Research Background
Since the beginning of the twenty first century, international trade has remained significant in the global business arena. In the last two decades, the world trade has doubled to more than $13 trillion from $7 trillion in the 1970s (Asafu-Adjaye 423). Due to the boom in the international trade, nations across the global business arena have benefited through creation of free zone trade areas. The various global linkages have not only made the free trade zones possible, but also offered series of opportunities for businesses that operate in the international arena. In order to gain from this opportunity, the United Arab Emirates has established a strategic global trading platform through the free zone trading regions in the major cities. Specifically, the UAE has come up with efforts tailored to reconcile the international trade as a prerequisite for achieving trade developments that are sustainable in the free trade zones (Asafu-Adjaye 426). Therefore, it is important to establish how the creations of these free zone markets have contributed to establishment of a strong global business platform for the UAE.
Overview of the Free Zone Market Development in the UAE
Since the beginning of the new millennium, the UAE has made steps towards becoming a power house in the global business trade through creation of numerous jobs, privatization of vital organs of its economy, and investment boosting through creation of strategic free zone markets in the major cities (Asafu-Adjaye 424). In the last ten years, the free zone markets have experienced expansionary growth in terms of capital and infrastructure expansion. Specifically, the export trade of goods and services within this free zone markets in UAE forms the largest part of the country’s GDP and currently stands at 40% of the annual GDP (Asafu-Adjaye 427).
Research Rationale
It important to establish the link between the free zone markets in the UAE and improved growth in the country’s global business position in the Middle East and beyond. Specifically, the findings of the research will be an eye opener on the need for creation of more strategic zones to foster sustainable business growth and competitive advantage in the Middle East and beyond.
Research Question
How has the creation of the free zone markets contributed to establishment of a strong global business platform for the UAE?
Literature Review
The research will rely on academic journals, past research papers, books, and internet to gather existing literature about the research topic. The research will carry out the empirical and theoretical literature review to build a strong background that can scientifically support the scope of the proposed case study.
Methodology
This research will be conducted using secondary approach. Data, which will be collected from journals and books, will be scrutinized in detail (Kothari 34). The researcher chose the secondary approach because the scope of the research is focused, subjective, dynamic, and discovery oriented. Moreover, this approach will create room for further analysis using different and divergent tools for checking the degree of error and assumption limits (Cooper 28). The collected qualitative data will be coded and passed through appropriate analysis tool. In the process, cross tabulation will be used to compare and contrast different findings (Yin 18). In order to quantify the relationship between the independent and dependent variable, the researcher will carry out analysis based on findings from the academic journals. The researcher will scrutinize each source into details to minimize biases and maintain high ethical standards for carrying out research.
Works Cited
Asafu-Adjaye, Jordan. “International Trade and Sustainable Development in the Middle East.” International Journal of Social Economics, 31.4 (2010): 417–429. Print.
Cooper, William. Business Research Methods, California, Ca: Tata McGraw-Hill Education. 2011. Print.
Kothari, Robert. Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques, New Delhi, India: New Age International. 2012. Print.
Yin, Ronald. Case Study Research: Design and Methods, Beverly Hills, CA: Sage, 2012. Print.
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