Knowledge@Wharton Arabic Blog

Using Mobile Phone Technology to Ensure Fair Voting in the Middle East

knowledgewhartonarabic — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:54:48 +0000

Furthering the Arab world‘s use of digital technology to advance civil rights, a number of regional groups and software developers are looking to mobile phones as a means of ensuring fair and free elections in the region. Experiments in using mobile phone technology in election monitoring and voter engagement are already under way in several Arab countries.

Thumbnail Gulf Countries Navigate Billions into Mega Port Projects

knowledgewhartonarabic — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:50:07 +0000

For years, Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port and industrial zone operated as the shipping hub for the Gulf region. But now, neighboring Arab cities are investing huge sums of money to develop competing mega shipping ports, as the Gulf region views logistics as a means of diversifying traditional oil economies. There is concern however about infrastructure overlap and oversupply as global shipping traffic and trade show signs of slower growth.

Through Perseverance and Frugality, a Path to Leadership in Egypt’s High-Tech Industry

knowledgewhartonarabic — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:47:55 +0000

She started out as a computer science major fascinated with technology. Today, Hanan Abdel Meguid oversees one of Cairo’s better-known online and mobile technology companies. Noting that the company now has offices around the world, Meguid tells Arabic Knowledge@Wharton how she bounced back from failure, how she approaches management, and what advice she would offer to would-be entrepreneurs. “Focus on what you really need to build,” she says.

A Kuwaiti Woman Leading Development Efforts in Yemen

knowledgewhartonarabic — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:43:05 +0000

Maali Alasousi gave up a comfortable life in Kuwait to live in Yemen, dedicating herself to developing social programs in a country that is among the most impoverished in the world. She tells Arabic Knowledge@Wharton that key to successfully providing a social service in the traditional Arab country is to understand its people first.

Read the full interview: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/arabic/article.cfm?articleid=2949

Bites and Bytes: An Egyptian Entrepreneur’s Mix of Computers and Cookies

knowledgewhartonarabic — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:00:21 +0000

Egyptian entrepreneur Heidi Belal has two companies to her name: She works as a tech services provider and runs her own dessert catering business. In an interview with Arabic Knowledge@Wharton, Belal discusses how such a quirky combination of businesses came about, and what she has done to turn each business into a success. One nugget of advice: “Put the most minimal investment you can into the business, and then see how it goes from there.”

Read the full story: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/arabic/article.cfm?articleid=2932

Emirati Filmmaker Seeks Support for the Region’s Burgeoning Movie Industry

knowledgewhartonarabic — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:57:56 +0000

The path to become the first Emirati female film director was not easy for Nayla Al Khaja. But despite the adversities she faced and the sacrifices she made to pursue her career, Al Khaja is full of optimism for the Gulf’s film industry. She sees the potential for her native United Arab Emirates to become a regional film hub, and cites examples in Europe the country could emulate. She tells Arabic Knowledge@Wharton that regional governments should lend support to aspiring movie directors and producers.

Read the full story: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/arabic/article.cfm?articleid=2931

Vijay Mahajan: The Middle East Is not Just Dubai

knowledgewhartonarabic — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:54:55 +0000

There are a number of opportunities in the Middle East that are missed by following popular stereotypes, says Vijay Mahajan, author of The Arab World Unbound. For instance, the region boasts booming retail and media industries, he tells Arabic Knowledge@Wharton. But companies would be making a mistake to look at the most wealthy and modern parts of the region and expect every Middle Eastern market to be like that, Mahajan notes.

Read the full interview: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/arabic/article.cfm?articleid=2933

Iran Sanctions: Why U.S. Authorities Are Winning Billions from Banks

knowledgewhartonarabic — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:51:56 +0000

Since 2012, the U.S. has aggressively pursued penalties against financial institutions found to be doing business with Iran and other blacklisted nations. The stance is the result of a shift in priorities and particular changes in the way U.S. authorities are interpreting laws, say international legal experts. Banks and other financial firms have to be sure they are in compliance, they note, as “any transaction that touches the U.S. can trigger prosecution.”

Read the full analysis: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/arabic/article.cfm?articleid=2934

A Blossoming Business in Tunisia

knowledgewhartonarabic — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:46:47 +0000

As a flower farmer, Jalila Tamallah has found a way to grow a better life for her family in Tunisia. She has become an astute businesswoman in the process, expanding her interests to raising livestock as well with the help of good profits and microcredit loans. Far from the turbulence of the Arab Spring, Tamallah says she has quietly gained something many in the region demand — the chance to build for a future. “We came here and we learned little by little,” she tells Arabic Knowledge@Wharton. “Now, I am the manager.”

Read the full interview on Arabic Knowledge@Wharton

How the Middle East Is Protecting Itself from Europe’s Ongoing Woes

knowledgewhartonarabic — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:40:27 +0000

In spite of the austerity efforts by European governments and increased financial collaboration in the Eurozone, the region remains saddled with a number of economic and fiscal difficulties. Sony Kapoor, the head of European think tank ReDefine, tells Arabic Knowledge@Wharton that Middle Eastern investors have moved interests out of Europe and into Asia or closer to home as a result. “We have also seen some opportunistic buying-up of distressed assets by the Middle East, so there are also other opportunities that will arise,” he adds.