Abstract: Purpose – To identify the impeders of strategy implementation in the higher education (HE) sector of Iran. Design/methodology/approach – A structured questionnaire was distributed to the academic staff from Iranian Universities. The questionnaire consisted of closed and open questions. Data were gathered from the major universities in different regions of the country. Findings – Major impeders towards strategy implementation in the HE sector of Iran are outlined and the nature of these impeders are explained and the relationships among them are explored. Research limitations/implications – The research, through the use of the structured questionnaire, delivered a set of generic impeders; however a detailed picture of implementation of strategies needs further investigation. Practical implications – Through the analysis of the most prevalent impeders, this paper informs Iranian academics about possibilities for change and improvement. Originality/value – The case of the HE sector development in Iran is something rarely dealt with in the literature; hence the paper fills this gap. Moreover, we look closely at the growth of research activities as the main strategy and indicate the impeders of strategy implementation in the HE of Iran. Keywords: Higher education, Middle East, Strategic management, Universities Article Type: Research paper

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