Brunei and Beyond_update 13.11_FINAL_final
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ISSUE 1<br />
13 th November, 2015<br />
THE NAPIERSHALL FORMULA DIGEST<br />
ECONOMIC<br />
DIVERSIFICATION<br />
UAE’s drive towards<br />
economic independence<br />
REPUTATION<br />
MANAGEMENT<br />
The Kingdom of Saudi<br />
Arabia announces<br />
diversification efforts<br />
in a bid to slow<br />
climate change<br />
GOVERNMENT<br />
BEST PRACTICES<br />
Building sustainability<br />
into policy<br />
development:<br />
Smart Policy Design<br />
TOURISM<br />
Stop-over<br />
tourism in<br />
Icel<strong>and</strong><br />
driving traffic<br />
inside<br />
feature<br />
HUMAN CAPITAL<br />
Japan’s need to kick-start<br />
the entrepreneurial<br />
sector.<br />
Icel<strong>and</strong>ic innovation through<br />
Economic Adversity p. 8
foreword<br />
It is central to <strong>Brunei</strong> that its economy is diversified beyond the hydrocarbon sector,<br />
in order to provide a prosperous future for the Sultanate. In The Napiershall Formula<br />
Digest, <strong>Brunei</strong> & <strong>Beyond</strong>, we seek to provide the reader with inspiration, insight <strong>and</strong><br />
overviews within key areas of interest that have high impact potential towards<br />
economic growth <strong>and</strong> positive promotion.<br />
This collection of articles hopes to provide inspiration for designing a trajectory for<br />
<strong>Brunei</strong>’s future of a diversified economy. Each bi-monthly issue will present a feature<br />
piece that provides a deeper insight <strong>and</strong> analysis into one focus area.<br />
This week’s issue features Icel<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> the success story of its revival following 2008<br />
economic crisis. Other sections focus on Saudi Arabia’s efforts to manage its image<br />
through making a symbolic move to join the global fight against climate change, smart<br />
policy design developed in Harvard, <strong>and</strong> Japan’s endeavours to combat losing its<br />
competitive edge.<br />
These areas of research <strong>and</strong> analysis can be further tailored to suit the specific<br />
interests of the client, <strong>and</strong> can be incorporated into future editions.<br />
Chairman of The Napiershall Formula<br />
about us<br />
Napiershall Formula is an independent consulting group based in Scotl<strong>and</strong><br />
which strategically advises <strong>and</strong> incubates projects on behalf of<br />
governments, national <strong>and</strong> international corporations, <strong>and</strong> third sector<br />
organisations. Our work is instilled with our three core values: intelligence,<br />
integrity, <strong>and</strong> delivery. We advocate strategic <strong>and</strong> innovative design-based<br />
thinking, we lead with honesty <strong>and</strong> transparency, <strong>and</strong> we deliver our<br />
projects without compromising their quality.<br />
Strictly private <strong>and</strong> confidential.<br />
This digest is intended only for the<br />
clientelle of The Napiershall Formula<br />
1
contents<br />
ISSUE 1<br />
13 th November, 2015<br />
3<br />
pg<br />
REPUTATION<br />
MANAGEMENT<br />
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announces diversification<br />
efforts in a bid to slow climate change<br />
ECONOMIC<br />
DIVERSIFICATION<br />
UAE’s drive towards economic independence<br />
6<br />
pg<br />
9<br />
pg<br />
pg<br />
15<br />
THOUGHT BITES<br />
Inspiring best practice examples from around the world<br />
HUMAN CAPITAL<br />
Japan’s need to kick-start the entrepreneurial sector<br />
GOVERNMENT<br />
BEST PRACTICES<br />
Building sustainability into policy development:<br />
Smart Policy Design<br />
TOURISM<br />
Stop-over tourism in Icel<strong>and</strong> driving<br />
tourist numbers<br />
12<br />
pg<br />
20<br />
pg<br />
23<br />
pg<br />
REFERENCES<br />
NEWS BITES<br />
A glance at the past two week’s media developments on <strong>Brunei</strong><br />
25<br />
pg<br />
2
“Dubai <strong>and</strong> Abu<br />
Dhabi are just<br />
warming up in<br />
terms of tourism<br />
<strong>and</strong> hospitality<br />
development.<br />
The two cities in<br />
the United Arab<br />
Emirates, located<br />
75 minutes apart<br />
by car, anchor a<br />
region “poised to<br />
take off” 1<br />
ECONOMIC<br />
DIVERSIFICATION<br />
UAE’s drive towards economic independence<br />
3
economic<br />
diversification<br />
analysis:<br />
diversification through<br />
innovation<br />
21st century United<br />
Arab Emirates (UAE) has<br />
manoeuvred <strong>and</strong> positioned<br />
itself as one of the best in the<br />
world in terms of the<br />
efficiency <strong>and</strong> ease of doing<br />
business. In the 41 years since<br />
its conception, the UAE has<br />
not only emerged as the<br />
second largest Arab economy,<br />
but also the most competitive,<br />
diverse <strong>and</strong> investor-friendly<br />
nation in the region due to<br />
sensible policies based on<br />
openness <strong>and</strong> diversification<br />
of sources of income 2 . Dubai,<br />
for example, was largely<br />
dependent on Abu Dhabi for<br />
funding, <strong>and</strong> in order to gain<br />
financial independence had to<br />
assertively develop its tourism<br />
<strong>and</strong> financial sectors.<br />
The country still has a<br />
commodity-based economy,<br />
with oil <strong>and</strong> natural gas<br />
accounting for 40% of total<br />
exports <strong>and</strong> for 38% of GDP.<br />
Yet, in order to diversify the<br />
economy <strong>and</strong> reduce the<br />
dependence on oil revenues,<br />
UAE has been making huge<br />
investments in the tourism,<br />
financial <strong>and</strong> construction<br />
sectors 3 .<br />
In 2012, manufacturing activity<br />
accounted for 42% of output<br />
growth,<br />
transport/communication for<br />
23%, wholesale/retail trade for<br />
16.5% <strong>and</strong> restaurants/hotels<br />
for 15.5% while construction<br />
<strong>and</strong> agriculture contracted.<br />
“Exponential growth is expected<br />
to catapult the Emirates to the<br />
ranks of the world’s most<br />
sought-after destinations for<br />
international visitors by 2020” 7<br />
4
A crucial element in<br />
the success of UAE’s<br />
economic<br />
diversification is that it<br />
has managed to<br />
establish itself as a<br />
strategic hub for<br />
foreign investments,<br />
due to its solid<br />
economic foudation<br />
<strong>and</strong> smart<br />
economic policies<br />
based on<br />
openness,<br />
diversity <strong>and</strong><br />
flexibility 4 .<br />
One sector that the UAE has<br />
shown immense development<br />
in, <strong>and</strong> one which other<br />
countries could seek to<br />
emulate is the hospitality<br />
sector. The UAE’s hospitality<br />
industry is expected to grow<br />
at a rate of 10% between<br />
2013 <strong>and</strong> 2018. The growth<br />
of the industry in the region<br />
will be driven by the a shift in<br />
global activity from the West<br />
to the East, a rise in leisure<br />
travel, higher dem<strong>and</strong> for<br />
serviced apartments, a shift<br />
towards budget travel <strong>and</strong> a<br />
quicker construction<br />
pipeline 5 . While tourist<br />
arrivals in the UAE are likely<br />
to grow at an annual rate of<br />
5.3% between 2012 <strong>and</strong><br />
2022, hotel supply is<br />
expected to increase at 5.3%<br />
from 96,992 hotels in Dubai<br />
<strong>and</strong> Abu Dhabi to 125,383<br />
hotels in 2016 6 .<br />
The UAE’s hospitality<br />
sector is a<br />
contemporary,<br />
developing benchmark<br />
for how countries,<br />
particularly in<br />
Asia, can seek<br />
to diversify<br />
their<br />
economies.<br />
5
Countries can<br />
“overcome<br />
climate<br />
challenges <strong>and</strong><br />
turn them into<br />
opportunities to<br />
build a more<br />
diversified <strong>and</strong><br />
sustainable<br />
economy” 8<br />
REPUTATION<br />
MANAGEMENT<br />
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Announces diversification efforts in a bid to slow climate change<br />
6
eputation<br />
management<br />
analysis:<br />
positive spin from<br />
the environment<br />
7<br />
Saudi<br />
Arabia, the world's largest<br />
crude oil exporter,<br />
announced recently that it<br />
plans to diversify its<br />
economy in a move to help<br />
combat climate change <strong>and</strong><br />
reduce expected carbon<br />
emissions by up to 130<br />
million tonnes a year by<br />
2030 9 .<br />
Saudi Arabia’s move to cut<br />
carbon emissions up to 130<br />
million tons a year by 2030,<br />
arguably is a self-interested<br />
act reflecting the need to<br />
diversify the economy away<br />
from the hydrocarbon sector.<br />
However, the move also<br />
presents the KSA a key<br />
opportunity to positively<br />
promote itself during a time<br />
of relative crisis. With the<br />
recent tragedy taken place in<br />
Mina, the KSA has been<br />
targeted by human rights<br />
activists on a massive scale,<br />
with continued criticism<br />
facing its leadership <strong>and</strong><br />
religious institutions.<br />
However, two months after<br />
the crisis, the country has now<br />
seized an opportunity to<br />
deflect attention away from<br />
the negative attention<br />
towards a brighter country<br />
image. Indeed, the KSA has<br />
now taken a decisive step<br />
towards positively promoting<br />
itself as a global player within<br />
the environmental protection<br />
agenda. The step has garnered<br />
some positive attention at the<br />
outset, with the U.N. Climate<br />
Change Secretariat Cristiana<br />
Figueres thanking the KSA for<br />
its climate action plan.<br />
As a symbolic move towards<br />
fighting global warming, the<br />
desert nation has <strong>final</strong>ly<br />
joined a league of others that<br />
showcase an international<br />
commitment to this joint<br />
cause.
8<br />
Up to 130 million tons of<br />
carbon dioxide equivalent<br />
avoided by 2030 annually<br />
through contributions to<br />
economic diversification <strong>and</strong><br />
adaptation" 10
“...the<br />
policymakers<br />
that we work<br />
with are<br />
largely<br />
constrained<br />
not by a lack of<br />
will, but by a<br />
lack of<br />
resources” 11<br />
GOVERNMENT<br />
BEST PRACTICES<br />
Building sustainability into policy development:<br />
Smart Policy Design<br />
9
government<br />
best practices<br />
analysis:<br />
smart policy design driving<br />
government strategies<br />
W hen<br />
policymakers push a new<br />
strategy or program, they<br />
usually do so believing their<br />
efforts will solve a problem<br />
or improve some vital aspect<br />
of life for the community.<br />
Often however, government<br />
policies lack the scope of<br />
knowledge <strong>and</strong> informed<br />
re-evaluation to create<br />
lasting impact to the benefit<br />
of the people the policies<br />
target.<br />
These considerations have been<br />
developed into something called<br />
“Smart Policy Design”,<br />
implemented by the Evidence<br />
for Policy Design (EPoD)<br />
launched six years ago at<br />
Harvard Kennedy School (HKS).<br />
The design works on the<br />
assumption that “using<br />
economic insights to inform the<br />
design, implementation, <strong>and</strong><br />
recalibration of policy solutions<br />
<strong>and</strong> working in close<br />
collaboration with local policy<br />
actors is the key to building<br />
Rohini P<strong>and</strong>e, co-director of<br />
EPoD stated that “the policymakers<br />
that we work with are<br />
largely constrained not by a<br />
lack of will, but by a lack of<br />
resources. They lack training in<br />
using <strong>and</strong> assessing evidence,<br />
<strong>and</strong> they don’t have access to<br />
good information. But they are<br />
the solution to the challenges<br />
faced by their countries. Our<br />
goal is to give them the tools to<br />
make a difference.” 13<br />
In order for policy reform to<br />
deliver in practice, thorough<br />
research, strategic<br />
governments that benefit all<br />
citizens.” 12<br />
stakeholder engagement <strong>and</strong><br />
continued evaluation of the<br />
process in place is often<br />
needed from the outset.<br />
10
As a testament to<br />
the initial<br />
successes, EPoD<br />
now runs research<br />
<strong>and</strong> policy<br />
partnerships in 13<br />
countries, including<br />
India, Pakistan,<br />
Indonesia, <strong>and</strong><br />
Saudi Arabia,<br />
around important<br />
issues such as<br />
public health,<br />
education, labor,<br />
<strong>and</strong> finance, among<br />
others. So far,<br />
“EPoD’s cyclical<br />
template has<br />
proven successful<br />
in countries where<br />
researchers have<br />
deep, existing<br />
networks.“<br />
While the results of the<br />
research remain to be<br />
seen, EPoD’s remit has<br />
exp<strong>and</strong>ed to include the<br />
training of government<br />
agents <strong>and</strong> civil servants<br />
to build capacity<br />
towards implementing<br />
solutions organically.<br />
This will allow them to<br />
better underst<strong>and</strong> their<br />
own policy challenges<br />
<strong>and</strong> to take fuller<br />
advantage of the data<br />
available to make smart<br />
decisions.<br />
Holistic solutions such<br />
as these should be<br />
worked into developing<br />
governmental practices,<br />
whilst building capacity<br />
at the same time.<br />
“We build sustainability into our<br />
process from the outset, so the real<br />
marker of our success is that moment<br />
when we’re no longer needed, when<br />
local policymakers <strong>and</strong> citizens have all<br />
the tools <strong>and</strong> information they need to<br />
make their institutions work for the<br />
benefit of all” 14<br />
- Deanna Ford, EPoD Director<br />
11
THOUGHT<br />
BITES<br />
Inspiring best practice examples from around the world<br />
12
fragrance<br />
rainforest<br />
thought<br />
bites<br />
Canada-based natural<br />
perfume house, Ayala<br />
Moriel, have announced<br />
this month their latest<br />
fragrance, Komorebi. They<br />
claim that the fragrance is<br />
inspired by the scent of the<br />
forest floor after its been<br />
kissed by sun.<br />
On their website, the<br />
company said that they<br />
were “thankful to the<br />
Japanese language, which<br />
has a special word for the<br />
interplay of light <strong>and</strong> leaves,<br />
which includes the<br />
sunbeams one would<br />
observe coming through the<br />
trees <strong>and</strong> shedding light on<br />
the vapour they exhale; as<br />
well as the dappled-gold<br />
forest floor, a vision that is<br />
shifting yet constant, as<br />
long as the sun is there. This<br />
is the essence of Komorebi<br />
in the Pacific rainforest.” 15<br />
13<br />
Outside Southeast Asia,<br />
innovators are developing<br />
tools to monitor <strong>and</strong> protect<br />
pristine rainforests while also<br />
ensuring human safety.<br />
Following the bog fires in<br />
Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s<br />
need to protect its pristine<br />
natural reserves has been<br />
highlighted. This is where the<br />
innovative solutions such as<br />
the below come into play 16 .<br />
Topher White from San<br />
Francisco uses old cellphones<br />
to monitor sounds in the<br />
forest. The phones are powered<br />
by an array of solar<br />
panels hidden in tree tops.<br />
The project, titled ‘Rainforest<br />
Connection’, listens for<br />
sounds that don’t belong in a<br />
rainforest; for example that of<br />
a chainsaw or human chattering.<br />
It then sends an alert to a<br />
control station.<br />
Another example is Libelium,<br />
a company based in Spain,<br />
that specializes in smart<br />
sensors which are linked up<br />
with software for easy<br />
monitoring. There are<br />
countless applications for<br />
Libelium’s system, such as<br />
early detection of forest fires<br />
in Spain 17 .
honey<br />
country<br />
br<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
14<br />
Georgian honey could soon<br />
appear on the shelves of<br />
European supermarkets. In<br />
2014, Georgia produced<br />
4,100 metric tons of honey,<br />
but only exported 5,<br />
generating export revenue<br />
of US$ 54,000, with Saudi<br />
Arabia accounting for 87%<br />
of total exports, followed by<br />
China (10%), <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Republic of Korea (1%) 18 .<br />
As it currently st<strong>and</strong>s,<br />
individual Georgian local<br />
beekeepers are unable to<br />
provide honey in amounts<br />
that would interest international<br />
buyers. Furthermore,<br />
in some cases, importers<br />
require honey to be monofloral,<br />
meaning the honey<br />
should be predominantly<br />
from the nectar of one plant<br />
species, which is typically<br />
not the case with Georgian<br />
honey. The Ministry of<br />
Agriculture is currently<br />
co-financing a beehive<br />
census for better tracking of<br />
Georgian honey <strong>and</strong> its<br />
point of origin whilst the<br />
same time, the ministry is<br />
helping to subsidise costs of<br />
honey sample analysis.<br />
If Georgia can address these<br />
issues, then it has the<br />
potential to become a niche<br />
honey supplier to an array<br />
of foreign markets 19 .<br />
Br<strong>and</strong> Finance, an independent<br />
br<strong>and</strong> valuation<br />
<strong>and</strong> strategy consultancy,<br />
earlier this month released<br />
the list of the 100 most<br />
valuable nation br<strong>and</strong>s.<br />
South Africa ranks at<br />
number 37 with a nett<br />
nation br<strong>and</strong> value of US$<br />
225bn; an impressive feat<br />
considering the country is<br />
still acclimatising to its<br />
relatively infant democracy<br />
(21 years old).<br />
A crucial determinate of the<br />
country’s br<strong>and</strong> ranking is<br />
that South Africa is seen as<br />
a country that is open to<br />
innovation <strong>and</strong> foreign<br />
direct investment (FDI).<br />
“The South African nation<br />
br<strong>and</strong> is strong <strong>and</strong> resilient<br />
<strong>and</strong> more than just a<br />
collection of numbers. It is<br />
innovative, courageous,<br />
creative, bold <strong>and</strong> continues<br />
to inspire new ways the<br />
world over.” 20
Icel<strong>and</strong> has<br />
negotiated<br />
adverse<br />
economic<br />
conditions to<br />
foster a<br />
diverse,<br />
thriving<br />
tourism based<br />
economy…<br />
<strong>Brunei</strong> holds<br />
similar<br />
potential<br />
feature<br />
TOURISM<br />
Stop-over tourism in Icel<strong>and</strong> driving tourism numbers<br />
15
the nordic<br />
touch<br />
“Tourism (in Icel<strong>and</strong>) has<br />
grown by 100 percent<br />
since 2006, thus<br />
indicating the economic<br />
value of an extremely<br />
promising stream of<br />
revenue for the<br />
country.” 21<br />
- Elizabeth Matsangou, World Finance<br />
This article highlights the lessons<br />
learned by Icel<strong>and</strong> following the financial<br />
crisis in 2008, whilst considering key<br />
best practice examples that can be<br />
emulated in other regions. The piece<br />
begins a series of articles related to the<br />
Nordic region, aiming to provide an<br />
outlook on how the region often<br />
provides best practice examples for<br />
attracting FDI, tourism <strong>and</strong> fostering<br />
innovation.<br />
Prior to the financial crisis in 2008,<br />
Icel<strong>and</strong>’s three biggest banks were worth<br />
$141 billion, making them 10 times the<br />
size of the country’s economy. The banks<br />
pulled this off by promising unrealistic<br />
high rates of return to foreign clients<br />
whilst simultaneously buying up corporate<br />
companies <strong>and</strong> real-estate among<br />
other assets.<br />
16
By comparison, <strong>Brunei</strong> is potentially<br />
headed towards a similar situation<br />
of an economic downturn due to<br />
the volatile market fluctuations<br />
within the oil industry <strong>and</strong> its<br />
overdependence on the<br />
hydrocarbon sector. At the same<br />
time, <strong>Brunei</strong>’s pristine rainforest<br />
presents a key asset for the country<br />
to utilise towards economic<br />
diversification <strong>and</strong> tourism<br />
attraction.<br />
On Otober 6th 2008, due to its<br />
unsustainable global financial<br />
practices, the banking sector<br />
collapsed, forcing Icel<strong>and</strong> to seek<br />
innovative solutions to diversify<br />
their economy. As a result the<br />
country has turned the clean<br />
energy <strong>and</strong> tourism sectors into its<br />
main drivers of economic recovery.<br />
The tourism sector now contributes<br />
6.8% to the country’s GDP, the key<br />
attraction being eco-tourism. The<br />
share of the sector in Icel<strong>and</strong>’s GDP<br />
between 2000 <strong>and</strong> 2007 was, on<br />
average, 4.6%. At the same time the<br />
country has implemented solutions<br />
such as the recently launched<br />
initiative to support R&D <strong>and</strong><br />
start-ups, with domestic <strong>and</strong><br />
international investors alike raising<br />
funds for Icel<strong>and</strong>.<br />
However, a point of difference is<br />
that Sc<strong>and</strong>inavian populations in<br />
general are characterised by<br />
individualism <strong>and</strong> high levels of<br />
entrepreneurial spirit (namely<br />
showcased in the high number of<br />
start-ups) 22 . This is in direct<br />
contrast with the lack of<br />
international recognition <strong>Brunei</strong><br />
fosters in relation to the<br />
entrepreneurial spirit of its<br />
populous 23 . As such, the respective<br />
government systems often serve to<br />
dictate the potential for fostering<br />
SMEs growth <strong>and</strong> attracting high<br />
levels of tourism <strong>and</strong>/or FDI.<br />
17
At the same time, there are<br />
similarities between <strong>Brunei</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
Icel<strong>and</strong> in relation to populations<br />
size, GDP <strong>and</strong> the over-reliance on<br />
a single economic driver <strong>and</strong>, as<br />
such, <strong>Brunei</strong> could look to emulate<br />
some of the practices Icel<strong>and</strong> put in<br />
place in order to achieve the<br />
resurgence in its economy. For<br />
example, both countries have their<br />
own airlines, with Icel<strong>and</strong> being a<br />
key stopover destination from<br />
Europe enroute to North America<br />
while <strong>Brunei</strong> is a natural stopover<br />
to the region of Southeast Asia <strong>and</strong><br />
Australasia.<br />
The exponential growth of Icel<strong>and</strong>’s<br />
tourism sector (up by a 100% since<br />
2006) has showcased the potential<br />
of streaming revenue into an<br />
economy through attracting<br />
visitors. Initial growth was spurred<br />
by cheap travel, however this was<br />
supported by government<br />
investment towards a host of new<br />
attractions to lure tourists, such as<br />
a $2.5m project to tunnel Europe’s<br />
second largest glacier, the Ice Cave.<br />
Icel<strong>and</strong>air has also launched major<br />
online marketing campaigns to<br />
maximise visibility.<br />
Positive initiatives such as these<br />
could be launched in <strong>Brunei</strong>, too, as<br />
quick win solutions to drive vistior<br />
numbers into the country.<br />
18
BRUNEI<br />
ICELAND<br />
Population Size 24<br />
429646<br />
Government System<br />
Absolute Monarchy<br />
L<strong>and</strong> Area 25<br />
2,035 sq.mi<br />
GDP<br />
11.24 (billions of dollars)<br />
Global Ease of Doing<br />
61.26 (101st)<br />
Business Report<br />
Ranking 26<br />
Global Innovation Index<br />
<strong>Brunei</strong> not ranked<br />
Ranking (Wipo) 27<br />
Tourism Contribution to<br />
1.5%<br />
GDP 28<br />
319395<br />
Constitutional Republic<br />
38,707 sq.mi<br />
17.81 (billions of dollars)<br />
80.27 (12th)<br />
13th (0.91)<br />
6.8%<br />
*All statistics accurate current between 2013-2015*<br />
“Icel<strong>and</strong>’s airlines have helped<br />
spur a tourism boom, lifting its<br />
battered economy back to<br />
health” 29<br />
19
“Japan<br />
needs a<br />
greater<br />
focus on<br />
what<br />
individual<br />
companies<br />
can do<br />
immediately<br />
<strong>and</strong> on their<br />
own” 30<br />
HUMAN CAPITAL<br />
DEVELOPMENT<br />
Japan’s need to kick-start the entrepreneurial sector<br />
20
human capital<br />
development<br />
analysis:<br />
fostering<br />
enterpreneurship<br />
21<br />
For the last half a<br />
century, Japan has led the<br />
world in technological<br />
achievements <strong>and</strong> remains<br />
one of the strongest<br />
economies in Asia for this<br />
sector. The secret to Japan’s<br />
success is largely due to the<br />
economic power of the<br />
country’s major<br />
corporations, especially in<br />
the technology sector 31 . For<br />
example, Toyota has a total<br />
revenue of $326 billion. The<br />
company also employs<br />
326.000 employees. With a<br />
revenue of $119 billion,<br />
Honda is another big<br />
company in the country.<br />
Despite this, Japan has endured<br />
what has been dubbed the two<br />
painful “lost decades”, <strong>and</strong> has lost<br />
much of its competitive economic<br />
edge. The country is currently<br />
operating at below its full potential,<br />
<strong>and</strong> productivity continues to<br />
decline across a range of sectors<br />
<strong>and</strong> services 32 . Yet, is there a case<br />
to be made that Japan’s current<br />
technological sector, <strong>and</strong> economy<br />
generally, is inhibiting the growth<br />
of entrepreneurships, start-ups<br />
<strong>and</strong> ‘idea-to-company’ success<br />
ratios? The corporate giants, which<br />
still to a large extent dominate the<br />
Japanese economy, are extremely<br />
top heavy, exerting their influence<br />
<strong>and</strong> control over vast pools of<br />
talent, labour, markets, ideas,<br />
resources <strong>and</strong> countless other<br />
aspects of the economy. According<br />
to a report published by the<br />
Mckinsey Global Institute, “Japan<br />
needs a greater focus on what<br />
individual companies can do<br />
immediately <strong>and</strong> on their own.” 33<br />
For giving freedom <strong>and</strong> licence<br />
to the private sector,<br />
encouraging start-ups <strong>and</strong><br />
entrepreneurship, Japan could<br />
look to Silicon Valley in the<br />
United States. This year, Silicon<br />
Valley was once again ranked as<br />
the best in the world for<br />
start-up businesses <strong>and</strong><br />
entrepreneurship; the Silicon<br />
Valley tech companies alone<br />
create a total GDP, which comes<br />
to $535 billion 34 . Whilst Silicon<br />
Valley start-ups like Facebook,<br />
Amazon, Tesla <strong>and</strong> Google are<br />
changing the way the Western<br />
world functions, this kind of<br />
disruptive innovation from<br />
start-ups is not yet a common<br />
occurrence in Japan.
A recent<br />
development<br />
in the United States<br />
is that start-ups are using<br />
banks <strong>and</strong> investment<br />
companies far more than they<br />
used to, as they are able to<br />
connect companies <strong>and</strong> wealthy<br />
individuals who can network<br />
<strong>and</strong> use their own clients to<br />
offer revenue. An example of<br />
this is Fidelity or T. Rowe Price,<br />
which often invest in big<br />
start-ups, like Uber, that are on<br />
the precipice of an IPO 35 . This is<br />
just one of many strategies that<br />
national economies should seek<br />
to adopt to grow, incubate <strong>and</strong><br />
foster their entrepreneurial<br />
talent.<br />
“Investments in human capital, including<br />
healthcare, education, <strong>and</strong> especially the<br />
integration of women in labour market, are<br />
fundamental at the initial stage to speed up the<br />
transition, improve the productivity of the<br />
workforce, <strong>and</strong> increase the magnitude of the<br />
potential of a veritable dividend” 36<br />
- Dr Awiti, Director of the East African Institute at Aga Khan University<br />
22
NEWS<br />
BITES<br />
A glance at the past two week’s media developments on <strong>Brunei</strong><br />
23
negative attention<br />
continues<br />
In this week’s news, we see similar trends<br />
in the international media coverage of<br />
<strong>Brunei</strong>. Focus was placed on criticising<br />
the TPP <strong>and</strong> the LGBT issues in the<br />
country, with specific scrutiny on the<br />
perceived stoning to death of LGBT<br />
people. This was further reflected in an<br />
article on Jay Leno’s comedy tour <strong>and</strong> his<br />
lobby against HM the Sultan <strong>and</strong> Sharia<br />
Law.<br />
Whilst critisicm of LGBT rights continues,<br />
overall negative media attention has died<br />
down throughout recent months.<br />
Reflecting upon this decline of negative<br />
media attention, it could be argued that<br />
now would be a good time to promote a<br />
positive <strong>Brunei</strong> country br<strong>and</strong> towards<br />
external audiences, deflecting attention<br />
away from criticism relating to the Penal<br />
Code implementation.<br />
“<strong>Brunei</strong> in 2014 began to<br />
implement a new legal code<br />
based on Sharia law that<br />
punishes those convicted of<br />
homosexuality by stoning them<br />
to death” 38<br />
“Now it’s official:<br />
the TPP fails the<br />
test for important<br />
LGBT concerns” 39<br />
news<br />
bites<br />
“Last year, the<br />
Sultan of <strong>Brunei</strong><br />
enacted Sharia<br />
law in the<br />
country which<br />
punishes<br />
‘sodomy’ with<br />
stoning to<br />
death” 37<br />
“He (Jay Leno) is currently joining<br />
Mavis <strong>and</strong> The Feminists Majority<br />
Foundation in their effort to influence<br />
the Sultan of <strong>Brunei</strong> to rescind his<br />
decision to impose Sharia law in the<br />
country including the penalty of death<br />
by stoning for homosexuality <strong>and</strong><br />
horrific public flogging for any woman<br />
seeking an abortion” 40<br />
24
eferences<br />
1 Anon, (2015). 5 Reasons Why Tourism Is Poised to Explode in Dubai <strong>and</strong> Abu Dhabi. Available at:<br />
http://skift.com/2014/06/23/5-reasons-why-tourism-is-poised-to-explode-in-dubai-<strong>and</strong>-abu-dhabi/.<br />
2 Khaleeej Times, (2015). UAE economy thrives on openness, diversification <strong>and</strong> competitiveness.<br />
Available at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/article/20121126/ARTICLE/311269928/1002.<br />
3 Trading Economics, (2015). United Arab Emirates GDP Growth Rate. Available:<br />
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-arab-emirates/gdp-growth.<br />
4 PropelConsult, (2015). UAE ‘strategic hub for foreign investments’.Available:<br />
http://www.propelconsult.com/uae-strategic-hub-for-foreign-investments/.<br />
5 Gulf News, (2015). GCC hospitality industry set to reach $35.9b by 2018. Available:<br />
http://gulfnews.com/business/sectors/tourism/gcc-hospitality-industry-set-to-reach-35-9b-by-2018-1.1389776.<br />
6 Khaleeej Times, (2015). UAE economy thrives on openness, diversification <strong>and</strong> competitiveness.<br />
Available at: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/article/20121126/ARTICLE/311269928/1002.<br />
7 Executives for Hospitality, (2015). Exponential Growth Ahead for UAE’s Hospitality Sector.<br />
Available: http://www.executivesforhospitality.com/blogs/exponential-growth-ahead-uaes-hospitality-sector/.<br />
8 The National, (2015). UAE’s environment goals set out ahead of crucial Paris conference. Available<br />
at:<br />
http://www.thenational.ae/uae/environment/uaes-environment-goals-set-out-ahead-of-crucial-paris-conference.<br />
9 Fuelfix.com, (2015), Saudi Arabia Will Diversify Economy.<br />
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2015/11/10/saudi-arabia-will-diversify-oil-driven-economy-to-meet-u-n-goals-on-climate-c<br />
hange/#34482101=3.<br />
10 Ibid<br />
11 Harvard Gazette, (2015), Making Government Work. Available at:<br />
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/11/making-government-work/.<br />
23 Bhasin (2011), p. 20 Doing Business in Southeast Asia<br />
24 Geoba.se, (2015). The World: Population.<br />
http://www.geoba.se/population.php?pc=world&type=28&year=2015&st=rank&asde=&page=2.<br />
25 Info Please, <strong>Brunei</strong> (2015). Available at: http://www.infoplease.com/country/brunei.html.<br />
26 Doing Business, (2015). Going <strong>Beyond</strong> Efficiency.<br />
http://www.doingbusiness.org/~/media/GIAWB/Doing%20Business/Documents/Annual-Reports/English/DB15-Ch<br />
apters/DB15-Report-Overview.pdf.<br />
27 Global Innovation Index, (2015). 2015 Country Rankings. Available at:<br />
https://www.globalinnovationindex.org/content/page/data-analysis/<br />
28 WTTC, (2015). <strong>Brunei</strong> Darussalam, Available at:<br />
http://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic%20impact%20research/country%20reports/brunei_darussala<br />
m2014.pdf <strong>and</strong><br />
http://www.politcasecompetition.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Sp%C3%B8rgsm%C3%A5l-1-inspiration-1.pd<br />
f. Last accessed 10th November 2015.<br />
29 Financial Post, (2015). Transportation. Available at:<br />
http://business.financialpost.com/news/transportation/how-icel<strong>and</strong>s-airlines-have-helped-spur-a-tourism-boom-lift<br />
ing-its-battered-economy-back-to-health<br />
30 Mckinsey Global Institute, (2015). The future of japan: reigniting productivity <strong>and</strong> growth.<br />
31 TechInsider. (2015). 11 Most Profitable Japanese Companies`.Available:<br />
http://www.techinsider.net/11-most-profitable-japanese-companies/1127408.html.<br />
32 Ibid<br />
33 Mckinsey Global Institute, (2015). The future of japan: reigniting productivity <strong>and</strong> growth.<br />
34 Readwrite, (2015). The Best Place For Tech Startups: Still Silicon Valley … For Now. Available:<br />
http://readwrite.com/2015/07/28/startups-cities-rankings-silicon-valley.<br />
12 Ibid<br />
35 Business Insider UK, (2015). Wall Street banks have changed the way Silicon Valley's top startups<br />
raise money. Available: http://uk.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-start-ups-raising-vc-2015-8?r=US&IR=T.<br />
13 Ibid<br />
36 The Star, (2015). Time to make the Africa Uprsing Real. Available at:<br />
http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/it-time-make-africa-rising-real.<br />
14 Ibid<br />
37 Gay Star News, (2015) Available at:<br />
http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/us-pacific-trade-deal-will-give-no-provisions-for-lgbt-in-oppressive-countries/<br />
15 Basenotes., (2015). Ayala Moriel's new fragrance, Komorebi, is the opposite of petrichor. Available<br />
at:<br />
http://www.basenotes.net/perfumenews/3214-ayala-moriels-new-fragrance-komorebi-is-the-opposite-of-petrichor<br />
.<br />
.<br />
38 Washington Blade, (2015). Available at:<br />
http://www.washingtonblade.com/2015/11/07/controversial-trade-deal-lacks-lgbt-specific-provisions/#sthash.fGD<br />
2GoMj.dpuf.<br />
39 Ibid<br />
16 Rainforest CX, 2014 Available at:<br />
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/rainforestcx/14151071006/sizes/l/<br />
40 Wytv, (2015). Jay Leno headed to Packard in March. Available at:<br />
http://wytv.com/2015/11/09/jay-leno-headed-to-packard-in-march/.<br />
17 Ibid<br />
18 Georgia Today, (2015). Sweet Business – Growth Prospects for Georgian Honey. Available:<br />
http://georgiatoday.ge/news/1660/Sweet-Business-%E2%80%93-Growth-Prospects-for-Georgian-Honey.<br />
19 Ibid<br />
20 Bizcommunity, (2015). The South African nation br<strong>and</strong> is strong <strong>and</strong> resilient. Available:<br />
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/82/136009.html.<br />
21 World Finance, (2015). Failing banks, winning economy: the truth about Icel<strong>and</strong>’s recovery.<br />
Available at:<br />
http://www.worldfinance.com/infrastructure-investment/government-policy/failing-banks-winning-economy-the-tr<br />
uth-about-icel<strong>and</strong>s-recovery.<br />
22 Forbes, (2015). Icel<strong>and</strong> Remaking an Economy Through Entrepreneurship. Available at:<br />
http://www.forbes.com/sites/brentbeshore/2014/07/30/icel<strong>and</strong>-remaking-an-economy-through-entrepreneurship/<br />
25
Don’t judge each day by the<br />
harvest you reap, but by the<br />
seeds you plant.<br />
- Robert Louis Stevenson