Knowledge Economies in the Middle East and North Africa Toward New Development Strategies

by Aubert, Jean-Eric; Reiffers, Jean-Louis

• ISBN13: 9780821357019
• ISBN10: 0821357018
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-01-05
• Publisher: World Bank Publications

Summary

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has been facing considerable economic challenges. Left behind by the industrial revolution, overly dependent on oil resources, and on the fringes of the globalization process, a number of MENA countries have embarked on structural reforms to overcome economic stagnation, mounting unemployment, and increasing poverty. At the same time, there is growing awareness worldwide that the knowledge revolution offers new opportunities for growth resulting from the availability of information and communication technologies and from the advent of a new form of global economic development rooted in the concept of the knowledge economy, which is based on the creation, acquisition, distribution, and use of knowledge.This book, developed from papers prepared for a World Bank sponsored conference, assesses the challenges confronting the region's countries and analyzes their readiness for the knowledge economy based on a set of indicators. It provides quantitative analysis to help benchmark the countries against worldwide knowledge economy trends, identifies key implementation issues, and presents relevant policy experiences.The basic policy elements that underpin a strategy to prepare for a knowledge-based economy are discussed, including: the renovation of education systems, the creation of a climate conducive to innovation, and the development of an efficient telecommunications infrastructure as the foundation of a new era. The formulation of national visions and strategies is also discussed. Examples from the region and other parts of the world illustrate the chapters. A set of data that makes it possible to benchmark and position countries' readiness for the knowledge economy is presented in an appendix.

Table of Contents

Foreword	vii
Acknowledgments	ix
Preface	xi
Overview	1	(4)
The Need for a New Form of Development	1	(1)
A Knowledge-Based Development Process	1	(1)
Readiness for the Knowledge Economy	2	(1)
The Economic and Institutional Regime	2	(1)
Human Resources	3	(1)
Innovation	3	(1)
Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure	3	(1)
New Visions and Strategies	4	(1)
The Challenge: Changing the Growth Model	5	(4)
A Distorted Development Process	5	(1)
Insufficient Growth in an Increasingly Competitive Environment	5	(1)
The Need to Change the Development Model	6	(3)
Knowledge and Economic Development: Recent Trends	9	(8)
The Knowledge-Based Economy	9	(2)
Key Pillars of Knowledge-Based Economies	11	(1)
The Knowledge Economy and Economic Performance	11	(2)
Guidelines and Lessons from International Experience	13	(2)
A New Mindset for Government Action	15	(2)
MENA Countries' Readiness for the Knowledge Economy: A Snapshot	17	(8)
Overall Knowledge Economy Readiness	17	(3)
Economic Incentives and Institutional Framework	20	(1)
Education	21	(1)
Information and Communications Technology Infrastructure	21	(1)
Innovation	22	(3)
Social and Economic Frameworks	25	(8)
Power and Social Structures	25	(1)
Investment Climate	26	(2)
Trade and Economic Integration	28	(2)
Attitudes to Knowledge, Innovation, and Management	30	(3)
Education and Training	33	(8)
Cultural and Linguistic Issues	33	(1)
Education and Social Expectations	34	(1)
Training and Job Markets	34	(3)
An Education Strategy within a Lifelong Learning Perspective	37	(1)
Increasing the Efficacy of Educational and Training Institutions	38	(3)
Innovation and Research	41	(8)
Poorly Developed Innovation Systems	41	(1)
R&D Institutions	41	(1)
Innovation Climate in Industry	42	(2)
Scientific and Technological Performance	44	(1)
Establishing a Coherent Innovation Policy	44	(3)
Conclusion	47	(2)
Telecommunications and the Information Infrastructure	49	(6)
Telecommunications and Related Policies	49	(1)
Policy Trends	49	(2)
The Internet	51	(2)
Providing Access for the Many Modern Forms of Communication	53	(1)
Building Human Capacity for Telecommunications	53	(2)
Visions and Strategies	55	(8)
Selected Country Experiences	55	(2)
MENA Countries	57	(2)
Some Guiding Principles	59	(2)
Regional and International Cooperation	61	(2)
Conclusion	63	(2)
Appendix: Benchmarking MENA Countries' Readiness for the Knowledge Economy	65	(14)
References	79	(2)
Documents Presented at the World Bank Forum on Knowledge for Development in the Middle East and North Africa, September 9--12, 2002, Marseilles, France	81