GLOBAL ECONOMIC FACTORS ON GULF LABOR DYNAMICS: LOCALIZATION VERSUS IMMIGRATION

Year 2010, Volume: 2 Issue: 2, 39 - 45, 01.12.2010

Esra Pakin Albayrakoglu

Abstract

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) represents an ambitious bloc of six Arab countries in
pursuit of deeper integration with the global economy. Although the members differ among
themselves in terms of composition of population, natural resources or economic and military
capabilities, they look relatively similar as regards conservatism and prosperity based on
hydrocarbon revenues. This paper presents an international political economy perspective on the
past and present labor crises in the GCC countries and makes suggestions for improving the
qualities and conditions of national and foreign work force. It is concluded that the GCC would
survive in the post-carbon era, provided that economic diversification went coordinately with
necessary adjustments in the labor sector.

Keywords

migration, regional labor markets

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