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The Expanding Role of Business Information in the Knowledge Economy

Session Objectives:

أقرأ هذه الجلسة باللغة العربية

As many countries in the Middle East in general, and the Gulf countries, in particular are moving closer to knowledge economy and becoming more integrated in global business, the overall objective of the session will be to share experience of the corporate sector in the Region to develop and expand their knowledge economy-based business models in the Middle East, and how can they develop public-private partnerships with governmental institutions, academic and research centers.


Session Format:

The format is “Davos-style” with each speaker making a 7 minute introduction followed by discussions in the Panel and with the audience. No power point presentations or formal speeches will be used, to foster an open debate and lively interaction.


Session Duration:

90 minute (The introductory remarks will be 7 each).


Session Panelists:

This Plenary Session will be a dialogue between five key influencers in the field of business information and knowledge economy and a moderator. The targeted proposed five speakers are:

  • A thought leader in knowledge management/information society;
  • A thought leader in economic development and knowledge society;
  • A renowned business leader from the GCC;
  • Senior academician of information science from the Region;

Background:

The economic model in the Gulf countries is changing as these countries are realizing that total dependence on the one commodity in the form of oil and gas is not sustainable in this global economic environment. The world is moving to more digital and knowledge-based economy where data, information and knowledge have become the oil of the future and the main currency for businesses and even industrialization.

The role of special librarians and information specialists has been recognized as part of the workforce to move into the knowledge economy era. The collaboration between these specialists and the business community at large can produce immediate results through matching the needs for business information with the resources, tools and skills that information specialist have. This would require a new way of thinking, education, training and team building. Public-Private Partnership can be used to enhance such strategies. This requires deep understanding of needs from both sides and trust in ability to work together. The experience form developed countries has shown that knowledge workers, the business community, the cooperate world and the government have all made gains as a result of working together.

The time is right for all these in the Gulf countries and the Middle East to build better understanding, learn form the experience and think differently to build the knowledge economy.


Guiding Questions:

Speakers in this Plenary Session will focus on the following questions:

  1. What is the role and the experience of business information intelligence in policy development and decision making by the business community in the Region?
  2. What is the role of academic programmes in producing a generation of business leaders who can influence the move to a new era of knowledge economy in the Region?
  3. To what extent have the library and information science graduates been able to fill the needs for business information analysis and provision in the Region;
  4. How can the business community benefit from the academic and research professionals and institutions to develop the knowledge-economy ecosystem in the region?
  5. Is there a room for building public-private partnership in the Region or globally between business community or corporate sector and the public sector?

Panel members will also be encouraged to raise important and relevant issues for discussion. Participants in the conference are encouraged to send their questions to the moderator by email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) as of today and he will make sure to communicate theses to panel members for discussion during the session. Needless to say that the audience in the session can pose questions/comments during the session.


Session Chair

Dr. Najeeb Al-Shorbaji

Vice-President for knowledge, Research and Ethics at the Knowledge World Company for Digital Content in Jordan since September 2015.

Dr Al-Shorbaji is also a part-time lecturer since June 2016 at he Peter L. Reichertz Institute for Medical Informatics (PLRI), a joint institute of the Technische Universität Braunschweig (TU Braunschweig) and of Hannover Medical School in Germany (MHH) https://plri.de/en/mitarbeiter/najeeb-al-shorbaji.

Dr. Najeeb Al-Shorbaji has been working as Vice-President for Knowledge, Research and Ethics at the Knowledge World Company for Digital Content in Jordan since September 2015. Prior to that he worked as Director of the Department of Knowledge, Ethics and Research Department and the Department of Knowledge Management and Sharing at the World Health Organization Headquarters in Geneva between September 2008 and August 2015. During this period he lead the WHO global programmes for eHealth and Telemedicine, Publishing and Dissemination, Research and Knowledge Translation, Networking and Information Services and Global Health Ethics. During this period he also acted as Director of Patient Safety Programme for over two years.

Prior to that he held the positions of Coordinator for Knowledge Management and Sharing, Regional Advisor for Health Information Management and Telecommunication and Regional Informatics Officer at the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean in Alexandria and Cairo between June 1994 and August 2008. Dr Al-Shorbaji is from Jordan, born in 1954, married and holds a PhD in Information Sciences since 1986 from University of Wales, United Kingdom.

Dr Al-Shorbaji has published over 200 research articles, book chapters, conference papers and PowerPoint Presentations covering all aspects of knowledge management and eHealth.


Speakers:

Ahmed Alhujairy

Mr. ALHujairy is Chairman and Group CEO of Gulf Future Business. He holds an executive MBA (Distinguished Honours) from DePaul University, Chicago, USA and has extensive experience in a range of fields including Telecommunications, Banking, Government, Information Technology and Business Analysis. He began his career with Riyad Bank, Saudi Arabia and subsequently worked with Batelco and Asia Computers before joining the Health Information Directorate where he attained the post of Director. Prior to founding Gulf Future Business, Mr. Al Hujairy held the role as Acting CEO, Advisor to the Minister of Health on Health Economics and the CEO of Salmaniya Medical Complex.

Mr. ALHujairy also holds several board positions, and societies:

  • Batelco Group; board director, and member of the Audit committee.
  • Umniah – Jordan: board director, and head of the Audit committee.
  • Founder of Bahrain Internet Society.
  • Member of the Bahrain Society for Training and Development.
  • Founder and Senior Advisor Bahrain Technology Companies Society.

Mr. Al Hujairy has published a number of papers and written articles on health, ICT, Internet, and knowledge economy.

Bruce Boyes

Bruce Boyes is editor and lead writer of RealKM Magazine http://www.realkm.com, which promotes evidence-based approaches to knowledge management, and a teacher at Shanxi University in China. He is an experienced knowledge manager, environmental manager, and educator who holds a Master of Environmental Management with Distinction. Bruce uses collaborative learning and governance, problem-solving communication techniques, lateral thinking, agile management approaches, and rigorously researched and analysed information and knowledge bases to identify and implement solutions to complex problems. His career highlights include managing an award-winning $77.4 million river recovery program in western Sydney, leading the development and implementation of a knowledge strategy process for the natural resource management organisations across Australia, and pioneering innovative approaches to local government environmental management.

Chris Zielinski

Chris is a Visiting Fellow at the University of Winchester (UK), where he leads the Partnerships in Health Information (Phi) programme. He is currently working on knowledge management theory and indicators measuring the impact of information, and the practical applications of these in the Phi programme. He also carries out consultancies for international organizations in the areas of health and information policy, planning, strategy, knowledge management, copyright, ethics (bioethics and information/computer ethics), and media.

His career has included senior positions in UN organizations for over 20 years, in Vienna, Geneva, Rome, Egypt, India, Zimbabwe and the Congo. He has also been CEO of the Authors Licensing and Collecting Society – the collecting/copyright society for British authors, and has held a number of honorary, elected and titular appointments related to intellectual property and ethics.

Prof. Dr. Walid Hassan

Research Consultancy Services Manager,

Full Professor in Biomedical Engineering with more than 15 years of experience in R&D;, Research leadership, Innovation and Strategies in Academia, Governments and Corporate . At Thomson Reuters as Research Consultancy Services Manager, working with governments, universities and research centres in the perspective of boosting research and innovation in the region. Being an active researcher on tomographic reconstruction for emission and transmission data, medical instrumentation and biomedical signal processing, Full-band EEG signal analysis, published many scientific papers in journals of high reputation. A notable experience in Public health and healthcare quality control and management as well as Research and Education Management.

Public Profile: https://ae.linkedin.com/in/walid-hassan-62b70845
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.