Economic Research Forum (ERF)

Arsalan Safari

Author

Arsalan Safari
Associate Professor, Qatar University

Dr. Arsalan Safari is an associate professor at Qatar University. His research as well as his teaching interests include innovation, entrepreneurship, operations management and business financing. He completed a postdoctoral program at MIT, Sociotechnical Systems Research Center in the USA where he focused on innovation, enterprise architecture and transformation. He received his Ph.D. in management (management of technology) from the University of Waterloo, Canada and his master of engineering in design and manufacturing from the University of Western Ontario (Western University), Canada. He has published various journal papers in high-ranked peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Safari worked for nearly six years in the banking industry, in senior-level positions in Canada.

Content by this Author

Self-employment in MENA: the role of religiosity and personal values

How important are individual’s values and beliefs in influencing the likelihood that they will embrace the responsibilities, risks and entrepreneurial challenge of self-employment? This column presents evidence from 12 countries in the Middle East and North African region on the roles of people’s religiosity and sense of personal agency in their labour market choices.

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Labour demand and informal employment in Egypt’s manufacturing sector

Egypt’s manufacturing sector faces a dual challenge of weak job creation and persistent informality. Drawing on survey evidence on business behaviour and labour market dynamics, this column explains why job creation is limited and informal work remains such an integral part of how firms organise production. The generation of more formal jobs requires a comprehensive policy approach, one that goes beyond enforcement of labour regulations to reshape the economic environment in which firms and workers make decisions.

Challenges of conflict and industrial policy for development

How effective is industrial policy as a tool for long-term economic growth and development? Against the backdrop of the conflict currently engulfing the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAAP), a new report argues that while industrial policies are widely used across the region, they can only address market failures and foster growth when they are aligned with country capabilities, implemented with accountability and backed by capable institutions.

The green transition in MENA economies: challenges and policy pathways

The economies of the Middle East and North Africa are at a critical turning point. Global decarbonisation pressures, energy market volatility and technological transformation are increasingly challenging hydrocarbon-based growth models. This column argues that the green transition is not only an environmental necessity but also a strategic economic imperative.




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