Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Assistant Professor of Management and Economic Dept, University of Sistan and Baluchestan(Corresponding Author)
2
Assistant Professor of Management and Economic Dept, University of Sistan and Baluchestan
3
M.A entrepreneurship of Management and Economic Dept, University of Sistan and Baluchesta
Abstract
Introduction
The creation of special areas in countries has long been accompanied by specific reasons and policies. These areas can provide a good opportunity to increase foreign investment in order to boost industrial competitiveness and ultimately provide economic growth for the community. Through such areas, the government tries to expand its exports in various fields, while maintaining regulatory frameworks. In addition, the provision of job opportunities and the adoption of new policies in the economic, customs and labor laws are among other purposes for creating such areas (Birjand Special Economic Zone, 2018).
The issue of special areas, like any other investment and policy issue, needs to be evaluated. Iran has more than 20 special and free zones dating back more than a decade, as well as the construction of various special economic zones in recent years on the government's agenda. However, despite the ambiguity about the performance of these areas, few studies have been conducted to measure the economic and social effects of this policy (Yousefi and Heidari, 2018: 8).
Sistan and Baloochestan province, especially in the city of MirJaveh, due to its geographical location and its proximity to the Pakistani border, its abundance and unique talents, access to the major markets of Pakistan and the countries of Central Asia, and large commercial and economic capacities, have a privileged role in economic performance. National and international. On the other hand, trade with Pakistan, which is considered a good and consumer market for Iran, has not, unfortunately, been taken into consideration by the authorities of the country and the province, and so far it has not been seen as a serious market, which has not been undermined by security insecurity in Pakistan. It is hoped that in the future, the establishment of more business-economic relations between Sistan and Baluchestan and Pakistan through the weakening of the Pakistani-Afghan relationship, the Pakistani government's special look at Iran's special ports such as Chabahar as an important commercial port, the UAE's inappropriate behavior with Pakistan Turning Pakistani businessmen into trade with Iran, and the political views of Pakistani governors in Iran and Sistan-Baluchistan province, will create areas for attracting capital, boosting trade, economic growth and improving the employment situation in the province.
Sistan-Baluchestan province has many export-related capabilities in the industry, which can accurately and coherently plan these potential capabilities in real-life and provide the field of industrial growth in the province. Given the importance and role of special areas in improving the economic situation of countries, this research seeks to answer this fundamental question:
What are the strategies for the development of the special economic zone of and what is its role in the economy of the region and the countries of the subcontinent?
2. Research Methodology
This research is in terms of applied-developmental purpose and its research method is descriptive-analytical. The analytical method in this research consists of three main stages: First, to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the special economic zone of MirJaveh with some experts in the economic sector of Sistan and Baluchestan province, university professors and experts in the Sistan and Baluchestan Governorate The Zahedan Chamber of Commerce has been interviewed. Then, according to expert opinions and expert opinions, each weighing factor has been given. Finally, the SWOT matrix is extracted by setting external and internal strategic factors that are the basis of strategy formulation and based on it, the quantitative strategic planning matrices, strategies and priorities for the development of the special economic zone of Mirjaveh and the approaches derived from these analyzes are presented as strategies for the presentation. It's been effortless. The statistical population of this research includes experts and experts related to economic affairs, which were selected using snowball sampling method. Given that in this method the principle of sampling is saturated with the answers given by the interviewees, the responses were repeated and overlapping from the twentieth century. Therefore, the sample size in this study was 20 people in the province. It should be noted that the data of this research has been gathered during the period of 2018.
3. Discussion
Using internal factor evaluation matrix and external factors evaluation matrix, strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the development of the special economic zone of Mirjaveh, listing and weighting to each of these factors took place. Then, by using the SWOT matrix, the confluence of strengths with the opportunities and threats, as well as the weaknesses with opportunities and threats, were determined by the development strategies of the special economic zone of Mirjaveh; so that for identifying the external factors affecting the development of the special economic zone of Mirjaveh, 22 opportunities Foreign and 10 foreign threats were selected. In addition, in this section, the weight of the factors was determined by a questionnaire with a scale (very low, low, moderate, high and very high) through a questionnaire from the economic experts of Sistan and Baluchestan province. The aggregate weighting of foreign factors (2.482) is less than 2.5, which indicates the overcoming of threats to the development opportunities of the special economic zone of Mirjaveh. 19 internal strength points and 10 internal instability points were identified as internal factors affecting the development of the special economic zone of Mirjaveh. Additionally, this section is based on a survey of economic experts from Sistan and Baluchistan province, In the form of a questionnaire with a scale (very low, low, moderate, high and very high), the weight of the factors was determined. The aggregate weighting of internal factors (2.667) is more than 2.5, which indicates that overcoming the strengths of the weak spots in the development of the special economic zone of Mirjaveh.
In the SWOT matrix, internal strengths were placed against external opportunities and threats and internal weaknesses against external opportunities and threats. Appropriate strategies for economic development of the special economic zone of Mirjaveh were divided into four categories: SO (aggressive) strategies, ST strategies (diversification) , WO (conservative) strategies and WT (defensive) strategies.
From the internal and external matrices, we use economics to determine the location of the special economic zone of Mirjaveh. To form this matrix, we must make the scores derived from the internal and external factors evaluation matrices in the horizontal and vertical dimensions of this matrix to determine the status of the industry and to make appropriate strategies (Gartner, 2017: 105). According to the internal and external matrix, the economic situation of the special economic zone is more than average in terms of the interior environment and is lower than the average external environment. Therefore, diversification strategies for the economic development of the special economic zone of Mirjaveh should be used. Finally, a quantitative strategic planning matrix was used to select the best strategy. ST1 strategy (attracting foreign investment and public sector investment with private sector participation in various infrastructures and sectors such as the mineral industry, petrochemical industry, conversion industries related to Agricultural products, renewable energies and ... for sustainable economic growth) are selected as the best strategy for the development of the special economic zone of Mirjaveh.
4. Conclusion
In order to exploit the and long-term profits of the creation and development of the special economic zone, the present study was conducted with the aim of identifying internal factors (strengths and weaknesses), external factors (opportunities and threats) and developing a strategy for the development of special economic zone of Mirjaveh. Using internal factor evaluation matrix and external factors evaluation matrix, strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the development of the special economic zone of Mirjaveh, listing and weighting to each of these factors took place. Then, by using the SWOT matrix, the confluence of strengths with opportunities and threats, as well as the weaknesses with opportunities and threats, the strategies for the development of the special economic zone of Mirjaveh were categorized into four categories of SO, ST, WO, WT strategies. In the next step, using the internal and external factors evaluation matrix (IE), the competitive position of the development of the special economic zone of Mirjaveh was determined, the output of this matrix, ST strategies (use of strengths and avoidance of threats) for the economic development of the special area Economic Mirjaveh. In the final stage, the attractiveness of the ST class strategies was determined by summing up the quantitative strategic planning matrix (external factors-internal factors). Based on the assessment of the average scores of diversification strategies in the quantitative strategic planning matrix, ST1 strategy (attracting foreign investment and public sector investment with the private sector participation in various infrastructure and sectors such as the mineral industry, petrochemicals, agricultural conversion, and renewable energy and ... for sustainable economic growth) is selected as the best strategy. Since in the general policies of the Third Development Plan of the Islamic Republic of Iran (2000-2004), the government began to decide to divest the activities of special economic zones into the private sector and withdraw from the markets of these areas. The attraction of domestic and foreign investment was one of the priorities of this program (Latifi and Aghayi, 2007), the attraction of investors in the special economic zone of Mirjaveh, especially foreign investment - with regard to the opportunities of Mirjaveh city with countries such as: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central Asian countries, East Asia, and South Africa and Africa, as well as the Gulf States and the Indian subcontinent countries.
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Keywords