When the Oryx takes off : Doha a new rising knowledge hub in the Gulf-region?

Thierstein, Alain and Conventz, Sven and Wiedmann, Florian and Salama, Ashraf M (2013) When the Oryx takes off : Doha a new rising knowledge hub in the Gulf-region? In: AAG 2013: Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, 2013-04-10 - 2013-04-13.

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Abstract

With accelerating pace in the past years, Qatar has strategically pushed forward its economic diversification. According to Qatar's long-term development vision, the knowledge-economy is taking a key role within this economic diversification process and the transformation of its capital into a regional as well as global service-hub. This paper aims of identifying emerging knowledge-based patterns that drive the Qatari space economy. We apply a research concept that brings together two different scientific angles: relational economic geography and physical urban development aspects. More than a pure locational perspective, this relational research design makes it possible to highlight how different parts within and beyond Doha are interacting with each other. In the centre of the analytical framework are the two main pillars of the knowledge-economy - Advanced Producer Services and High-Tech firms. First, we look at how multi-branch multi-location firms in the knowledge-economy deploy their intra-firm networks on various spatial scales. Second, we identify the partners whom these firms have working relationships along individual chains of value with, and where these extra-firm linkages are located. Moreover we ask the following important questions: What role and significance plays Doha in the context of a growing knowledge-economy on a supra-regional scale? What kind of knowledge-based spatial patterns can be identified in the particular context of Doha? How do international business practitioners perceive these patterns and knowledge-economy environment in Doha? First results indicate strong connectivity patterns to Europe and South-East Asia as well as a distinct lack of urban amenities and qualities for knowledge workers.

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