Knowledge Update

The libraries are equipped with several books on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Modern books cover the latest theories, techniques and varied levels of innovative works. This helps us to figure out the worth of innovation and entrepreneurship for the corporate world and higher education in particular. Now universities are focusing on enabling students to be innovative in every field and not just be job seekers. Rather, they should move to be job providers by becoming entrepreneurs and being critical thinkers. Amongst the many types of innovations, something that really intrigues me is social innovation.

Social innovation in the changing world is possible but not easy. It has several challenges at its operational level. Social innovation is all about devising new ideas for existing social problems and finding solutions through creativity and novelty. This is directly linked to the establishment of Social Entrepreneurship. Muhammad Yunus’s Grameen Bank and Anil Gupta’s Honey Bee Network are renowned examples of operationalizing social innovation and providing society with the benefits of social entrepreneurship. Most social innovations include kindergarten, the cooperative movement, first aid, and the Fair Trade Movement, all of which began with social entrepreneurs and then spread internationally.

Social innovation involves the same core entrepreneurial process of finding opportunities, choosing amongst them, implementing and capturing value. However, it may differ as it is individually-driven where passion for change leads to remarkable and sustainable results. Another important area where individuals have been a powerful source of social innovation can come from the world of user-innovators. These are individuals who experience problems at first hand and often provide the trigger for change in the society.

Social innovation and entrepreneurship do not exist without challenges. No innovation and start-up come easy, and setting such a venture that is social in nature faces business, economic, political and especially financial obstacles. Resources are not easily available and may require broad networking in order to secure funding. Mostly social innovation and startups seek grants and donations that are largely unpredictable.

Social entrepreneurs face difficulties in scaling up their startup. As these initiatives are focused to a large section of the society, scaling up is essential but also a great challenge. It is vital to note that it requires continuous funding along with people who share a similar passion and consensus in achieving goals.

Adding to this there is a human resource challenge as well. As social entrepreneurship is voluntary in nature and people dedicate their time and energy due to their core values and beliefs, the traditional management approach and motivational yardsticks may not work effectively thereby posing a difficulty in availability of expertise and helping hands.

Nonetheless, in spite of all challenges, there is a huge movement towards social innovation and social entrepreneurs in the contemporary world. Millennials and post-millennials are engaging with these thoughts with a clear intention to make the world a better place to live and do business. Social innovation and entrepreneurial initiatives can be a driving force for a country’s intellectual output too.

The accessibility and consolidation of retail sectors into offline and online platforms are triggering exceptional growth. On one hand, it’s an advantage for consumers who can use Omni channels for exploring and shopping. On the other hand, it’s a disadvantage for vendors to classify and implement strategies to satisfy the desires of consumers. The UAE scenario is no different story, and with digitization leap, the gap between online and offline shopping is plummeting. With internet infiltration rate as high as 99% and with 62% population rate of online shoppers (increase of 25% from 2017) in the UAE, the challenge of giving updated information is a daunting task. According to PwC Middle East 2017 report, 52% of consumers use social media to get an updated information about products. Another important aspect to consider is that companies are focusing on contents that need to be posted on these social media channels. Content creation for social media w.r.t. omni-channels, though pretty straightforward, gives updated information which leads to purchase.

Figure 1 is a proposed model for integration of omni-channels and content creation using social media:

As mentioned in the figure, for omni-channel presence, the first challenge is the selection of social media channels. Facebook, Instagram and YouTube are three effective channels used by companies.

• Facebook and Instagram– Companies use Facebook and Instagram for visual content in the form of images, infographics and videos as magnets for engagement. Facebook and Instagram are great sources of content consumers can really enjoy.
• YouTube– Consumers are going to YouTube to search for answers for queries and reviews of the products they’re interested in. Creating explainer videos and how-to's is one Omni channel tactic for searchers, and help boost search engine results page (SERP) rankings as well.

Secondly, once effective on social media, companies are drawing consumers to land on website and post reviews (after buying the product).

• Website Reviews - These reviews serve as first-hand experience of consumers who are ready to buy the product. Souq.com (now Amazon) and Namshi, and even stores like Carrefour are using website reviews to boost the sales.

Thirdly and most importantly is the generation of blog contents. Blog contents are used for both pre and post sales reviews and used by consumers as a key source of information. Social media sites also fall in this category, however, some companies are also websites (like Sitejabber, Medium or Tumblr) for review generation.

• Blog- Even though companies know that blog isn’t where most of your traffic comes, it is important to have informative and interesting content there. Blogs serve as an essential source to redirect consumers back to the website.
• Third-party blog sites– Companies use third-party blogs to extend its reach. Getting into third party blog sites such as Medium, Tumblr or Sitejabber is easy and a great idea to start with.

The paper investigates the influence of gender (male and female) over technology acceptance model (TAM) towards using smart phones. The study conducted in the Sultanate of Oman among 296 smart phones users (male and female). The study used SEM approach to identify the influence. The results are: 1) gender (male and female) elicit a negative influence over perceived usefulness towards using smart phones; 2) male respondents elicit a positive influence over perceived ease of use; 3) female respondents elicit a negative influence over perceived ease of use. The model revealed the male influence over perceived ease of use towards using smart phones.

http://www.inderscience.com/info/inarticle.php?artid=94570

The paper investigates the influence of gender (male and female) over technology acceptance model (TAM) towards using smart phones. The study conducted in the Sultanate of Oman among 296 smart phones users (male and female). The study used SEM approach to identify the influence. The results are: 1) gender (male and female) elicit a negative influence over perceived usefulness towards using smart phones; 2) male respondents elicit a positive influence over perceived ease of use; 3) female respondents elicit a negative influence over perceived ease of use. The model revealed the male influence over perceived ease of use towards using smart phones.

Changing patterns in the international business, trade and currency, ever increasing and highly volatile customer demand, strategic alliances at all levels of business, increasing globalization, unstable investments by world

Decisions shape our lives. Mathematics rationalizes the shifting of information and the balancing of alternatives inherent in any decision. Mathematical models underlie computer programs that support decision making, while bringing order and understanding to the overwhelming flow of data computers produce. Mathematics serves to evaluate and improve the quality of information in the face of uncertainty, to present and clarify options, to model available alternatives and their consequences, and even to control the smaller decisions necessary to reach a larger goal.

Public-private partnership (PPP) is a legal agreement between public and private sectors by sharing its assets and skills in delivering quality facilities and services to the people. PPP is becoming like a fad, however, it is a long-term process. It entails a broader capacity of understanding between the public and private entities that requires experience and knowledge advisers in facilitating the partnership between public and private sectors.

In the healthcare industry, most of the services are being delivered by the private sectors. Somehow the public sector provides the facilities but the management is usually being commissioned to the private sectors.

The healthcare industry in UAE is becoming fast improving and competitive to cater the needs of its citizens and the expatriates. The continuing move of the government in integrating policy to for a quality healthcare is also being challenged on how it can provide the most affordable services to offer to the public.

Improving the healthcare system, while considering the high cost in every health care provider is the main challenge for the policymakers. The UAE healthcare system both the private and public sectors provide funding leading to various payments, insurance coverage, and services offered. Thus, the system becomes so complex and very costly to manage and sustain because of the varying expenditures.

In 2014, during the World Government Summit, the UAE government has commissioned a report from Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government, indicated that healthcare and education ranked the lowest in terms of quality based on the public perception in the lower middle-income countries. One of the six pillars of the Vision 2021 National Agency is to provide world-class healthcare. The government is now working in having all the public and private hospitals accredited according to the joined national and international quality standards of medical services and medical practitioners.

As stated in the Vision 2021, the UAE government set forth the following objectives: (1) enhancement of quality healthcare services; (2) attraction, retention, career development of healthcare professionals; (3) ensuring patient safety and wellbeing; (4) emergency preparedness; (5) health-hazards precautionary awareness to improve public health; (6) ensuring value of money and sustainability of healthcare spending; (7) inclusion of private sector health providers and endorsing their investment initiatives in the sector; and (8) launching electronic health program as a primary facilitator for the other priorities as stated above. The objectives are not only to set to be achieved but it will be a mechanism for innovation, reform, and development of the healthcare sector in UAE.

The UAE government enacted a law on public-private partnerships (PPPs) in 2015. The law encourages more partnerships between the public and private sectors in the development of projects in the country in order to improve the delivery of goods and services to the people.

Public-private partnership policy is a tool which requires a proper mindset on how to set its agenda, its policy objectives and how it will be implemented.  Commitment to the partnership needs a solid foundation in order to have a successful UAE healthcare reform.

Dr. Sharon Mendoza-Dreisbach is an Assistant Professor at Skyline University College, a university in Sharjah that offers the best MBA programs in UAE and one of the top universities in UAE.

Volunteering for social organizations is an increasing trend among students all over the world. Smith et al (2010) conceptualized student volunteering as “outward-looking, focusing on students volunteering within their local communities.” What motivates students to volunteer is the opportunity to gain work experience and skills necessary to their interests and personal development.

Astin and Sax (1998) went beyond personal development and found that volunteering enhanced students’ academic development and their sense of social responsibility. Moreover, it increases their employability after graduation.

AIESEC (Association internationale des étudiants en sciences économiques et commerciales) introduced the idea of being a ‘Global Volunteer’ wherein students are able to go to 120 countries all around the world to be exposed to its respective local cultures and promote sustainable development. That way, exchange students are creating an impact on the lives of the local people in the communities where they went to.

This volunteering trend is being increasingly seen in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the authorities are encouraging students by giving them opportunities to participate in various activities.

In an effort to increase volunteering activities in Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of the said Emirate, issued Law No. 5 of 2018 in April to promote social engagement in the communities.

The new law requires public, private, and non-profit entities to register to Dubai’s Community Development Authority (CDA) before conducting volunteering activities and fundraising events. The program is also operating under the slogan ‘Volunteering makes UAE proud,’ as it encourages to spread the culture of volunteerism in all of the Emirates.

The CDA is tasked to implement this legislation as part of the agency’s strategy this year in achieving sustainable development by creating a cohesive, happy, and well-knit society.

Volunteerism in the UAE

A national volunteering platform, UAE Volunteers, was first launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, in 2017 to promote volunteering as a vital pillar of social cohesion.

Through the said program, the volunteer sector aims to maximize its impact on the country’s population. Individuals will be able to apply their specialized skills and interests via the guidance of the platform and the management of its accreditations.

It also sees the need of 30,000 volunteers for the upcoming Expo 2020 Dubai as 25 million visitors are expected to come to the Emirate for the said event.

The platform includes 14 volunteering categories: education, care for the elderly, health, culture and arts, sports, leisure, environment, community service, hope-making, professional development, international volunteerism, and emergency response.

As a proof of completion for the volunteers, UAE Volunteers will provide a certificate of participation that includes the number of accredited volunteering hours.

At the national level, the program is implemented through the partnership of the Ministry of Community Development and the Emirates Foundation.

Implications on the Dubai communities

The CDA’s plan goes beyond Expo 2020. Its Dubai 2021 Plan is setting the Emirate to become “one of the world’s most advanced countries (sic) in the community development sector.”

The agency is spearheading the said program through a four-level strategic plan: involving the public, private, and non-profit stakeholders in community development, improving their financial performance, increasing the effectiveness of operations by being compliant to social standards, and supporting innovation and creativity through smart technologies.

Aside from increased engagement to the communities, the new law includes safeguards ensuring the safety of the volunteers by requiring organizers to provide insurance against injuries and equipment that will prevent people from harm.

Volunteering opportunities are not only limited to professionals. Students may also take part in the said activities provided that their volunteer registration is approved by their parents.

As a melting pot of cultures and varying skills necessary for the further development, this initiative may lead Dubai to a more sustainable and empowered community.

Dr. Sharon Mendoza-Dreisbach is an Assistant Professor at Skyline University College, a university in Sharjah that offers the best MBA programs in UAE and one of the top universities in UAE.

References:

Astin, A. W., & Sax, L. J. (1998). How undergraduates are affected by service participation. Journal of College Student Development, 39, 251-263.

Community Development Authority Dubai. (2018). Dubai Volunteering Program. Retrieved from https://www.cda.gov.ae/en/volunteering/Pages/default.aspx

Global Volunteer. (2017). AIESEC. Retrieved from https://aiesec.org/global-volunteer

Smith, K., Holmes, K., Haski-Leventhal, D., Cnaan, R. A., Handy, F., & Brudney, J. L. (2010). Motivations and Benefits of Student Volunteering: Comparing Regular, Occasional, and Non-Volunteers in Five Countries. Canadian Journal of Nonprofit and Social Economy Research, 1(1) 65-81.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) has been one of the major differentiators of many companies during the recent past. Be it an online retail outlet or a brick and mortar traditional grocery store or a manufacturing company,