Analysis of the Asymmetric Effect of Exchange Rate Gap on Economic Welfare in Iran

Well-being is considered as the most important index of happiness and comfort, which is affected by many factors. In this study, the focus is on the exchange rate gap (Dollar to Rial) as a factor affecting economic well-being. In order to explain the effect of exchange rate gap on economic well-being, first economic well-being was calculated using the composite Index of Economic Well Being (IEWB) during the years 1978-2021 and then the research model was estimated with the Non-linear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) approach. The calculation of the well-being index indicates that economic well-being had a declining trend after the revolution until the end of the war, and then increased with a gentle slope after the war. The increasing trend continued until 2017 and it decreased again due to reasons such as the intensification of sanctions and the resulting decrease in oil revenues. The findings in the estimation of the model show that the exchange rate gap is associated with a negative (reverse) effect on economic well-being and also has an asymmetric effect. The results show that the exchange rate gap, in addition to the negative effects it has on welfare, also causes rent and corruption. In addition to the negative effects it has on welfare, the exchange rate gap also causes rent and corruption. With more research on the exchange rate gap, policy makers should adopt policies that will reduce the gap or related corruption.