نشریه اقتصاد و تجارت نوین
سال هشتم شماره 2 (پیاپی 32، زمستان 1391 و بهار 1392)

Considering the special attention of economists over the past two decades to information and communication technology (ICT) as one of the factors of efficiency and productivity growth، this paper investigates the relationship between ICT and technical efficiency using a panel data and fixed-effects estimation methods for 11 middle east and north Africa (MENA) countries and 15 members of organizations for economic cooperation and development (OECD) countries sing the dat over the period 2000-2008. The required data are collected from world development indicators (WDI) and world information technology and services alliance (WITSA). The results show that ICT investment has positive and statistically significant effect on technical efficiency in MENA countries group as well as OECD countries group. Nevertheless، the ICT impact on technical efficiency is higher in OECD countries group than that in MENA countries group.

This study aims to assess the impact of ICT on the competitiveness of Iranian manufacturing industry based on the classification of the ISIC three-digit code. Panel data approach is employed to estimate imperial model using the data over the period 2000-2006. The results show ICT have a significant and positive impact on the competitiveness of high-tech manufacturing industry (6 sectors) if only the index of measuring ICT is included in the model as defined the share of the telecommunications and communications services in total costs paid for the services. Furthermore، the findings show that the impact of ICT depends on the type of costs and investments in the economic performance of same manufacturing industry. The industrial structure of the hardware industry is also an important factor in the evaluation of the impact of ICT. This study also indicates that the amount of cost and investment in ICT has no effect on the effectiveness of the competitiveness of industrial sectors and only quantitative increase in ICT spending and investment cannot lead to increase the competitiveness of manufacturing industry.

Objective of this article is to identify the most effective components in demand chain and examine their affects on the performance of the organization. TOPSIS method is used to obtain final ranking. The results of this article demonstrate that two components of price and process play significant role in demand chain cycle which shows issues including demand prediction and determining customers'' needs and requests. Considering the demographic status of customers as well as their satisfaction، products'' prices and those of the competitors in the market، offering seasonal and periodical prices and special discounts to customers are among the factors that affect operation process of demand chain in organizations.

Study of convergence and gain more benefits for less developed and developing countries including countries of the MENA region are important. Many studies focus on convergence of different countries and regions but a few of them have studied MENA courtiers. In this study، we use the Solow-Swan growth model to examine convergence in GDP per capita of fifteen selected members of MENA countries over the period 1980-2008. The article tests convergence based on the hypothesis of convergence in per capita among all economic regions by the inclusion of the population growth rate، saving rate and depreciation rate. Except the period of the 2000-2008، the results of the article confirm that convergence of GDP per capita among countries. Moreover، based on hypothesis of sigma convergence، dispersion of GDP per capita declined for 15 selected countries during the period 1980-2008.

The objective of this study is to examine the role of governance on economic growth in 63 selected countries. Countries in the sample are classified into two groups: good governance and weak governance. Panel data approach is employed to estimate specified models using the data during the period 1996– 2009. The results of this article confirm that the governance indicators have positive and statistically significant effect on economic growth. The governance indicators included in the empirical model are political stability، government effectiveness، protection intellectual property rights and corruption. Moreover، some control variables such as R& D expenditures، public expenditures on education are included in the empirical model. The results of estimates show that these variables have also positive and statistically significant effect on economic growth in both groups.

Mobile phones were introduced in 1992-1993 for the first time in Iran. It becomes the dominant means of accessing communications. At the end of 2007-2008، the number of mobile subscribers in Iran was about 35 millions while there were 25 million subscribers for fixed line in the same year. Since the introduction of mobiles in the country، the increase in the number of mobile phones was remarkable in comparison with fixed line. The main goal of this paper is to assess future trends and analyze the pattern and rate of adoption of mobile phones in Iran. In this paper، it is assumed that the increase in mobile-density over time in Iran follows S-shaped curve. Based on this finding، the S-shaped models are used to model and forecast the development of mobile-density in Iran. This paper uses Logistic and Gompertz models in order to model mobile diffusion in Iran and then compares these two models and finally chooses the best one. The results show that mobile-density in Iran will increase from 48. 93 percent in 2009-2010 to 80. 71 and 117. 48 percent in 2013-2014 and 2021-2022، respectively.

The aim of the article to optimize firstly the logistics of supply chain including manufacturing plants، warehouses، distributors and retailers by model-based predictive controller as centralized and secondly as decentralized under demand changes and thirdly the performance of which is compared. Model-based predictive control as a tool for advanced control consists of two parts: model identification at the time of sampling and optimization of the cost function. By online predictive control structure optimization on inputs in order to maintain safety inventory with the lowest possible operating cost is effectively feasible. Consequently، a measure of customer satisfaction is met. The considered model is an overhand differential model of the retailer to the manufacturer and with transmission delays. Given that the system state variables are not always available and it is uncertain system، a Kalman filter is used as observer. Finally، performance of methods is tested by simulations. Moreover، look ahead theory is examined in these simulations.

The objective of this study is to examine the present state of effective growth factors (barriers and drivers) in the automotive paint industry in Iran. The study population covers managers of firms in the field of automotive paints and coatings. The results show that، within the organization، the situation of human resources، financial and institutional development work as driving factors in the growth process while the weakness of the technology، economic and political problems، the shortcomings of market laws and regulations and their limitations are barriers to the growth process.

Nowadays، due to high speed of science and technology production، trade and export promotion policies have a great importance and play a significant role in economic development. Based on the recent theory of international trade، Exports are the function of price and non-price variables. Institutional variables are non-price variables that have been recently considered by institutional economists. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of institutional factors such as efficiency and governmental effectiveness، financial burden of regulations، rule of law and control of corruption on the non-oil exports in oil exporting countries. For this purpose، the impact of institutional factors is studied for the eleven selected oil exporting countries over the period 2001-2010. Panel data approach is employed to estimate empirical models. The results indicate that the indicators of efficiency and governmental effectiveness، financial burden of regulations and rule of law have statistically negative effect while the control of corruption index have statistically positive effect on non-oil exports in selected oil exporting countries.

Privatization of the economy is regarded as a strategic approach in many countries particularly developing countries. It necessitates the requirement of governments’ role to change. Privatization enriches private sector and improve competitiveness of the economy. In Iran، the privatization of the economy based on the general policies of 44th constitution'' principle which aims to decrease government''s tenure always has been confronted with some major problems. In this study، meta-analysis method is used to examine the execution process of privatization in seven Iranian organizations. The results of this article show that in organizations، which have not taken actions along the execution of privatization، factors like state monopoly and lack of proper competition space، loss of transparency and executives'' resistance and absence of economic stability have been the most significant problems. Moreover، based on findings of the study، a conceptual model is designed to eliminate the existing of obstacles in order to achieve the optimal position in the Iranian organizations.