ME PoV Fall 2017 issue

About this issue

The world is worried.

Normal. On the cusp between old and new modes of living and operating, it is only natural to feel anxious. Our only other option is to put our head in the sand and wait for the storm to blow over but that will only make us more alien in a world we are already struggling to understand.

Fiction has often depicted machine trying to take over man in a violent battle for supremacy but we can now see that is not the case. The machine is infiltrating our lives, slowly, insidiously, pervasively, making itself indispensable, and making us increasingly dependent on it, sometimes to save our lives. 

But what is scary is not change per se. Change is good. Change is progress and progress in inevitable. At the source of our fear, our worry, our anxiety, is the pace of change. It is this rapid pace of change that is forcing us to adapt, and quickly, our way of thinking, our way of seeing and our way of doing. It is, once again, the fittest, those who are quicker to adapt, who will survive.

We live in a world where we can no longer stop learning, no longer stop developing. At the Middle East Point of View, we are glad to contribute to our readers’ learning experience by continually updating them on the hot topics affecting the Middle East region today.

The Fall 2017 issue tackles several hot topics: from Demystifying innovation, More real than reality, Cherchez l’aiguille, Family business vs. Industry 4.0, A challenging tackle, IFRS 9: ready for impact, I am SAM to a room with a view.

Click the link on the left to access the Fall 2017 issue. Alternatively, you can read each article separately by clicking below.

Demystifying innovation

Innovation has become a central theme in discussions across the Middle East region as countries try to capitalize on the demographic dividend and move away from industries that depend on natural resources.

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Cherchez l’aiguille

The Information Age has revolutionized our lives and the business world. Continued growth of the internet, falling costs of technology and growth of machine-generated data has led to exponential growth in the volumes of data, the variety of data sources and the speed at which data is generated.

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Family business vs. Industry 4.0

A new industrial revolution is upon us, perhaps a little earlier than originally anticipated. Not only is it characterized by a range of new technologies, but these technologies are essentially fusing physical, digital and biological worlds, impacting all disciplines, economies and industries.

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A challenging tackle

The issue of fan engagement is a constant challenge for all sports. Even for football—the world’s most popular sport—determining how best to attract, engage and ultimately leverage the relationship with fans is a top priority for the game’s administrators. 

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I am SAM

Managing and maintaining software assets cannot be neglected, and it is also an overwhelming problem if not planned and executed effectively. Unaccounted-for software or applications within an enterprise could potentially introduce risks related to compliance, operational efficiencies, and security.

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More real than reality

To avoid overwhelming workers and allow the future of work to actually . . . well, work, workers need the ability to sift through it all and determine what is relevant to the task at hand. 

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A room with a view

Despite falling revenues in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region’s hotel sector, the overall number of hotel projects announced continues to rise. What is driving this investment and what is the market outlook for the hotel sector in the region?

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IFRS 9: ready for impact

Pervasive in nature, it introduces a paradigm shift in financial reporting from historical application of impairment reviews for determining allowances to a forward-looking approach (Expected Credit Loss, or ECL, model) reflecting the decision-making process of companies.

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