Iranian Companies Research Articles

The ICJ’s Judgment in Certain Iranian Assets: Consequences for Investment Disputes Arising Out of Economic Sanctions

On 30 March 2023, the International Court of Justice awarded Iran a partial victory in its Judgement on merits in Certain Iranian Assets (Islamic Republic of Iran v. United States of America). The icj ordered the United States to pay compensation to Iranian companies after ruling that Washington had allowed U.S. courts to illegally freeze their assets. However, the Court declined its jurisdiction over usd 1.75 billion in frozen assets from Bank Markazi, Iran’s central bank, held in the United States. This judgment, which is part of a series of ongoing disputes between Iran and the United States based on the same Treaty, raises questions about economic sanctions and international law that are relevant both to State- to- State and investor- State disputes.

Pharmaceutical Exports of Iran in OIC Region and Entering International Markets

Background: There are various pharmaceutical companies in Iran with high potential. Due to the lack of business with international markets for exports, Iranian pharmaceutical products are mostly traded in domestic markets. Despite numerous studies on pharmaceutical exports in the literature, the performance of Iran in pharmaceutical exports to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), remains yet to be evaluated. The novelty of the present work lies in filling this research gap and helping develop policies to expand pharmaceutical exports of Iran.
 Materials and Methods: Analysis of results on the current performance of Iranian pharmaceutical exports indicated groups of factors. The most significant factors were product quality and government policies according to questionnaire survey.
 Results: Analysis of results on the current performance of Iranian pharmaceutical exports indicated groups of factors. The most significant factors were product quality and government policies according to questionnaire survey.
 Conclusion: It was concluded that supervision regulations of pharmaceutical exports were not developed to motivate the expansion of exports. Supervision and control of Iranian pharmaceutical industries would enhance the quality of pharmaceutical products and strongly contribute to the expansion of pharmaceutical exports. It was also found that the quality improvement of pharmaceutical products was a key factor in increasing pharmaceutical exports to international markets.

Preferences for Alternative Fuel Trucks among International Transport Companies

Fossil-fuel consumption in land freight is over 19%. Alternative fuel trucks (AFTs) help decrease greenhouse gas emissions. However, AFT preferences in international land transit have received little attention due to passing through various countries with different financial and regulation plans. This variety affects AFTs’ market share. This study analyzes factors influencing AFT preferences in international land transit. A questionnaire (designed in four sections) was distributed among international transport companies in Iran and Europe. A principal component analysis helped extract principal components composed of cognitive, environmental, policy, practical, and economic variables. The multinomial logit models include 26 meaningful variables. The marginal effect analysis shows that the service quality of the manufacturer, importance of greenhouse gas mitigation, and social responsibility do not significantly elevate AFT preferences. In addition, cargo type influences AFT choice. The results of this study help to identify the barriers affecting AFTs’ market share, which can positively impact air pollution.

Ranking Agility Factors to Reliably Sustain a Green Industrial Supply Chain Using the Fuzzy Analytic Network Process and Ordinal Priority Approach

Suppliers can achieve high levels of supply chain sustainability by improving the related factors. An agile supply chain can support sustainability. Identifying and ranking agility factors in the SAIPA company in Iran to reach a sustainable and green supply chain is the primary purpose of this study. SAIPA is an automotive company with an extensive supply chain. The data were quantitative, and the collection was completed by reviewing the literature and questioning experts. The FANP and the OPA methods were the tools used to analyze the data. These methods are proper for facing multiple-criteria decision-making problems, as in the case of this paper. We first identified the factors (capabilities, enablers, and attributes) using a literature review. After that, we gathered the data for ranking analysis by collecting the opinions of SAIPA’s organizational experts using a pairwise comparison questionnaire for the FANP and a prioritizing list for the OPA. Both methods showed that “Quickness” is the capability with the highest priority. “Customer Sensitivity” was the most critical enabler, and “Accurate customer-based measures” was the most significant attribute of the FANP analysis. The OPA results showed that “Information Management” was the first enabler, and “Efficient funds transfer” took first place among all the attributes. Managers should pay more attention to these factors to develop agile supply chains in the SAIPA company. The results also showed that the methods proposed for multi-attribute decision-making problems like the FANP have shortcomings, such as difficulties completing the pairwise comparison matrix due to burdensome data collection in cases similar to the one in this study with many factors.

Investigating the relationship between ownership structure, board composition, and company performance: An extensive overview of companies in the textile industry in Iran

The present study examines the relationship between the composition of the board of directors, ownership structure, and company performance in companies that are members of the Iranian capital market. This research has been investigated in a statistical sample of 113 companies from the member companies of Iran's capital market between 2011 and 2021. The results of this research have been analysed by the panel analysis method which we use two internal and external criteria to examine the company's performance. Thus the results show that there is a correlation between the proportion of foreign directors on the board of directors and the concentration of ownership with the company's internal performance criteria. Also, another result of this research is that there is a relationship between the proportion of foreign directors on the board of directors and the concentration of ownership with the external measure of the company's performance. Moreover, this research paper analyses companies in the textile industry in Iran during the sample period.

Toward an epistemology for anarchist accounting and stakeholder relationship capability: evidence from Iran

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of anarchist accounting (AA) on stakeholder relationship capability (SRC) in the context of Iranian capital market companies.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on a descriptive survey-correlation data collection method. As this study is on (AA) and (SRC) in Iran, the population of the study is made up of all financial managers and heads of the accounting department of capital market companies in Iran. Among 185 companies (Tehran Stock Exchange [TSE]), 100 companies were selected as samples which are all in the TSE. As suggested by Niles (2006), a minimum sample size of 10% of the population is generally acceptable. A questionnaire survey was adopted in obtaining primary data for this study. Thus, based on Cochran sampling techniques, 395 questionnaires were returned and became the basis of analysis. Also, partial least square was used to test the research hypothesis.FindingsThe statistical findings indicate the fit of the structural desirability of the factor load and according to the standardized coefficient (path coefficient), the dimensions of AA have a negative and significant effect on SRC, because the path coefficient is positive.Originality/valueTheoretically, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first research that tries to examine the stakeholder relationship capability through the link between social/political approaches with accounting procedures, an issue that has not been considered in any prior study. Also, conducting the present study in the conditions of social distrust in the Iranian capital market can be important, because the expansion of anarchist accounting helps to create a level of symmetry and equality in information disclosure and it can create value for shareholders.

An Expert System to Evaluate the Impacts of Health, Safety, and Environment System Implementation on Firms’ Financial Performance Using Analytic Network Process and Promethee Techniques

Sustainability involves balancing the environment, equity, and economy, with a focus on the green or low-carbon economy. Four strategic targets for a green economy encompass green management, green production, green lifestyle, and green technologies. Adopting a green economy poses challenges for companies, necessitating innovative systems like green supply chain management, smart homes, and health-safety-environment systems. Companies' concern about financial effectiveness drives the need for investments in these systems, as financial performance is critical for survival and growth. This study investigates the influence of health-safety-environment practices on a firm's financial performance. By determining key health-safety-environment indicators and financial metrics, the research gathered insights through 97 questionnaires, which were completed by experts from four Iranian companies. The collected data was analyzed employing the analytic network process and Promethee techniques, enabling a robust evaluation of the relationship between HSE practices and financial performance. Finally, an expert system was designed based on decision matrices to provide suitable financial indicators derived from HSE data. Linking HSE practices to financial performance enhances overall effectiveness and sustainability, guiding businesses in making informed decisions while respecting growth, success, environmental issues, and finally low carbon economy.

Investigation and Health Risk Assessment of Nitrate ion, Nitrite ion, and Phthalate Esters in Herbal Distillates Produced by Iranian Companies

The concentrations of nitrate ion, nitrite ion, nitrosamines, and phthalate esters in the ten herbal distillates, including rose, caraway seed, cumin seed, fumitory, carum, fenugreek, chicory, salix aegyptian, and blessed, produced by four companies were determined. The results were evaluated for each species by statistical methods. For this purpose, the normality test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and post hoc test were applied to compare the obtained results of four companies. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to study the normality of the results. Also, the control chart was plotted to investigate and compare the quality of herbal distillates produced by these companies. The results indicated that the concentrations of nitrate ion and nitrite ion in all samples were in the ranges of 5.11-7.84 mg L-1 and 0.10-0.97 mg L-1, respectively. All herbal distillate samples produced by these companies were free of nitrosamines. The phthalate esters with low concentrations (0.14-0.47 μg L-1) were presented in the herbal distillate samples produced in the second week after their production. The concentrations of nitrate ions and phthalate esters followed a normal distribution, while the nitrite ion concentrations didn’t. The concentrations of phthalate esters in the samples were also determined in the sixth, tenth and fourteenth weeks after producing the herbal distillate samples to investigate the time effect and rate of phthalate ester release in the samples. The concentrations of nitrate ions, nitrite ions, and phthalate esters were lower than their maximum permissible limits in drinking water declared by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Analysis and Investigation of Effective Mechanisms in the Development of Entrepreneurship in Agricultural Cooperative Companies in Iran

Analysis and Investigation of Effective Mechanisms in the Development of Entrepreneurship in Agricultural Cooperative Companies in Iran

Forecasting the Trend of Specialized Digital Marketing of Social Media in Iran in 2023

This article explores the role of social media as a potent factor in marketing and its impact on organizational structure, with a specific focus on digital marketing. It outlines the components and roadmap for the integration of digital marketing into social media. By presenting results illustrating the presence of Iranian companies on popular domestic and foreign social media platforms, the study discusses the significance of these platforms in facilitating business and marketing interactions with the new generation, leading to the establishment of loyal customers. The factors discussed in relation to these media include cost reduction, gaining the trust of the new generation, increasing revenue, and the importance of building the company's brand. The research findings, based on an examination of 15 Persian articles published on reputable websites between 2017 and 2023, reveal a growing trend of users migrating to social networks and their inclination to share their product and service experiences with others. Other consumers place greater importance on these experiences shared on social networks when making purchasing decisions. Simultaneously, the study highlights the significant rise in television advertising costs and traditional forms of advertising (such as billboards) in Iran during 2023. Consequently, Iranian companies exhibit a strong inclination to utilize digital marketing on social networks as a means to promote their products and services. Furthermore, the findings indicate that Iranian companies are actively exploring innovative avenues for digital marketing on social networks, utilizing new tools such as Telegram or Instagram bots.

ORGANIZATIONAL SILENCE, ORGANIZATIONAL TRUST, AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT

Organizational silence limits the effectiveness of organizational decisions and change processes. This is a problem that is currently plaguing organizations, and it causes most organizations to suffer from very little employee comments and opinions that can reduce the effect of organizational trust on organizational commitment. Therefore, the present research investigates the mediating role of organizational silence and its dimensions including; Deviant silence, Disengaged silence, Diffident silence, Defensive silence, Relational silence, and Ineffectual silence in the effect of organizational trust on organizational commitment. The method of collecting information was a standard questionnaire. The statistical population of the research includes 75 experts of Automotive Company in Iran. The questionnaire was distributed among 75 people and finally 70 questionnaires were returned healthy and analyzable. For the statistical analysis in the inferential statistics section of the research, all the analyses were done using the structural equation technique and the partial least squares method with the help of SMART PLS software. The results of data processing showed that relational silence, diffident silence, and deviant silence play a mediating role in the effect of organizational trust on organizational commitment. Other research results did not confirm the mediating role of defensive silence, ineffectual silence, and disengaged silence in the effect of organizational trust on organizational commitment. The results of the research can be used for automotive company's managers to identify the types of silences that exist in the organization and increase the organizational trust and commitment of company employees

إيران وشركة النفط الأنجلو – إيرانية (1950- 1954): دراسة وثائقية

This research reviews the history of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in Iran since Darcy obtained the oil concession in 1903 and then the establishment of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, which controlled the extraction and sale of oil in Iran until 1950, the year that witnessed the rise of the national trend in Iran Led by Mohamed Mosadegh, he entered into a conflict with Britain after he nationalized the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, which London saw as a dangerous development, which prompted it to present the issue to the Security Council. Oil nationalization, and with the failure of all political attempts to dissuade Mosadegh from his decision, both London and Washington resorted to supporting the Iranian opposition and the dismissal of the Iranian prime minister on August 19, 1953, and the approval of the new prime minister on the decision to cancel the nationalization of oil in 1954. Here the researcher followed the descriptive analytical method. He also relied on a number of US State Department documents and British documents in this study, as well as documents of the United Nations and the World Bank. يستعرض هذا البحث تاريخ شركة النفط الأنجلو- إيرانية في إيران منذ حصول دارسي على امتياز النفط عام 1903 ثم تأسيس شركة النفط الانجلو- إيرانية التي سيطرت على استخراج النفط وبيعه في إيران حتى عام 1950، وهو العام الذي شهد صعود التيار الوطني في ايران بزعامة محمد مصدق ودخوله في نزاع مع بريطانيا عقب قيامه بتأميم شركة النفط الانجلو-إيرانية، الامر الذي رأت فيه لندن تطوراَ خطيراَ مما دفعها الي عرض القضية على مجلس الأمن ومع تنامي حدة الصراع تدخلت الولايات المتحدة والبنك الدولي للضغط على مصدق للتراجع عن خطوة تأميم النفط، ومع فشل جميع المحاولات السياسية لإثتاء مصدق عن قراره، لجأت كل من لندن وواشنطن لدعم المعارضة الإيرانية وعزل رئيس الوزراء الايراني في 19 أغسطس عام 1953، وموافقة رئيس الوزراء الجديد على قرار الغاء تأميم النفط عام 1954. واتبع الباحث هنا المنهج الوصفي التحليلي. كما اعتمد في هذه الدراسة على عدد من وثائق وزارة الخارجية الأمريكية ووثائق البريطانية إلى جانب وثائق الأمم المتحدة والبنك الدولي.

Transaction Cost of Financing Knowledge-Based Companies in Iran

Transaction Cost of Financing Knowledge-Based Companies in Iran

Integrated planning for a global pharmaceutical supply chain: an ambidexterity perspective

AbstractBased on the concept of ambidexterity, we develop a multi-objective, multi-product, and multi-period model to integrate planning for research and development (R&D) and production and distribution (P&D) in a global pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC) considering delays in the entire supply chain. We also propose robust possibilistic programming (RPP) approach to deal with the epistemic uncertainty of some critical input parameters. Applying the ambidexterity approach that emphasizes optimizing a balanced framework based on the R&D and P&D planning, our study reconciles the explorative and exploitative supply chain strategies in the context of global PSCs. The proposed integrated model can manage the inherent delays and uncertainties in the R&D processes and P&D systems via a novel, credibility-based, robust possibilistic programming model. We illustrate the application of our model using a real-world case study of one of the largest and most reputable pharmaceutical companies in Iran. The results affirm the credibility and feasibility of the proposed model when juxtaposed with a non-integrated model. Our study suggests the use of ambidexterity approach in resource allocation planning, risk management, and enhancement of performance in sophisticated settings such as global PSCs.

Competency-based selection and assignment for project manager in Iranian railways projects by genetic multigenic programming

As a part of human resource management, active companies in Iran's railway industry must determine the qualifications for appropriate project managers in railway construction. This research aims to consider the importance of Iran's railway construction projects due to the lack of staff with expertise and their high economic impact and budget. A decision-making model is presented. The project manager's qualifications are determined through questionnaires answered by experts in the field. The numerical model is created to determine the qualifications for project management in the railway industry. Therefore, Competency-Based Selection by Genetic Programming Multigenic Regression (CSPR) is proposed for project-oriented human resource management. Decision-making is done in three phases: Hierarchical analysis process for evaluating and determining the qualifications based on the questionnaires. The model is trained and validated by creating optimal coefficients and genes to determine the contribution of each of these qualifications in determining each candidate's final qualifications based on experts' questionnaires. Finally, the model's accuracy with optimal coefficients will be tested based on the questionnaires not used in the model training phase. The CSPR model provides a qualitative method and numerical optimization to evaluate and grade the project manager in Iran's railway construction projects based on the metaheuristic method.

Sustainable Management of Railway Companies Amid Inflation and Reduced Government Subsidies: A System Dynamics Approach

Sustainable transport is a critical and complex issue that the world is currently facing. Managers of railway companies in particular face significant challenges in achieving self-sustainable management of their assets. This paper introduces a new causal loop and explores the interaction among company dimensions—including financial, social, and environmental aspects—in order to assess the financially sustainable management of Raja Corporation, one of the largest railway companies in Iran. Our main contribution is the proposed system dynamics (SD) model, which can aid in policy analysis for Raja, a company that operates multiple routes within the country. The presented model compares different strategies employed by Raja using economic, social, and environmental indicators to evaluate the financial sustainability of the company. Our findings demonstrate that government subsidies may boost the company’s revenue, but they also hinder the rate of profits. Additionally, we highlight the impact of inflation on the company’s financial sustainability, showing that higher ticket prices may have a considerable impact on profits. The proposed approach of using the SD model may help specialists evaluate the sustainability management of transport sector corporations and significantly enhance their performance. This study highlights the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to assess the financial sustainability of railway companies, considering the interdependencies among various dimensions of each company. The findings of this study may have implications for policymakers, managers, and researchers in the transport sector, especially those who are interested in sustainable management practices.

Analysis of profitability of Pay-As-You-Speed scheme

Objective Implementing usage-based insurance (UBI) schemes captured the attention and has found a better practical foundation, thanks to the presence of probes for recording the driving and traveling data. The UBI is believed to provide an incentive measure through premium discounts for correcting driving and traveling behavior. However, the success of UBI implementation is dependent on different factors including the presence of alternative insurance plans, the level of privacy concerns among society, and the amount of trust within the society. Therefore, designing proper discount schemes which affect UBI acceptance by drivers and its profitability for government and insurance companies differs across countries and different scenarios. We aim to investigate the profitability of UBI Pay-As-You-Speed in Iran with a focus on the government and insurance companies. This study will be beneficial for policymakers seeking to understand the potential impact of UBI Pay-As-You-Speed in Iran. Methods The research is conducted on a synthesized population with acceptance and accident frequency models based on a self-reported survey. We assumed six UBI schemes based on previous research. The acceptance model is a logit discrete choice model and the accident frequency is based on Poisson regression. Costs of crashes are estimated based on one-year data of the Central Insurance company in Iran. After models’ estimation, the simulated population is used to estimate the resultant profit of private insurance companies and government. Results It is found that the scheme with no premium discount and no rental prices for the required monitoring device, results in the highest revenue for the government. Moreover, with an increase in the probe penetration rate, the profitability of the government increases with a greater reduction in crashes. However, this trend is not observed for insurance companies because the cost of the monitoring device and premium discounts offset the profits gained from prevented crashes. Conclusion The presence of the government as a main actor in facilitating the implementation of UBI schemes is essential or private insurance companies would be reluctant to provide these schemes to customers.

Using the Fuzzy Best Worst Method for Evaluating Strategic Planning Models

During the last few decades, various strategic planning models have been suggested in the literature. It is difficult for a company to decide which of these models is most useful to adopt, as each of them shows different strengths and weaknesses. We consider this problem a multicriteria decision problem and investigate the evaluation of six strategic planning models in the context of smaller and medium-sized manufacturing companies in Iran. We consider a methodology that supports the analysis of the input from several decision-makers based on multiple criteria and assume vagueness in the input data elicited from them. For the purpose considered, the fuzzy best worst method (FBWM) appears appropriate. Based on a literature review, six evaluation criteria for strategic management models are considered: formality, clarity, measurability, objectivity, coverage, and consistency. These criteria are evaluated based on the input provided by thirteen managers using linguistic variables. FBWM is used to provide criteria weights that are used to determine fuzzy scores for the six considered strategic planning models. Finally, a defuzzification of the scores indicates the model by Wright is best suited for the application purpose. A consistency analysis included in FBWM shows that the input provided by the managers is sufficiently consistent.

Developing and validating an instrument to measure the impact of digital supply chain activities on sustainable performance

PurposeIn the age of Industry 4.0 (I4.0), digital technologies (DTs) and the technologies' application in supply chain activities have become more important. On the other hand, global pressures for corporate social responsibility in the sustainable production of products are increasing. Accordingly, the purpose of this research is to develop and validate an instrument to measure the impact of digital supply chain (DSC) activities on the sustainable performance of manufacturing companies.Design/methodology/approachIn the first step, through an in-depth study of the relevant literature, a conceptual model was developed and a questionnaire containing 51 indicators was designed. The questionnaire was distributed among 356 top managers and experts of the Iranian manufacturing companies, whereby finally 233 sound questionnaires were returned, yielding a response rate of about 64%. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to identify constructs and sub-constructs and the relationship between them was investigated using the partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) method.FindingsBased on the obtained results, three constructs were identified, namely main activities (including sub-constructs: digital supplier, digital manufacturing, digital logistics and innovation and digital customer), support activities (with sub-constructs digital performance, DT and digital human resources) and sustainable performance (with sub-constructs of economic sustainability, environmental sustainability and social sustainability). The designed tool has excellent psychometric properties. The values of t-statistic = 11.07 and β = 0.602 indicate the positive impact of the DSC main activities on sustainable performance. Similarly, t = 2.42 and β = 0.149 prove that DSC support activities have a positive impact on sustainable performance. Also, based on the obtained values (t = 13.16 and β = 0.629), support activities have a significant impact on the main activities of the DSC. Finally, based on the calculated goodness-of-fit (GoF) index value (0.522), this paper concluded that the proposed model has high credibility.Research limitations/implicationsValidation of the model is based on the answers received from the Iranian manufacturing companies. Therefore, caution should be taken regarding the generalizability of the results.Practical implicationsThe proposed model presents a holistic view of the application of DTs in the supply chain and the DTs' impact on sustainable performance which might help manufacturing companies, particularly the Iranian companies to obtain a broader knowledge of the importance of DTs and DTs' usage toward responding to the challenges of today's complex business environment.Originality/valueThis study is among the first of the study's kind that attempts to develop and validate an instrument to measure the impact of DSC activities on the sustainable performance of manufacturing companies.

A qualitative study of diversity management practices in Iran's private sector organizations

PurposeThis paper aims to examine diversity management (DM) practices in leading private-sector organizations in Iran.Design/methodology/approachThe study draws on in-depth interviews with 23 human resource management (HRM) executives and supervisors in nine private sector companies in Iran, and presents the analysis conducted using MAXQDA software.FindingsThe results categorize DM practices into four subsystems of HRM, i.e. recruitment and selection, training, performance management, and reward management. These practices indicate the inclusion of diversity-sensitive criteria and consideration of equal opportunity in the HRM subsystems.Originality/valueThe findings advance a contextual understanding of DM in a developing country. Considering DM practices in HRM subsystems may provide an effective way to help managers address workforce diversity in organizations.