Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Arab World: the status quo, impediments and the ways forward

Abstract

This paper attempts to provide a holistic understanding of the environment in which entrepreneurs and SMEs and startups operate; the so-called entrepreneurial ecosystem in 22 Arab countries and proposes ways forward to stimulate and enrich the culture of entrepreneurship in the region. The ecosystem domain mapping, inspired by Isenberg’s model, enabled to spot the gaps and constraints in the ecosystem. The measures to energize the ecosystem and the methods of intervention to stimulate entrepreneurship were done using GIZ model. The study concluded that much of the potential for digital entrepreneurship remains untapped by local entrepreneurs but eaten up by foreign businesses dominating the landscape. Thus, there is a high potential in the region for young and women entrepreneurs with the right type of skills and knowledge are instilled, and providing the entrepreneurial ecosystem is enabling. The paper provides some general recommendations and the ways forward.