Main Challenges of Globalization of Iran's Cities and Business

Abstract

This paper consists of two sections: First section deals with description of an index of globalization and globalization process of cities, strategies, and also the experience of some of the countries particularly China, India, and small European cities in globalization process. The second part describes the globalization trend of Iran specially after Islamic revolution (1979) and evidences of legislation and establishment of free zones (20 zones), then It determines Iran's situation in globalization process in economical, social and political aspects by the result of usage of Kof and A.T. Kearney indexes. The results of this section indicate not so much good situation of Iran in globalization process based on above-mentioned indexes (the lowest position among 62 countries) and it was completely specified that cities are sub-system of countries. The more any country integrate in global community, the quickly the cities of that country can move towards globalization. The results of this research show this reality that in recent decades Iran has been capitalthropic instead of capital augmenting. The efforts for creating free economic zones to connect Iran to globalization process not only started with delay but due to structural problems have not been so successful as well. Also Iran cities face with serious challenges such as extensive control on different economical, social, informational, cultural sections and lack of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in globalization process.