The Energy Studies Program researches fossil fuel and alternative energy issues with a focus on the GCC countries and Bahrain in particular.
Energy
Energy Studies
Bahrain Economic Bulletin: 10/2016
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November 10, 2016
A concise monthly publication that covers the headline Bahraini economic indicators, and the most important Bahraini business, financial, and economics news.
Economics 101: Interpreting the Business Cycle
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October 18, 2016
A business cycle is the movement of total economic activity (GDP) around a long-run trend. When total economic activity grows faster than its long-term trend, it is called a boom, and the reverse is a recession.
An Economist Explains the Work of This Year’s Winners of the Nobel Prize in Economics
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October 18, 2016
The two men who on Monday received the 2016 Nobel prize in economics, Oliver Hart and Bengt Holmstrom, made key contributions to contract theory, including the “principal-agent” (PA) model.
Paying Wages on Time Is Good Ethics – and Also Good Business
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October 18, 2016
The UAE implemented a decree on October 3 that helps workers receive their wages on time by specifying punishments for tardy employers. This is a welcome move for a country where more than 90 per cent of the labour force is foreign, although maybe not for the reasons that you would think.
Economics 101: Privately Funded Research and Development Leads to the Most Useful Innovation
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October 18, 2016
Less than 1 per cent of the UAE’s GDP is allocated to research and development (R&D), compared with the world average of more than 2 per cent. Economists agree that innovation is critical to economic growth, so how can the GCC countries become more innovative?
Aramco IPO Could Improve Its Governance and Management
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October 4, 2016
In early 2016, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the deputy crown prince of Saudi Arabia, declared that the Saudi government was considering an initial public offering (IPO) for a minority of Aramco’s shares.
Bahrain Economic Bulletin: 09/2016
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October 1, 2016
A concise monthly publication that covers the headline Bahraini economic indicators, and the most important Bahraini business, financial, and economics news.
The Failed Coup in Turkey: an Opportunity to Strengthen the Economic Relations Between Turkey and the GCC
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September 26, 2016
Turkey has exceeded the apprehension phase of the failed coup which occurred on the evening of the 15th of June. The elected government was able to act wisely and to regain control in a matter of hours.
Public Vs. Private Sector Employment
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September 17, 2016
Public sectors are important employers in all economies, typically accounting for about 20 per cent of total jobs. Compensation in government organisations is structured quite differently to what is found in the private sector: it is usually higher, when one takes into account the education and experience of workers; pay scales are very rigid; and, there is almost a complete absence of performance-related pay.
Public Vs. Private Sector Employment
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September 17, 2016
Compensation in government organisations is structured quite differently to what is found in the private sector: it is usually higher, when one takes into account the education and experience of workers; pay scales are very rigid; and, there is almost a complete absence of performance-related pay.
Enabling Decentralized Gulf Cooperation
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September 15, 2016
In the wake of falling oil prices and regional instability, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are looking for new economic opportunities. Generally speaking, experts encourage economic integration, because specialization in production, and operating in larger markets, constitute two of the most important sources of prosperity.
Enabling Decentralized Gulf Cooperation
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September 15, 2016
In the wake of falling oil prices and regional instability, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are looking for new economic opportunities. Generally speaking, experts encourage economic integration, because specialization in production, and operating in larger markets, constitute two of the most important sources of prosperity.
Borrowing in the Present Means Payback in Future
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September 4, 2016
The UAE offers economic opportunities to the rich and poor. For those with modest means, trying to move up the ladder often requires incurring substantial debt at the outset. That is why, according to one recent estimate, the average UAE resident owes creditors Dh41,000.
Borrowing in the Present Means Payback in Future
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September 4, 2016
The UAE offers economic opportunities to the rich and poor. For those with modest means, trying to move up the ladder often requires incurring substantial debt at the outset. That is why, according to one recent estimate, the average UAE resident owes creditors Dh41,000.
Bahrain Economic Bulletin: 08/2016
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September 1, 2016
A concise monthly publication that covers the headline Bahraini economic indicators, and the most important Bahraini business, financial, and economics news.
Avoiding a Minimum Wage Cobra Effect
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August 29, 2016
Government regulations vary greatly in their effectiveness. In cases of ones that fail, a common theme is basing regulations on what turn out to be inaccurate models of how people respond to incentives. How can we avoid such errors when thinking about raising the minimum wage?
Avoiding a Minimum Wage Cobra Effect
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August 29, 2016
Government regulations vary greatly in their effectiveness. In cases of ones that fail, a common theme is basing regulations on what turn out to be inaccurate models of how people respond to incentives. How can we avoid such errors when thinking about raising the minimum wage?
UAE Labor Mobility Reforms Create Winners and Losers
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August 21, 2016
The government wisely worked with a team of experts to evaluate the results. Five years on, an interesting analogy with traditional labour union activity has emerged, in which the interests of “insiders” (migrant workers already in the UAE) clash with those of...
Gulf Economic Integration: Recommendations Based on the International Community’s Experience in Compliance With International Agreements
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August 18, 2016
The economic integration of its members was one of the most important goals for the establishment of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).