Ehsan Soltanifar

Composition of the Jury

Abstract

Given the limited qualitative, multidisciplinary, and methodological research available on identifying international opportunities for emerging economies, and inspired by several rounds of dialogue between Iran and global powers, this thesis attempts to develop an analytical framework for identifying international opportunities and analyzing business relations between two countries. This framework is implemented in a case study designed to explore and leverage development opportunities between Iran and France. The first chapter is devoted to a literature review in three areas: international affairs, international trade, and entrepreneurship. This review identifies and recognizes the six main themes related to opportunity recognition. The second chapter presents the methodological aspects of opportunity recognition. The research strategy, plan, and method are chosen: the research strategy is a mixed-methods qualitative approach, the research plan is a case study, and structural analysis is used for data collection and analysis. The structure of the data collection and analysis is then presented. The analytical framework is a 6xn matrix representing the intersections between two lists, consisting of n rows and 6 columns. The columns correspond to the 6 "themes" of the recognition of an international opportunity (ROI), and the rows correspond to the n data sources. At the end of the chapter, the choice of trade relations between Iran and France as the research focus is justified. Chapter 3 presents the implementation of the research, how the data are synthesized, and the results obtained. The research is based on conducting 26 interviews, analyzing 54 documents, and carrying out 10 observations. The content of the data thus collected was distributed by row across the 6 columns of the matrix. The content of each column is then synthesized using four qualitative techniques simultaneously. This allows for an update of the challenges facing trade promotion between Iran and France, the causes of these challenges, bilateral business opportunities, and some proposals for their exploitation. Methodologically, the analysis reveals that using a suitable ROI (Return on Investment) process makes it possible to connect disparate points, identify logic within seemingly independent data, trends, and events, and ultimately pinpoint business opportunities. Regarding Iran-France relations, the conclusion is that France's organization is "large and fragile, at least in its relations with Iran," while some of its competitors, such as Italy and especially Germany, have established a "small and agile" trade system with Iran. To address this issue, explanations and policy proposals are offered. Further insights, clarifications, explanations, and a socio-economic analysis are provided as outcomes of implementing the analytical framework. The presented framework and methodology can be used by international business consultants, trade development agencies, chambers of commerce, and multinational corporations. They will enable them to analyze, explore, target, evaluate, and capitalize on international business opportunities in emerging economies or between business zones.
 

Read the thesis