Hexaclorbenzè (HCB) 1 Característiques generals

Based this research the main findings from the literature review, three phases of: a. exploratory study (localisation of variables), b. Case studies (Validation of the research proposed model), and c. Cross Cases Contrast are:

Literature reviews

1. Drawing on an existing body of knowledge on definitions from previous scholars, a working definition human capital is been developed and used throughout the thesis. In this thesis, human capital is described as the level of

knowledge and skills held by a person that enables them to carry out work so as to produce economic value. Human capital development is characterised by a set of components consisting of: education level, training, and ability to apply the learnt skills. It has been suggested in various literatures that human capital does have apparent advantages that drive economy growth.

2. Literature reveals that special economic zones has a positive influence on driving human capital development through a set of variables which are: firm type, size, performance, level of research and development as well as the special economic zone’s level of clustering within the zone, knowledge spillover, and the culture of avoidance and collectivism.

3. The economic scene setting of Dubai explored in the literature review displays that Dubai is positioning itself strongly to develop human capital as a vehicle for its strategic ambitious growth. Of many important channels to do that is the adoption of special economic zones in attracting foreign direct investment. Having a limited oil supply, Dubai is taking serious measures to diversify its economy by building cluster-specific economic sectors. The major challenges faced by Dubai are the small population, high dependence on low skilled labour, an inefficient education system, and the mismatch between education outcome and strategic economic sector needs. In order to overcome these challenges, Dubai has adopted the notion of special economic zones to attract multinational companies and accelerate domestic human capital development through the spillover effect. With almost 32 current special economic zones, it is believed that human capital has been developed throughout the last 3 decades of operations.

4. The literatures revealed that Dubai has very strong, encouraging initiatives to build human capital as well as a strong support to establish cluster specific zones in order to bring in new diversified non-oil based economy. The special economic zones are conceived as main platform of spilling out new modern knowledge, skills, experience and hands on training needed for the establishing of new strategically desired economic sector.

5. The literatures underlined the research concept which describes how special economic zones influence human capital development. Also, identifying what

variables that compose human capital. This is theorised mainly by two sets of variables. The first set is firm specific which are: type, size, performance and the firm’s level of research and development. The second set of variables is: zone specific which are the level of clustering within the zone, knowledge spillover, and the culture of avoidance and collectivism. Most of the variables are conceived to drive human capital development positively except the culture of avoidance and collectivism.

Exploratory Phase (Localisation of Virables), case studies (Vildation of propsed research model), and Cross Cases Contrast

1. The exploratory phase has reveals that human capital development does occur within Dubai special free zones. Yet this development is conceived to be as insufficient. Human capital in Dubai special economic zones is considered to be one component factor which constitutes what may be called the human capital indicator. This indicator consists of education, job experience, knowledge accumulation, ability to build up competence, and finally the employee’s ability to put learnt education, knowledge and skills into practice. Similar weight are assigned to these variables in term of importance and a certain threshold is assigned based on the policy makers experience and in depth understanding of human capital development with Dubai Zones.

2. The exploratory phase establishes a basic measurement which is developed in order to reach an initial indication of the level of human capital within the firms in Dubai free zones. This research uses a simple indicator based on a basket of variables obtained from the literature review. These components are verified and validated through in-depth discussion with Policy Makers and Senior Managers during Phase 1. Based on the results, components of human capital indicator carry the same weight of importance so that none of them can be considered any more important that the rest. Also the threshold has been determined based on the discussion held with the interviewees. This indicator is suggested to be taken further and developed by future research as one whole study. The threshold is grouped into five classifications. This classification is simply used to compare

the level of each variable in firms operating within Dubai special economic zones which can be used for the sake of comparison. However, the research confirms that the human capital indicator along variable measurement can be the backbone for future research while here it is utilised only to contrast firms with each other

3.

*Threshold Range 0-20 Indicators are Demonstrated at an Extremely Low Level 21-40 Indicators are Demonstrated at a Low Level

41-60 Indicators are Moderately Demonstrated 61-75 Indicators are Fairly Demonstrated

76-90 Indicators are Highly Demonstrated

91-100 Indicators are Demonstrated at an Extremely High Level

3. The exploratory phase embark the proposed research framework which explains how there are many factors act as driving forces to human capital development within the zones. These are the firm’s activity type, size and financial performance, the level of cluster-specific industries within the zones, technical know-how spillover, and culture. Although this variable was identified in the literature review as a significance factor of the research, it was found that research and development is not taking place in firms within the Dubai special economic zones. Therefore, it has to be excluded from the research concept while performing the following phase of this research – Phase 2 Case Studies: Validation of Research Proposed Framework.

4. Phase 2 (Validation of the proposed research framework) finds out using subjective and objective research strategy that the proposed research framework is validated throughout applying it into five firms selected on a random basis. It is observed that firms with high human capital indicator tend to have positive financial performance, and the research shows that a cluster-specific free zone can be an important platform to which firms anchor. Firms consider knowledge spill over a significant element which can be contribute to a higher human capital indicator. It is detected, however, that culture does not play a major role in shaping high or low human capital indicator. The outcome of this phase provides a clear evidence that the proposed research framework is validated and can applied on similar firms in similar zones.

5. After applying the indicator across five case studies for the sake of comparison only, this research finds it very important to have a quality check in order to initially test the indicator, present the results to figure heads within the zone, and finally propose an initial first step of validation. The outcome of this stage finds out that the vriabels introduced for composing the human capital indictor are all important and offer a clear understanding of what shape does human capital development take in Dubai special economic zones. However, the indicator was evaluated by all of them as a good start which can be up to 70% accurate in measuring companies’ human capital. All variables are agreed on, yet the weightage and threshold are to be taken further. To make it 100% accurate, modifications have to be introduced in terms of contributing components and their weight. Also, this indicator can be correlated to companies’ financial performance across a period of years in order to validate the numbers.

General Outcome

• Human capital development occurs in the Dubai special economic zones but on a moderate level. Special economic zones influence this development through two classified variables.

a. From the special economic zones perspective: clustering plays an important role in driving positively the human capital development. Dubai special economic zones have to concentrate on attracting desired industry clusters in order to promote knowledge spill over and instilling new knowledge, experience, knowledge accumulation, capability buildings, and skills to apply the learnt knowledge which needed to build new economic sector. On the other side, and although the contextual culture of avoidance and collectiveness exist in Dubai, and they are conceived to influence negatively the human capital development in literature review. But these seem to have no influence on human capital development within firms in Dubai special economic zones. This due to the factor that the firms are having various nationalities from all over the world, thus the firms adapt to a changing productive culture.

b. From the firm perspective: the research finds out that the firm type, size, and financial performance have an important influence on human capital

development. It is perceived that firms whose activities are around manufacturing and production lines are having higher influence on human capital development as compared with other activities. This is due to the fact that these firs invest on training staff on modern machinery, production techniques and modern international standards. Also, if the size of the firm is in perceived a considerably high. Then these firms are having hierarchy of management which dictates a investing on specific training on modern management techniques. Finally the research finds out that firms who perform financially well, are more likely to invest more in building internal capabilities in order to sustain this growth. Hence, more investment is been done to train, qualify, and develop human capital within the firm.