Dr. John Isaac Graham Meewella PhD DBA MBA MMgt MCom MArts MPol PGD.HRM.IR BIS.Com ADip.Acc TAA

Associate Professor, Entrepreneurship &Management, Oulu Business School, Oulu University, Finland

Managing Director, International Expansions, Oulu Business School, Oulu University, Finland

Professor Entrepreneurship, Int’l Business, & Supply Chain Mgt, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, Finland

Managing Director, Oulu Entrepreneurship Center (OEC), Finland;

Founder-Director, Aspire Solutions Group, Australia-UAE-Sri Lanka-Japan

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John is currently serving at the Oulu Business School, Finland as: Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship-Management,

Managing Director of internationalization initiatives in the GCC-MENA region, Managing Director of the Oulu

Entrepreneurship Center; Professor of Entrepreneurship, International Business, Supply Chain Management & Foreign Trade

Practices at Oulu University of Applied Sciences; Review Team for journals: IJTE, IJBEX & WREMSD; Board of

Management for Graduate School of Management and serves on several corporate Boards of Directors. Prior to moving to

Finland, he served as the Managing Director, Emirates Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (ECIE) at the UAE

University where he was responsible for the overall strategic, innovative and entrepreneurial directions of a government

initiative in promoting creativity, innovation & entrepreneurship. As a token of appreciation of John’s contribution to

entrepreneurial developments in the UAE, he was awarded the “Most cooperating-supporting individual” status by HH

Sheikh Mohamed (Dubai) during 2008-2009 Mwarid Finance, Tamaiaz Entrepreneurial Challenge and Akoun

Entrepreneurial Award by Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development in 2010. John is the Founding Director of Aspire

Solutions Group – a social entrepreneurial consulting group based in Australia, Finland, Japan, Sri Lanka and UAE. His

previous qualifications from Harvard Business School, Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship, Melbourne

University, Monash University, Swinburne University and Deakin University include multiple Executive Leadership and

Development Programs, PhD/DBA specialising in Management and Strategic Global Entrepreneurship, six Masters level

degrees and several Bachelor/Diploma level qualifications. John is currently pursuing his third doctoral study in Finland

specialising in female-international entrepreneurship and leading multiple entrepreneurial projects globally.

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Entrepreneurship in the Middle East: Emirates Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (ECIE) experiences‏‏

OEC, Oulu Entrepreneurship Center was founded in 2011 to network students from

different faculties and Universities together. The main idea is to provide

entrepreneurship support for someone who is thinking about starting a business and/or

working for a company in an entrepreneurial or intrapreneurial manner.

We have access to a large local and international business network and specialize in

entrepreneurial start-up exploration and exploitation. OEC attempts to contribute

towards an Oulu based entrepreneurial eco-system in fostering high-tech innovative

born-global start-ups. As a summary, within OEC, we aim to be contributing to that gap

of connecting and collaborating with entrepreneurial community in creating real life

projects.

www.oecfinland.com

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Essence of

Entrepreneurship

How do

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Arab Region

6 Yamin-Sandhu-Meewella 2009 (c)

MENA Region

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GCC Region

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P.O. BOX 4600, 90014 University of Oulu • tel. (08) 553 2905, fax (08) 553 2906 • www.oulubusinessschool.fi

P.O. BOX 4600, 90014 University of Oulu • tel. (08) 553 2905, fax (08) 553 2906 • www.oulubusinessschool.fi

P.O. BOX 4600, 90014 University of Oulu • tel. (08) 553 2905, fax (08) 553 2906 • www.oulubusinessschool.fi

2. Emerging entrepreneurial streams & Gulf region

Reducing Volatility Through Diversification

Expanding the contribution of non-oil export oriented sectors crucial to decouple GDP growth from oil price

Abu Dhabi will stimulate non-oil sector, rather than reduce activity in oil sector

Private sector has key role to play in the Emirate’s diversification strategy

The World … • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eUcRjo9Yv4

ECIE 17

The World …

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eUcRjo9Yv4

ECIE 18

ntrepreneurship E &

E mirates

for

C nnovation I

enter

ECIE 20

21 ECIE

22 ECIE

Yamin-Sandhu-Meewella 2009 (c) 23

Yamin-Sandhu-Meewella 2009 (c) 24

Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (ADWEA) H.E. Ahmed Saif Al Darmaki (CEO)

Dr. Mohamed Baka (ECIE Chairman)

United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) H.E. Abdulla Khanbashi (Vice Chancellor)

Dr. Fatima Al Shamsi (Secretary General )

Prof. David Graf (Dean of CBE) ECIE managed by CBE, throughout UAE University

Khalifa Fund to develop SMEs Dr. Ahmed Khalil Al Mutawa (CEO)

Mr. Nizar Cheniour (Director EDD)

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o Vision & Mission

o Values

o Phases of Certificate

o Selection process

o Entrepreneurship?

o Entrepreneur Anatomy

o COE timeline

o COE schedule 26

o Partners

o Values

o Phases of Certificate

o Selection process

o Entrepreneurship?

o Entrepreneur Anatomy

o COE timeline

o COE schedule

ECIE aims to foster within the UAE society an

Entrepreneurial Spirit

that contributes to the creation of knowledge-based economy and to the

realization of the nation’s aspirations for progress and prosperity.

We are determined to enhance Entrepreneurial Activities

Throughout the UAE University by nurturing

Entrepreneurial Talents

and to support Emiratization programs across the UAE

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Accepting and Helping Each Other

o Partners

o Vision & Mission

o Phases of Certificate

o Selection process

o Entrepreneurship?

o Entrepreneur Anatomy

o COE timeline

o COE schedule

Emirati Traditions and Innovative Vision

Charismatic Leading by Example

Upholding UAE Values

Developing Behaviors of Competency and Dedication

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o Partners

o Vision & Mission

o Values

o Phases of Certificate

o Selection process

o Entrepreneur Anatomy

o COE timeline

o COE schedule

You see things and you say why?

An entrepreneur dreams things that never were and says

why not?

Entrepreneurial Behaviors

Dreaming of things that do not yet exist

Bringing them into creation

Gaining market acceptance

{Shaw 1922 as cited in Gaglio 2004, p. 533}

Entrepreneurship ~ 4th pillar of economic development in

addition to land, labor and capital

Entrepreneurship ~ the most powerful economic force

known to mankind! The ‘Entrepreneurial Revolution’

{Kuratko & Hodgetts 2004}

What is Entrepreneurship?

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o Partners

o Vision & Mission

o Values

o Phases of Certificate

o Selection process

o Entrepreneurship?

o COE timeline

o COE schedule

Anatomy of an Entrepreneur

Source: University of Waterloo, Centre for Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (CBET) 2008

)http://www.cbet.uwaterloo.ca/Prospective_Students/index.html( 30

Entrepreneurial Mindset

Source: The Economist 2008 “Searching for the Invisible Man”

(http://images.google.ae/imgres?imgurl=http://www.progressdaily.com/wp-

content/uploads/2006/06/entrepreneur.%2520gif.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.progressdaily.com/2006/06/page/2/&h=300&w=33

3&sz=53&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=t9lQX6gIqnHk_M:&tbnh=107&tbnw=119&prev=/images%3Fq%3DEntrepreneur%2Band%

2BInnovation%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN) 31 ECIE

Entrepreneurs – Main Motivators

Source: Oxford University, “Survey of High-Tech Entrepreneurs’ Main Motivations”, 2008

(http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/entrepreneur_main.html) 32 ECIE

UAEU Graduate Employment Survey 2006-2007

UAEU

Self-employed (1%)

Unemployed (21%)

Working & studying (6%)

Working (72%)

ECIE 33

Entrepreneurship in Abu Dhabi: (Share of self-employed or employers in total employed)

Pillars

Emirate resource

optimisation

Complete

international and domestic

security

A significant and ongoing

contribution to the federation

of the UAE

Maintenance

of Abu Dhabi's values, culture and heritage

Premium

education, healthcare, and infrastructure

assets

Continuation of

strong and diverse

international relationships

Create a confident, secure society, and Build a sustainable, open and globally competitive economy

The creation of a

sustainable knowledge-

based economy

A large

empowered

private sector

An optimal transparent regulatory

environment

Abu Dhabi Vision

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ECIE 37

ECIE Organizational Structure

Patronage

Board

Managing Director

Assistant Director

Program & Curr. Head Innovation Lab Head

CBE CIT CFA CHSS COE COS CEDU CL SAL UGRU-CEC

FMHS

Industry growth &

Start –ups

Commercial

Feasibility

Pilot Project

Prototype

Concept

Development

Cert of Entrepre’p

COE

Business

Model & Plan

Networking

Comp.

Creativity &

Innovation

ECIE 38

ECIE Organizational Structure (Divisions)

Division Head

Innovation

Lab

Division

Industry growth &

Start –ups

Commercial

Feasibility

Pilot Project

Prototype

Concept

Development

UAEU Colleges

Multi-disciplinary

Program &

Curriculum

Division

Division Head

Cert of Entrepre’p

COE

Business

Planning

Networking Comp.

Soft skills

Creativity &

Innovation

UAEU Colleges

Multi-disciplinary

Student President

Female

Entrepreneurship

Club

Interns

Team

Leaders

Senior

Members

Members

UAEU Colleges

Multi-disciplinary

Innovation Labs Concept

ECIE 39

Creativity

Idea engineering process

Invention

Creating something new

Innovation

Developing the invention

Entrepreneurship

Commercializing the innovation

Role of Innovation Labs

Industry growth &

Start –ups Commercial

Feasibility

Pilot Project

Prototype

Concept

Development

ECIE 40

ECIE Innovation Labs (TBC)

Division Head

Innovation

Lab

Division

UAEU Colleges

Multi-disciplinary

Certificate of Entrepreneurship (COE)

dfd

Business Plan Competition: Report & Presentation

Funding Bodies

Business Incubation and Commercialization

Phase Three

Technical

Entrepreneurial

Competencies

Phase Two

Networking

Entrepreneurial

Competencies

Phase One

Creativity &

Innovation

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o Partners

o Vision & Mission

o Values

o Phases of Certificate

o Entrepreneurship?

o Entrepreneur Anatomy

o COE timeline

o COE schedule

Commercialization

Ent Fellow’p

Scheme

(EFS)

COE

Bus Model &

Bus Plan

Presentation & Report

Entrepreneurial

Funding

Bus Plan

Competition

Business Incubation

Interview

Registration

Application &

Interview

Entrepreneurial

Networking

Attend. & Notebook

Creativity &

Innovation

Attend. & Elev. Pitch

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ECIE 43

Goals

ECIE 44

Goals

Part I

• What is the Middle East? – Arab, MENA, Middle East, GCC, UAE, each Emirate geographic context

• Trading history, socio-cultural-religious characteristics, discovery of oil and implications

• Sheikh Zayed vision and UAE transformation from pearl diving, camels & to new UAE

• Economic crisis and impact

• Political context – Iran, Yemen, Algeria, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syrea

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Part II

• Emirates Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (ECIE) establishment

– Abu Dhabi 2030 Vision

– Abu Dhabi government (ADWEA division)

– United Arab Emirates University

– Khalifa Fund

– Tawteen Council

– Certificate of Entrepreneurship (COE)

– ECIE Strategic partners and stakeholders

– …

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Part III Implications for future:

• Economic (monetary need based) vs political (privatization-Emiratization) – justifications of entrepreneurship

• Sovereign wealth funds, oil revenue, cash rich society – GDP per capita 2010 USD 53,212 adj. PPP, World Bank

– role of entrepreneurship

• HBB, Micro, SME – female entrepreneurship implications (80% of UAEU graduates)

– Emiratization/ Privatization dilemma (4%)

• Socio-cultural-religious context – male/female roles

– expatriate/local percentage

– religious liberalism/extremism

– tribal mentality vs united front: role of Abu Dhabi & Dubai's current context, Abu Dhabi 2030 vision … 47 ECIE

Part III …

• Alignment with President Barack Obama's Egypt talk – Egypt

– April conference

– recent initiatives of entrepreneurship as a proactive anti-terrorism tool • Young populations

• Unemployment, Emiratization

• Social-cultural & cultural transition associated issues (gangs,

• Globalization, weternisation, liberalization,

• Marginalization of Emiratis in their own country

• Youth unrest (economic, social, cultural, religious)

• Role of entrepreneurship … – Creativity, Innovation, Knowledge based economy, social capital …

– Job creation, economic prosperity, mindset, attitudes and behavirs …

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Thank You

For further information, please contact:

• John Isaac Graham Meewella, Managing Director

Emirates Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (ECIE)

P. O. Box 17555, UAE University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

Mob. +971-50-137-7965

Email. (johnmeewella@windowslive.com)

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