Abstract
•Knowledge is emphasized as a needed source of development in the GCC countries.•The state of innovation of the GCC countries is examined through a broad view.•Building the knowledge culture is advocated as a mean for innovation promotion.•Innovation inefficiency in the GCC countries is addressed.•Related innovation problems are identified with potential solutions.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are concerned with activating knowledge and innovation as a source of development that reduces their dependence on oil. This paper is concerned with investigating the state of innovation in the GCC countries for the purpose of enabling the development of future plans that promote innovation and enhance development. It starts with an introduction on the importance of innovation for development; followed by presenting the approach used in the investigation. The approach views innovation from the wide scope of the “Global Innovation Index 2014 (GII 2014)”; and in the context of the knowledge culture associated with the human behavior toward knowledge. It considers two regional powers Turkey and Iran for comparison. The application of the approach is then described; followed by looking ahead toward innovation promotion. The paper identifies problems that require attention; and it concludes recommendations that emphasize innovation as an essential human source for future development.