Dubai Smart City as a Knowledge Based Economy

Abstract

Innovation, emerging technologies and digitalization have significant impacts on personal, social, environmental, and business aspects. This study explores the initiatives taken by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to accelerate its knowledge-based economy to ensure the best living experience for its people. Knowledge is the key factor in growth and labor market expansion where skills, knowledge, and experience possessed by individuals, are the driver of creativity and innovation, with dependence on information and communication technology (ICT) as an enabler. The UAE is moving towards a knowledge-based economy in order to maintain a diversified economy in line with “The Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030” which was launched in 2009. Through a systematic literature review, researchers have developed a perspective on transformation of economy and society through innovation, use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), as well as government performance management frameworks. Theory of sense data, nomothetic explanations, predictive and prescriptive analytics, along with Smart Dubai as a case study, are used to assess the achievements, emerging trends and expectations of knowledge-based economy in the UAE. Smart Dubai is a unique example of a high-level quality system that strives towards making Dubai the happiest city on earth. Smart Dubai has been adopting many projects that enhance the life of people and support the economy of the UAE. This study highlights the challenges related to the implementation of the Smart Dubai project. The study also provides a clear view of smart cities transformation into a knowledge-based economy and utilizes predictive and prescriptive analytics tools that can assist other researches in the future to improve and develop research regarding smart cities and gain a better understanding. Ten recommendations are made in this study, for the Smart Dubai to consider, in order to maintain high-quality performance and accelerate the transformation process of Knowledge-based economy.