Entrepreneurs who launch successful businesses create employment, expand market segments, increase production and services, and bring new vigor to their communities. Growing evidence shows a positive correlation between the rate of new business start-up and economic growth, creation of jobs for young workers, and modernization of business.
However, experts also agree that in a fast-moving, technology-rich, and knowledge-centric world, it is difficult to acquire all the skills of entrepreneurship through training. Today's educated entrepreneurs succeed not because they have degrees, but because they are innovative risk-takers. Universities are factories for turning out risk-averse civil servants and middle managers: the sort entrepreneurs can always hire to mitigate the bureaucracies of regulation, taxes and government interference.
But entrepreneurs must themselves be willing to take risks. There can be no college curriculum for the entrepreneur. A curriculum full of 'answers' trains, it does not educate. And yet, colleges and universities across the Gulf region are attempting to train future entrepreneurs. Some have been more successful than others.
However, the Middle East lags behind in entrepreneurship and innovation compared to the rest of the developing world. According to the 2002 and 2003 United Nations Arab Human Development Reports (AHDR), knowledge creation and entrepreneurship represent a formidable challenge to the region.
The quickest way to measure entrepreneurship and innovation is through the number of patents - the legal protection the world gives to new ideas and inventions. These are universally regarded as a good measure of the quality of a country's educational system, its entrepreneurship, and its innovation. Between 1980 and 1999, the nine leading Arab economies - each built on oil wealth - registered only 370 patents. During that same period, South Korea alone registered 16,328 patents.
It is clear there is a knowledge gap and an urgent need to increase innovation and encourage entrepreneurship in the Gulf. How do we approach this difficult task? The answer cannot be a catch-all approach in the form of regulations or the establishment of government agencies. Instead, it must be based on a process of engagement that forms partnerships between colleges and universities on one hand, and public and private institutions on the other.
Clearly, governments must play a leading role in providing economic incentives and reforming the educational system throughout the Arab world. However, higher educational institutions must also be proactive and initiate programs to engage the young entrepreneur and partner with the business community.
It is in this spirit that Zayed University's Institute for Technological Innovation and AME Info have partnered to launch the "e-entrepreneur Column," a weekly journal which focuses on innovation and entrepreneurship, featured on http://www.ameinfo.com.
The column provides a platform for young entrepreneurs to exhibit their creativity and talent to address e-business and technology issues pertinent to the UAE and the Gulf region. The articles may express opinions or offer advice, consist of an analysis or review of e-business issues, or may be designed to raise awareness of current or future business and technology issues.
Alternatively, articles may focus on experimentation, adaptation of ideas or business practices, or offer new and innovative approaches and ideas relevant to today's business world.
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A new voice for young Arab entrepreneurs (page 1 of 2)
- United Arab Emirates: Saturday, January 29 - 2005 at 13:31
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Policymakers and experts worldwide recognize the importance of entrepreneurship for economic growth in developed and developing countries. Gulf region policymakers are no exception: they realize that new, dynamic enterprises contribute to the economic development of their respective countries and to the region as a whole.
Dr. Abonamah, Director of the ITI at Zayed University
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Dr. Abdullah Abonamah, Director of the ITI at Zayed UniversitySaturday, January 29 - 2005 at 13:31 UAE local time (GMT+4)
Replication or redistribution in whole or in part is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AME Info FZ LLC / Emap Limited.
This article was updated on Sat May 26 2007.
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Dr. Abonamah was appointed to the position of Director of the ITI at Zayed University in January 2003. He came to this post from the position of Assistant Dean in the College of Information Systems.
He is also the Project Director for the 'Zayed University e-biz challenge.' He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the Illinois Institute of Technology (U.S.A.)
Before coming to the U.A.E., Dr. Abonamah taught computer and mathematical science courses at the Universities of Akron and Wisconsin. He was also Vice President of Engineering for a telecommunications company in Akron, Ohio.
Dr. Abonamah has a US patent in the area of "fault tolerant computing systems" and has been the recipient of several research grants. He has also published many scientific articles in the areas of information technology, computer science and computer engineering.
He is also the Project Director for the 'Zayed University e-biz challenge.' He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the Illinois Institute of Technology (U.S.A.)
Before coming to the U.A.E., Dr. Abonamah taught computer and mathematical science courses at the Universities of Akron and Wisconsin. He was also Vice President of Engineering for a telecommunications company in Akron, Ohio.
Dr. Abonamah has a US patent in the area of "fault tolerant computing systems" and has been the recipient of several research grants. He has also published many scientific articles in the areas of information technology, computer science and computer engineering.
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Articles are sent for review to selected members of the editorial board, and may be published with revisions. Alternately, students may be asked to re-write sections of their articles for clarity or consistency. All articles should be original and should be authored by students under the guidance of a faculty member.
Articles may be forwarded, downloaded, and printed, however credit should be given at all times to the authors, to the publisher AME Info, and to the Zayed University e-Entrepreneur Column, run by the Institute for Technological Innnovation (ITI), who own the copyright.
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Articles may be forwarded, downloaded, and printed, however credit should be given at all times to the authors, to the publisher AME Info, and to the Zayed University e-Entrepreneur Column, run by the Institute for Technological Innnovation (ITI), who own the copyright.
Neither AME Info nor the Zayed University ITI accept responsibility for statements or opinions expressed contributors and consequently accept no liability for damages that may result from use of the journal or advice given.
