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Titel / Titel:Transitioning Towards a Knowledge Society. Qatar as a Case Study.
Author / Autor

Gremm, J., Barth, J., Fietkiewicz, K. J., & Stock, W. G.

 

Source / Quelle

Transitioning Towards a Knowledge Society. Qatar as a Case Study. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature. XVII, 244 pp. Link zu Springer Nature: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-71195-9
Language / SpracheEnglish / Englisch


 

Content
      Introduction (undefinedPDF)
1    Informational Cities in the GCC States
2    Qatar in a Nutshell
3    Knowledge Economy and Knowledge-Based Development
4    Methods
5    Diversification of Knowledge-Based Industries and Foreign Investment
6    Creativity and the Knowledge Society
7    E-Government
8    Knowledge-Based Development
9    Universities and other Institutions of Higher Education
10  Students and Graduates
11  Transition of Graduates into the Labor Market
12  Libraries, Science Parks and Research Funding
13  Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of Qatar’s Way into the Knowledge Society
      Indices (undefinedPDF)

Abstract
Once rapidly grown due to large oil and gas reserves, the governments of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are nowadays aware of ending resources and declining demand of oil- and gas-burning countries in consequence of electromobility and enhanced ecological awareness. One GCC member, the state of Qatar, makes great plans for the era after the oil. Its government has the task to bring the country and its people on the right track—a track that transforms Qatar into a knowledge-based society. Qatar is not only the country with the world’s highest per capita income, but also the country with the lowest unemployment rate. However, the oil prices have started to decrease remarkably leaving Qatar no choice but to diversify its economy. Consequently, the country’s investment in non-energy sectors is gaining ground.

To get an overview of Qatar, the book gives basic information about the region and the country, the geographic and demographic data, the culture, the politics and the economy, the health care conditions and the education system. We will introduce the concepts of knowledge society and knowledge-based development and add some further facts about Qatar by interpreting indicators of the development status of a country. Subsequently, the research methods that underlie the study are described. We visited Qatar several times and conducted qualitative interviews with experts from Qatar University and Doha’ Education City in early 2016.

We analyze different industries Qatar invests in to diversify its economy and to unlearn the reliance on oil and gas, and study Qatar as an upcoming “inquiring, innovative and creative society.” The results of an eGovernment study that analyzes the government-citizen relationship applying social media are broadly described. Our book reviews the country’s support of knowledge-based development. We describe Qatar’s higher education institutions and systems, its students and the students’ way into the labor markets, the country’s libraries and its science parks. A SWOT analysis summarizes all findings and points out Qatar’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats on its way to a knowledge society.

The main research question of our book is to identify problems and barriers of Qatar’s way into knowledge society. According to Qatar’s master plans, this transformation will be finished in 2030. However, are those plans realistic? What is the state of the art of Qatar’s institutions of higher education? Who does educate the students, Qataris or foreign talents? Do Qatar’s people exhibit willingness and ability to create a knowledge society? Are there indeed jobs for highly educated native people or rather for expats? Based upon field research on-site and qualitative interviews with experts in Doha, we found that Qatar’s way into knowledge society is by no means easy, but very problematic and arduous. The book’s target audience are economists, sociologists, political scientists, geographers, information scientists and other researchers on the knowledge society, but also all researchers and practitioners interested in the Arab Oil States and their future.

Keywords:
Qatar, Arabian Gulf States, Knowledge Society, Knowledge-based Development, Universities, National Programs and their Implementation.

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