Country image formation,stability, and change: a longitudinal assessment of consumers’ image of Azerbaijan

In 2012, Azerbaijan hosted the Eurovision Song Contest. For this emerging tourism-oriented country, the cultural mega-event represented a unique opportunity to present itself to a broad international public and construct a positive country image. The present longitudinal study explores how consumer images of Azerbaijan as a country were formed and changed as a result of the nation’s hosting of this event. By measuring the same respondents’ country image evaluations before and after the event, the present findings shed light on consumers’ processes of country-image formation and illuminate the event’s impact on Azerbaijan’s country image.     

Barriers to the development of medical tourism in East Azerbaijan province,Iran: A qualitative study

The purpose of the present study was to determine factors impeding the development of medical tourism in East Azerbaijan province, Iran. The data were derived from interviews with 16 key informants. Data analysis of the study was conducted through employing the software MAXQDA-12. The results show that marketing, international issues, culture, transfer, brokerage, management, and policy problems are the main barriers to the development of medical tourism. It seems that East Azerbaijan province should provide necessary context for the participation and investment of private sector in the field of medical tourism. Further, it should design and implement long and short-term strategies in proportion to the problems raised.     

Investigating the Role of Exporting Skills of Apple Exporters in Apple Export Development (Case Study: West Azerbaijan)

The purpose of this research was to study the role of the exporting skills of apple exporters in export development. This study showed significantly positively correlation between communicational skills, knowing business rules and regulations, organizational and management skills, selling and marketing skills, skills in customer orientation and presenting high quality services and export knowledge with the export quantity. Correlation coefficient of demographic characteristics and the dependent variable (export quantity) was significantly positive. Results of multivariate regression analyses of export skills showed that 55% of variation in the dependent variable could be explained by three independent variables: recognizing export knowledge, selling and marketing skills, and knowing business rules and regulations. Also, results of multivariate regression analyses of demographic characteristics demonstrated that 42% of variation in dependent variables could be explained by three independent variables: recognizing of participation in export learning classes, age, and experience in apple exporting.     

Is there a J-curve for Azerbaijan? New evidence from industry-level analysis

This paper estimates the J-curve for Azerbaijan using quarterly industry-level data over the 2000–2009 period. Empirical results show that in 3 of the 10 strategic industries there is strong evidence for the fulfilment of the Marshall–Lerner condition, as the trade balance improves in the long run in reaction to a currency devaluation. In most industries the J-curve pattern is observed in the short run. All 10 cases exhibit long-run cointegration and are stable according to the CUSUM and CUSUMSQ stability tests. These findings are largely consistent with the existing literature on the Azerbaijani J-curve and carry important policy implications.     

The impact of oil price changes on selected macroeconomic indicators in Azerbaijan

We examine the relationship between oil price fluctuations and economic activity in Azerbaijan using vector autoregressive models for the period 2002Q1–2018Q4. Our key results are as follows. First, growth in the gross domestic product (GDP) decreases after oil price innovations in the oil and gas sector and in the remainder of the economy. Downturns (upswings) in the oil and gas sector also prompt downturns (upswings) in the non-oil sector as fluctuations in oil revenues affect the government's capacity to subsidize the rest of the economy. Second, oil price innovations also lead to higher inflation in Azerbaijan. In response to the required tightening of monetary policy, the manat appreciates against the US dollar. Finally, GDP effects are primarily seen after oil price increases, whereas the interest rate and the exchange rate mainly react to decreases. Inflation increases after both types of shocks, due to either the accommodative monetary policy stance in the case of oil price decreases or the shock itself in the case of increases.     

Development of the ICT sector and the determinants of Internet use in the Southern Caucasus

This paper examines Internet use in the Southern Caucasus by qualitative and quantitative methods. Firstly, as the developments in ICTs affect Internet use, the macroeconomic problems faced in the development of the sector are qualitatively analyzed. It is seen that high Internet service prices, government dominance, and lack of competition in the ICT sector as well as the wars in some regions are obstacles to Internet use. Finally, the determinants of Internet use are explored using survey data and employing microeconometric techniques considering sample selection. The empirical findings, inter alia, indicate that key variables contributing to frequent Internet use are computer ability in Armenia and computer ownership in Azerbaijan, and mobile phone ownership in Georgia.