Search published articles
Showing 9 results for Moallemi
Volume 0, Issue 0 (Articles accepted for Publication 2024)
Abstract
Aim and Introduction
Tourism destinations are neither homogeneous nor universally competitive products, and it is inappropriate to evaluate tourists’ destination choices based on simplified assumptions that disregard perceptual factors. Despite this, most studies on tourism demand rely heavily on quantitative variables, particularly macro-level data, due to the challenges associated with measuring non-quantitative dimensions.
In the context of Iran as a cultural-historical tourism destination, travel costs appear to have limited influence on tourists’ decision-making. If such factors were decisive, the devaluation of the Iranian rial would have significantly increased the influx of foreign tourists. Instead, it seems that qualitative factors, especially those linked to tourists’ perceptions and experiences, play a more substantial role in shaping tourism demand.
The novelty of this study lies in its emphasis on perceptual variables in estimating the tourism demand function for the city of Isfahan, a renowned cultural-historical destination.
Methodology
The tourism demand model was estimated using the logit method. The study’s target population consists of cultural-historical tourists, and the sample includes 335 respondents, selected via convenience sampling from locations in Isfahan, cyberspace, and Istanbul.
Results and Discussion
Among conventional quantitative variables commonly used in tourism demand models, only the distance variable proved to be statistically significant. Greater distance between the tourist’s origin and the destination imposes higher time and monetary costs, thereby reducing demand. However, in the case of a unique cultural-historical destination, the exclusivity of the tourism offering may prompt motivated tourists to overcome distance-related obstacles to reach the desired destination.
The estimation results show that the coefficient for the distance variable is –0.049, indicating a negative relationship between distance and the probability of choosing Isfahan as a travel destination. This implies that for each unit increase in distance, the likelihood of travel to Isfahan decreases by approximately 5%. Nevertheless, the relatively small magnitude of the coefficient suggests that, despite the inverse relationship, distance may not constitute a decisive factor in deterring travel to culturally significant destinations.
Furthermore, the coefficient for the safety and security variable was estimated at 0.207 and found to be statistically significant. This finding reveals that a one-unit increase in the perceived level of safety and security at the destination raises the probability of travel to that destination by approximately 21%. This highlights the critical role of perceptual variables—particularly safety and security—in shaping tourism demand.
The results also indicate that the quality of services at the destination, encompassing accommodation and catering services, significantly influences tourism demand. The strong significance of this variable, following the safety and security factor, underscores its substantial role in shaping tourists’ travel decisions.
In contrast, the price variable, although theoretically expected to exhibit a negative relationship with demand—consistent with consumer demand theory—was not found to be statistically significant. This result underscores the dominant role of qualitative variables in influencing tourism demand, suggesting that these factors may outweigh the influence of traditional quantitative indicators such as price.
Conclusion
The findings of this study reveal that the most influential factor affecting tourism demand in Isfahan is the perceived safety and security at the destination. As a key perceptual variable, its impact surpasses that of more traditional economic indicators, emphasizing the importance of fostering a strong sense of security among potential tourists. Accordingly, strategic efforts aimed at enhancing Iran’s international image and strengthening Isfahan’s reputation as a safe destination in key target markets are essential.
The lack of statistical significance for two conventional quantitative variables—price and income—can be interpreted in light of the dominant influence of perceived security. Despite Iran’s position as one of the most affordable tourist destinations globally, concerns regarding safety appear to override cost advantages. Drawing on Lancaster’s theory, which conceptualizes travel as a multidimensional product, this study highlights the pivotal role of qualitative variables such as safety, service quality, and the local community’s attitudes toward tourists. These factors evidently hold greater significance in the decision-making process than price or income, suggesting a paradigm shift in how tourism demand should be modeled and understood.
Tourism destinations are neither homogeneous nor universally competitive products, and it is inappropriate to evaluate tourists’ destination choices based on simplified assumptions that disregard perceptual factors. Despite this, most studies on tourism demand rely heavily on quantitative variables, particularly macro-level data, due to the challenges associated with measuring non-quantitative dimensions.
In the context of Iran as a cultural-historical tourism destination, travel costs appear to have limited influence on tourists’ decision-making. If such factors were decisive, the devaluation of the Iranian rial would have significantly increased the influx of foreign tourists. Instead, it seems that qualitative factors, especially those linked to tourists’ perceptions and experiences, play a more substantial role in shaping tourism demand.
The novelty of this study lies in its emphasis on perceptual variables in estimating the tourism demand function for the city of Isfahan, a renowned cultural-historical destination.
Methodology
The tourism demand model was estimated using the logit method. The study’s target population consists of cultural-historical tourists, and the sample includes 335 respondents, selected via convenience sampling from locations in Isfahan, cyberspace, and Istanbul.
Results and Discussion
Among conventional quantitative variables commonly used in tourism demand models, only the distance variable proved to be statistically significant. Greater distance between the tourist’s origin and the destination imposes higher time and monetary costs, thereby reducing demand. However, in the case of a unique cultural-historical destination, the exclusivity of the tourism offering may prompt motivated tourists to overcome distance-related obstacles to reach the desired destination.
The estimation results show that the coefficient for the distance variable is –0.049, indicating a negative relationship between distance and the probability of choosing Isfahan as a travel destination. This implies that for each unit increase in distance, the likelihood of travel to Isfahan decreases by approximately 5%. Nevertheless, the relatively small magnitude of the coefficient suggests that, despite the inverse relationship, distance may not constitute a decisive factor in deterring travel to culturally significant destinations.
Furthermore, the coefficient for the safety and security variable was estimated at 0.207 and found to be statistically significant. This finding reveals that a one-unit increase in the perceived level of safety and security at the destination raises the probability of travel to that destination by approximately 21%. This highlights the critical role of perceptual variables—particularly safety and security—in shaping tourism demand.
The results also indicate that the quality of services at the destination, encompassing accommodation and catering services, significantly influences tourism demand. The strong significance of this variable, following the safety and security factor, underscores its substantial role in shaping tourists’ travel decisions.
In contrast, the price variable, although theoretically expected to exhibit a negative relationship with demand—consistent with consumer demand theory—was not found to be statistically significant. This result underscores the dominant role of qualitative variables in influencing tourism demand, suggesting that these factors may outweigh the influence of traditional quantitative indicators such as price.
Conclusion
The findings of this study reveal that the most influential factor affecting tourism demand in Isfahan is the perceived safety and security at the destination. As a key perceptual variable, its impact surpasses that of more traditional economic indicators, emphasizing the importance of fostering a strong sense of security among potential tourists. Accordingly, strategic efforts aimed at enhancing Iran’s international image and strengthening Isfahan’s reputation as a safe destination in key target markets are essential.
The lack of statistical significance for two conventional quantitative variables—price and income—can be interpreted in light of the dominant influence of perceived security. Despite Iran’s position as one of the most affordable tourist destinations globally, concerns regarding safety appear to override cost advantages. Drawing on Lancaster’s theory, which conceptualizes travel as a multidimensional product, this study highlights the pivotal role of qualitative variables such as safety, service quality, and the local community’s attitudes toward tourists. These factors evidently hold greater significance in the decision-making process than price or income, suggesting a paradigm shift in how tourism demand should be modeled and understood.
Volume 2, Issue 2 ((Articles in Persian) 2011)
Abstract
This research has tried to define a new approach to translator’s role as intercultural mediator supported by the theories of Sapir and Whorf in anthropologies to find a right perception of interactional relation between language and cultural, which affects translator’s understanding of the reality. To achieve this, a Meta model was proposed that could help the mediator/translator to realize consciously the cultural reality hidden in the text in order to create a meaningful text, which is closer to the main concept of the source text.
Volume 17, Issue 8 (10-2017)
Abstract
The standard and conventional thermal comfort models such as Gagge and Fangar models are only applicable in uniform thermal environments and predict the overall thermal sensation based on mean environmental and individual parameters and are not capable of evaluation of local thermal sensations of different body parts. But Under non-uniform conditions, the human body’s segments may experience a wide range of physical parameters such as air temperature, radiation temperature and air velocity. So the response of the people to non-uniform conditions depends on local thermal sensation not on overall thermal sensation. Nowadays, thermal comfort in non-uniform environments may be predicted using experiments in the climate chambers or in automobiles and the proposed models are based on the regression analysis of the experimental data from different subjects in special conditions. So the propose of this work is proposing a model for evaluation of local thermal sensation of different body segments and overall thermal sensation in non-uniform environments. In the new model, temperature and physiological mechanisms of different body parts are obtained by 16-segment Tanabe model and then the local and overall thermal sensations are evaluated by the University of Berkeley model. The comparison of obtained results by new model with available experimental data shows good agreement between them.
Volume 18, Issue 7 (Supplementary Issue - 2016)
Abstract
This study was conducted under Ahvaz, Iran environmental condition during 2012 and 2013 growing seasons in order to investigate the influence of foliar application of potassium on some physiological and biochemical characteristics of three olive cultivars including ‘Mission’, ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Dezfuli’. Potassium sulfate in different concentrations of 0, 1, and 2 g l-1 was sprayed twice on selected mature 10 year old trees; at 50 and 65 days after full bloom. Potassium sprays increased leaf chlorophyll content of all cultivars, leaf potassium content in ‘Mission’ and ‘Koroneiki’ cvs., fruit anthocyanin concentration of ‘Dezfuli’ in two crop seasons. However, K treatments had no significant effect on leaf N and P content, fruit K and P content in all studied cultivars. Fruit soluble carbohydrates increased by foliar application of potassium in ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Dezfuli’ cultivars in the second year of study. Stem water potential and leaf stomatal conductance were significantly affected by cultivar and K treatments during the two years. Our findings showed that foliar application of potassium resulted in the decrease of stomatal conductance of ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Dezfuli’ in two crop seasons. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the studied cultivars differently respond to K treatments during the two crop seasons and foliar potassium application could have a positive impact on leaf chlorophyll, leaf potassium, fruit soluble carbohydrates and fruit anthocyanins in olive cultivars.
Volume 18, Issue 120 (February 2021)
Abstract
Oxidation of fats and oils leads to the production of harmful substances that endanger the health of the consumer. In the present study, the antioxidant activity of mountain watermelon fruit extract was investigated. Extraction was performed by ultrasonic extraction with the help of solvent (ethanol). In this study, the extraction process was performed by ultrasound technology with 3 levels of 20 tests, by the response level method. The results of statistical analysis were reported in optimal conditions, time of 18.62 minutes, sound intensity of 84.56 khz and temperature of 49.52 ° C and extraction efficiency of 34.456 8456%. Under these optimal conditions, the amount of phenolic compounds and free radical scavenging power of the extracts at concentrations (100, 200, 200, 400, 800 ppm) were measured by Folin and DPPH tests, and then the extract was concentrated at concentrations (100, 200, 400, 800, 800 ppm). Samples of soybean oil without added antioxidants and parameters of peroxide index, thiobarbiotic acid index (TBA) were compared with samples of soybean oil containing 200 ppm synthetic antioxidants (BHT) and control sample. The results showed that with increasing the concentration of mountain watermelon extract in soybean oil from 800 to 100 ppm, the index of peroxide, thiobarbiotic acid index (TBA) decreases and the concentration of 800 ppm of the extract due to higher levels of antioxidant compounds is more effective in inhibiting free radicals.
Volume 19, Issue 1 (January 2019)
Abstract
Appropriate changes to the blade tip pattern can effectively improve fan performance. In this research, the effect of two blade tip patterns and speed variation on aerodynamic performance of a ducted axial-flow fan was numerically investigated. In order to ensure the accuracy of the solving method, numerical results were compared with the experimental data from wind tunnel of the NACA Propeller-Research Center. Numerical results show that both the coefficients of pressure and torque increases with the appropriate groove at the tip of the blade. But due to the higher rate of increase in the coefficient of pressure than that of the torque, aerodynamic efficiency has also increased significantly. This increase has been observed in both patterns and in all operational speed of the fan. But, the increase in aerodynamic coefficients had rising trend up to 3000 rpm and, then, declined. The results determine the best pattern for the tip of the blade. In fact, the structure of the groove is such that it traps a rotating airflow with high kinetic energy at the tip, and this vortex, like a barrier, prevents air leakage. This causes reduction in losses due to mixing of the leakage flow and passage flow. With increasing fan rpm, the generated vortexes in tip groov are amplified, which, in addition to a further decrease in the leakage flow rate from the tip region, increases the viscosity and turbulence losses in the area.
Volume 20, Issue 1 (January 2020)
Abstract
In the present research, the steam generation performances of nanofluids containing titanium dioxide have experimentally been examined. For this purpose, a solar simulator with a xenon lamp as the radiation source, and a pyranometer as a light intensity measuring device are used. Then, the water based-nanofluids in five nanoparticle mass fractions of 0.001, 0.002, 0.004, 0.04, and 0.08% exposed to the light intensity of 3.5Suns (3.5 kW/m2) were investigated to compare their evaporation performances with water (H2O). Finally, the effects of the solar power intensity on the steam generation were examined. The results showed that the titanium dioxide nanostructures are more efficient to directly absorb the solar energy than the water so that the maximum total evaporation efficiency of 77.4% and 54% were obtained at 3.5 kW.m-2 for nanofluid and water, respectively. Furthermore, it was found that light absorption increases as the nanofluid mass fraction increases. Also, increasing the light intensity from 1.5 to 3.5 kW.m-2 enhances the thermal efficiency, while it reduces the evaporation efficiency.
Volume 23, Issue 2 (summer 2023)
Abstract
Aim and Introduction
Internal and external economic crises and shocks are inevitable in different countries. Many countries are unable to resist economic crises and witnessed undesirable economic events. On the other hand, some countries are highly resilient to domestic and foreign economic crises. The single-product countries are more vulnerable to economic crises than other countries. Resilience of the economy can help move the economy towards sustainable development.
Sustainable development is a development that meets the current human needs without harming the capabilities of the future generations to meet their needs. For sustainable development, four dimensions including governance, economic, environmental and social dimensions are considered. Analyzing the growth history of countries reveals the fact that international trade has been the engine of economic prosperity and expansion of most advanced and developing societies. In order to achieve sustainable development, it is necessary to have trade relations with other countries of the world.
Also, the country's distance from international trade centers due to specific geographical and political conditions will be an obstacle to the development of the economy. In this way, the peripheral dimension is proposed as the fifth dimension of sustainable development to show the political and geographical isolation of the country. In this article, first, the dimensions of sustainable development and its subgroup variables are determined. Then the impact of sustainable development dimensions on the state of economic vulnerability and resilience of different countries are analyzed. The statistical sample includes two groups of countries including G7 member countries and MENA countries. This study investigates the state of vulnerability and resilience (VR) of these two groups during 2017-2020.
Methodology
In this article, Graph theory and Tarjan's algorithm are used to analyze the relationships within the network of variables influencing sustainable development and to examine the relationship between these variables and economic vulnerability and resilience. Tarjan's algorithm is looking for a strongly connected graph that can identify the fundamental variables affecting economic vulnerability and resilience and finally determine the maximal graph. The final output of Tarjan's algorithm is n* variables for measuring VR. Tarjan's algorithm divides the variables into two general parts; The first group of variables that causes vulnerability and resilience and the second group of variables that is created as a result of resilience and vulnerability. The initial set of variables in the dimensions of sustainable development includes economic, social, environmental, governance and peripheral dimensions. After identifying the relationships between the 43 variables presented, a graph is drawn that expresses the relationships between the desired variables.
Findings
The results of the algorithm reveal the fact that the resilience of the model is due to the economic and governance dimensions. If the "economic" or the "governance” dimension are specifically removed, the capacity of the directed graph which is resilient to the strongly connected feature will definitely be lost. Since governance and economic dimensions directly affect other dimensions, they are called as control dimensions. On the other hand, social, environmental and peripheral dimensions are considered as contingent dimensions.
Therefore, contingent dimensions are directly dependent and influenced by control dimensions. In this research, the Net Vulnerability and Resilience Index (NVRI) is separated in all dimensions and calculated in the range of -1 and 1. The NVRI time series is shown during the period and based on the sample countries. The results indicate that in all periods, the status of the NVRI index of the G7 countries was better than the MENA countries, and all the G7 members had resilient economies.
Discussion and Conclusion
According to the index calculations, the countries are classified into four states of uncontrolled vulnerable, limited vulnerable, unstable resilient and sustainable resilient. The G7 countries are sustainable and resilient, which means that in these countries, resilience has surpassed vulnerability. The countries of Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Occupied Palestine and Bahrain from the MENA group are also sustainable and resilient.
The main strength of MENA countries, which are in the group of sustainable resilient, is focused on the peripheral dimension and how these countries interact with the global economy. Among these countries, the UAE and occupied Palestine have a more suitable situation. MENA countries are mainly in the pure and uncontrolled vulnerable group. The governance dimension and then the economic dimension are the important factors of the vulnerability of these countries.
The temporal analysis of the index for the selected countries shows that the majority of the countries that are in the sustainable resilient group did not change their situation during the period under review. Iran is an uncontrolled vulnerable during the years 2017-2020, and in all periods, the index in governance and economic dimensions has been negative and vulnerability is more than resilience.
The analysis of the NVRI index examines the strengths and weaknesses of MENA and G7 countries with a sustainable development approach. It helps the policymakers to get strategic suggestions to improve the situation in weaker countries by following the example of the countries that have a better VR state. The goal of quantifying the state of vulnerability and resilience is to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth in accordance with international programs.
Keywords: Economic Vulnerability and Resilience, Sustainable Development, Graph Theory, Tarjan Algorithm, Composite Index
JEL Classification: C02, C60, O10
Internal and external economic crises and shocks are inevitable in different countries. Many countries are unable to resist economic crises and witnessed undesirable economic events. On the other hand, some countries are highly resilient to domestic and foreign economic crises. The single-product countries are more vulnerable to economic crises than other countries. Resilience of the economy can help move the economy towards sustainable development.
Sustainable development is a development that meets the current human needs without harming the capabilities of the future generations to meet their needs. For sustainable development, four dimensions including governance, economic, environmental and social dimensions are considered. Analyzing the growth history of countries reveals the fact that international trade has been the engine of economic prosperity and expansion of most advanced and developing societies. In order to achieve sustainable development, it is necessary to have trade relations with other countries of the world.
Also, the country's distance from international trade centers due to specific geographical and political conditions will be an obstacle to the development of the economy. In this way, the peripheral dimension is proposed as the fifth dimension of sustainable development to show the political and geographical isolation of the country. In this article, first, the dimensions of sustainable development and its subgroup variables are determined. Then the impact of sustainable development dimensions on the state of economic vulnerability and resilience of different countries are analyzed. The statistical sample includes two groups of countries including G7 member countries and MENA countries. This study investigates the state of vulnerability and resilience (VR) of these two groups during 2017-2020.
Methodology
In this article, Graph theory and Tarjan's algorithm are used to analyze the relationships within the network of variables influencing sustainable development and to examine the relationship between these variables and economic vulnerability and resilience. Tarjan's algorithm is looking for a strongly connected graph that can identify the fundamental variables affecting economic vulnerability and resilience and finally determine the maximal graph. The final output of Tarjan's algorithm is n* variables for measuring VR. Tarjan's algorithm divides the variables into two general parts; The first group of variables that causes vulnerability and resilience and the second group of variables that is created as a result of resilience and vulnerability. The initial set of variables in the dimensions of sustainable development includes economic, social, environmental, governance and peripheral dimensions. After identifying the relationships between the 43 variables presented, a graph is drawn that expresses the relationships between the desired variables.
Findings
The results of the algorithm reveal the fact that the resilience of the model is due to the economic and governance dimensions. If the "economic" or the "governance” dimension are specifically removed, the capacity of the directed graph which is resilient to the strongly connected feature will definitely be lost. Since governance and economic dimensions directly affect other dimensions, they are called as control dimensions. On the other hand, social, environmental and peripheral dimensions are considered as contingent dimensions.
Therefore, contingent dimensions are directly dependent and influenced by control dimensions. In this research, the Net Vulnerability and Resilience Index (NVRI) is separated in all dimensions and calculated in the range of -1 and 1. The NVRI time series is shown during the period and based on the sample countries. The results indicate that in all periods, the status of the NVRI index of the G7 countries was better than the MENA countries, and all the G7 members had resilient economies.
Discussion and Conclusion
According to the index calculations, the countries are classified into four states of uncontrolled vulnerable, limited vulnerable, unstable resilient and sustainable resilient. The G7 countries are sustainable and resilient, which means that in these countries, resilience has surpassed vulnerability. The countries of Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Occupied Palestine and Bahrain from the MENA group are also sustainable and resilient.
The main strength of MENA countries, which are in the group of sustainable resilient, is focused on the peripheral dimension and how these countries interact with the global economy. Among these countries, the UAE and occupied Palestine have a more suitable situation. MENA countries are mainly in the pure and uncontrolled vulnerable group. The governance dimension and then the economic dimension are the important factors of the vulnerability of these countries.
The temporal analysis of the index for the selected countries shows that the majority of the countries that are in the sustainable resilient group did not change their situation during the period under review. Iran is an uncontrolled vulnerable during the years 2017-2020, and in all periods, the index in governance and economic dimensions has been negative and vulnerability is more than resilience.
The analysis of the NVRI index examines the strengths and weaknesses of MENA and G7 countries with a sustainable development approach. It helps the policymakers to get strategic suggestions to improve the situation in weaker countries by following the example of the countries that have a better VR state. The goal of quantifying the state of vulnerability and resilience is to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth in accordance with international programs.
Keywords: Economic Vulnerability and Resilience, Sustainable Development, Graph Theory, Tarjan Algorithm, Composite Index
JEL Classification: C02, C60, O10
Volume 23, Issue 3 (5-2021)
Abstract
This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of dust, rain, and pollination on photosynthesis activity and crop yield of commercial date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivar `Sayer’. Mature trees were used for dust treatments application and assessments under Ahvaz, Iran, during the 2016-2017 growing seasons. The dust blew on the trees canopy using a blower and the leaf gas exchange was evaluated using an infrared gas analyzer on the intact leaves. After treatments, photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance were measured. The leaf gas exchange results showed significant differences between the applied combined treatments on photosynthesis rate (from 9.18 to 0.64 μmol CO2 m-2s-1), stomatal conductance (from 39.9 to 6.67 mmol m⁻²s⁻¹), and transpiration rate (from 2.78 to 1.49 mmol H2O m-2s-1). Deposition manner of dust particles, the number of stomata in the abaxial and adaxial surfaces of leaflets, and the minimum dust-carrying capacity (MDCC) were determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Stomata study using SEM showed that date palm leaflet surfaces are almost wavy and the stomata are situated in the concave surfaces in a linear arrangement on both abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces. Although, there were no significant differences in stomatal density at the abaxial (299 mm-2) and adaxial (300 mm-2) leaf surfaces, the leaflet position within the leaf showed a significant influence on MDCC. The base positioned leaflets in the leaf showed the highest (2.5 mg cm-2) and the upper positioned top leaflets showed the lowest MDCC (1.7 mg cm-2), respectively. Also, SEM showed a sign of covering or entering dust particles into the stomata with possible stomata clog and blockage lead to the significant reduction of photosynthesis and crop yield. Besides, pollinated trees showed the maximum crop yield (59.17 Kg tree-1), so the minimum yield was recorded on un-pollinated palm trees (1.90 Kg tree-1).
| Page 1 from 1 |