Page 259 - Aamir Rehman - Dubai & Co Global Strategies for Doing Business in the Gulf States-McGraw-Hill (2007)

CHAPTER 9

Getting Things Done: Operations

Strategy and the GCC

INTRODUCTION

Take a look at Dubai from the air and what you see might surprise
you. You might expect, based on what you have heard about
the famous hotels, office buildings, and high-profile construction
projects, to see a sprawling metropolis studded with glass and steel.
Or, having heard the enthusiastic accounts of the fabulous luxury
resorts that attract the rich and famous from around the world,
you might be expecting to see endless miles of pristine beaches and
artificial islands. In both cases, however, you would be greatly sur-
prised. While these landmarks are visible from the air, more visu-
ally prominent are a massive port and shipping zone several times
larger than the commercial center of the city. The core of Dubai’s
landscape is not its office buildings or tourist hot spots; it is a gigan-
tic port and industrial area called Jebel Ali, which happens to be the
largest man-made harbor in the world.
While much is made of the glitz and glamour of Dubai, at the
heart of its success story is its role as a shipping, logistics, and oper-
ations center. Other parts of the GCC, which also may be known
for their opulence, derive their wealth from the gritty business
of oil drilling and energy production, whereas Dubai has little oil
left. Developing industrial and operational capabilities has been

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