Template-type: ReDif-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Nour S. 
Author-workplace-name: UNU-MERIT
Title: Transition to knowledge-based economy in Saudi Arabia
Abstract:  This paper discusses the progress in transition to knowledge-based  economy in Saudi Arabia. As for the methodology, this paper uses updated  secondary data obtained from different sources. It uses both descriptive  and comparative approaches and uses the OECD definition of  knowledge-based economy and the World Bank Knowledge Index KI and  Knowledge Economy Index KEI and other indicators often used in the  international literature to examine progress in transition to a  knowledge-based economy in Saudi Arabia. This paper is valuable because  it adds to the existing studies in the regional and international  literature and it fills the gap in Saudi Arabia literature by presenting  a more comprehensive analysis and investigating recent progress in  transition to knowledge-based economy in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the  results confirm the importance of supporting the efforts aimed at  enhancing knowledge- based economy in Saudi Arabia. Our findings imply  that over the period 2000-2012 Saudi Arabia has achieved significant  improvement, rapid and fastest progress not only by regional standard  but also by international standard, in the international rank Saudi  Arabia has climbed 26 places compared to 2000, obtaining 50th place in  2012 ranking, compared to 76th place in 2000 ranking. Our findings  support the hypothesis concerning some progress in transition towards  knowledge-based economy in Saudi Arabia. The progress appears from  improvement in terms of KI, KEI, ICT pillar, education pillar, economic  incentive and institutional regime pillar, innovation efficiency index,  knowledge creation index, knowledge impact index, knowledge diffusion  index and technological infrastructure, despite deterioration in both  innovation pillar and knowledge absorption index. Based on the findings  the paper recommends that to improve transition to knowledge economy and  achieve sustainable economic development, it is essential for Saudi  Arabia to strengthen and improve knowledge by investing heavily in  education, training, boosting knowledge absorption index and innovation  through intensive spending on RD.     Keywords Knowledge, Knowledge-based economy, Knowledge Index, Saudi  Arabia.
Keywords: Economic Development: General; Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development; Technological Change; Research and Development; Intellectual Property Rights: General; 
Classification-JEL: O10; O11; O30; .
Series:  Working Papers
Creation-Date: 2014
Number: 029
File-URL: http://pub.maastrichtuniversity.nl/e980cf7d-3832-4d97-871d-a43b86a0eecc
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 1086503
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2014029