Identifying factors affecting the energy market ecosystem (case study of the Iranian electricity market)

Document Type : Original Article (Qualitative)

Authors

1 Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management and Economics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Business Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management and Economics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract
The aim of this research is to identify the factors affecting the energy market ecosystem (case study of the Iranian electricity market). The research method is applied-exploratory in terms of its purpose and qualitative in terms of its implementation method, based on the data-driven method. The statistical population of the research includes 22 market management experts, as well as energy industry activists. The sample size was determined using purposive sampling and the snowball method, and the interviews continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect information. The data-driven method and Maxqda software were used to analyze the data. According to the findings, the concepts in the subcategories include: causal conditions (power grid instability, non-integrated governance); contextual conditions (energy exchange, power plant capacity money (generation) and technology, modularity, shared production and trust, participatory stability); intervening conditions (governance organizations/policymakers, production and consumption core, production cycle completers); Strategies (decentralization, orchestration, energy pricing, new development investments, diversified financing, foreign energy trade, and win-win self-regulation) and outcomes (network attractiveness, ecosystem attractiveness, multi-dimensionality of low-cost and network interactions, and multiple satisfactions (sovereignty, business, social), and synergistic development flows and increased regional power) were categorized.

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  • Receive Date 03 October 2025
  • Revise Date 07 November 2025
  • Accept Date 05 January 2026