Strategic adaptation of small and medium-sized enterprises in economic santioned nations: The case of Iran

Problem. The primary purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of the rounds of sanctions imposed on Iran's import and export industries, and to determine the successful adaptation of particular industries to a new series of imposed policies.;The current study was designed to investigate the adaptation practices of private small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), operating in the diverse Iranian importing and exporting industries under different series of sanctions. Little information is available about adaptation practices within private Iranian organizations in the sanction era.;Method. The main data for this study will be secondary and the researcher will utilize a quantitative analysis to measure the data based on available, official government statistics. Little information is available regarding strategic adaptation under sanction practices within private Iranian organizations. Since the current study will be conducted to explore a process that had not been previously examined, a small section will be given to the result of a qualitative analysis.;To ensure the accuracy of the results, the national associations of industries under investigation have been selected: Iran's Pistachio Association, and the Iranian Association of Carpet Producers and Exporters. Each industry will be looked into on a yearly sales basis. Subsequently, means for each sanction (periods of sanctions may vary from nine months to more than a decade), will be calculated for each individual industry.;The statistical method for testing the null hypothesis (i.e. that the means of several populations are equal), is analysis of variance (ANOVA).;Consequently, an ANOVA must be run to observe any significant relationship between each round of sanctions with each particular industry. The next step would be to measure post hoc test. The rationale behind selection of post hoc test is to reduce the inaccuracies as much as possible. While measuring a t-test, controls of errors would be difficult, and a f-test will prove if there is a significant difference; post hoc tests will compare each round of sanctions with specific industries, and show which exact round had the most significant impact.;After utilizing the aforementioned methodologies, in the instance that three of the sanctions have less effect, and nevertheless the fourth sanction has a more severe effect, running a contrast statistical method is recommended.;Results. After running ANOVA, the result confirmed significant differences in two industries auto parts and Persian rugs. The result of the study demonstrated that the auto parts industry had significant changes throughout the four rounds of sanctions. However, the study shows importation has increased as opposed to decreased.;In the case of Persian rugs, the industry has undergone a significant decline of exportation as a result of each series of sanction. The result did not demonstrate any significant differences among pistachio and electronic parts in any round of sanctions.