Journal of the Knowledge Economy

, Volume 6, Issue 4, pp 790–817 | Cite as

Evolution of Mutual Knowledge-Based Economy in Regional Integration: An Experience from the Cooperation Council of Arab States of the Gulf

Article
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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide comparative analyses of the indicators of knowledge-based economy (KBE) in the Cooperation Council of Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) contribute to improve such indicators in one member taking comparative advantages from another member country and vice versa. Furthermore, the study also intends to develop a model of integrating the indicators of KBE in the GCC integration process and the spiral of knowledge conversion model. The paper applies comparative analyses of the indicators of KBE in the GCC. The study applied 26 indicators in five categories. Such categories include: education/talent, economic and institutional regime, innovation, digital economy, and globalization. This study performs analysis of variance (ANOVA) to calculate standard deviation, mean, and confidence interval. The study also carries out ANOVA to compare between and within countries. The required secondary data are obtained from publications, country reports, and existing reports of the international organizations. The ANOVA reveals significant differences in almost all the indicators among the member countries in the GCC. As a result, most of the indicators of KBE outperform in one member country compared to another. Such phenomenon provides GCC countries with an opportunity to gain comparative advantages of one member’s outperforming indicators to improve another member’s poor performing indicators and vice versa considering the privileges of the “GCC Common Market”. The study revealed that the GCC should forward localized and collective microdynamics in education, research, and innovation will contribute to understanding and formulating macrodynamics that positively affect local community, sectors, institutions, and governance arrangements improving the sector-specific indicator of KBE. The GCC also should review the experience of others countries such as Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas helps adjusting local as well as GCC level policies of education, research, and innovation-enhancing knowledge considering its growth orientation, culture, and tradition.

Keywords

GCC Regional integration Knowledge-based economy (KBE) Indicators of KBE 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Faculty of BusinessUniversity College of the North, The PasManitobaCanada

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