Farideh Bahrami, Behrooz Shahmoradi, Javad Noori, Ekaterina Turkina and Hassan Bahrami
This study aims to systematically review the economic complexity literature to advance the knowledge on its contribution to building regional competitiveness.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to systematically review the economic complexity literature to advance the knowledge on its contribution to building regional competitiveness.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, we did a systematic review of 111 relevant papers. In this regard, we did a thematic analysis on all the collected papers, which led to a two-level processed approach. In the first level, the contributions of the reviewed articles have been classified into three main streams. In the second level, the findings under each contribution category are analyzed and explained. This approach led to a thematic network demonstrating economic complexity and the dynamics of regional competitiveness and a set of managerial and policy implications. We followed a multiple processed approach for the systematic review of 95 papers that reveals considerable contributions in three categories, including measurement techniques, criticisms and exploratory studies.
Findings
Despite some critiques and the undertaken evolution in measurement techniques of complexity, economic complexity has become a well-known method mainly for regions' competitiveness dynamics. Our review demonstrates a nested network of economic complexity dynamics that drives policy advice concerning countries' status in their development path. The provided set of policies includes guidelines for underdeveloped and developing countries and general policy implications, applicable for all regional contexts for building competitiveness dynamics.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the literature on competitiveness from the window of economic complexity. The study allows a deep understanding of regions' productive structure role in their development and competitiveness. A set of policies for building regional competitiveness is provided concerning the study's findings. The literature gaps are identified, and future research ideas are provided for using economic complexity methodologically and logically to boost regional competitiveness.
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Mohammad Pakneiat, Monireh Panahi and Javad Noori
The literature on large firms in developing countries proposes a link between types of capabilities and diversification pattern. It is argued that technological/organizational…
Abstract
Purpose
The literature on large firms in developing countries proposes a link between types of capabilities and diversification pattern. It is argued that technological/organizational capabilities lead to related diversification, and by using contact/general capabilities firms (mostly in developing countries) are able to diversify into unrelated fields. However, in our case, despite the presence of contact/general capabilities, only related diversification is observed. Limitation of the scope of diversification does not allow them to invest in different lucrative businesses. Most successful firms in developing countries have diversified vastly.
Design/methodology/approach
To determine out the reason for this behavior in this case, in‐depth interviews based on open‐ended semi‐structured questionnaire with key 12 decision‐makers were carried out. Each interview took about 90 minutes.
Findings
The case study showed that firms' approach to mission development is connected to firm diversification and capabilities. A mission developed based on a strategic approach leads to the development of technological/organizational capabilities, which make related diversification more likely. However, a mission developed based on a philosophical approach when added to firm contact/general capabilities encourages unrelated diversification.
Research limitations/implications
The research takes for granted the role of national conditions (e.g. macroeconomic indexes) when it is argueed that the behavior of Khodro is expected to be similar to firms in other developing countries (or formerly developing countries, e.g. South Korea). The work presented here could be tested again in two or more firms in a similar environment.
Practical implications
The paper's findings should help firms in developing countries to develop their mission statement in a way that allows them to grow faster via unrelated diversification. It also informs them about the limitations of a strategic approach to their mission that hinders them from leveraging their contact and general capabilities.
Originality/value
Previous research has not paid enough attention to managerial issues in firms in developing countries. Firms in developing countries need more context‐specific instructions to succeed.
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Hosein Molavi, Javad Rezapour, Sahar Noori, Sadjad Ghasemloo and Kourosh Amir Aslani
The purpose of this paper is to present novel search formulations in gradient‐type methods for prediction of boundary heat flux distribution in two‐dimensional nonlinear heat…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present novel search formulations in gradient‐type methods for prediction of boundary heat flux distribution in two‐dimensional nonlinear heat conduction problems.
Design/methodology/approach
The performance of gradient‐type methods is strongly contingent upon the effective determination of the search direction. Based on the definition of this parameter, gradient‐based methods such as steepest descent, various versions of both conjugate gradient and quasi‐Newton can be distinguished. By introducing new search techniques, several examples in the presence of noise in data are studied and discussed to verify the accuracy and efficiency of the present strategies.
Findings
The verification of the proposed methods for recovering time and space varying heat flux. The performance of the proposed methods via comparisons with the classical methods involved in its derivation.
Originality/value
The innovation of the present method is to use a hybridization of a conjugate gradient and a quasi‐Newton method to determine the search directions in gradient‐based approaches.
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Since the election of June 2009, the Islamic Republic of Iran has witnessed a huge crisis with the outburst of street protests and demonstrations, challenging its validity…
Abstract
Since the election of June 2009, the Islamic Republic of Iran has witnessed a huge crisis with the outburst of street protests and demonstrations, challenging its validity. Indeed, it has been so intense that it has shaken the whole Islamic Republic for the first time since the 1979 Iranian revolution. What has happened since the disputed election was an upheaval few had anticipated, an opening of Pandora's box, with millions daring to question the, Velayate Fagih, the most important constituent of the Islamic Republic. This postelection period has created a “revolutionary”’ potential that has so far been met with repressive force and violence on the part of the ruling elites leaving no leverage for compromise. Of course, in the 30 years since the revolution, the Islamic Republic's power structures have faced factionalism. These recent developments demonstrate how deeply rooted run the contradictions and differences between the various groups. This upheaval has thrown all sorts of questions into the air: could Iran remain as a Republic? Or would Iran turn into a God's Kingdom, ever more dictatorial in its approach? Or would the splits within the ruling elites continue to crack the fabric of the regime? Will there be a similar schism to that which took place during the Constitutional Revolution in the early 20th century when a leading member of the clergy, Noori, was finally hanged in July 1909 for being openly against reform? Finally, what is the possibility of change beyond the Islamic Republic in Iran?
Anas M.M. Awad, Ketut Wikantika, Haytham Ali, Sohaib K.M. Abujayyab and Javad Hashempour
The rapid development of urban areas in Sleman District, Indonesia, has created new challenges for firefighting response services. One of the primary challenges is to identify the…
Abstract
Purpose
The rapid development of urban areas in Sleman District, Indonesia, has created new challenges for firefighting response services. One of the primary challenges is to identify the optimal locations for new fire stations, to improve service quality and maximize service coverage within the specified time.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper proposes a method for precisely calculating travel time that integrates delay time caused by traffic lights, intersections and congestion. The study highlights the importance of precise calculation of travel time in order to provide a more accurate understanding of the service area covered by the fire stations. The proposed method utilizes network analysis in ArcGIS, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and simple additive weighting (SAW) to accurately calculate travel time and to identify the best locations for new fire stations. The identification of new site was based on service safety, service quality, service costs and demographic factors and applied to the Sleman district in Indonesia.
Findings
The results showed that the total area covered by old and new fire stations decreased from 61% to 31.8% of the study area when the adjusted default speed scenario was implemented.
Practical implications
The results indicated that the default speed scenario could provide misleading information about the service area, while the adjusted default speed scenario improved service quality and maximized service coverage.
Originality/value
The proposed method provides decision-makers with an effective tool to make informed decisions on optimal locations for new fire stations and thus enhance emergency response and public safety.
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Mohammad Pourbagher, Changiz Ghobadi, Javad Nourinia and Rahim Naderali
To achieve right-hand circular polarization (RHCP), a 3-dB Wilkinson power divider with a λ/4 phase shifter is used. The crossed-dipoles are placed at almost λ/4 elevation on the…
Abstract
Purpose
To achieve right-hand circular polarization (RHCP), a 3-dB Wilkinson power divider with a λ/4 phase shifter is used. The crossed-dipoles are placed at almost λ/4 elevation on the ground plane and connected to two coaxial cables. Experiments show that the impedance bandwidth of 49.40% (913.7–1,513.1 MHz) and axial ratio bandwidth (ARBW) of 22.88% (1,145.8–1,441.8 MHz) are achieved.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, a wideband crossed-dipole antenna with circularly polarized (CP) radiation for L-band satellite and radar applications is presented. The proposed CP antenna comprises two orthogonally placed printed dipoles, a quadrature coupler and a box-shaped ground plane.
Findings
Furthermore, by fixing the box-shaped ground plane under the radiators, 5.13 dBic RHCP peak gain at 1,300 MHz and maximum half-power beamwidth (HPBW) of 84.5° at 1,170 MHz are realized for the antenna.
Originality/value
Eight metallic walls are connected to four corners of the substrate to stabilize the radiation properties in this study. Results show that the ARBW and front-to-back ratio are improved and the maximum HPBW around 127° across the operating frequency band is achieved. The proposed CP antenna is a good candidate for Global Positioning System (GPS) L2 (1.227 GHz), GPS L5 (1.176 GHz) and air route surveillance radar system at 1,215–1,390 MHz frequency band.
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The purpose of this paper is to provide explanation for the economic development of the earliest Islamic state. It focuses on the role of human capital as the most important…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide explanation for the economic development of the earliest Islamic state. It focuses on the role of human capital as the most important element of this model and focuses on four dimensions of development of human personality in Islam: the incentive structure, rules of behavior, institutions and policies.
Design/methodology/approach
A review and analysis of the measures and policies that Prophet of Islam and his successors adopted are made to arrive at the underlying economic model of development.
Findings
The major finding is the role of human capital in the development of the economy at that time.
Originality/value
The contribution of the paper is to identify the critical role of education and skills for the development of the economy at present.
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Arpit Singh, Vimal Kumar, Pratima Verma and Bharti Ramtiyal
With increasing pressure from the government and private sectors to be more environmentally and socially responsible, sustainable supplier selection has gained enormous currency…
Abstract
Purpose
With increasing pressure from the government and private sectors to be more environmentally and socially responsible, sustainable supplier selection has gained enormous currency in recent times. Particularly, in the case of the construction industry, owing to a large amount of industrial wastage generated and extreme workplace conditions, it is even more important to devise strategies to mitigate the harmful consequences. The most crucial step in this regard is the selection of sustainable suppliers that acquire a pivotal position in the supply chain ecosystem. This study aims to identify indicators for three criteria such as economic, environmental and social, and prioritize them according to their level of significance for sustainable supplier selection in the Indian construction industry.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the best-worst method (BWM) is presented for sustainable supplier selection in Indian construction organizations. Total of 27 indicators was identified for the three criteria of the triple bottom line (TBL) approach namely economic, environmental and social. Using BWM, the most important criterion was found and subsequently, all the indicators under each criterion were ranked in order of importance.
Findings
The analysis revealed that the environmental criterion was the most important criteria in the sustainable supplier selection followed by the economic criteria. The indicators that were the most influential in the effective selection process were “Usage of recyclable raw materials for production”, “Adoption of clean and green technologies”, “Waste management” and “Periodical environmental audits” under the environmental criteria; “Efficiency”, “Cost” and “Flexibility and Scalability” from the economic criteria; and “Safety programs” and “Information disclosure” in the social criteria.
Research limitations/implications
The study provides a reference framework for the selection of sustainable suppliers in construction organizations. The findings can also be used for the assessment of suppliers' performance in the supply chains.
Originality/value
The novelty of this work lies in its attempt to model the performance of suppliers in the Indian construction supply chains.