Journal of Economic Modeling Research

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One of the important targets of the economic planning is economic growth via enhancement of the labor productivity. In this regard, education expenditures play a crucial role. This study aims at investigating the effect of education expenditures on the level of human capital and economic growth through a computable general equilibrium approach. The data on economic variables and social accounting matrix belongs to the year 2001. Three scenarios on education expenditures are defined and their effect on human capital and economic growth are estimated. The results show that education expenditures have positive effects on economic growth and human capital. A 50% increase in education expenditures in the first period causes 3.81 and 5.8 percent increase in human capital and economic growth respectively. In the second period, the same increase in education expenditures affects human capital and economic growth positively by 5.4 and 7.3 percent respectively. Although separating the economic growth into human and physical factors in the first period shows that there is no relationship between human capital and economic growth, but in second period this separation causes a relationship between the two factors.

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  Oil revenues play a significant role in the government budget in Iran and have also an important impact on GDP. This study aims at providing a practical solution for the question of how oil revenues should be managed. In this regard, a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model has developed to examine the direct effect of distribution of oil revenues on GDP in both static and dynamic approaches .

  The results of static model show that the direct distribution of oil revenues to households has a negative effect on the government expenditures and therefore decrease the GDP . The dynamic model allows the conversion of savings into investment and capital formation. So the results of running this model show the positive effect of direct distribution of oil revenues on GDP and also the negative effect of this policy on the government current spending. Therefore, the results confirm that direct distribution of oil revenues is an effective policy in reducing the dependence of government on oil revenues and also in relying more on people and the tax revenues .

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The purpose of this paper is to introduce the “Natural Resources Perpetuity Rule” in the allocation of resources revenue. We also analyzed the potential impacts of implementing this rule on oil and gas revenues in Iran. To do so, we employed a Computable General Equilibrium Model which is calibrated based on 2010 Micro Consistent Matrix. We assumed an open economy with different sectors such as oil and gas, public services and other activities. Assuming exhaustibility, we measure the impact of different saving rates from Resources Revenue (SR) on welfare, size of public sector, activity levels and exports. We found that the more the SR, the more the welfare loss in first years, the higher the long-run welfare path, the more the non-oil export and the less the size of public sector.

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Energy carrier’s subsidization has placed a significant pressure on government budget in Iran thus, energy price increase is performed in order to ameliorate this case. One of the main challenges that policymakers need to consider is the impact of energy prices increase on the labor market especially, when the national unemployment rate is high. This paper utilizes a computable general equilibrium model based on a Micro Consistent Matrix for 2006 in order to evaluate the impact of energy price increase on the Iranian labor market during 2006. The empirical results are based on two scenarios: Baseline and FOB price increase scenarios. They show that the activity level and demand for labor in “crude oil, natural gas, and coal” as well as “other services” sectors will increase in short-run while the energy carriers’ prices increase. However, in long-run, the labor increment will be lower. Furthermore, the model results indicate that in short-run, the activity level and demand for labor in the other sectors will decrease. On the other hand, the policy will result in a larger decrement in the activity level and demand for labor in these sectors in long-run.

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Productivity is one of the important factors in exploration, extraction and production of oil and gas. On the other hands, the literature indicates that the process of economic liberalization is an inventible matter and globalization gradually is improving. So it is important that the effect of oil shocks is considered In Iran. Based on International trade statistics, Shanghai’s countries is one of the most important trading partners of Iran. Therefore, this study investigates whether or not the extraction, exploration and production of oil and gas in Iran is affected by productivity shocks in industry sector of Shanghai’s countries. The Computing general equilibrium approach is used for investigating the effect of productivity shocks on four sectors in Iran (including industry, agriculture, services and oil sectors). Social Accounting Matrix Adjusted 2004 is considered for three scenarios including 3, 5 and 7 percent of productivity shocks (based on world economy trend). The results indicate that the increase in productivity in three industry sector scenarios of Shanghai’s countries declines the oil and gas extraction in these countries, representing efficient use of existing resources and superior technology in other industries as well as focus on oil and gas imports from other countries. So, productivity scenarios indicate that increase in the industrial sector productivity of Shanghai’s countries causes increase in oil and gas extraction in Iran. In addition to showing the relationship between economic of Iran and economic situation of Shanghai’s countries, this issue explains the process of economic globalization.

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Targeted subsidies plan affects income distribution and poverty through several channels. On most of the analyzies, changes on labor supply are not considered. Increasing nominal income alone after paying cash subsidy rule can reduce labor supply in targeted subsidies. This issue may decrease effect of targeted subsidies. In this research by CGE we calculate the result of impact of energy price increase and direct cash subsidy transfer with considering labor supply decrease in the first phase of this plan. Then we use this CGE data to calculate the poverty index and income distribution. The model is calibrated based on 2001 Micro Consistent Matrix (MCM) designed by Research Institute of Planning and Management Deputy Strategic Planning and Control. The results of the model show that while the plan reduce supply of labor, it improve income distribution and poverty in Iran. The results also reveal that the percentage of improvement in purchasing power of rural deciles is more than the percentage of improvement in purchasing power of urban deciles.

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After the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the capture of the spy nest, the West, and especially the United States, in addition to pursuing other tools, has also used the tools of sanctions and has implemented many sanctions against Iran. One type of sanctions is oil sanctions, which were imposed to force Iran to join the international community. The US and its allies' embargo on Iranian oil affects the variables of the Iranian and world economies. For this reason, a computable five-zone global trade model (GTAP) is used to calculate the implications of the game tree between the three independent actors of the United States, the European Union, and Iran. The closing of the GTAP model has been changed according to the assumptions used. The results show that the US, Iran and major oil buyers from Iran are damaged by the sanctions. This damage is exacerbated by increasing oil restrictions. With the escalation of sanctions, the European Union is also gaining negative welfare. In the Nash equilibrium, the United States and the European Union will choose weak sanctions, and Iran will try to circumvent the sanctions. Due to the economic costs of oil sanctions against Iran, the lack of full understanding between the United States and Europe, and Iran's efforts to circumvent sanctions, it seems that the United States will not be able to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero.