Dubai Internet City

Abstract

Dubai Internet City (DIC) was inaugurated in October 2000. Although it carried the name Internet, the free zone was designed as a hub for all information and communications technology companies (ICT). While the original plan focused primarily on real estate, the shift to an innovative, one–stop approach was almost immediate. As a result DIC offered its clients not only office space, but handled visas, incorporation, travel bookings, work permits, etc. To further support clients, DIC set up a state–of–the–art telecommunications company. This was the first in a series of businesses which DIC would launch to serve customers and then spin–off as stand–alone entities. The park's objective was to help companies do business in the area while making it as easy as possible to operate out of Dubai. The fact that the park operated inside a free zone meant that it could offer clients attractive deals such as 100 per cent foreign ownership, no tax, or 100 per cent repatriation of capital. The large concentration of companies working out of a single location (600 by 2004) would also create networking opportunities, which the company further supported through organized events. By 2004, the company had reached the objectives it had set itself for 2007, and began looking at different options: internationalizing by either building, operating or advising on similar parks abroad, or capturing other parts of the value chain (manufacturing, outsourcing, etc.). **EFMD European Case Writing Competition Category Winner 2004**