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accentuate on the programs advocated by the IMF and the World Bank from the model known as the "Integrated Model IMF-World Bank". This research makes a comprehensive evaluation of the applicability of this model to analyze the performance of adjustment programs in the case of six countries in the Mediterranean and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, namely, Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey during the period 1974-2006. We analyze also the effects of different policies (domestic credit, government spending, tax proceeds and exchange rate), on three objectives: growth, balance of payment equilibrium and inflation. Regarding to our results, the model gives us good economic comparison among these countries. Turkey is the closet to the anticipation of the model. For all of the countries there is a downward trend in domestic prices. Thus balance of payments is considered as the priority and inflation remains the second goal of the model. Therefore the model is not capable of giving a complete package of policy for no country.   JEL Classification: O10, O49  

In this paper, we empirically investigate the relationship between oil price changes and output in a group of oil exporting countries. The dynamics of business cycles in Libya, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Kuwait, Venezuela and Qatar are modeled by alternative regime switching models. We show that the extension of uni-variate Markov Switching model in order to include oil revenue improves dating business cycles in these economies. For all countries, the optimal specification suggested by the data is to consider three cycles or regimes, namely, high growth, mild growth, and recession. These three regimes can be associated to high positive oil shock, mild positive oil shock and negative oil price shock. An interesting finding of the paper is that there is a variety of relationships between oil price shocks and business cycles. Thus, in order to see the effects of an oil price shock one should take into consideration the economic regime when the oil price shock hits the economy. Therefore, it is not possible to talk about a general relationship between oil price shocks and macroeconomic variables for all the main oil exporting countries. JEL Classification: E31, E32, E52, Q41

Urban heat island is a phenomenon caused by increased urban activities and transformations in the natural environment. Increased urban population and increase in the height of buildings, particularly in metropolitan areas, have led to vast changes in the urban geometry, amount of released heat, pollution rate, and meteorological parameters. All these factors contribute to the occurrence of heat island phenomenon in urban areas. Sky View Factor (SVF) is one of the main factors related to pollution, temperature variations, heat island, and other environmental parameters. Housing density policies stipulated in Tehran's detailed plan would possibly have several impacts on the sky view factor. The SVF axis of the Envi-met software uses various parameters such as topography, wind velocity, and urban morphology to simulate and measure sky view factor. This study aims to evaluate impacts of the future high-rise developments, in the Narmak neighborhood of Tehran through modeling future changes in the sky view factor. For this purpose, data related to Haft Hoz square located in the Narmak neighborhood was collected, simulated and analyzed using SVF. Results indicate that in the business as usual scenario, the factor’s value would be in a range between 0.19 and 0.77; whereas, by implementing the scenario proposed in the detailed plan the factor will decrease to fall in a range between 0.08 and 0.69. This reduction in the intensity will possibly increase heat island impacts in the study area. This study emphasizes the necessity of taking compensatory policy measures and incorporating environmental considerations in urban development plans.