The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is an economically diverse region. Despite undertaking economic reforms in many countries, and having considerable success in avoiding crises and achieving macroeconomic stability, the region’s economic performance in the past 30 years has been below potential. This paper takes stock of the region’s relatively weak performance, explores the reasons for this out come, and proposes an agenda for urgent reforms.
This book provides an overview of the geopolitical context and climate change risk profile of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region. Mapping existing scientific literature and key reports on MENA climate change impacts and future projections, Nuha Eltinay and Charles Egbu establish links between the Conference of the Parties (from COP26, COP27 to COP28) Glasgow–Sharm el-Sheikh Work Program for Progress on the Global Goal on Adaptation, and regional climate adaptation financing targets, national government investments, and human security in local case studies. They also address gaps in disaster risk reduction institutional governance for sustainable development in the region. The authors move beyond the existing theoretical understanding of urban resilience to investigate how it is being measured and assessed in MENA in alignment with the IPCC’s climate change adaptation indicators. Finally, they explore how disasters and conflict displacement vulnerabilities and fragility affecting the communities most in need are being measured and integrated into cities’ resilience action plans and national disaster risk policies. Providing guidance and policy recommendations based on empirical research and key stakeholder engagement observations, this book will be of great interest to students, scholars, and professionals who are researching and working in the areas of climate change, urban planning, and environmental policy and governance. As this book comes out just after the closure of The United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28 negotiations, it sets the scene for pre-COP regional context, and paves the way for researchers and practitioners to undertake post-COP28 key takeaways and multi-level government commitments into action, for better climate mitigation and adaptation investments, resilient and sustainable future for all.
Technology plays a critical role in transforming societies and economies through enhancing efficiency, connectivity and access to resources and services. The challenge remains how to harness technologies to achieve sustainable development without causing harm to human and natural capitals. Professor Odeh Rashed Al-Jayyousi argues that science, technology and innovation (STI) are underpinned by social choices and, hence, a transition to a sustainable green economy is defined by individuals’ and institutions’ decisions on how to use and apply these STI developments. It is, therefore, important to examine closely the ways in which social institutions and processes in the “integral worlds” (the different perspectives of reality) shape the priorities of technologies and the conditions under which their potential benefits can be reaped. He states that in order for technological innovation to provide a guarantee of sustainable economic development, it is necessary that a transfer of technology to developing countries becomes a basic principle of national development policies, and that they, in turn, are open to adopting an explicit long-term application of technological innovation. Integral Innovation: New Worldviews presents a conceptual framework for the evolution of technology and innovation from a historical and cultural perspective. It provides an analysis of the role of innovation and technology in sustainable development and introduces a number of international case studies, which shed light on the social learning processes for knowledge co-creation and innovation culture. It is essential reading for those interested in innovation and technology management.
The aim of this book is to highlight the role that gender research can play in understanding natural resource management and rural development issues in the Middle East and North Africa region and how hands-on training and mentoring can be used as a capacity enhancement approach. It presents findings of four research teams, working in three countries, Algeria, Lebanon and Morocco. The approach was to build the capacity of national teams through hands-on field research, mentoring and technical support, which is different from traditional training. The chapters present the results of the case studies used as learning platforms for the teams and reflections on this approach. The case studies demonstrate the capacity and skills that the teams have acquired. These teams were multi-disciplinary and included social scientists as well as specialists in water management, livestock production and rangelands and agronomy. The book provides grounded empirical examples for MENA academics, practitioners and development students concerned about ensuring gender-balanced rural development.
In times of constant change, adaptive leadership is critical. This Harvard Business Review collection brings together the seminal ideas on how to adapt and thrive in challenging environments, from leading thinkers on the topic—most notably Ronald A. Heifetz of the Harvard Kennedy School and Cambridge Leadership Associates. The Heifetz Collection includes two classic books: Leadership on the Line, by Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky, and The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, by Heifetz, Linsky, and Alexander Grashow. Also included is the popular Harvard Business Review article, “Leadership in a (Permanent) Crisis,” written by all three authors. Available together for the first time, this collection includes full digital editions of each work. Adaptive leadership is a practical framework for dealing with today’s mix of urgency, high stakes, and uncertainty. It has been used by individuals, organizations, businesses, and governments worldwide. In a world of challenging environments, adaptive leadership serves as a guide to distinguishing the essential from the expendable, beginning the meaningful process of adaption, and changing the status quo. Ronald A. Heifetz is a cofounder of the international leadership and consulting practice Cambridge Leadership Associates (CLA) and the founding director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is renowned worldwide for his innovative work on the practice and teaching of leadership. Marty Linsky is a cofounder of CLA and has taught at the Kennedy School for more than twenty-five years. Alexander Grashow is a Senior Advisor to CLA, having previously held the position of CEO.
This Handbook provides thorough insights into crucial topics that have attracted scholarly and practitioner interest in business and management in the Middle Eastern region. The chapters of this Handbook open the window on the key areas of discussion in the field over the past few decades, including organizational behavior, leadership, business culture, business ethics, human resources, business strategy, entrepreneurship, finance, and accounting. It starts with identifying five key themes emerging from the variety of topics, locations, and questions addressed by the various authors who contributed to this volume. The remaining 30 chapters tackle various topics of interest to the research and the practitioner: institutional contexts for doing business in the region; issues of leadership, ethics, and organizational behavior; the role of women in leadership and some of the obstacles facing aspirant women leaders; people management and human resources issues in the Middle East; marketing in the Middle East; and strategy and entrepreneurship in the Middle East. The book closes with a reflection on management research in non-Western societies and describes some methodological challenges and propositions. The Handbook is designed for academics, students, and practitioners covering areas of relevance across business activities, functions, and locations in the Middle East. It is to be used as a reference for scholars doing business research or teaching and for practitioners involved in business activities in the region.
