Mohammad Torshizi, Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics, University of Saskatchewan.

Email

torshizi@ualberta.ca

Job/Research Area

My research is motivated by solving problems that matter the most to the welfare and prosperity of current and future generations, particularly in the agriculture and food sector. As an applied economist, my research targets studying market inefficiencies, using microeconomic and industrial organization theories and quantitative methods. Broadly speaking, my research usually falls within the domains of economics of competition, economics of innovation, and interactions of the two. Since I am fascinated by economic agents' strategic bahaviour, I often find myself looking at issues in these fields from the perspective of economics of strategy: 

• How does the sequential and cumulative nature of innovation impact pricing behaviour of firms? 

• How are the economic incentives for anticompetitive behaviour different at firm level and at ownership level? What are horizontal shareholders incentives for anticompetitive behaviour? Is there any natural mechanism to stop them from engaging in such a behaviour? 

• Why is negative marketing becoming more popular in the food sector? How does this impact competition?  

• How do railways maximize profit under regulations and capacity constraint?            

These are the type of questions that I try to tackle in my research. More specifically, I have been involved in research in the following areas:

• Institutional Investment and Common Ownership in Agricultural and Food Markets;
• Economics of Innovation in Agricultural Input Industries;
  
• Impact of Negative Marketing on Preferences and Competition;
• Grain Transportation and Handling in Canada.
  

Awards

• 2014 North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Graduate Student Teacher Award;
• 2015/16 Sask Wheat Pool President’s Fellowship in Agri-Business;
• University of Saskatchewan 2012-13 Teacher Scholar Doctoral Fellowship;
• Canadian Wheat Board Graduate Fellowship Award 2011-12;

Research Interests

• Economics of Competition; 
• Role of Institutional Investors in Global Food Systems;
• Product Differentiation, Commercialization and Life Cycles;
• Strategic Management in Agricultural and Food Industries;
• Business Venture Management;
• Commodity Marketing, Handling, and Transportation

Recent Publications

• Hosseini S.H., R. Gray, and M. Torshizi. 2018. Firms’ Incentives for Cross-Licensing in the Presence of Technological Improvement. Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 67(1): 115-130.  
• Torshizi, M., R. Gray and M. Fulton. 2018. Non-linear Demand in Linear Town. Journal of Agricultural and Food Industrial Organization, 16(2): 1-12.
• Torshizi, M. and R. Gray. 2018. An Economic Analysis of Western Canadian Grain Export Capacity. Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 66(2): 255-282.
• Torshizi, M. and R. Gray. 2017. Export Spread, Farmer Revenue and Grain Export Capacity in Western Canada. Journal of Transportation Research Forum, 56(1): 93-114.
• Hosseini S.S. and M. Torshizi. 2011. Pursuing International Competitiveness in Iranian Wheat Policy. International Journal of Agricultural Management & Development, 1(3): 169-179.

Recent Conference Presentations

• Torshizi, M., and J. Clapp. 2019. Price Effects of Common Ownership in the Seed Sector. International Studies Conference, March 25-30, 2019, Toronto. 
• Torshizi, M. 2018. Burger Thy Neighbour: Effect of Hostile Advertising on Competition. International Conference of Agricultural Economists, June 27-August 2, 2018, Vancouver. 
• Torshizi, M. 2017. A New Approach to Estimate Crop Adoption Models. Canadian Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting, June 18-21, 2017, Montreal. 
• Torshizi, M. 2017. Rail Capacity, Freight Rates and Removal of the Maximum Revenue Entitlement Program. Canadian Transportation Research Forum, May 28-31, 2017, Winnipeg. 

Courses:

• AREC 323: Introduction to Management for Agri-Food, Environmental, and Forestry Businesses
• AREC 423: Advanced Management Methods and Applications for Agri-Food, Environmental and Forestry Businesses
• AREC 433 - Financial Management in Resource Industries

Supervised Business Plans:

• 2019. Island Seaweed: Cattle and Equine Supplement
• 2019. Anthony at Your Service: Delivery Service with Intellectually Disabled Agents
• 2019. Little Turd’s Tea: Natural Steeped Tea Fertilizer
• 2019. Myco Innovations: Mushroom Extracts and Grow Kits
• 2019. Ruby Apron: Cooking and Baking Lessons
• 2019. Fungi Akuafo: Mushroom Spawn
• 2018. A Hemp Processing Plant for Haarsma Farms
• 2018. Alvims Fine Foods: Gluten-Free Cheese Rolls
• 2018. Range Road Meat’s Bone Broth
• 2017. Gourmet Mushroom Farm’s Expansion 
• 2017. Range Road Meat’s Healthy Beef Jerky 
• 2017. A Franchise Model for Mut Hut Pet Emporium Inc. 
• 2017. A Feasibility Study for West-Central Forage Association 
• 2017. Northland’s Urban Farm 
• 2016. AMRIC Seed Solutions (mobile grain cleaning business)
• 2016. Beaver Creek Riding and Boarding Stables
• 2016. Golden West Custom Applicators
• 2016. Mistawasis First Nation Cow-Calf Operation
• 2016. Prairieland Bull Evaluation Center
• 2016. Saskatchewan Grain Marketing
• 2016. ÜGrain: A Spoiled Grain Marketing App
• 2015. 3 to 1 Mobile Seed Cleaning
• 2015. Baggers Extractors and Rollers (International Marketing and Distribution)
• 2015. Picture Butte Corral Cleaning
• 2015. Saskatchewan Natural Gas Farm Solutions (SNGFS)
• 2015. Langham Loaders Producer Car Loading Facility
• 2015. Prairie West Agronomy (PWA) Independent Agronomy Service
• 2015. Santa Fe Food Company
• 2015. Tube Canada Hyperloop Transportation 
• 2015. Upside Grains Marketing and Transportation
• 2015. Ancient Oils Edible Oil Processing
• 2015. FarmCodes Inventory-Tracking App
• 2015. First Flight Custom Spraying
• 2015. DD Ag Service (agricultural service repair)
• 2015. Ullyott Power Wash (UPW) Mobile Pressure-Washing Service
• 2015. FenderXTender
• 2015. Works and Days Winery
• 2014. East Central Custom Spraying
• 2014. Farmer Food Services
• 2014. Rayner Dairy Ice Cream
• 2014. Rippling Hills Farms (RHF) Goat Dairy and Processing Plant
• 2014. TollFlight Crop Scouting and Drone Aerial Imaging
• 2014. Rayner Dairy Barn Waste Management

Grain Transportation News: 

Western Canadian Grain Export Capacity with Dr. Mohammad Torshizi - CTV Farmgate 10/12/16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=648TkEQfLaU

Poor planning by railways leading to losses for farmers: https://www.folio.ca/poor-planning-by-railways-leading-to-losses-for-farmers/