摘要：Natural gas, as a clean and environment-friendly commodity, has now found its place in the energy baskets of developed countries. The present study aimed to identify the factors affecting competitiveness in Iran's natural gas industry. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with gas industry executives and experts, and it was analyzed using the grounded theory. Finally, a model for explaining the factors influencing competitiveness in the Iranian natural gas industry was obtained. Institutional capacity building, commercial behavior, joining the global production chain, accessing the global financial resources, technological connection with the world and business diplomacy explain the competitiveness model. Achieving a competitive position in the field of the natural gas industry necessitates entering the global supply chain, which is dependent on the recreation of relationships, as well as changing attitudes and actions in the task and global environment.
关键词：Competitiveness ; Thematic analysis ; Qualitative approach ; Natural gas industry
