Knowledge-based Activities of Site Selection by Fuzzy ELECTRE Method, Case Study: Tehran Metropolitan Area

This research aims to identify the economic logic in the process of locating and the spatial transmitting of the knowledge-based institutions in Iran while on the macro and micro levels, it seeks to find an optimal location for the knowledge-based activities in Tehran. The research method is mixed and statistical population of this research includes a number of 879 knowledge-based companies which are officially registered in the vice-president of the information technology ministry. In order to identify the impactful criteria on site selection of the corporations in Iran, Delphi method is used. The sample size for the Delphi method includes 50 samples; interviews with managers in the knowledge-based companies. In order to set the extracted priority of the criteria, the Shannon entropy method and MCDM software was employed, then selection of different regions with higher priority was done by overlaying and using the Fuzzy ELECTRE method. On the second step, the mentioned bank of data was setup in GIS using the data from 2010 census and field research, finally a number of locations was specified for the optimal settlement of knowledge-based institutions by using Fuzzy ELECTRE method. Results show that the advantages of using the localization economies are playing a bolder role in site selecting rather than the advantages from the urbanization economies. Results of the local analysis show that the district 5, 2 & 4 have the most attraction for the settlement of active institutions in the field of knowledge.