1. INTRODUCCIÓN
1.6 TOXICIDAD DE QDs
One of the main differentiating factors of KBD from the other types of development is the intensification of knowledge-based activities in terms of industries and services and its use and dissemination of new knowledge, innovations, and technologies (33). The OECD classification (34) is adopted here in the anal- ysis of the plans and actual achievements to explore the extent of embodied knowledge-based activities in the studied containers.
Among the KBCs, KAUST and KACST are leading the way by focusing on knowledge-intensive services based on research and the dissemination of knowledge, which is tightly aligned with the NDPs. Further, KAEC has been successful in attracting a number of foreign direct investment (FDI)-based knowledge-in-
tensive industries in the domain of pharmaceutical manufacturing. This finding provides positive indi- cations of the potential for KBCs to attract knowledge-based activities and FDI once their development stages have been completed.
To explore the extent of the planned and offered knowledge-intensive services, an exploratory analysis was conducted based on the experts’ opinions provided from the expert survey. The descriptive analysis of planned versus actual services is discussed and a correlation analysis of the planned services and any delays is presented. First, the number of services that are planned to be offered are compared to the total number of services listed in the questionnaire for KBCs, KBCLs, and KBIs.
For KBCs, 13.4 services of a potential 26 are planned (51.7%), compared to 6.1 services of a potential 20 (30.6%) for KBCLs and 10.4 services of a potential 22 (16.2%) for KBIs. Overall, the planned services in Saudi Arabia’s KBD containers represent approximately 50% or less of all those available. This result is less than the global benchmark by almost half, which might reduce its competitiveness in the future. The planned versus actual services for KBD containers that were self-reported as “operational” are shown in Table 4. The table shows that KBCs and KBCLs planned for a moderate number of services and are delivering 72.9% and 55.6% of these, respectively. However, KBIs, based on the self-reported data, have a delivery percentage of 94.9% as compared to the planned services.
Table 4 Mean actual services provided versus mean services planned. Sector Mean Actual Services Provided Mean Services
Planned %
KBCs 12.3 16.9 72.9%
KBCLs 2.5 4.5 55.6%
KBIs 12.2 12.8 94.9%
In addition, the top three planned and delivered services for KBCs are highlighted in Table 5, showing the changes in the priorities of KBCs. For example, the main commitment for knowledge cities is establishing a strong physical and social infrastructure with excellent global connections, which has not yet material- ized. In reality, they have tended to offer cooperation and industry support. In contrast, the best services offered by KBCs are mainly those activities carried out by KAUST and KACST, as well as services pro- vided by SAGIA, the government body.
For KBCLs, the original value propositions included offering technological support and access to public sector incentives. However, they have instead tended to deliver PR and marketing support, notably by the government body of MODON and the Industrial Clusters Program. Even the main goal of facilitating the transfer of knowledge and technology is lower down the list of delivered services (Table 5).
Table 5 Most committed services versus best delivered services.
Most Committed Best Delivered
KBCs
Effective physical infrastructure Joint projects with firms, universities, and re- search institutions
Effective social infrastructure Technical support and consultation Effective connection to global, national, and
city-level markets Opportunities for interaction between aca-demia and industry
KBCLs
Technical support and consultation Promotion and marketing of clustered enter- prises
Access to public sector incentives and commer-
cialization Legal and intellectual property support
Transfer of knowledge and technology Public relations
KBIs
Pre-incubation services Pre-incubation services
Consulting Consulting
Coaching and training Technical advice and support
In contrast to KBCs and KBCLs, KBIs have tended to meet their planned commitments, especially in terms of providing coaching, training, and consulting for entrepreneurs and supporting SMEs and start-up businesses (see Table 5).
Based on this analysis, the actual delivery of these activities is limited to the knowledge-based services provided by KAUST and KACST. In particular, KBCs and KBCLs are lagging behind their execution schedules by failing to meet their priority service commitments. These services are essential for knowl- edge-based activities to take place and for FDI to be attracted.
The correlation analysis between services planned and types of delays indicates that the only significant correlation is between staff size revisions and location changes. The desktop search and interview find- ings indicated that KBCs started with smaller scopes and areas in 2006, but were given additional areas to develop in 2008. As highlighted during the interviews, this addition required a substantial revision to the master plan, which delayed the execution phases and, consequently, altered the scope of services. However, these changes should help increase staff size and the degree of development. The addition of KBC areas was used heavily by KBC officials as a reason for the development delays.
An analysis of KBCLs shows a significant correlation between planned services and revised budgets, as a downward budget revision reduces planned services (this point was confirmed in the expert interviews). With a higher number of services correlating with a higher probability of undergoing a budget revision, revised budgets have a significant correlation with revised staff size, especially as the majority of KBCLs are still under construction. In other words, the revision of their scope of services leads them to reduce staff numbers.
For KBIs there are multiple significant correlations at the 95% significance level. A decrease in planned services tended to result in a higher likelihood of the start date or staff size being revised. In addition, a revised budget was more likely to result in a revised start date or staff size, while a revision in services also affected the likelihood of a start date revision. Therefore, KBIs seem to be potentially vulnerable to changes in scope as compared to the other two KBD containers. Table 6 describes the reasons indicated
by respondents for revising the planned services. Changes in scope were the most often selected reason, followed by the unavailability of experienced labor, which was selected mainly by KBCs and KBIs. Third was budget limitations, which seemed to influence KBCLs more than KBCs and KBIs.
Table 6 Reasons for revising the planned services. Reasons for changing the
planned services KBCsN % KBCLsN % KBIsN % TotalN %
Budget limitations 4 11% 2 25% 1 11% 7 13%
Facilities limitations 2 6% 1 13% 1 11% 4 8%
Unavailability of experienced labor 11 31% 1 13% 3 33% 15 29% Revision to the scope and changes
in direction 15 43% 3 38% 4 44% 22 42%
Other 3 9% 1 13% 0 0% 4 8%
35 8 9 52
4. Conclusion
In Summary, KBCs had originally planned to create a strong infrastructure to attract and retain investors and knowledge workers, but in reality they actually only network with established services centers. KBCLs indicated a desire to serve as technological hubs, but instead support firms in terms of their intellectual property and marketing efforts. Finally, KBIs tend to focus on becoming a place to support growing ideas. KBCs, in particular, have endured problems, such as revisions to their initial scope and lacking the nec- essary labor to implement their plans effectively. Nevertheless, KBCs that have completed their phases of development have been able to offer knowledge-intensive activities (e.g., KAUST and KACST). KB- CLs, in contrast, are still generally in the construction stages, with some degree of success in generating knowledge (e.g., KAPSARC).
Finally, KBIs have achieved their targets of offering knowledge-intensive services to tenants and attract- ing entrepreneurs. However, there has been a mix up between incubators that provide entrepreneurial support and those that offer creativity and innovation. Nonetheless, KBD has been realized in reality through operational KBD containers such as KAUST, KACST, Badir, and Wae’d.
5. Abbreviations
Badir-AMTI Badir Advanced Manufacturing Technology Incuba- tor
JEC Jazan Economic City
KACST King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology KAEC King Abdullah Economic City
KAFD King Abdullah Financial District
KAPSRC King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Centre
KAUST King Abdullah University for Science and Technol- ogy
KEC Knowledge Economic City
Mawibah King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for the Gifted
MEP Ministry of Economy and Planning NDP National Development Plan NIS National Industrial Strategy
NSTI National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy OECD Organization for Co-operation and Development PABMEC Prince Abdulaziz Bin Mousaed Economic City Riyadah National Entrepreneurship Institute RTV Riyadh Techno Valley
References
1. UN, ECOSOC. Development and international cooperation in the twenty-first century: the role of. United Na-
tions. [Online] 2000. [Cited: 12 12, 2012.] http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/docs/declarations/ministerial_declara- tion-2000.pdf.
2. Florida, Richard L. The rise of the creative class : and how it’s transforming work, leisure, community and ev-
eryday life. New York, NY : Basic Books, 2002.
3. Martínez, Samuel David. A Comparative Framework for Knowledge Cities. [book auth.] Francisco Javier Carril-
lo. Knowledge Cities, Approaches, Experiences, and Perspectives. s.l. : Elsevier , 2006, pp. 17-30.
4. Carrillo, Francisco J. The Century of Knowledge Cities. Knowledge Cities: Approaches, Experiences, and
Perspectives. New : Butterworth-Heinemann, 2005.
5. Knowledge-based Development: Policy and Planning Implications for Cities. Knight, Richard. 2, s.l. : SAGE,
1995, Urban Studies, Vol. 32, pp. 225-260.
6. Carrillo, Francisco Javier. The Century of Knowledge cities. [book auth.] Francisco Javier Carillo. Knowledge
Cities. Amsterdam : Elsevier B.V, 2005, p. 285.
7. Knowledge-based urban development redefined : from theory to practice knowledge-based development of cities. Yigitcanlar, Tan. Bento Goncalves, Brazil : The World Capital Institute and Ibero-American Community for
Knowledge Systems,, 2011. Summit Proceedings of the 4th. pp. 389 -399.
8. Knowledge-based development research: a comprehensive literature review 2000–2010. Ergazakis, Kostas, Metaxioti, Kostas and Askounis, Dimitris. April 2012, Knowledge Management Research & Practice.
9. Toffler, Alvin. Power shift : knowledge, wealth, and violence at the edge of the 21st century. New York : Ban-
tam Books, 1990.
10. Chuanqi, He. Second Modernization: Inspiration from human civilization process. Beijing : High Education
Press, 1999.
11. Yigitcanlar, Tan, Velibeyoglu, Koray and Baum, Scott. Knowledge-Based Urban Development: Planning
and Applications in the Information Era. s.l. : IGI Global, 2008. 12. MEP. Eighth National Development Plan. AlRiyadh : MEP, 2005.
13. —. Ninth Development Plan. Al-Riyadh : Ministry of Economy and Planning, 2010. 14. —. Ninth Development Plan. Al-Riyadh : Ministry of Economy and Planning, 2010.
15. Al-Obaid, A Abdullah. Agricultural Development in Saudi Arabia: Policies and Evaluations. Leicester : De-
partment of Econmics, University of Leicester, 1987.
16. IMPACT OF LARGE SCALE DEVELOPMENT TO THE URBAN MOVEMENT: A CASE STUDY OF JOHOR BAHRU CITY CENTER, MALAYSIA. Yola, Lin and Mornya, Abu Albert. Malaysia : UKM-Bangi, 2011. Aceh De-
velopment International Conference 2011 (ADIC 2011).
17. RCJY. Home. Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu. [Online] 2010. [Cited: 1 2012, 8.] http://www.rcjy.gov.
sa/en-US/AboutUs/Pages/default.aspx.
18. Hirschman, A. The Strategy of Economic Development. New Haven : Yale University Press, 1958.
19. MODON. Industrial Cities. Saudi Industrial Property Authority (Modon). [Online] 4 18, 2011. [Cited: 4 19, 2011.]
http://www.modon.gov.sa/English/IndustrialCities/IndustrialCities/Pages/default.aspx.
20. Benna, Umar G and Awad, Mohamed Hussain. The Role Of “Industrial Centres” in Spatial Development.
[book auth.] Saleh Al Hathloul and Narayanan Edadan. Urban development in Saudi Arabia challenges and oppor- tunities. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia : Dar Al Sahan, 1995.
21. Labor Demand and Economic Growth in Saudi Arabia. Aljebrin, Mohammed Abdullah. 2012, American Jour-
nal of Business and Management, pp. 271-277.
Economy and Planning, 2010.
23. CITC. The State of ICT Market Development in Saudi Arabia. AlRiyadh : Communications and Information
Technology Commission, 2010.
24. AlHarigi, F, Benna, U and AlHarigi, T. The Emergence of Virtual Cities and Their Role in Transforming the
Actual Cities in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh : KACST, General Directorate of Research Grants Program, 2007.
25. SAGIA. Economic Cities. Saudi Arabian Genral Investment Authority. [Online] 2009. http://www.sagia.gov.sa/
en/.
26. RTV. Home. Riyadh Technology Valley. [Online] 2010. [Cited: 2 28, 2012.] http://www.rtv.com.sa.
27. knowledge cities: the role of urban knowledge precincts. Yigitcanlar, Tan, Velibeyoglu, Koray and Marti- nez-Fernandez, Cristina. 5, s.l. : Emerald, 2008, Journal of Knowledge, Vol. 12, pp. 8-20.
28. BADIR-ICT. Home. BADIR-ICT. [Online] 2009. [Cited: 4 15, 2011.] http://badirict.com.sa/English/pg.aspx?id=2.
29. Badir . Badir Overview. Badir Program for Technology Icubators. [Online] 2010. [Cited: 1 12, 2012.] http://
www.badir.com.sa/en/Overview.
30. ARAB NEWS. Saudi Arabia plans to establish 30 technology incubators. 10 12, 2010 .
31. Moser, C and Kalton, G. Survey Methods in Social Investigation. London : Heinemann Educational Books,
1975.
32. Bogdan, R and Biklen, S. Qualitative Research for Education: An introduction to Theories and. Methods.
New York : Pearson, 2006.
33. Michaud, Pascale and Tcheremenska, Alexandra. Montréal as a knowledge city - Ville de Montréal. Mon-
tréal : Sommet De Montréal, 2003.
34. OECD. OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2011. s.l. : OECD Publishing, 2011.
35. MEP. Science, Technology and Invoation. Ninth Devlopment Plan. Alriyadh : MEP, 2010, pp. 367-384.
36. Travers, R M. An Introduction to Educational Research. New York : macmillan Co, 1978.
37. Sufian, Abu Jafae M. Methods and Techniques of Social Research. Dhaka : The University Press Limited,
1998.