INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES (THE JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES)
Year:2001 | Volume:8 | Issue:3|Papers Count:4

In this paper the researchers examine the economic structural change in the Iranian economy under two scenarios: oil + non-oil exports and non-oil exports during 1969-1994. We have - used decomposition approach where five decomposed output growth have been worked out. Five input-output tables of 1969, 1974, 1984, 1988 and 1994 with price adjustment of 1974 have been used for analysis. All the input-output tables are aggregated into five sectors. Four sub-periods and one overall period have been distinguished. The overall results of the present study suggest a revival of the trade front of the Iranian economy, particularly during sub-period 1988-1994 which corresponds with the advent of the economic liberalization and the same applies to overall period 1969-1994. This is more pronounced when considering the scenario of oil + non-oil exports, than non-oil exports alone. Import substitution in intermediate goods contributed more favorably on the growth process under non-oil export scenario than the oil + non-oil exports during sub-periods and overall period. However, the effects of import substitution in final goods in both scenarios during the above mentioned periods are not substantial, which suggest the end stage of import substitution and beginning of import liberalization in final goods.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the association between Central bank independence and seigniorage in developing countries. Theoretically, more central bank independence would mean less reliance of government on seigniorage since the decision to raise any revenue from seigniorage is left to the Central bank. Although some caution is needed owing to the definition, measurement and data limitations, the empirical cross country evidence from the present paper using a sample of 40 developing countries for the period 1974-1990 indicate a surprising positive and statistically significant association between seigniorage and the Central bank independence index based on office term of the Central bank governors in these countries. The results suggest that we should either interpret a longer term in office as an indication of low level of independence in developing countries or to conclude that the Central banks may keep and even spend part of the seigniorage in these countries. Bearing in mind the institutional and cultural relations, the author thinks that the first interpretation is more justifiable in these countries.

The fact that some aspects of reading ability are readily transferred from one language to another has been supported by a number of studies. The present study aimed to investigate the degree of relationship between the reading strategies adopted in the first language and in the foreign language. The study was conducted as follows. First 57 Iranian students studying at Allame Tabatabai University took the Nels, on Language Test (1976), version 450 A. The subjects were all undergraduate seniors majoring in English. Based on the result obtained, the researcher selected 38 subjects who were at an advanced level of language proficiency. In the second phase, a Persian cloze test and a Persian reading strategy questionnaire were administered respectively. In the third phase of the study, an English cloze test and an English reading strategy questionnaire were administered. Finally, in the last phase of the study, the data were statistically analysed. The results showed that out of 17 strategies classified as positive reading strategies, 6 were used frequently in Persian and English and 10 were used moderately in both languages. However, out of 8 negative strategies, 6 were used moderately in both languages and two other strategies were used relatively infrequently in both languages. The correlation coefficient between the two cloze tests was 0.60 which was significant at p<0.01. Hence the null hypothesis could be rejected. The results supported the view that reading strategies, among other aspects of reading ability, can be transferred from one language to another.