How can a place conquer a position in the mind of potential business investors? : A case study on Dubai

Abstract: Abstract In the age of globalization it has become more and more common that places – cities, regions and nations – work actively to attract business investors; all with the aim to support economic development. Nevertheless, the competition is tough and it is hard to get through the information clutter and conquer a position in the mind of the business investors. Dubai, one of the seven Emirates that form the nation United Arab Emirates, was for many years a general unknown place for business investors around the world. However, something has happened and today Dubai is a fast growing business centre with an ambitious vision; to be a leading business hub in the world. Even though Dubai and its people have not reached all the way yet, it is clearly that they have reached a bit on the way. How has Dubai succeeded to attract business investors, and how does the Emirate works today? To find the answers the writers make a case study on Dubai. The research question of this thesis is: To support economic development; How do you develop and promote a place in order to conquer a position in the mind of potential business investors? The purpose of this thesis is; to inform, motivate, and support impressive decision makers in cities, regions and nations in their work to develop and promote places with the aim to attract business investors and to create economic development. And to increase their knowledge about how 1) Dubai has worked to attract business investors and about 2) the influence of market imperfections on marketing The writers work after the DH-model which is created out from frameworks about place, promotion, flow of information and clutter, and the mind. The market imperfections are in the background of the model and influence the process. The writers use empirical information collected by semi constructed interviews with different experts, and constructed interviews with potential investors/students from a leading business school. The writers also use retrospective and current inspections from their own experiences of Dubai. In the conclusions of this thesis the writers present the Dubai formula that give the answer for how Dubai has worked and works; to develop and promote the place Dubai in order to conquer a position in the mind of business investors.