Determining Appropriate Zones for Knowledge Intensive Firms Site Selection Using GIS: Case Study of Tehran Metropolitan Area

In this study, the integration of fuzzy analytic hierarchy processes (FAHPs) and fuzzy overlays in GIS was used to determine appropriate geographic zones for the establishment of knowledge intensive firms in 22 districts of the Tehran metropolis. According to the theoretical background, a number of criteria were selected for the identification of appropriate geographic zones. The results show that among the selected criteria, proximity to existing knowledge intensity firms, and companies providing information and communication technology (ICT) services, higher education and research centers, being close to convenient transportation network and land use have more important role in the location of firms. According to the findings, among 22 regions, regions 3, 7, 6, 1, 2, 10, 4, 11, and 12 are the most desirable ones for the deployment of firms. Ultimately, regions 6, 7, 3, and 1 have received “very high” priority for the deployment of knowledge intensive firms.