Salah S. Hassan, professor of marketing and brand management, served as the moderator and participated in a recent panel discussion at the United States-United Arab Emirates Business Council in Washington, D.C. The presentation, “Empowering Arab Women Entrepreneurs to Build Internationally Successful Enterprises,” was attended by a diverse range of academics, thought leaders, business executives and policymakers.
During his presentation, Dr. Hassan noted some encouraging indicators for women entrepreneurs in Arab countries. Data from the Global Entrepreneurship & Development Index, which measures business formation, expansion and growth in more than 120 countries, points to a positive entrepreneurial climate in the U.A.E., Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In addition, between 34 and 47 percent of STEM graduates in Arab countries are women, a much higher rate than for U.S. or European universities.
Dr. Hassan concluded his remarks with a list of 10 “imperatives” for Arab women seeking to build successful business enterprises, and stressed the potential role of bilateral trade organizations in helping Arab women entrepreneurs enter the U.S. market.