There has been exceptional growth and there has been an exceptional reset.

But there is no question in my mind that Dubai is a very interesting case study of success.

Of course the term success is open to many different definitions.

And of course there are imperfections, blemishes, with any success story.

But when I sit down and look at Dubai I still marvel at the change that has taken place and the ability of the public policy process to very quickly adapt and change with the evolving circumstances.

It was interesting to sit down and have a conversation with Mark Beer the Registrar of DIFC courts and the former Chairman of the British Dusiness Group.

It was interesting to hear Mark’s take on the success of Dubai as a brand and as an idea.

What I found particularly interesting, in my conversation with Mark Beer, was the idea that Dubai really needs to embrace the knowledge economy.

Yes there are free zones dedicated to ideas and yes there are many government and private universities in Dubai, but does that equate to an investment in an knowledge economy?

And if a knowledge economy is to be successful, in the long-term, it is going to have to be locally anchored.

But the question of local is problematic in a country with 80% of the population originating from elsewhere.

It is my feeling that if the knowledge economy is to be championed definition of local has to be expanded to include those expatriate that are here as well.

If you are working on ideas for Dubai but are the citizen of Canada, in my case, my ideas are local to Dubai not Canada.

Yet there are segments of society that would suggest my ideas are not local even thought they are fueled by the local experience.

Mark and I had an interesting discussion that I think frames Dubai in a different light to that we are becoming accustom to reading about in the broadsheets.

And the idea of the knowledge economy is particularly interesting.

Primary and secondary education is rapidly evolving in the UAE and trying to come to grips with the lessons from welfare states around the world as it crafts its own hybrid system.

One thing is for sure a complete hands off system does not work.

What if we retooled education from KG through University around the idea of significant interactions?

What if the issues of economy and society were encouraged to link and not sit alone?

What if we saw a vertical integration of KG through University education with partnerships on a global scale?

Of course this requires a true paradigm shift.

Dr. Chris Reynolds may be on to something as he talks about his vision of the education to come.

Dr.Chris Reynolds on the future of education as a business

Nightline a Conversation

We have had it drilled into us that cash is king.

But is it?

If I have a skill and you have a product and my skill is worth your product don’t we have good thing going? We trade and we are both happy, if you need my skill and I need your product? It is called barter.

Yet our education, and our business education in particular does little, maybe nothing, to prepare us to think outside of the cash rubric!

So we are being educated for failure?

We sure are not being educated for success beyond the case study and textbook!

Mr. Bob Bagga of BizXchange joined us for a quick rundown on how barter is alive and well in the business community today.

A conversation with Bob Bagga the CEO of BizXchange.com.

Nightline once again demonstrates the education value of the wireless and the power of the voice to provoke thought and disseminate ideas.

A return to a percentage of barter in our personal economies might be what we need to create a healthy cash, service and product relationship in our everyday lives.

The problem? Too few people at the top realize that if they do not get out and talk to me NOW about what is happening and WHY and what they plan to do about the changing environment I WILL BOLT.

One thing that the financial crisis has done is made many ordinary people hold back on spending because the ability to make financed purchases is now difficult.

The result?

More thought, alternative options and maybe less impulse spending.

The reality?

A whole new world when it comes to commerce and they guys at the top are still sleeping!

Uhhh wasn’t that what got us here in the first place?