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Knowledge-based economies and basing economies on knowledge: skills a missing link in GCC countries

While an information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure is a crucial ingredient of a knowledge-based... Show more
While an information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure is a crucial ingredient of a knowledge-based economy (KBE), a skilled labor force (human capital) and a supportive institutional and business environment are equally important ingredients to facilitate the appropriate use of knowledge for an economy’s level of development to increase productivity in all its activities. While skills, education, and training are given their own importance in many countries, these factors are not given as much attention as technologies in discussions of the knowledge economy. Without sufficient human capital and the appropriate policies in place to take advantage of adopted technologies, their potential is unlikely to be realized. In this paper, [the authors] adopt a cross-country perspective to assess the progress of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries on various dimensions of a knowledge economy, using indicators and sub-indicators developed by various organizations. [The authors] find that the GCC countries have performed well in providing a physical ICT infrastructure, but need to focus more on human capital and the business environment in order to foster the balanced development of their knowledge economies.
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Authors: Kumar, Krishna B.; Welsum, Desiree van

Date: 2013

Geographic subjects: Arab countries; Middle East

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Subjects: Economics; Technology; Workforce development ... [+] Show more
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Transitions between informal and formal employment: results from a worker survey in Bangladesh

We study transitions between different types of formal and informal employment using retrospective job histories fr... Show more
We study transitions between different types of formal and informal employment using retrospective job histories from a new survey in Bangladesh. Workers transitioning between jobs are most likely to remain in the same type of employment, although there is still substantial churn across employment types. Private wage employees have higher probability of transitioning to a new job, and changes in earnings and benefits suggest evidence of upward mobility. Nevertheless, there is also non-trivial risk of downward mobility, especially for those transitioning into casual employment, which has the lowest level of earnings and benefits and the highest levels of exposure to workplace hazards and violence. Overall, the informal sector appears to include subpopulations consistent with both the traditional view that it is a segmented portion of the labor market with few prospects of upward mobility, and with the alternative view that it is a dynamic, entrepreneurial alternative to wage employment.
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Authors: Gutierrez, Italo A.; Kumar, Krishna B.; Mahmud, Minhaj; Munshi, Farzana ... [+] Show more

Date: 2019

Geographic subjects: Bangladesh; Asia

Resource type: Article

Journal title: IZA journal of development and migration

Subjects: Employment; Labour market; Governance ... [+] Show more
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How effective are different approaches to higher education provision in increasing access, quality and completion for students in developing countries?: does this differ by gender of students?

This review focuses on how to effectively increase access to and quality in higher education in developing countrie... Show more
This review focuses on how to effectively increase access to and quality in higher education in developing countries. One hundred and seventy-five research papers on the impact of higher education policies and methods of provision on access, quality and gender issues in developing countries, available in English language, were systematically reviewed. The majority of the studies fell into six main categories: affirmative action; cross-border, distance and open education; financial policies/programmes (including cost-sharing policies and student loan programmes); technical and vocational education and training (TVET); and institutional type.
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Authors: Clifford, Megan; Miller, Trey; Stasz, Cathleen; Goldman, Charles ... [+] Show more

Date: 2013

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: EPPI-Centre report

Subjects: Governance; Quality; Gender ... [+] Show more
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Opportunities for all: mutually beneficial opportunities for Syrians and host countries in Middle Eastern labor markets

The Syrian Civil War has displaced 60 per cent of the country's population. Six million refugees live in neighborin... Show more
The Syrian Civil War has displaced 60 per cent of the country's population. Six million refugees live in neighboring countries in the Middle East. Such a large refugee influx has been a severe strain to these countries' labor markets, public services, and social cohesion. This RAND report examines the problems of and opportunities for the labor market for displaced Syrians in Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon. The authors used multiple methods: interviews with stakeholders, focus groups with Syrian and host country workers, in-depth interviews with firms, and surveys of firms and Syrian households. The existing skill sets of the Syrians are compared to the needs of each country's labor market; and the steps needed to improve the overall economic climate and strategies for preserving and improving social cohesion of refugees and host communities are examined. Each country has its specific challenges. For example, in Turkey a key barrier for the refugees was the ability to speak the language. In Jordan and Lebanon, the existing economic slowdowns and lack of jobs were exacerbated by the arrival of the refugees. Working legally was a challenge in all countries. The authors conclude with recommendations tailored to each country. Some of these include offering language classes (in the case of Turkey); assessing geographic areas where jobs are needed and enabling migrants to move to these regions; improving each country's worker certification process so that qualified migrants can get jobs within their area of expertise; investing in infrastructure projects and better training courses; and improving the business environment for all.
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Authors: Kumar, Krishna B.; Culbertson, Shelly; Constant, Louay; Nataraj, Shanthi ... [+] Show more

Date: 2018

Geographic subjects: Syria; Lebanon; Jordan ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: RAND research report

Subjects: Culture and society; Equity; Employment ... [+] Show more

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Knowledge-based economies and basing economies on knowledge: skills a missing link in GCC countries

Transitions between informal and formal employment: results from a worker survey in Bangladesh

How effective are different approaches to higher education provision in increasing access, quality and completion for students in developing countries?: does this differ by gender of students?

Opportunities for all: mutually beneficial opportunities for Syrians and host countries in Middle Eastern labor markets