Middle East North Africa Region Research Articles

Climate Change Opportunities: Gulf Cooperation Council, Middle East North Africa, & Africa

This paper presents an introduction to Global Mana Foundation, which is based in Honolulu, Hawaii. Global Mana Foundation is an innovative cross-disciplinary not for profit with a global team that was founded by Mr. Patrick Furlotti, a well-known oceans and environmental advocate, professional surfer, and lifelong technologist. We discuss our experience at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2017 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), where our team shot two documentary films and also liaised with global leaders in the climate change and clean energy movement. We then discuss Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) climate change opportunities, particularly in the broader context of the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. We then discuss African climate change opportunities. We conclude with ways that we would like to follow up and collaborate with various stakeholders in (1) government, (2) the private sector, and (3) the nonprofit sector to launch climate change solutions. It is our firm belief that we must solve the climate change crisis within the next five years, and we are prepared to leverage our networks and resources to be at the front lines of this fight for our planet.

Morocco: Modelling Stability in Turbulent Waters

<p>Morocco and Egypt both experienced similar socioeconomic challenges in the last decade, but the Moroccan monarchy has been able to address those challenges without prompting civil conflict or anti-government rebellions. This presents an interpretive problem for the political science literature that views socioeconomic trends as being primary indicators of political instability. This case study proposes a more nuanced, multidisciplinary approach to the analysis of Morocco’s political culture by mapping findings in historical and anthropological research on to a political process framework in order to explain the Moroccan regime’s stability in terms of its religious legitimacy. It concludes with an assessment of how this knowledge can be used by countries outside the Middle East North Africa region (MENA) to better partner with MENA countries in developing stable political cultures.</p>

Determinants of Risky Behaviors in Youth: A Gender-Based Study

Background: Gender differences play an important role in risky behaviors such as drug use, of the youth. Despite having a substantial youth population in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region there are limited studies on this issue. Objectives: The present study explores the parental and individual factors related to risky behaviors of boys and girls. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study used a multistage cluster sampling method. The five main areas of Kerman were classified as clusters. Within the clusters, a systematic random sampling was used to select the street, where five houses were examined for eligible candidates. A self-administered questionnaire (created by the author) assessed the 500 candidates (aged 15 - 29 years) on parental styles, level of education, social capital, modern leisure activities, and risky behavior in 2013. Data were analyzed using logistic regression with SPSS 19 (statistical package of social sciences) at a significance level of 5%. Results: Parental styles affecting the risky behaviors of both girls and boys were as follow: neglecting parental styles increased the risk of drug use (OR = 8.63, P = 0.04 and OR = 33.44, P = 0.001 in boys and girls, respectively). In addition, having a stay-at-home mother reduced the risk of drug use (OR = 0.09, P = 0.002) in boys, and reduced the risk of drug use and smoking in girls (OR = 0.34, P = 0.03 and OR = 0.38, P = 0.04, respectively). Also, engaging in modern leisure activities raised the risk of all risky behaviors for boys and girls (eg, alcohol drinking: OR = 1.23, P = 0.000). In boys, higher level of education reduced the risk of drug use (OR = 0.13, P = 0.05), whereas it increased the risk of sexual behaviors (OR = 2.03, P = 0.03). In girls, higher level of education was related to an increase in alcohol use (OR = 2.44, P = 0.05). Conclusions: Parental style could play a different role in conducting risky behaviors among girls and boys. Therefore, appropriate parental styles should be used in bringing up children based on their gender.

State control of civil society organizations: the case of Turkey

ABSTRACTOver the past few decades there has been a great deal of interest in the academic literature on the relationship between civil society organizations (CSOs) and the state, and the impact of state power on CSOs in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. Yet, despite this interest, very few detailed empirical explorations of these issues have been conducted to date. Of the detailed empirical work that does exist, none has focused on state–CSO relations in a democratic context in the MENA. This paper contributes to filling this gap by examining these relations and their implications in the Turkish context. More specifically, this paper explores the democratizing role of independent women’s organizations in Turkey and the ways in which the state has sought to exert power over and control these organizations. The methodology consists of a series of 38 in-depth interviews with both registered and unregistered women’s organizations from across the seven administrative regions of Turkey. The findings show that while CSOs do challenge the state in some regards, the state is by far the more powerful actor and very effective at moderating and de-radicalizing civil society. The state does this by controlling the areas in which CSOs can operate and be effective, and through the use of repressive measures. The results show that thease measures have the effect of tempering the demands of CSOs and reducing their capacity to challenge and counterbalance state power.

Econometric applications for measuring the environmental impacts of biofuel production in the panel of worlds' largest region

The environmental impacts of biofuel production are one of the striking areas for policy debate in the academic and research arena since last few decades. This study empirically measured the environmental impacts of biofuel production in the panel of six largest regions of the World including East Asia & Pacific, Europe & Central Asia, Latin America & Caribbean, Middle East & North Africa (MENA), South Asia, and Sub Saharan African region, over the period of 1990–2013. The study used number of promising indicators for socioeconomic and environmental indicators coupled with the biofuels production that have a considerable impact on the climate change, agricultural land, water productivity, natural resources and biodiversity across the globe. The results show that production of biofuels exuberate the Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) in East Asia & Pacific region, Latin America & Caribbean region, South Asia, and Sub Saharan African region, while in Europe & Central Asia, biofuels production significantly lessen the amount of HCFCs in the region. The results of aggregated World panel data signify the positive relationship between biofuels production and climate change during the study time period. The positive influence of biofuels production on agricultural land traced out in the East Asia & Pacific region, and MENA region, however, the result is inverted in the Latin America & Caribbean region. The production of biofuel intensify the water productivity in the East Asia & Pacific, South Asia, and Sub Saharan African region, while this result is evaporated in the Latin America & Caribbean, MENA, and World's aggregated region. The results are mixed in order to evaluate the impact of biofuels production on natural resource depletion, as biofuels production significantly decreases the natural resource depletion in the East Asia & Pacific, Europe & Central Asia, and World's aggregated region, while in the South Asia, and Sub Saharan African region, biofuels production significantly associated with the natural resource depletion. Finally, Biofuels production sustained the biodiversity in the East Asia & Pacific, Latin America & Caribbean, South Asia, and World's aggregated region, while the results are reversed in Europe & Central Asia and Sub-Saharan African region. The results of the study raise the serious concerns on the ‘Kyoto protocol’ which promote to expand the biofuels to ensure the environmental sustainability, as biofuels production on agricultural land jeopardy for climate change, water resources, natural resources, and biodiversity across the globe.

Water resource decoupling in the MENA through food trade as a mechanism for circumventing national water scarcity

This paper explores the trends driving the growing demand for food imports to the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region through the lens of ‘decoupling’. The analysis deploys a water-specific model of the general idea of resource decoupling to analyse the role and potential of food and virtual water trade in alleviating national and regional water limits. Decoupling theorises the breaking of the link between economic and population growth and need for water demand for domestic food production. A key means of reducing pressure on scarce water resources of a growing population is to increase the proportion of food sourced from abroad. This strategy has been strongly embraced politically in a number of MENA economies facing a combination of water and labour shortage. Food imports provide a politically silent mechanism to achieve national food security, and generate significant markets for food-exporting, water abundant, economies including those in the tropics. This paper combines FAO Food Balance data with Water Footprint data to reveal how virtual water flows interact with food import tonnages to enhance or retard national decoupling based on food trade. The analysis reveals that much MENA water is directed at crops adapted to the MENA climate. However, the analysis reveals significant potential for the import of large quantities of MENA water needs from more water abundant countries through supply of staple crops.

Marketing Communications, Acculturation in Situ, and the Legacy of Colonialism in Revolutionary Times

Over the past few years the political and economic landscape of the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region has been dramatically transformed through a series of revolutions. These events call into question the legitimacy of Western-style marketing practices in the region. Marketers are now confronted with challenges due to the continuing legacy of Western colonialism. Tunisia, like several other countries of the region, seems still to be under the influence of Western culture. Our study utilizes the concept of acculturation in situ, which may provide a novel perspective through which the tumultuous economic and political events of the region may be understood. Adopting a socio-culturally embedded approach and mobilizing several colonial/post-colonial theories, we provide insights on the evolution of marketing and communication practices in the MENA region. Through a field study conducted prior to and after the revolution in Tunisia – the first of the MENA nations to successfully revolt against dictatorship – we document the transition toward marketing practices which may allow countries in the region to build a new identity.

Transcending Work–Life Tensions: A Transnational Feminist Analysis of Work and Gender in the Middle East, North Africa, and India

Extant research has considered how professional women negotiate the contradictory demands of work and gender. However, these contradictions may be exacerbated for women from and living in the Middle East, North Africa (MENA), and India, as globalization has circulated Western discourses of gender equality that appear to conflict with non-Western discourses of gender difference. To better understand this potential conflict, we conducted a transnational feminist analysis that explored how discourses about work and gender created tensions for young women as they articulated their professional ideals. Three tensions surfaced in our analysis of interviews with women from the MENA region and India: (a) equality–difference, (b) modernity–tradition, and (c) individual–collective. To transcend these tensions, participants emphasized gender complementarity, professional and familial success, and their cultural pride. Taken together, these transcendence strategies indicate how gendered performances in the public sphere are tied to cultural and religious discourses and account for alternative renderings of work and woman that do not privilege Western ideals.

Americana Group: KFC in Mecca

Subject area Marketing, Strategy, International Business. Study level/applicability Post-Graduates' classes. Case overview This case focuses on the particularities of the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant run by the Americana Group in Mecca, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It allows students in the service industry, and especially those interested in the quick service industry to understand some of the challenges of operating in a market with high volume and other specific local market conditions. Perhaps, it will also allow those organizations wishing to enter into emerging markets to realize that globalization does not mean standardization of all practices but rather values. Expected learning outcomes On completion of utilizing the case study as an exercise, students should be able to develop: Case-specific skills: critically examine the importance of the international business and marketing strategy in the Middle East and demonstrate this by analyzing real regional/ world examples using complex theoretical frameworks; identify examples of best practice and explain the dynamics toward international business and marketing strategy with reference to a range of theoretical models; and apply these in a meaningful way to the Middle East North Africa region. Discipline-specific skills: synthesize and critically evaluate a corpus of academic literature and government reports on international business and marketing strategy; and link international business and marketing strategy concepts and theories to real regional/world examples. Personal and key skills: reflect on the process of learning and undertake independen/self-directed learning (including time management) to achieve consistent, proficient and sustained attainment. Work as either a participant or a leader of a group and contribute effectively to the achievement of objectives in the field of international business and marketing strategy. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Cost-benefit analysis: newborn screening for inborn errors of metabolism in Lebanon.

Few countries in the Middle East-North Africa region have adopted national newborn screening for inborn errors of metabolism by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). We aimed to evaluate the cost-benefit of newborn screening for such disorders in Lebanon, as a model for other developing countries in the region. Average costs of expected care for inborn errors of metabolism cases as a group, between ages 0 and 18, early and late diagnosed, were calculated from 2007 to 2013. The monetary value of early detection using MS/MS was compared with that of clinical "late detection", including cost of diagnosis and hospitalizations. During this period, 126000 newborns were screened. Incidence of detected cases was 1/1482, which can be explained by high consanguinity rates in Lebanon. A reduction by half of direct cost of care, reaching on average 31,631 USD per detected case was shown. This difference more than covers the expense of starting a newborn screening programme. Although this model does not take into consideration the indirect benefits of the better quality of life of those screened early, it can be argued that direct and indirect costs saved through early detection of these disorders are important enough to justify universal publicly-funded screening, especially in developing countries with high consanguinity rates, as shown through this data from Lebanon.

Development of corporate governance codes in the GCC: an overview

Purpose – This paper aims to discuss and compare the corporate governance codes in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Design/methodology/approach – The development of corporate governance codes in the GCC is considered using an analytical approach. Findings – Efforts and initiatives are underway in the GCC towards improving the corporate governance environment and coping with international developments. Although most GCC codes are comprehensive compared to those of other Middle East North Africa (MENA) countries, and are similar to international codes, as with almost all countries in the region, there is room for development. Updated codes that address the unique nature of these countries could enhance corporate governance. Research limitations/implications – This comparison between GCC corporate governance codes provides opportunities to empirically compare the corporate governance status in these countries through indices or checklists based on the current comparison. Practical implications – The research facilitates future evaluations of corporate governance in Gulf countries. In other words, different stakeholders, including investors and analysts, can utilise this paper during decision-making. Moreover, comparing GCC codes to others in the MENA region would help to assess the GCC’s position in the region regarding these codes, and also alert firms to corporate governance reforms occurring in the region. Originality/value – The paper analyses the corporate governance codes issued in the GCC, which represents a group of countries with similar characteristics that are thus studied separately from other MENA countries, and compares the corporate governance codes issued for non-financial listed companies.

Debating Darija:Telqueland language politics in modern Morocco

This article examines the role of Darija, or Moroccan Arabic, in relation to ongoing debates about Moroccan identity and citizenship in an era of increased global connectivity. In particular, I focus on debates surrounding language and identity in a prominent francophone news magazine called Telquel. Through a thematic textual analysis of Telquel, I examine how language has emerged as a key structuring factor in shaping Moroccan identity and politics. Situated in relation to broader transitions in Moroccan society and culture over the past decade as well as recent socio-political movements across the Middle East–North Africa region, this study shows how Telquel became a crucial site of cultural production wherein discussions of language, identity, and political priorities were played out, particularly in the Arab Spring moment. I argue that Telquel attempts to provoke discussion by constantly testing the boundaries of free expression, taking on taboo topics such as the monarchy, declaring them open for commentary and critique by a new category of citizen-subject.

New Tunisian Cinema: Allegories of Resistance by Robert Lang

filmique repose sur la synergie et la convergence de tous les corps de métier impliqués pendant le tournage et se fend même d’une critique sur le traitement des intermittents du spectacle qui, comme la costumière du film de Rovère, crient leur frustration quant au manque de moyens dont ils sont victimes. Fazer s’octroie également le droit de renverser le rôle de Céladon afin qu’Henri puisse séduire Gloria (Déborah François); une liberté en guise d’ultime hommage à Quirvin puisque ainsi Fazer lui offre une place d’honneur dans l’œuvre de Rovère en l’érigeant une dernière fois au rang de premier rôle. Franklin and Marshall College (PA) Marie-Line Brunet Lang, Robert. New Tunisian Cinema: Allegories of Resistance. New York: Columbia UP, 2014. ISBN 978-0-231-16506-8. Pp. 448. $35. Thought-provoking and broadly researched, Lang’s study probes complex allegorical representations of Tunisia’s contemporary postcolonial condition through seven films from the oppressive Ben Ali era: Man of Ashes (1986), Halfaouine (1990), Bezness (1992), The Silences of the Palace (1994), Essaïda (1996), Bedwin Hacker (2002), and The TV Is Coming (2006). Instead of rehashing the problematic concept of national cinema, Lang organizes his study according to six overarching themes or ‘constants’visible in contemporary Tunisian films by filmmaker Nouri Bouzid such as “the image of the body,”“pain as emotion,”and“the face and the veil”(36). Lang shows how each film articulates one or more facets of a nation struggling to reconcile its colonial past, hard-earned modernity, and autocratic regime with the many religious and political beliefs as well as cultural/social practices that encompass tunisianité. The first chapter offers a penetrating reflection on Tunisian national identity and portrays the social malaise created not only by the Ben Ali political regime but also the many international crises (notably the Israeli-Palestinian conflict) that have and continue to shape expressions of Tunisian nationalism as well as the country’s overall stability in the Middle East-North Africa region. Citing the theories of Fredric Jameson and other critics, Lang explains that it is by means of allegory that each filmmaker succeeds in narrativizing certain contested or repressed aspects of Tunisian society, such as its rigid neopatriarchal structures. Noting the boldness of contemporary Tunisian cinema with regard to the treatment of the body compared with the relative pudeur of its Maghrebi cinema counterparts, Lang offers a comprehensive treatment of each film in chapters 3–8 that presents a forward reading of sexuality(-ties) via two themes: incarceration and freedom. For instance, commenting on the“allegory of the logic of castration” (48), Lang gives an especially perceptive reading of masculinity and homosexuality of Bouzid’s Man of Ashes (ch. 2). Likewise, his reading of The Silences of the Palace (ch. 5)—a film which has garnered a great deal of attention among 252 FRENCH REVIEW 88.4 Reviews 253 feminists and film scholars alike—is especially noteworthy. It not only acknowledges previous analyses (such as those by Suzanne Gauch or Laura Mulvey) but also presents a renewed perspective on Tunisia’s social reality through an in-depth re-reading of Alia (the film’s main character) as an allegory and symbolic representation of independent Tunisia. Lang echoes Nouri Bouzid’s characterization of cinema as“the art of an era, of democratic and liberal ideas” which must be “free” to survive (35). And he articulates well the complexity and the perplexing contradictions that exist within postcolonial Tunisia in the selected films while underscoring the role of Tunisian cinema as a mirror of its time (261). Lang’s book opens the door to new questions and connections, making it a compelling reading for specialists and non-specialists of Maghrebi cinema. DePauw University (IN) Cheira Belguellaoui Lefebvre, Martin. Truffaut et ses doubles. Paris: Vrin, 2013. ISBN 978-2-7116-24454 . Pp. 148. 9,80 a. C’est au milieu des années 1950 que François Truffaut introduit la notion d’auteur/isme dans les Cahiers du cinéma et Arts (14). Le film d’auteur se caractérise par une“signature [...] qui selon lui...

The impacts of climate change across the globe: A multi-sectoral assessment

The overall global-scale consequences of climate change are dependent on the distribution of impacts across regions, and there are multiple dimensions to these impacts. This paper presents a global assessment of the potential impacts of climate change across several sectors, using a harmonised set of impacts models forced by the same climate and socio-economic scenarios. Indicators of impact cover the water resources, river and coastal flooding, agriculture, natural environment and built environment sectors. Impacts are assessed under four SRES socio-economic and emissions scenarios, and the effects of uncertainty in the projected pattern of climate change are incorporated by constructing climate scenarios from 21 global climate models. There is considerable uncertainty in projected regional impacts across the climate model scenarios, and coherent assessments of impacts across sectors and regions therefore must be based on each model pattern separately; using ensemble means, for example, reduces variability between sectors and indicators. An example narrative assessment is presented in the paper. Under this narrative approximately 1 billion people would be exposed to increased water resources stress, around 450 million people exposed to increased river flooding, and 1.3 million extra people would be flooded in coastal floods each year. Crop productivity would fall in most regions, and residential energy demands would be reduced in most regions because reduced heating demands would offset higher cooling demands. Most of the global impacts on water stress and flooding would be in Asia, but the proportional impacts in the Middle East North Africa region would be larger. By 2050 there are emerging differences in impact between different emissions and socio-economic scenarios even though the changes in temperature and sea level are similar, and these differences are greater in 2080. However, for all the indicators, the range in projected impacts between different climate models is considerably greater than the range between emissions and socio-economic scenarios.

Private Equity as Canary in a Coal Mine: Building the Ecosystem for Effective Global Financial Integration

A burgeoning private equity (PE) industry provides investment capital to build the capacity of an economy for innovation and entrepreneurial growth. We argue that for PE to contribute to this, capacity building requires effective systems for allocation of financial capital to the private sector and an ecosystem of supportive organizations. To illustrate these claims, we review the recent history of PE in the Middle East–North Africa region to contrast the PE industry in Middle East–North Africa, which stagnated after the financial crisis, with the industry in Turkey, which recovered quickly from a brief pause after the crisis and has thrived since 2008. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Effect of Globalization on Women's Rights in MENA Region

This paper attempts to examine whether globalization can enhance women’s rights. We use a panel data from 17 Middle East North Africa ( MENA) countries over the period 1985-2009. We find that globalization positively influences women’s rights: it has a direct effect on women’s economic rights and an indirect effect on women’s social and economic rights after controlling for institutional factors. Our results are similar by using ordered logit and generalized-method-of-moments GMM-system technique of estimation.

Private Equity and Value Creation in Frontier Markets: The Need for an Operational Approach

Nowhere else is operational value creation approach more in need or more in demand than in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. Advocating and building operational capabilities requires active investment in business processes, human capital and a long term horizon. By developing capabilities of managers to deliver value from operations will not only result in building great companies, but also raise the bar for human talent and organizational capability in the region. In the long term, such an adrenalin injection of new generation of business leaders could have a profound effect on the regional economy, its competitiveness, and overall integration of MENA private equity markets.

Lammtara Pictures: creating a cultural entertainment organization – the way forwards

Subject area Entrepreneurship and strategy. Study level/applicability Undergraduate and graduates. Case overview This is a case that can be used to teach advanced undergraduate classes or lower-level master's level classes in the areas of strategy, leadership and entrepreneurship. The case will appeal to SMEs, policymakers in the area of entrepreneurship funding, incubators and other funding firms associated with entrepreneurs. Expected learning outcomes As the case is specific to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – it can be used to study UAE or the Middle East North Africa region. Ideally, students should be encouraged to read up on the region/country prior to studies. They should also understand the need and state of entrepreneurship in the region. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Factors influencing disclosure practices in emerging markets: Case of the gulf countries

The paper focuses on one homogeneous group of countries in the Middle East North Africa Region, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, which provides an opportunity to better understand the environment and context, and help shape future research. The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of three factors affecting corporate disclosure practices in the GCC countries including: economy, capital markets, and laws and enforcement mechanisms. Several recommendations that would help improve disclosure and financial reporting practices in the GCC are presented. Accounting researchers, especially those with interests in disclosure and financial reporting issues, should take into account the impact of the previous factors while designing their empirical research and reporting its findings

Specification Uncertainty and Model Averaging: Do Institutions Matter for FDI?

The role of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in economic development is a well-researched phenomenon. However, extant research fails to arrive at a consensus on the key drivers of FDI and the literature is particularly eclectic on the role of natural resources and institutions and how they influence FDI. We argue that this lack of consensus could be on account of model uncertainty as empirical studies often tend to be selective on the variables included in the final model on which inference is drawn. Drawing on more recent literature on model uncertainty and the determinants of FDI, we demonstrate the benefits of Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) in reducing the impact of model uncertainty on both economic and statistical inference. We use BMA to analyze the determinants of FDI into the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region and our results indicate that neither natural resources (oil and gas) nor institutional quality seem to be important once model uncertainty is accounted for. Our fundamental point, focusing on model uncertainty, applies to the broader literature on international business and strategy and suggests that researchers may need to look beyond traditional model selection methods before drawing substantial inference from their research.