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ِArticle: "Economics 101: GCC states need to do more to encourage SME-led innovation"

2/25/2017

Published in The National

The high wages and secure jobs that GCC public sectors offer to their citizens undermine the incentive to work in a SME, either as a dynamic entrepreneur or as a regular employee. Given how important SME-led innovation is to the performance of conventional economies, what can the GCC countries do to improve the contribution of their SMEs?

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Article: "Economics 101: What SMEs need if they are to flourish in the Gulf"

2/19/2017

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Published in The National

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a critical component of traditional economies, accounting for about 65 per cent of jobs in the OECD member nations and representing a key source of innovation. In the GCC, they employ a much lower percentage of the workforce (60 per cent in Saudi Arabia, 43 per cent in Oman, and 20 per cent in Qatar), with a disproportionate representation of cheap foreign labour, and their contribution to innovation is almost nil. Why is this the case?

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Article: "Making the Best of Consultants in the GCC" (coauthored with Cameron Mirza)

2/17/2017

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Published in the LSE Middle East Center Blog
النسخة العربية أدناه

Falling oil prices have forced the GCC countries to revise or, in the case of Saudi Arabia, launch their economic visions, creating a potentially important role for consultants. According to Global Research Saudi Arabia’s consulting market expanded by 14.8 percent to $1.25 billion in 2015, accounting for almost half of the robust GCC consulting market, which itself grew by 9.4 percent. How can the GCC countries get the best out of the expert advice on offer?

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فرض تراجع أسعار النفط على الدول الخليجية مراجعة رؤاها الاقتصادية – أو إطلاقها في حالة السعودية – مما يخلق دوراً ربما مهماً للاستشاريين. فحسب دراسة لـ «جلوبل ريسيرش»، نمت سوق الخدمات الاستشارية في السعودية بنسبة 14.8% في عام 2015، إذ بلغ حجمها 1.25 مليار دولار، وأصبحت السوق السعودية تمثل تقريباً نصف السوق المتينة لدى الدول الخليجية، التي نمت بنسبة 9.4%. كيف يمكن لدول مجلس التعاون أن تستفيد إلى أكثر حد من الخدمات الاستشارية التي يعرضها الخبراء؟ـ

المزيد

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Article: "How can we reconcile hating free trade and loving technological progress?"

2/14/2017

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Published in US News

"Such then is the human condition, that to wish greatness for one's country is to wish harm to one's neighbors," reflected the French philosopher Voltaire. This adversarial perspective toward foreign relations is alive and well today, as evidenced in the Brexit vote and the U.S. presidential elections. And while anti-free-trade sentiment is mainstream, it's worth reflecting upon how difficult it is to reconcile pro-protectionism with the near-universal love of technological progress.

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Article: "Economics 101: Ratings agencies’ reports should be read with an open mind"

2/11/2017

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Published in The National

Standard & Poor’s on January 27 downgraded Sharjah’s sovereign debt rating, meaning that the emirate will have to offer higher rates of interest to attract creditors. Credit-ratings agencies have been actively downgrading GCC sovereign debt ratings during the 2014-2016 oil price crash. How are such decisions made, and are they trustworthy?

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ِArticle: "Economics 101: GCC states need to do more to encourage SME-led innovation"

Article: "Economics 101: What SMEs need if they are to flourish in the Gulf"

Article: "Making the Best of Consultants in the GCC" (coauthored with Cameron Mirza)

Article: "How can we reconcile hating free trade and loving technological progress?"

Article: "Economics 101: Ratings agencies’ reports should be read with an open mind"

Omar Al-Ubaydli

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