Shamim Ahmad Siddiqui and Munshi Naser Ibne Afzal
The purpose of this study is to look at the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE's) progress toward economic diversification and becoming a knowledge-based economy.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to look at the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE's) progress toward economic diversification and becoming a knowledge-based economy.
Design/methodology/approach
The World Development Indicators (WDI) and GlobalEconomy websites provided all secondary data for this paper. The data are largely used to highlight the UAE's current level of diversification and, consequently, the atmosphere for a knowledge economy transition necessary for sustainable development. Additionally, the study conducts a nonparametric estimation using DEA to identify the condition of four variables pertaining to the UAE's knowledge economy. The Herfindahl-Hirschman index (HHI) was utilized empirically in this study to determine the current state of diversity.
Findings
According to this research, the UAE economy was reasonably diverse until recently. The number of patents and journal papers published per resident both add to the UAE's GDP. Furthermore, the UAE's information and communication technology (ICT) exports are inconsistent; a declining trend in the number of researchers and the education sector's continuous struggles are major concerns. Furthermore, Figure 1 in the introduction reinforces this conclusion by noting that construction and building remained the greatest employer of labor throughout the time period. This is a significant finding because, as illustrated in this research, low labor force participation in the education sector, combined with lower citizen participation in advanced education in the UAE, results in low scientific research and publications, with low knowledge output as patent applications. In general, the majority of the UAE's population is expat, and the extent to which locals and expats contribute to the overall advancement of education remains an open question. According to the data envelopment analysis (DEA) model, three variables in the knowledge economy are productive, and they are economic incentive and institutional regime, innovation systems and ICT. The findings of this article will aid policymakers in the UAE, and more generally in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, in developing more successful policies that help in the growth of a knowledge- and innovation-based economy.
Practical implications
This study is appropriate for UAE economic policymakers to monitor the state and policies required for the UAE's transition to a knowledge economy.
Originality/value
This issue has rarely been addressed by the use of robust parametric and nonparametric processes, as well as robust data visualization tools.
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Munshi Afzal, Roger Lawrey and Jhalak Gope
The purpose this study is to investigate national innovation systems (NIS) using Porter’s Diamond model (PDM) by examining the five founding member nations of the Association of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose this study is to investigate national innovation systems (NIS) using Porter’s Diamond model (PDM) by examining the five founding member nations of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, for the period 2010-2014 (WCY 2015, WDI 2015).
Design/methodology/approach
PDM of competitiveness helps us understanding a nation’s competitive position in world trade. In exploring the empirical relationship between NISs and PDM, a non-parametric approach has been applied using the Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI). This study focused on representing the PDM in a simplified manner and endeavored to understand NIS more rigorously through PDM. The study has used several innovation input-output variables to investigate the efficiency and productivity of the countries concerned. The accuracy of the study has been enhanced by the use of MPI.
Findings
PDM is found efficacious in the practice and strengthening of NIS in the context of these countries’ competitiveness. This study found unchanged Total Factor Productivity (TFP) for Philippines, Singapore and Thailand; that is technological progress is yet to be obtained. Indonesia lags both in technical and technological progress. On the other hand, Malaysia is found to be over-using the existing input-output factors of NIS.
Originality/value
Many authors have attempted to measure competitiveness and NIS separately in the context of ASEAN or other South-East Asian countries. However, as yet, no empirical investigation has been conducted to assess the competitiveness of a nation by applying NIS-based analysis according to PDM.
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Munshi Naser Ibne Afzal, Kasim Mansur and Umme Humayara Manni
The entrepreneurial capability (EC) environment refers to the general social and economic settings of a given local/regional entrepreneurship environment. The primary purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
The entrepreneurial capability (EC) environment refers to the general social and economic settings of a given local/regional entrepreneurship environment. The primary purpose of this study is to uncover key indicators of the EC milieu and test these components empirically within the context of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)-5 economies to elucidate the current state of their EC environments, at the regional and national levels. To this end, the aim of this study is twofold. First, this work endeavors to explicate the determinants of EC, with aims of elucidating its association to commercial opportunities in (ASEAN)-5 economies, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Next, this study applies the developed theory, including the identified determinants of EC to empirically test the efficiency and imperative coefficients of variables that have an impact on perceived entrepreneurial capabilities within a given environment.
Design/methodology/approach
This research applies two frontier models, namely, the consistent estimation of fixed-effects and linear transformation stochastic frontier models, to assess the coefficients of significant EC variables for the panel sample. Data corresponding to the assessed variables were retrieved from the databases of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) – 2016 and the World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) – 2016, for the period, 2010-2016.
Findings
The attained results suggest that factors corresponding to the variables “Entrepreneurship as a good career choice” and “perceived opportunities” have played a significantly positive role on the EC environment of ASEAN 05, although findings suggest both factors may still be improved upon. Conversely, the “fear of failure rate” factor was shown to have exerted a negative impact on the efficiency of the EC environment of ASEAN 05. Other important variables – such as intellectual property rights, university education and knowledge transfer rate – were shown to generate a positive impact on the EC environment of these economies.
Originality/value
This study makes an important contribution to the entrepreneurship literature and can stimulate policymakers to rethink the EC settings of ASEAN-05 in their pursuit of an innovation-driven region.
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Munshi Naser Ibne Afzal and Akash Kalra
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of pervasive immigrant inflows on GDP productivity growth in selected OECD countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of pervasive immigrant inflows on GDP productivity growth in selected OECD countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the USA. The study aims to consider patent filing residence and non-residence as well as R&D expenditure to see if large immigrant destination countries can accept many immigrants to generate knowledge and creativity and stimulate economic development.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses OECD and WDI data sets from 2000 to 2019 and employs a fundamental correlation matrix and static panel model to analyze the data. The study examines the impact of residential and non-residential patent applications and R&D expenditure on GDP productivity growth in the selected OECD countries.
Findings
The study found an adverse effect for residential patent applications, while non-residential patent application and R&D expenditure variables were strongly linked to GDP productivity. This indicates that to reap the benefits of skilled immigration inflows, the selected OECD countries must devote more resources to research and development and build a knowledge-based economy. This will improve economic efficiency and overall growth.
Originality/value
This paper assists policymakers in comprehending how to effectively utilize immigration inflows in developed and emerging economies in order to construct a future knowledge-based economic system.
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Akash Kalra and Munshi Naser Ibne Afzal
For many global firms and corporate oligopolies, transfer pricing is essential. The transfer pricing literature as it is currently written is succinctly summarized in this study…
Abstract
Purpose
For many global firms and corporate oligopolies, transfer pricing is essential. The transfer pricing literature as it is currently written is succinctly summarized in this study. The authors offer a thorough analysis of transfer pricing research in this study. This review sheds light on the top researchers, approaches, conclusions, theoretical and empirical gaps, and upcoming issues of transfer pricing research over the previous nine years through a methodical analysis of 29 research publications from the Scopus database (2014–2022). To help graduate students pursue further degrees in this area, such as a master's, thesis or PhD, this study will highlight five research issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This essay looks at five significant areas of tax avoidance and transfer pricing research. Some of these issues include determining the impact of transfer pricing regulations on various types of multinational corporations, assessing the effectiveness of transfer pricing regulations in preventing tax evasion, examining various policy options and determining the impact of transfer pricing on other economic outcomes using a systematic literature review.
Findings
The findings of this review demonstrate the need for transfer pricing research to look more closely at transfer pricing as a tool for business in addition to compliance and tax management.
Originality/value
This analysis concludes with future directions for transfer pricing research.
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Munshi Naser Ibne Afzal, Md Abu Nayeem Sadi and Shamim Ahmad Siddiqui
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) aims at upholding socio-economic condition of deprived communities prevailing in society as well as bringing profitability for corporate…
Abstract
Purpose
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) aims at upholding socio-economic condition of deprived communities prevailing in society as well as bringing profitability for corporate companies themselves. This study investigates to what extent the CSR initiatives of financial institutions in Bangladesh have been able to reach out to deprived communities and support various dimensions of financial inclusion (FI) in the country.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, both supply-side and demand-side data are included and discussed rigorously as tools to cross-check the result. Both qualitative and quantitative data are incorporated, and graphs and tables are used to represent the critical information better. A triangulation of in-depth interviews with secondary data is used to ensure rigor and trustworthiness. The triangulation approach works as a method to verify secondary data by interviewees in this study.
Findings
The result shows a positive geographical and demographical penetration of CSR activities, but it does not necessarily bring FI in all cases. This study identifies some key issues that prevail in the current context of Bangladesh, such as usage, distance, quality and cost of financial products.
Originality/value
This study makes use of both supply-side and demand-side information and thus explain the reasons behind the involuntary exclusion of financial services.