JOURNAL OF THE MARCO AND STRATEGIC POLICIES
Year:2016 | Volume:4 | Issue:14|Papers Count:8

Research funding and the process of planning and budgeting of these funds have always been the biggest challenges in the management of science and technology systems. The revision and improvement of research funds on the basis of organizational performance are of special importance. So far, various indicators and criteria have been formulated for evaluating academic performance. Due to the characteristics of the composite index which has inherent defects, the present paper has tried to present a new composite index for ranking universities. We have tried to consider the experiences of other international models to better evaluate the universities’ performances. It also attempts at designing applicable indices by providing reasonable weights to each factor free of subjective judgment. In the present paper, 7 indicators out of 18 indicators of the first paragraph of Article 224 of the report on the “F ifth Development Plan” were selected based on a specific process. Carrying on with our goal, based on factor analysis, the 7 indicators of science production rank were placed in three dimensions to get a composite index for evaluating science production and ranking the universities based on the subject matter. Our findings showed that, regardless of approved budget, Tehran University tops the list. But in terms of allocating approved per capita budget, Kermanshah University stood in the first place among Iran universities. To carry out the research, factor analysis method with Varimax rotation and principal component model were used to achieve an appropriate framework and model to rank the universities.

Recent years have seen significant changes in global thinking about cultural heritage. As a result, cultural heritage and archaeological heritage resources have been recognized as significant economic resources. In Iran it seems there is no specific strategy to harvest the economic benefits inherent in cultural heritage. This is while Iran enjoys unmatched richness when it comes to cultural heritage. The present paper serves as a critique and analysis of why the economic potentials of cultural heritage are not utilized in Iran. The target societies include all professors, doctoral students and graduate archaeologists at University of Tehran and Tarbiat Modarres University together with experts working at the Central Organization of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism of Iran in 2014. Using available sampling methods, 150 people were selected and questionnaires were sent to them in person and via e-mail. Finally, 120 questionnaires were returned and 118 of them were acceptable and analyzed using SPPS software. The present paper reviews the theoretical foundations of the economy and cultural heritage, the need for the development of entrepreneurship in the field of cultural heritage and an analysis of the opinions of Iran’s archeology experts. The research method is the survey and a questionnaire was used to collect data. The findings illustrated that Iranian archaeological experts agree with "the economic approach to cultural heritage" stating it is an avenue for economic development and the thriving of entrepreneurship in Iran. The obtained statistical data can be generalized to the target population of postgraduates in archeology with a confidence level of 99 percent. Certainly, the economic utilization of cultural heritage is in line with Resistance Economy principles. Moreover, it stands for the approach to utilize all the diverse potentials and possibilities to bring economic development to the country.

The present study examines the practical relations between government size and economic growth outlook for 23 regional countries over a period of 10 years (2003-2013) utilizing Panel Data Model for this purpose. The findings indicate that for those countries enjoy high levels of oil revenues, government size has a significant, negative impact on investment by private sector and also on gross domestic product. On the other hand, increase in labor force, increase in capital growth and an increase in exports leave a positive effect on economic growth. The mentioned countries, therefore, have to reconsider government size in order to be able to decrease their expenses in order to facilitate economic growth. To facilitate economic growth further, these countries have to play a prominent role in optimizing the allocation of revenues while enhancing economic efficiency.

Foreign direct investment has played a key role in bringing economic growth and development to developing countries. In the present article we will first go through the relevant review of literature. Following that an attempt is made to look into the mechanism of and the relationship between FDI and corruption by using a Panel Data Model targeting thirty-eight countries covering the period 2001-2014. The findings point to the existence of a positive relationship between controlling corruption and more FDI. The findings implicate that public policies should aim at reducing corruption levels as corruption has a negative effect on FDI. Moreover, a significant and positive relationship exists between FDI and market size and FDI and openness index for the covered period. Also the elasticity between FDI and inflation and FDI and foreign debt is negative and significant.

Improving the efficiency of energy consumption in the industrial sector and its sub-sections is important since it can have multifaceted positive effects. First, it reduces production cost at the macro level. Second it helps decrease the volume of needed subsidies. And third, it helps reduce the final cost for industrial products. The three mentioned outcomes of more efficient energy consumption in turn help enhance the added value of these sectors, increase competitiveness, enhance product quality, reduce import of some key and basic goods and make it possible to increase export of artificially-made products. The present study examines the effects of cutting energy subsidies on energy intensity in Iran’s industries. The seasonal time series data approach has been used together with Cobb-Douglas cost function to study the period covering years 2006-2013. The findings showed a negative correlation existed between energy intensity and energy prices. Also we found that with technological advancement over time comes a decrease in energy intensity. Then the energy prices liberalization scenario was studied for the period covering 2010-2013, assuming a steady rise in nominal prices in the studied period. The findings illustrate that following energy prices liberalization, energy intensity is decreased. Indeed, the highest decrease in energy intensity happens during the first year of liberalization. However, from the second year onwards, the steep decrease in energy intensity slows.

This paper, studies the effect of oil revenues on the added value regarding 8 subsectors of manufacturing industries during the years 1353-139, given Iran economy’s dependence on oil revenues and the considerable impact which industrial development can have on economic development. The State-Space Model has been applied as the methodological tool in this paper. The findings illustrate that oil revenues have had a significant and positive impact on the added value of the following sectors: Food, beverages, tobacco, paper, cardboard, printing and binding, chemical industries and industrial machinery and equipment. On the other hand, oil revenues have left a significant negative impact on added value of wood industry and wood products. The paper also concluded that oil revenues have had no significant effects on other subsectors. The findings also shed light on technology’s considerable effect on the added value of the subsectors of Iran’s manufacturing industries. The findings illustrate the need for an optimized management of oil revenues, as stressed in the Resistance Economy, in order to develop the subsectors of Iran’s manufacturing industries.

One of main objectives of all governments and policy makers is to improve income distribution while decreasing income inequalities. The present paper aims at studying the effects of economic corruption on the Gini coefficient, as an indicator of income distribution. To fulfill our goal, two groups of countries were selected as our research targets: five-high income countries (Germany, France, Italy, Canada, and Japan) and five medium-income countries (Iran, Turkey, India, Malaysia and china). Adopting a panel data model analyzing the period covering 2000- 2012, we found out that economic corruption has a significant effect on Gini coefficient: in both target groups, a higher level of corruption translated into higher income inequality. Besides, we found that improved levels of economic growth left a negative effect on income distribution in high-income countries and a positive effect on medium-income countries. Another conclusion we reached was that tax revenues had a negative effect on income inequality. And finally we found that unemployment increased income inequality in both target groups.

Existence of general state policies in the spectrum of legal norms has given Iran’s legal system a specific character. The legislators have put a great emphasis on heeding the existing hierarchy among legal norms. They have also prepared seasoned review and supervision tools to make sure inferior norms are subordinated to the superior ones. Iran’s constitutional legislators likewise have stressed the necessity of supervising the proper implementation of general policies. The present paper tries to delve into two basic questions: one, should governmental regulations, as sub-norms, be necessarily in line with general state policies? And two, is the administrative judge authorized to refer to general state policies to annul bureaucratic regulations? The present paper analyzes the nature of general state policies and also regulations regarding supervision of the correct implementation of general policies. Carrying out the analysis, the paper will argue that it is outside of the administrative judge’s jurisdiction to rule in case there is a discrepancy between general state policies and bureaucratic regulations. The paper will conclude by stating that in such cases the Expediency Council’s verdict will be final and the administrative judge has to obey the ruling.