitive international knowledge landscape.Methodology: This research employed a descriptive-analytical approach combined with a mixed-methods design to achieve both conceptual rigor and empirical validity. In the first stage, a narrative review and systematic search were conducted in the Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases to identify key studies related to factors influencing scientific visibility. After thorough screening, 203 relevant articles were selected from 1,436 retrieved records for in-depth analysis. The extracted indicators were classified into three levels: individual, organizational, and supra-organizational, and an initial conceptual framework was developed based on these classifications. Some indicators were common across multiple levels. This framework was then revised and enriched through thematic coding. In the second stage, the proposed framework was validated via a survey of 20 experts specializing in science and technology policymaking, research evaluation, and scientific visibility. Data were collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale. The content validity of the instrument was confirmed by experts, and its reliability was established using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics, including Cohen's d effect size. The integration of qualitative and quantitative analyses enhanced the validity and applicability of the proposed framework.Findings: The findings revealed that scientific visibility is a multi-level phenomenon influenced by the interaction of factors at the individual, organizational, and supra-organizational levels. Accordingly, five primary levels of influence were identified, ranked as follows: organizational, individual-organizational, organizational-supra-organizational, individual, and supra-organizational. At the organizational level, factors such as open access to scientific resources, digital repositories, and publication in open access gold journals had the greatest impact. At the individual-organizational level, activity in scientific networks, international collaborations, and participation in scientific conferences were recognized as the most significant influencing factors. At the organizational-supra-organizational level, media attention, communication infrastructure, and research funding played the most critical roles. At the individual level, indicators such as the quality of metadata and abstracts, the language of publication (English), and the authors' scientific backgrounds were more important. Finally, at the supra-organizational level, factors such as scientific culture, government policies, and national strategies for research and science contributed to scientific visibility.Conclusion: This research employed a descriptive-analytical approach combined with a mixed-methods design to achieve both conceptual rigor and empirical validity. In the first stage, a narrative review and systematic search were conducted across the Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases to identify key studies related to factors influencing scientific visibility. After thorough screening, 203 relevant articles were selected from 1,436 retrieved records for in-depth analysis. The extracted indicators were classified into three levels: individual, organizational, and supra-organizational, and an initial conceptual framework was developed based on these classifications. Some indicators were common across multiple levels. This framework was then revised and enriched through thematic coding. In the second stage, the proposed framework was validated via a survey of 20 experts specializing in science and technology policymaking, research evaluation, and scientific visibility. Data were collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale. The content validity of the instrument was confirmed by experts, and its reliability was established using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics, including Cohen's d effect size. The integration of qualitative and quantitative analyses enhanced the validity and applicability of the proposed framework.