A Mixed-Methods Cybersecurity Governance Model for the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Ten-Year Horizon
Keywords:
Cybersecurity Governance, Interpretive Structural Modeling, MICMAC Analysis, Digital Governance, National Security, Mixed-Methods Approach, Islamic Republic of IranAbstract
The present study aimed to design a cybersecurity governance model for the Islamic Republic of Iran in a ten-year horizon using a mixed-methods approach and to identify the structural relationships among its components. This study employed an exploratory mixed-methods design conducted in qualitative and quantitative phases. In the qualitative phase, thematic analysis was applied through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 15 experts in cybersecurity, information technology, public policy, and strategic management to identify the dimensions and components of cybersecurity governance. Participants were selected using purposive and snowball sampling methods, and interviews continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. In the quantitative phase, Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and MICMAC analysis were used to determine the hierarchical structure and interrelationships among the identified components. Quantitative data were collected using pairwise comparison questionnaires, and the relationships among variables were analyzed through the Structural Self-Interaction Matrix, final reachability matrix, and driving-dependence analysis. The qualitative findings revealed four organizing themes: governance experiences in the Islamic Revolution, desirable governance structures and processes, strategic goal-setting in the ten-year horizon, and cybersecurity governance challenges. The ISM results demonstrated a seven-level hierarchical structure in which ideological and theoretical foundations, macro governance structures, state-society relations, and strategic long-term goals were identified as the fundamental driving forces at the highest level. Technological, managerial, cultural, and geopolitical challenges were located at the lowest level and exhibited the highest dependence on other variables. The MICMAC analysis further indicated that structural, institutional, and policy-related variables were positioned in the independent zone, while infrastructural and managerial variables were categorized in the linkage zone. No autonomous variables were identified within the model. The findings indicated that cybersecurity governance in the Islamic Republic of Iran is a multidimensional, networked, and strategic system requiring coordination among ideological foundations, institutional structures, policymaking mechanisms, operational infrastructures, crisis management, and social participation. Accordingly, developing a localized, adaptive, and future-oriented governance model can enhance national cyber resilience and improve the effectiveness of digital governance.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Hossein Jangravi (Author); Jamal Aberoumand (Corresponding author); Mohammad Reza Arab baferani (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
