A new voice for young Arab entrepreneurs

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. The main objective is to create an environment that values innovation and entrepreneurship. Having an article published on the 'e-Entrepreneur Column' will provide exposure to the 1.3 million visitors to AMEinfo.com site every month.

All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of subject-matter experts drawn from business and academia. Authors will be notified of acceptance within one month of submission. An article may be written individually or jointly by students, but must be written in consultation with a faculty adviser.

The article will be accompanied by a short biography of the authors which will be published alongside the article on the Web site. Each month one contribution will be selected and highlighted on the Web site as the 'article of the month'. The author(s) will be awarded a certificate of recognition.

Each year, the top three contributions will be selected and authors will be recognized for their outstanding contributions. Additionally, faculty advisors will be recognized and the student authors will be awarded valuable prizes. More details about the column can be found at www.zu.ac.ae/ecolumn, and authors can submit their articles online.

We believe the 'e-Entrepreneur Column' serves as a good example of the synergy that can be created between academia and business. It is a practical instrument that values and encourages innovation and entrepreneurship. We look forward to your contributions and support.

Dr. Abdullah Abonamah, Editor