Comparative Advantage

Given the growing importance of foreign trade, especially for Iran, as well as the importance of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) , the main purpose of this study is to examine Iran's trade potential with the CIS during the time period 2014-2018. In this regard, by using Allen and Drysdale indices, we have firstly examined Iran's trade similarity with CIS countries. Then, the competitiveness has been evaluated by calculating RCA and Lafay indicators. Finally, based on RCA, Lafay and total trade potential criteria, Iran's trade potential with CIS countries has been measured. According to the study, Iran's trade potential with the CIS region varies between $ 19 billion and $ 30 billion during the time period, and Iran has used only less than 10 percent of its existing trade potential with this region. During the period, Iran has a comparative advantage in more than 400 commoditiy groups, and according to the RCA index, the most important competitive commodity groups are generally primary goods, based on natural resources, agriculture and oil. Also, according to the Lafay Index for 2018, Iran has about 500 commodity groups with a positive index, and there is a significant balance in favor of this group of commodities. Given some significant capacities and advantages over the CIS, Iran should develop its trade with this region, taking into account national interests.

The new structural economics approach to industrial policy is to follow a strategy of comparative advantage. According to this thinking, determining the relative prices of production factors by the market mechanism and providing the soft and hard infrastructure required by the government for industries that are compatible with the production factor’s structure, are the two determining factors of industrial development strategy. Considering that one of the key hypotheses of this approach is to increase economic growth as a result of comparative advantage following policy, this study has tried to test this hypothesis in the provinces of Iran in the period of 2005-2017 using the GMM. The findings of this study show that the hypothesis is confirmed at the level of Iranian provinces; Also, the change in the model estimation method did not change the research findings, so it is reliable. Therefore, it is recommended that policy makers consider the policy of following the comparative advantage of the region in designing the industrial development strategy.