ME PoV Fall 2010 issue

About this issue

Innovation is shifting the way we learn. Press any word on a digital reader and the definition bounces right off the page. The Internet provides a wealth of information that is no longer quantifiable. With technology advancing in leaps and bounds, the learning process is as present in the classroom as it is under one’s fingertips.

This shift in learning processes has many governments re-evaluating their education systems and in some cases, the response is simply to pour more money into the education sector.

But spending on education per se will not necessarily yield the desired results, a point made by the World Economic Forum’s Global Education Initiative (GEI). The primary objective of the GEI is to “raise awareness and support the implementation of relevant, sustainable and scalable national education sector plans on a global level through the increased engagement of the private sector.”

Education and talent

There is nothing new about the inextricable link between education and talent for success in today’s business environment. What is new is that never has there been more of an emphasis on talent, with all that the word embodies and never has the resource pool in the region been faced with as many challenges as it faces today.

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Wanted: a national labor force

Delivering a skilled national workforce is one of the most critical challenges facing the GCC countries from an economic security and a social inclusion perspective. This article will address root causes for what is called “structural unemployment” and mitigation policies and measures that could help governments reverse the equation.

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Geared to exploit opportunities

World GDPs are set to normalize in the next few years and Oman’s oil industry is set for continual growth.

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Strategy execution challenges

It goes without saying that the excellent execution of business strategy is a vital element for the success of any business. But very few businesses, in the Middle East especially, can proclaim a solid, long-term business strategy, let alone the successful execution of one.

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The faceless threat

Deloitte’s 7th Annual Financial Services Global Security Survey ‘The Faceless Threat’ was released earlier this year and represents the input of senior IT executives at nearly 27 percent of the top 100 global financial services firms. But what distinguishes this year’s version is the strong participation from Middle East (ME) institutions – so significant in fact, that for the first time the Middle East has been included as a separate discussion in the survey.

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The Chief Risk Officer

As enterprise Risk Management increasingly becomes a regulatory requirement within the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the wider Middle East region, we take a look at the merits of the Chief Risk Officer and the requirements for their success.

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It takes two

Infrastructure development, as has been demonstrated in other parts of the globe, is crucial in meeting a region's social challenges. However, infrastructure investment in the GCC has not kept pace with the region's rapid economic and population growth. Unless infrastructure spending surpasses other planned investment. GCC countries will be unable to effectively meet their economic growth targets.

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The battle for brands in a world of private labels

Many consumers increasingly sense a diminishing discrepancy between the quality of national brands and their private label counterparts as retailers sharpen their focus on store brands and garner loyalty, and consumer product companies cede connections to retailers and increasingly knowledgeable customers.

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Seeing the big picture

Communication has come a long way since the first letters of the alphabet. What about the Middle East region? Where are we in terms of corporate communication in general?  In general, companies will go for the deliverable they’re after – a logo, a website or other. But in order to achieve the communication goal they’re seeking, whether for a logo or a website, both deliverables should be part of a bigger picture.

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Paying a heavy price

Point of View recently interviewed HRH Princess Dina Mired of Jordan, Director General of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation, for an insightful look into cancer, both globally and in the Middle East region.

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