Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Ph.D. Candidate in Industrial Design, Department of Industrial Design, Faculty of Design, Tabriz Islamic Art University, Tabriz, Iran
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial Design, Faculty of Design, Tabriz Islamic Art University, Tabriz, Iran
3
Associate Professor, Department of Industrial Design, Faculty of Design, Tabriz Islamic Art University, Tabriz, Iran.
10.22034/jstp.2026.12162.1975
Abstract
The toy industry in Iran, despite its role as a "strategic cultural commodity" and a tool for identity-making, faces a profound innovation stagnation evident in the market dominance of imported or low-quality counterfeit products. Previous research has primarily focused on macro-economic challenges or cultural ideals, neglecting a systemic and functional analysis of the crucial Innovation System (IS) for Toy Design Studies.This qualitative study aims to fill this gap by diagnosing the structural barriers and functional failures that have blocked the flow and application of specialized design knowledge within the industry. The research employs the theoretical framework of the Sectoral Innovation System (SIS) Functional Approach. Data were gathered through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 20 key experts in the ecosystem (including industrial managers, policymakers, and academics) and analyzed using thematic analysis.The results indicate that the design innovation system is trapped in a low-level equilibrium. The core finding is the failure in the mechanism of demand for design knowledge, stemming from the extreme risk-aversion of local manufacturers (driven by economic instability and import pressures). This dynamic has led to the dominance of a vicious cycle of stagnation: the strategy of imitation effectively eliminates the need for original research and effective collaboration with academia. Functional analysis confirms severe systemic weaknesses in critical functions such as Guidance of Search (due to policy fragmentation) and Financing.To exit this deadlock, policy implications emphasize a paradigm shift towards a demand-driven approach, rigorous reform of the Intellectual Property (IP) regime to increase the cost of imitation, support for original design projects (to mitigate risk), and activation of the merchandising potential through strategic linkage with the media industry to secure a guaranteed market for domestic products.
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