KOM to Host eGames Conference

Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) will host its third eGames Conference on the Rusayl-based technology park, 31 March – 1 April. According to Mohammed Al Maskari, KOM’s Director General: “this year’s program will consider the application of virtual environments (VEs) to tourism, heritage, culture, health, education, defence and the generation of local web content.”

Presenting at the two-day program include some of the world’s leading VE experts – including Professor Lizbeth Goodman, Director, SMARTlab, Digital Media Centre at the University of East London and Professor Bob Stone from Birmingham University.

“Virtual worlds have hit the mainstream,” suggests Ibtisam Al Faruji, KOM’s Head of Marketing. Today they are being used not just for consumer applications, but also for a wide range of serious professional purposes. These purposes range from scenario planning to medical training and from collaborative role play to cross-cultural awareness sessions. “KOM’s eGames Conference will look at how private virtual worlds are being used now as the basis for serious collaborative activities in a variety of professional domains,” says Al Faruji.

For over a decade, there has been worldwide interest in the prospect of using VEs to recreate historic sites and events for such purposes as education, special project commissions and showcase features at national and World Heritage sites. According to Professor Stone (pictured): “The power of VE lies with its ability to open up places not normally accessible to people from all walks of life, to allow them to explore objects and experience events that could not normally be explored without alterations of scale or time and to support interaction with remote communities and interaction with virtual (historical) actors.”

In the context of heritage, VE goes much further, however, in that it offers a means of protecting the fragile state of historic sites and can help educate visitors not so much about their history, but in how to explore, interpret, understand and respect those sites. Despite some impressive projects executed during the Virtual Reality era of the 1990s, the limitations imposed by the very costly – and often unreliable – technologies meant that many of the Virtual Heritage demonstrations were committed to digital obscurity. Professor Stone’s eGames presentation will look at the resurrection of interest in Virtual Heritage and, using the Virtual Stonehenge and Virtual Scylla (artificial reef) projects and how lessons learned from the 1990s should be taken forward to underpin serious games developments in the early 21st Century.
“Given Oman’s rich history and outstanding cultural heritage, particularly our tangible cultural assets, I fully expect this year’s eGames Conference to be of substantial interest and value to those working in heritage, culture, leisure and tourism,” remarks Al Faruji.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

10 Reasons to Buy Local

1. Keep money in our community: Significantly more money re-circulates locally when purchases are made at locally owned businesses. This multiplier is due in part to locally owned businesses purchasing more often from other local businesses, service providers and farms. Research indicates that for every US$100 spent at a locally owned business, US$45 goes back into the community.

2. Support community groups: Non-profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from smaller locally-owned business owners than they do from large businesses.

3. Keep our community unique: Where we shop, where we eat and have fun - all of it makes our community home. Our one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of Oman’s distinctive character. Our tourism businesses also benefit. When people go on holiday they generally seek out destinations that offer them the sense of being someplace, not just anyplace.

4. Reduce environmental impact: Locally owned businesses can make more local purchases requiring less transportation. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.

5. Create more jobs: Local businesses are large employers and provide job opportunities.

6. Get better service: Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling and take more time to get to know customers.

7. Invest in the local community: Local businesses are owned by people who live in the community, are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the community’s future.

8. Buy what you want, not what someone wants you to buy: A marketplace of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and competitive prices over the long-term.

9. Encourage local prosperity: A growing body of economic research shows that in an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.

10. Locally grown food tastes better: Food grown in your own community was probably picked within the past day or two. It's crisp, sweet and loaded with flavor. Several studies have shown that the average distance food travels from farm to plate is 1,500 miles. In a week-long (or more) delay from harvest to dinner table, sugars turn to starches, plant cells shrink, and produce loses its vitality.

PEIE's Big Ideas Tent Opens 10 February

PEIE in partnership with the private sector is organizing a Big Ideas Tent seminar program and exhibition on Sohar Industrial Estate, Sunday 10 February.

The Big Ideas tent forms part of a series of PEIE-led initiatives that are intended to increase marketing, finance, education and technology awareness among manufacturers. The seminar and exhibition are free-of-charge and an excellent opportunity to meet with fellow business professionals and network. Over 35 leading manufacturers will be exhibiting at the event

“Manufacturing has certainly had some tough times, not just here but across the world,” says Ibtisam Al Faruji, PEIE’s Head of Marketing. “But the fact is that Omani industry is producing more today than ever before – our non-oil exports are on the increase and we’re creating jobs in the sector. We have world beating companies – our potential in plastics, metals and logistics, for example, is tremendous. Indeed, many of the seeds for tomorrow’s manufacturing success are being sown in Sohar. The “Origin Oman” stamp has a great future, The point is that you don’t have to look far to see manufacturing alive and kicking here in Oman. What our success stories have in common is that that they are about the appliance of science and technology with highly skilled people,” says PEIE’s Marketing Head

With increasing global competition, Oman-based manufacturers face a number of growing challenges from reducing costs, improving marketing, packaging, design and product quality, training, introducing new technology through to speeding up production processes. “The Big Ideas Tent has been designed specifically to help our tenants respond to these challenges,” comments Al Faruji.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Education & Manufacturing Partnership

PEIE launched its second season of Oman Manufacturing Group (OMG) seminars on Monday night at the Muscat Inter-Continental Hotel.

The topic under discussion was Education, Training and Manufacturing: Going Global and the panellists included: Abdullah Al Jufaili, Intilaaqah Enterprise Fund; Abeer Abdullah, Knowledge Horizon; Professor Andrew Self, Serco; Steve Bakalis, Ministry of Higher Education; Talal Al Rahbi, Information Technology Authority; and Dr. Evanglous Asendras, Sultan Qaboos University. The 90 minute panel discussion was moderated by Infocomm’s Managing Director, Karim Rahemtulla. Over 180 people from manufacturing, business, education and government attended the seminar.

Nurturing talent, creativity and building stronger dialogue between manufacturing and higher education were the key themes of the evening. “If we aren’t designing the right degree courses, if manufacturing isn’t in dialogue with colleges and universities then how are we to produce the skilled knowledge workers required to take Oman’s manufacturing sector forward?” asks OMG Co-ordinator and PEIE Marketing Officer, Mulkie Al Hashmi. The objective behind the OMG series is to bring the relevant stakeholders together and discuss issues of concern to Oman’s manufacturing sector. According to Al Hashmi: “Monday night’s session was very well received and we were delighted with the feedback.”

On developing and attracting talent to the manufacturing sector, Rahemtulla says: “The most important national and corporate resource over the next 20 years will be talent. Smart, sophisticated businesspeople who are technologically literate, globally astute and operationally agile. And even as the demand for talent goes up, the supply of it will be going down. So, if we’re to compete globally, we’ve got to get our heads round this issue and look seriously at how we train, educate, attact and retain the right human capital. The OMG seminar addressed these issues squarely. I’m confident that as a result of Monday night’s discussion we’lll see a revitalized education and manufacturing relationship emerge.”

It was evident from the panel discussion and the questions raised by attendees that innovation is critical to the future success of manufacturing and wealth creation in Oman. This is a hard economic fact. Government, the private sector and education, need to work together to create the best possible conditions for innovation in manufacturing, to put innovation at the centre of corporate strategies and to convey to young people the excitement and challenges of the advances taking place today in manufacturing, entrepreneurship, science and technology. “Manufacturing is an exciting sector and we’ve got to get that message out to Oman’s youth – encourage them to study, maths, science and engineering and create industry role models. In particular, we’ve got to get this message across to young women,” says Knowledge Horizon’s Abeer Abdullah.

“We need to see government, manufacturing, higher education, schools and support providers coming together on a more regular basis. Such meetings would play an important role in creating a network and co-ordinated structure that could improve the viability, growth and competitiveness of the sultanate’s manufacturing community. PEIE’s OMG seminar program plays an important role in this regard,” suggests Abeer.

The importance of partnerships was highlighted by Professor Andrew Self, former Pro-Vice Chancellor, Kingston University, London and advisor to Oman’s Minister of Higher Education, HE Dr. Rawiya Al Busaidi on the Colleges of Applied Science: “We need to encourage, for example, partnerships between manufacturers, using clusters and networks to pool their strengths and share best practice. Between manufacturers and universities and colleges to exploit research and provide the skilled people manufacturing needs. Between government and manufacturing to create the best possible conditions for innovation and provide the co-ordinated support manufacturers need to be innovative.” He added: “We also need to promote strategies that focus on innovation in products, people and processes. If this can be accomplished then we’ll raise productivity and higher level skills development within the economy.”

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Oman Manufacturing Group: New Season Begins

Monday night (28 January) sees the first Oman Manufacturing Group seminar of the 2008 season and the topic is: Education, Training & Manufacturing: Going Global. On the panel is Abeer Abdullah (pictured), Head of Professional Qualifications, Knowledge Horizon, a Muscat-based training provider. We took five minutes from Abeer’s busy schedule and this is what she had to say on the topic.

Why should manufacturers work with education?
An industry is only as good, or as bad, as the people who work in it. More people with better skills who understand the manufacturing sector will mean a stronger industry – one that’s more competitive and able to compete in the global economy. There are more subtle reasons though. The manufacturing sector is a complicated creature, stretching out from research and development, marketing, sales, logistics, product design, packaging, finance and international trade – it’s a fiercely competitive commercial sector. Traditionally, manufacturing hasn't had a particularly strong dialogue with education. There has been, and there remains, quite a large gap between what people learn in school, college and university about manufacturing and what they then hope to go and do in the industry. Unless manufacturers help education to understand it better as a place for young people to work in, and also take time itself to understand education better, then we're not going to give young people the relevant skills to enable them to work and fulfil their professional ambitions in the sector.

You often here management say: 'What if we train our staff and they leave?' What are your thoughts on this?
For me, the simple answer is what if you don't train them and they stay? Manufacturers, indeed, most businesses, fear investing in employees in case they leave, and take the benefit of that investment with them. Surely a far larger threat comes from growing a manufacturing workforce which doesn’t learn, develop or deliver the quality required to ensure the future prosperity of Oman’s manufacturing base? How are our manufacturers expected to go global without the properly trained personnel?

Indeed, Oman's manufacturing sector is at significant turnin point. Rapidly growing economies around the world are generating considerably more qualified manufacturing specialists than we are – for example, chemical and mechanical engineers. We need to be encouraging younger people to study maths, engineering and science at university. The numbers of those studying these subjects are low and that’s something we need to remedy. I firmly believe we have an obligation to improve the training and education landscape for Omani manufacturing and address the issue before it's too late.

Do manufacturers know enough about the domestic training market – what’s available?

I doubt it. We need to address the 'hit and miss' skills landscape manufacturers have to navigate. There are some excellent examples of professional training programmes out there today — and there are manufacturers that are implementing world-class skills, and training providers are delivering outstanding content through quality assessors/trainers. But they are islands of excellence. There’s a lot of good and a lot of bad out there and separating the two can be daunting for the uninitiated.

I also feel there’s a lack of clear communication about the wider business benefits that better skills and learning can provide. The result is that manufacturers are keen to implement training but often only plan for a short-term change rather than using skills strategically to improve the long-term future of their business.Finally, and probably most importantly, we must ensure training products and services are driven by manufacturers. Too many existing training products and services have not been developed with industry's needs in mind. This makes it even more difficult for manufacturers to find courses and services that fit their needs. The problem isn’t that manufacturers don't want to improve through education, but they are simply confused by what confronts them when they look for high quality training.

In collaboration with PEIE, Intilaaqah Enterprise Fund (IEF) has agreed to sponsor PEIE’s Big Ideas Tent (9/10 February in Sohar), the Oman Manufacturing Group Seminar Program (OMG) and PEIE’s annual Smart Manufacturing Conference (12/13 May).

IEF is a revolving fund dedicated to providing business development support and finance to small and medium-sized enterprises. The US$10 million fund was established by Shell in 2007 and is managed by GroFin Oman.

Intilaaqah’s Director and IEF Marketing focal point, Abdullah Al Jufaili, will participate at all three PEIE initiatives and present at the OMG seminar: “Education, Training & Manufacturing: Going Global” scheduled for 7:45pm, 28 January at the Muscat Inter-Continental Hotel.

The first OMG seminar of 2008 will explore themes of education and training and their relationship to globalisation. According to Al Jufaili “If Oman’s manufacturing sector wants to compete globally then we need to upgrade employee skills and knowledge. We need to understand how Oman’s higher education and training sector can equip the manufacturing sector with the right human capital, skills and know how.”

Abeer Al Abduwani, Manager, GroFin said: “We’re delighted that IEF is supporting PEIE initiatives. Indeed, this will give leverage to the fund and provide an opportunity for our fund managers to develop stronger ties with manufacturers and meet the sector’s needs.”

Al Jufaili adds: “Our presence at this year’s OMG Seminar Program will ensure that the IEF is positioned to help drive forward training, innovation and entrepreneurship in the marketplace. In particular, the 28 January OMG panel on education and manufacturing will address a highly topical and relevant subject and I think many people in business as well as in government circles will want to hear these issues discussed. We’re very excited about our participation.”

Hilal Al Ahsani, PEIE’s CEO comments: “IEF’s sponsorship of OMG, the Big Ideas Tent and Smart Manufacturing Conference adds substantial value to these important manufacturing initiatives, and the participation of Abdullah will be a huge draw card and offers great value to attendees."

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Attracting Talent

We hear a lot about the New Economy as if it only applies to IT or is still some way in the future; that it's something only young techies in smart offices are involved in. If that’s what you think then you couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact it's here and it's now and it affects us all.

Today’s modern economy is fast moving, dynamic, ever-changing and global. To be successful, companies, countries and cities must master the art of innovation, constantly developing and adopting the best products, techniques and practices and attracting the right kind of human capital. Indeed, successful cities will be those that can adapt to the demands of rapid change, that are flexible, creative and diverse and manage change rather than being drowned by it.

Benchmarking Cities
The World Knowledge Competitiveness Index benchmarks the world's high performing cities in terms of their performance on four crucial variables - knowledge capital, human capital, regional economic outputs and knowledge sustainability and it makes for sober reading. The recent Index is dominated by US cities. The top 21 world knowledge competitive cities are all in North America. In fact, the first European city to feature in the ranking is Stockholm at 22nd and there’s no Gulf city listed in the top 125.

The world's burgeoning cities are a critical fact of the twenty-first century - and represent one of the greatest challenges of the future. By the year 2050 cities with populations over three million will more than double from 70 today to over 150. When knowledge is perhaps the most important factor in today’s economy, there’s a growing interest in the concept of the knowledge city. But it isn’t just large cities that have cornered the market in attracting talented people. For example, in the US a number of smaller cities have some of the highest concentrations of creative people in the nation notably college towns such as Austin, Texas, East Lansing, Michigan and Madison, Wisconsin. But where does Muscat stand on attracting talent and establishing itself as a knowledge city?

We’ve a Tech Park
Clean, unpretentious and safer than most cities, Muscat is home to KOM the Rusayl-based Technology Park. Tenants on the Park are exempt from corporate taxes, have access to Class A office accommodation and superb telco infrastucture. Its tenants live in modern, comfortable and affordable housing, their kids attend great schools and healthcare here is second to none. The Park’s firms are positioned to tap into a growing, youthful Middle East market, and a young, educated, increasinly tech-savvy, multilingual indigenous workforce. All of this should bode well. Among others, Hewlett Packard; Microsoft; Qatar Airways; Oracle; Huwaie; ITA; Infocomm; and NCR are taking advantage of what KOM offers. But if we want to attract creative talent to Oman – multinationals and entrepreneurs that drive innovation and create employment – KOM won’t achieve this on its own. The point is, Oman doesn't have just one competitor - either the UAE or Saudi Arabia or Qatar. That's not how the global economy works. We’re competing against a collection of countries simultaneously, and the cumulative effect of a UAE plus a Saudi Arabia plus a Qatar plus a Thailand plus an India is something to worry about. So what should we be thinking?

The concept of attracting talent and multinationals to Oman is an important issue. Indeed, in the battle for global talent we're moving from a company-centric economy to a people-driven one. Simply put, people are turning to their community rather than to their company to define themselves and location is taking presedence over the corporation. For example, when smart individuals and firms visit KOM, they don't just consider the Class A office accommodation, the tax benefits and infrastructure on offer. Increasingly, they check out what’s available and happening in Muscat – the recreation and sports facilities, the standard and availability of accommodation, schools, healthcare facilities, flight connections, cinemas, night life, musuems, shopping centres, art galleries and restaurants. They’re looking for audial and visual cues which signal whether Muscat is a place where they and their employees can live, work and play.

It is also apparent from talking to people that location is as important as salary and career opportunity. Again, recent studies suggest that folk who make a job-based decision to re-locate but neglect lifestyle factors such as recreational and cultural amenities move again shortly thereafter.

A High Amenity City
In order to help Oman attract talent and multinationals, what we should be looking to develop is Muscat as a high-amenity place where you can get anything you need instantaneously. If you're pulling an all-nighter, you can get a Thai take away at 2am. When your dry cleaning piles up, there's a place in CityCentre that will take care of it in 30 minutes. If you need to blow off steam, there's a skatepark to ride or a wadi to bash! In brief, a place that has all these amenities is efficient. You save time when you live there. Many of these amenties are on offer in Muscat – but are we (collectively) getting this message across to international firms and entrepreneurs? Perhaps not.

Obviously, cities differ considerably in their ability to attract and retain human capital and the companies these folk manage, this is why talent hasn't spread evenly across the economic landscape and helps explain the emergence of business and technology clusters. From experience, it’s more than apparent that people look for the same things in a city that they look for in a company: energy, amenities and a sense of fun. In Oman, folk want to be able to go camping, cycling and picnicing on beaches. Now, when you question potential residents whether they camp, cycle or picnic on beaches, generally the answer is “no”. But they want such activities to be available, because they like the idea of being able to do them if they want to.

Low Entry Barriers
Economists have long spoken of the importance of industries having low entry barriers, so that new firms can easily enter and keep the industry vital. Similarly, it's important for a city to have low entry barriers for people - that is, to be a place where newcomers are accepted quickly into various social and economic arrangements. All things being equal, if Oman adopts this approach, we’re likely to attract greater numbers of talented and creative people - the type of people who power innovation, entrepreneurship and create employment. Cities that thrive in today's world tend to be plug-and-play communities where anyone can fit in quickly. On its own, building a first class Technology Park won’t attract greater talent and more international firms, we need to work harder on offering more lifestyle options and greater cultural diversity.

Talent Magnet
Talented people seek an environment open to differences. Many highly creative people, regardless of ethnic background, grew up feeling like outsiders, different in some way from most of their schoolmates. When they’re sizing up a new company, city or country, acceptance of diversity is a neon sign that reads "non-standard people welcome here." Put simply, and as mentioned earlier, crusaders of the New Economy increasingly take their professional identities from where they live, rather than from where they work. In the past you'd meet a guy on a plane, ask him what he does, and he'd tell you that he's writes code at Oracle. Today, it's, “I design educational game software and live in Madison.” The most important national and corporate resource over the next 20 years will be talent. Smart, sophisticated businesspeople who are technologically literate, globally astute and operationally agile. And even as the demand for talent goes up, the supply of it will be going down. We’ve great ideas, we’ve got money - we just don't have enough talented people to pursue those ideas. We’re talent-constrained. So, if we’re to compete, we’ve got to get our heads round this issue and look seriously at how we retain and attact the right human capital.

So, if Muscat wants to attract and retain creative talent what are the questions we should be asking? Here’s a starting point:

o What will attract young bright creative minds to Muscat?
o How do we inspire the Omani community (nationals and expatriates) as a whole to take ownership in making Muscat a more creative city?
o What other cities should we model our efforts on and why?
o What are some of the key success factors to making Muscat a creative city?
o Conversely, what are some of the barriers?
o Identify positive creative initiatives currently underway that we can build on.
o Is the creative community in Muscat a cohesive one or does it function in silos?
o Where are the opportunities for increased collaboration/cohesion?
o What’s the role of economic development in building a creative city?
o What are some current opportunities to do this?
o What steps can Muscat take to become an internationally recognized medium-sized creative city?
o What can the private sector do to improve the quality of life indicators of Muscat?

Research clearly indicates that talent is attracted to three types of New Economy hot spots. First, there's the traditional, high-tech industrial complex such as California’s Silicon Valley. Then there's the "latte town" - high-energy places with easily accessible outdoor amenities, such as Boulder, Colorado. Finally, there are new urban technology centres cropping up, such as Pioneer Square in Seattle, Washington. Indeed, Muscat’s fate cannot depend, quite obviously, on the performance of one Technology Park or one Free Zone or one Port. Its prosperity will depend on the productivity of all its economic sectors and in its ability to collectively create a diverse environment - and one that doesn’t compromise local culture - that is attractive to both talented entrepreneurs and multinationals.

Manufacturers Need Educating

Recent figures indicate that Oman’s manufacturing sector is on the rise and for many companies export order books are full. “The figures are highly encouraging. Clearly, we’re witnessing a fundamental shift in our economy and it’s being driven by globalisation, knowledge, technology and innovation and it’s quickly changing the nature of manufacturing and the type of workforce and skills we need in the sector,” says Hilal Al Ahsani, CEO, PEIE. “Today’s manufacturing sector is knowledge, skills, innovation and enterprise driven and if we’re to keep export order books full we need to ensure that manufacturers stay focused on these key issues.”

Al Ahsani suggests that one way of fostering innovation and enterprise in manufacturing is to strengthen the sector’s ties with higher education. In early 2007, PEIE introduced the Oman Manufacturing Group (OMG), a quarterly networking seminar program that brought together a core of enthusiastic and energetic individuals from manufacturing and academia, committed to developing and sustaining a strong future for Omani manufacturing.

One issue which gives Al Ahsani cause for concern is that manufacturing has historically demonstrated a serious weakness in what he describes as networking capacity. “Bluntly,” says Al Ahsani “not enough people within the sector are talking, interacting and trading with each other. This is why we see OMG as such an important initiative and that’s why we’ve designed a further four OMG seminars for 2008,” says the PEIE CEO.

As well as building networking capacity, Al Ahsani believes there’s a real need to address issues such as productivity, entrepreneurship, innovation and the development and exploitation of new technologies. In fact, central to achieving this, is the continued development and enhancement of long-term collaboration between manufacturing and education and Al Ahsani fully expects the OMG program to a go a long way in helping develop this relationship.

“Manufacturing is a significant economic, social and cultural phenomenon in Oman,” argues Al Ahsani. “We’ve a rich mix of export-facing tenants manufacturing fibre optic cables, batteries, confectionary through to textiles, a relatively mature stock of enterprises in terms of business age, and a high level of business confidence.” Whilst many manufacturers may not see the need for supplementary business support from academia, those that have sought it have generally been highly satisfied with what they have received and how it has helped them take their operations forward.

The first OMG seminar of the year will be held Monday 28 January at the Muscat Inter-Continental Hotel and is entitled Education, Training & Manufacturing: Going Global. Leading the panel of speakers will be Professor Andrew Self OBE, (pictured) former Pro-Vice Chancellor, Kingston University. OMG seminars are free of charge and open to all. Further information on the 2008 program can be viewed at: http://www.peie.om/

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

PEIE's Calendar of Events

It’s going to be a busy year! Here’s the 2008 calendar of events for PEIE and KOM. Please mark these dates in your diary.

Oman Manufacturing Group (OMG) Seminar Series
1. Education, Training & Manufacturing: Going Global: 28 January
2. Green Manufacturing: 9 June
3. The Art of Manufacturing: 29 September
4. Manufacturing Strategies for Tomorrow: 1 December

Digital Nation Seminar Series
1. Oman’s Digital Challenge: Closing the Gap: 11 March
2. Second Life: Get One: 26 May
3: Locally Generated Content: Anything Out There? 15 September
4. Blogging Around Town: 10 November

OMG & Digital Nation Booking
All OMG and Digital Nation seminars are free of charge and held at the Muscat Inter-Continental Hotel. Seminars start at 7:45pm. However, we need you to confirm your attendance so we know to expect you. Places are strictly limited to 150 so please book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. To book your place please contact Mulkie Al Hashmi on (+968) 24 15 51 35 or e-mail info@peie.om stating your name(s) and organization.

Conferences
1. eGames Conference: 31 March/1 April (held at Knowledge Oasis Muscat)
2. Smart Manufacturing Conference: 12/13 May (held at Muscat Inter-Continental Hotel)

PEIE’s Carbon Footprint
In an attempt to lessen our carbon footprint PEIE has endeavoured to channel all forms of communication via the internet. As such you will find all necessary information on the aforementioned PEIE and KOM initiatives on http://www.peie.om/ and http://www.kom.om/

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

PEIE Pitches Big Ideas Tent in Sohar

The Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) has announced that in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry it is to organize a ‘Big Ideas Tent’ exhibition and seminar program 9th and 10th February 2008 on Sohar Industrial Estate. The two-day program is being held to celebrate Oman’s Industry Day.

The Big Ideas Tent seminar and exhibition will be held under the patronage of HE Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, Minister of Commerce & Industry and Chairman, PEIE. According to Nasser Al Rahbi, PEIE’s Media & Communications Co-ordinator (pictured): “The purpose of the Big Ideas Tent is to stimulate new thinking in areas of importance to manufacturing and to help PEIE identify areas in which it should be seeking to develop new services or support.” The seminars will be moderated by eminent figures in the field and bring together a panel of expert thinkers and practitioners for a full and frank discussion. The seminars and exhibition are free of charge and open to all though participants are required to register in advance.

“There's always plenty to talk about in manufacturing,” says Al Rahbi “so to focus seminar discussion we’re inviting delegates to submit questions in advance via e-mail (info@peie.om) these can be short or long, plain or nuanced, serious, heartfelt, flippant or funny. The seminar chair will also open up each question to the audience, so that everyone is free to join the debate and to challenge or develop points made by the various panels. The event is intended to be lively and highly interactive.”

Some of the issues that Al Rahbi expects to be covered at the Big Ideas Tent seminar include: Who’s financing manufacturing and on what terms? What areas within manufacturing are crucial to Oman’s competitiveness and why? How does manufacturing serve to power the Oman's knowledge economy? Is it the best engine for this and how does it compare with alternative means of progress and innovation? What is needed to maximize the potential of manufacturing in relation to the knowledge economy? How do we ensure that it is sustainable and principled with regard to globalization? Is it important to have a visually literate manufacturing sector?

Panelists for the five seminar panels include representatives from: Reem Batteries; Ministry of Commerce & Industry; Jotun; Amouage; GroFin Oman; Hussam Technology; Teclution; Knowledge Horizon; Total Alignment; Infocomm; Microsoft; Ericsson; Oracle; Cisco; Oman Cables; and Sohar Aluminium.

The breadth of experience and range of products and services that will be demonstrated at the Big Ideas Tent exhibition will offer solutions to many of the issues facing today’s manufacturers. The event has been designed specifically to provide both exhibitors and visitors with extensive opportunities to network with others in the industry, while also keeping abreast of the latest developments in the field. “We hope manufacturers and those that serve the sector will be able to attend, network, socialize and share ideas,” said Al Rahbi.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

KOM's eGames Conference 2008

Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) will host its annual eGames Conference 31 March - 1 April 2008 in Muscat Hall on KOM. The current agenda - and there will be further additions over the next few days -currently looks like this:

Day 1

9:00am – 9:45am Opening Speech
The Future of the Digital Environment
Professor Lizbeth Goodman, SMARTlab, Digital Media Centre, University of East London

Session 1: 9:45am – 10:45am
Gaming & Entrepreneurs: A Case Study
Kevin Corti, PIXELearning

PIXELearning’s Business Game was developed specifically as a teaching aid for UK schools that, from 2005, were required to deliver 5 days of enterprise education to 15 and 16 year olds every year. The majority of teachers who had to deliver this part of the school curriculum had no business experience and were struggling to meet the demands placed upon them.

The Enterprise Game is aimed primarily at the business support/start-up/enterprise agency community and designed to foster the development of general business awareness amongst owner managers and staff. Many small companies are established by people with specific industry skills but who often lack broad business acumen.

The Enterprise Game is based on the same underlying simulation code as The Business Game but has been tweaked to be more challenging for adult learners and includes more detail in, for example, finance and marketing. How can Oman’s schools and colleges benefit from serious gaming technology. How do we take serious games to prepare young Omanis for the business world. Indeed, can serious games help foster a new generation of Omani entrepreneurs?

Networking Break: 10:45am – 11:00am

Session 2: 11:00am – 12:30pm
Gaming for Culture
Mike Gogan, Blitz Games
Professor Lizbeth Goodman, SMARTlab, Digital Media Centre, University of East London

Mike Gogan is one of the world’s leading creators of virtual reality and 3D multimedia content in the Cultural Heritage sector. He has delivered inspiring virtual reality and multimedia interactive products to some of the most iconic heritage sites in the UK and beyond. Indeed, he and his team at Blitz Games are leading the way in exploring the application of serious games technology in the heritage and culture space.

Professor Lizbeth Goodman will focus on the cultural and heritage research projects that are currently being carried out at SMARTlab and their applications to promoting heritage and culture, tourism and creating locally generated web content. What added value can serious games offer Oman’s dynamic set of tangible and intangible cultural assets?

Session 3: 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Promoting Leisure & Tourism through Second Life
David Wortley, Serious Games Institute, Coventry University

Tourism Ireland has launched a marketing campaign in Second Life; the first time a real world tourist board has used the Internet-based virtual world to market a real holiday destination. Since its establishment in 2003, Second Life has grown significantly and now has nearly 11 million registered users or "residents", 1.6 million of whom use it regularly.

Dublin in Second Life is a well established destination for live music and DJs – in fact, it occasionally makes the top 10 list of the most popular places to visit in the virtual world. Tourism Ireland's decision was influenced by the fact that 60% of Second Life's users are from Ireland's four biggest tourist markets - Great Britain, the US, Germany and France, and half those are more than 30 - a key demographic for tourism to Ireland.

Experts predict that the web will be three-dimensional in a decade's time and virtual worlds such as Second Life give us some idea of what the web may look like in the future. Second Life is one of the biggest virtual worlds in existence and many major brands, including Coca-Cola, Vodafone, IBM, Toyota, Sony and Adidas already have a presence there. Within the tourism industry, Starwood Hotels have used Second Life to pilot the design of a new series of hotels and Thomas Cook offers customers virtual package tours. What can Second Life offer Oman and its rapidly expanding tourism sector? Should we be spending a larger slice of the country’s marketing budget online?

Lunch: 1:30pm – 2:30pm

Session 4: 2:30pm - 4:00pm
Serious Gaming, Mobiles & the Consumer
Moderator: David Wortley, Serious Games Institute, Coventry University
Panel: TBA, Gartner; TBA, Nawras; Dr. Andreas Liffgarden, Ericsson & Karim Rahemtulla, Infocomm

Consumers are increasingly using technology to customize the shopping process to their specific needs. In this regard, retailers must understand how consumers are interacting with their brands as this will have a substantial impact on how retail operations will evolve in the future. It is estimated that by 2010, 20 per cent of global Tier 1 retailers will have a marketing presence in online games and virtual worlds.

Virtual worlds are expanding rapidly. To date, Second Life has nearly 11 million registered ‘residents’ who spend in excess of US$1million every 24 hours buying property, items or experiences in-world. Similarly, research suggests that the popularity of online gaming will continue to expand. Indeed, virtual worlds are emerging as places where consumers can shop and retailers need to be ready to respond to this growing demand.

On the mobile front, it is estimated that by 2012, the number of consumers using mobile phones to shop will increase at an average of more than 25 per cent per year. Mobile commerce has been viewed as an emerging new sales channel for retailers for some time now but retail revenue through mobile phones is currently very low, much less than 1 per cent of total sales. However, as mobile phones evolve in form and function, the impact of the mobile phone on retail sales is set to increase.

Through 2010, consumers will use the phone as part of their shopping activities to search, browse, find locations and check stock. Eventually, consumers will use mobile phones to purchase merchandise. So what role will serious games and mobiles play in the marketing and retailing space?

eGames Dinner : 8:00pm - Muscat Inter-Continental Hotel

Day 2

10:00am – 2:30pm: Secondlife.com Workshop

Led by David Wortley, Serious Games Institute, Coventry University (Further details on the Workshop to be posted in the next few days)

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

PEIE's Big Ideas Tent in Sohar

This is a note to let you know that PEIE is organizing a ‘Big Ideas Tent’ exhibition and seminar program 9th and 10th February 2008 on Sohar Industrial Estate. The event is being held to commemorate Oman’s Industry Day and we hope you will be able to come along and network, socialize and debate some of the burning issues facing Oman’s manufacturing sector.

The event format for Saturday 9 February is as follows:

8:00am 9:30am Registration
9:30am 9:45am Opening Remarks – PEIE
9:45am 10:00am Opening Remarks – Port of Sohar
10:00am 10:30am Investment Opportunities on Port of Sohar
10:30am 10:50am Al Batinah Development Agency
10:50am 11:50am Open Discussion
11:50am 12:15pm Unveiling http://www.originoman.om/
12:15pm 12:45pm Inauguration of Exhibition
12:45pm 1:45pm Lunch
1:45pm Tour of Port of Sohar
3:00pm End of Day 1

There's always plenty to talk about in manufacturing, so to focus the discussion for Day 2 (Sunday 10 February) we are inviting delegates to submit questions which can be short or long, plain or nuanced, serious, heartfelt, flippant or funny. The chair will also open up each question to the audience, so that everyone is free to join the debate and to challenge or develop points made by the panel.

Here are just a few of the burning issues that we might tackle in the Big Ideas Tent on Day 2: Who’s financing manufacturing and on what terms? What does technology really offer manufacturers? How important is life-long learning to the manufacturing sector? Do manufacturers regard new talent as a renewable source of cheap labour? Manufacturing & Education: How de we turn up the volume? Is it important to have a visually literate manufacturing sector? There's much more to debate, so please get involved and submit your questions to Hamida Al Balushi on: Hamida.albalushi@peie.om by Saturday 26 January.

The panelists for Day 2 will include representatives from: Reem Batteries; Ministry of Commerce & Industry; Jotun; Omantel; GroFin Oman; Hussam Technology; Teclution; PEIE; Knowledge Horizon; Total Alignment; Infocomm; Microsoft; Nawras; OCIPED; Ericsson; Oracle; Cisco; Oman Cables; ITA; and Sohar Aluminium and many more...

Session One: 10:00am - 11:45am: Technology & Manufacturing: Where’s it Heading?
It is apparent that manufacturers are failing to invest sufficiently in technology, causing them to lose productivity and market share. A wider integration of ICT by manufacturers throughout Oman would significantly contribute to improve effectiveness and productivity and could potentially revolutionise and maximise processes and firms in a number of key sectors. Indeed, research clearly links ICT with productivity. What role has government, education and the telco providers to play in spreading the value of ICT across the sultanate? Is enough being done to help manufacturers understand the value and importance of ICT? Indeed, are manufacturers helping themselves in this regard?

Session Two: 10:45am - 11:30am: Marketing, Design & Packaging: What’s it Worth?
Manufacturers are having to become more innovative in response to more sophisticated consumer expectations as customers demand, not just lower prices but higher quality and better designed products. Indeed, innovation is a vital ingredient for improved competitiveness and productivity within Oman’s manufacturing sector.

On an environmental note, Oman-based manufacturers need to be more innovative vis-à-vis environmental regulations and sustainable manufacturing. Today, these are not just moral issues for manufacturers, but also, potentially, rich and dynamic features which differentiate them commercially from competitors and provide new market opportunities. Domestic and international consumers are increasingly demanding more than a product - many look more closely at the manufacturer and what it stands for, for example, overcoming the 'throw away' culture, re-configuring and re-designing products to be more environmentally friendly. It is in this regard that innovative marketing, design and packaging play an important role in how the manufacturer and its product(s) are perceived and received in the marketplace.

Session Three: 11:30am - 12:15pm: Education & Training: Turning up the Volume
Manufacturers under-invest in training. However, whilst a very large proportion of small manufacturers provide no training at all, those that do train undertake as much proportionally as larger firms. Most of those who do no training at all are generally absorbed with surviving from day-to-day and are therefore difficult to engage.

Skills needs include customer care, ICT, product assembly, marketing, design, strategy, management and team working. Although precise requirements vary from sector to sector, they are significant for their broadly generic, cross sectoral characteristics.

Skills and education issues of specific concern to Oman-based manufacturers include:

1). Changing the mindset of employers towards management and workforce development, in effect, stimulating a culture change.
2). Tailoring training programs that meet the needs of employers, particularly smaller manufacturers.
3). Promoting the importance of training within the manufacturing environment to offer smaller firms a more flexible solution to workforce development.
4). Promoting the role of Oman’s Higher Education in providing training and R&D support to manufacturers.
5). Enabling young people to make informed decisions about a career in manufacturing by speaking to real people working within the sector.
6). Adopting a long-term training and capacity building strategy for manufacturers

Session Four: 1:15pm - 2:15pm: Exports: The Highs & Lows of Going Global
International trade is an important economic activity for Oman, generating wealth, encouraging innovation, productivity and creating employment. However, despite recognizing the opportunities afforded by international trade it is reasonable to believe that there are a significant number of Oman-based manufacturers that are failing to achieve their full international trading potential. The main reasons for this include:

1). Insufficient export knowledge, market-entry advice and information.
2). Lack of understanding of the available international trade services, market opportunities and the processes involved.
3). Lack of skilled staff, particularly those with management, technical and marketing skills, to develop international markets.
4). Limited access to appropriate finance.
5). Language and cultural barriers.
6). Confusion over how to deal with international paperwork.
7). Belief that there are enough opportunities to trade in the domestic market.

For those manufacturers already buying and selling internationally, the biggest challenge facing them is finding the right partners and markets to do business with. Other challenges include: transactions, distributors and logistics/freight.

Session Five: 2:30pm - 3:15pm: Accessing Money: Who’s Got it & on What Terms?
Finance is readily available. The problem is that manufacturers (mainly small manufacturers) do not come forward with adequate proposals. Indeed, business plans submitted to banks (commercial and development) are often vague in nature. Further work is required on educating manufacturers on the process of applying and securing finance. On the other side, traditional banking practices are not adequate to spur and sustain new companies because the risk management of green field projects cannot be done through commercial lending practices. Who is out there with the cash and what are their terms and conditions?

Each panelist will give a short account of their views on the subject before we launch into a series of questions, responses and general discussion. Throughout Day 2 there will be plenty of time to continue the debate, mingle and network over food and refreshments.

PEIE’s Big Idea Tent event is free of charge and should you wish to attend please send your name and e-mail contacts to info@peie.om

Should your company wish to exhibit at the Big Ideas Tent event please call Mulkie Al Hashmi on: 24 15 51 35 or e-mail: Mulkie@kom.om

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Sneak Preview of Origin Oman

What is Origin Oman?
Origin Oman is a domestic campaign to promote Oman-made products and services; it has the full support of Government, business and community organisations. The campaign’s principal objective is to engender national pride and encourage consumers and companies to choose locally made products and services bearing the Origin Oman logo.

In brief, Origin Oman offers every Oman-based resident an opportunity to help promote the sultanate’s products and services and by doing so help create employment opportunities, stimulate the national economy and reduce carbon emissions.

At the heart of the campaign is the Origin Oman logo. Companies who meet the standards set by Origin Oman can use the logo to identify themselves, their products and services.

The key five (5) criteria which must be met before the Origin Oman logo can be used are:

1. As a manufacturer – all products made have undergone a value added process over and above re-packaging or re-marketing and wherever possible, be sourced from products originating in Oman. A product that is imported and re-packaged will not be eligible.
2. As a producer - all primary product (fruit, vegetables, meats etc) must have spent the majority of its life in Oman.
3. The company and its products or services must meet high quality standards.
4. The company must be committed to sound environmental standards.
5. The company must be committed to the highest standards of business conduct and derive strength and prosper by dealing fairly and honestly with its employees, shareholders, clients, suppliers, competitors, government, regulatory authorities and the general public.

By meeting these standards, Oman-based consumers can be assured that companies and their products and services carrying the Origin Oman symbol are of a high quality, are socially responsible and are contributing to the development of Oman’s national economy.

Local is Good
Locally owned businesses reflect the character of our communities. Owners of local businesses live here. They are our neighbours. Their products and services support and sustain the needs of Oman-based residents and they play a vital role in our social networks. In fact, local businesses mirror who we are and what we value as a nation. They help to create a sense of place. Indeed, local businesses offer the greatest opportunities for jobs, innovation, and other community contributions, which improve the quality of life for Omani citizens.

Over the past few years, global trends and market forces have resulted in consolidation, mergers and acquisitions in many business sectors. Growth among mass merchandisers, Internet retailers and big-box stores, ultimately reduces the selection and diversity of products and services available in communities. With such intense competition, the market share of goods and services sold by local businesses has eroded, in some cases, dramatically. The result is less choice for Omani consumers, a growing sameness of design, of products, and of services, less opportunity for innovation and reduced reinvestment back into Oman's economy.

Why is Origin Oman important to consumers?
Local businesses are the heart and soul of Oman. What you may not know is that local companies contribute tremendously to the development of Oman’s economy. Indeed, those who work with local businesses are more likely to earn a living wage and receive benefits. Food that is produced locally is fresher and requires far less energy to transport to market and not insignificantly, it is local business owners who are there with contributions for schools, hospitals, local projects, youth groups and civic projects.

Why is Origin Oman important to business?
Owning and operating a local business is very rewarding, but among its many challenges is the growing dominance of the internet, big box retailers and mass merchandisers. Origin Oman has been created to provide consumers with a brand identity for all locally owned businesses. We will create a website that will provide Oman-based consumers who seek specific products and/or services with listings, which can be accessed through queries for products and services and/or by location.

We will provide regular promotional campaigns that gain the attention of consumers and encourage their loyalty to Oman-based businesses. We will plan and organize panel discussions and public events that illustrate the substantial and varied contributions that local businesses contribute to Oman's economic and environmental well-being. Indeed, the participation of locally owned business is critical to the success of Origin Oman. We encourage businesses to support our various public awareness campaigns by placing the Origin Oman logo on their products, letterheads, websites, offices and store windows, acknowledging customer support by thanking them for buying and shopping locally, and also by providing them with point-of-purchase information that reinforces the benefits that you provide to Oman. Of course, we also encourage local businesses to buy goods and services from other Oman-based firms.

What can you expect from Origin Oman? We are committed to sustained growth with an emphasis on public education. As we grow our partnership base throughout Oman, we will organize and promote multiple public education and promotional events that highlight the benefits of sustaining local economies as well as the enormous contributions local businesses provide to Omani communities. We encourage citizen and business partners’ suggestions and urge them to take advantage of the Origin Oman brand and to further expand and promote our public education mission. Regular e-based communication, editorials, an annual Origin Oman Week, promotional events, an annual Origin Oman Directory, a quarterly newsletter highlighting our progress and assistance with local manufacturers, retailers and wholesalers are just some the core elements of our work plan.

How can you help?
First and foremost, we want you to buy Oman made products and services. Whether you are a business owner or a private individual, recognize and value the way your buying decisions can influence the shape of Oman's economy.

If you visit a local business that does not display the Origin Oman logo, be an advocate for Origin Oman and encourage the owner to become a partner. It builds recognition not only of Origin Oman, but of the importance of each business to the growth of Oman's economy.

If you are a business, please make every effort to promote Origin Oman through the distribution of our marketing material and directory to your customers, participate in our promotions, events and understanding the important role you play in Oman's economy and by thanking your customers for choosing to buy Oman made products and services.

About the campaign
The aim of Origin Oman is to encourage consumers and organisations to buy Oman made goods and services wherever possible. It’s not a difficult concept to sell. Most people share the common human inclination to support their own local community ahead of outsiders. And the success of the Origin Oman campaign will be greatly helped by the well recognised Origin Oman logo. The campaign intends to:

o Promote national pride in our manufacturing industry and the economic importance of buying Oman made.
o Encourage Oman-based consumers to buy locally made products, use local services and to be local tourists. Indeed, we are sure that many who want to buy Oman-made products or purchase Omani services are frustrated by not knowing where to look for them.
o Build brand loyalty for Oman made products.
o Create awareness of the employment, economic, environmental and social benefits of buying locally made products and services.
o Enable consumers to clearly identify Oman-made products and to make an informed choice.
o Help increase Oman's manufacturing capability.
o Reduce imports, especially of consumption goods.
o Help create employment.
o Help reduce fuel consumption.

Origin Oman Marketing Campaign
Naturally, the marketing campaign (see attached set of initiatives) will be the most visible part of Origin Oman. It will be designed to encourage consumers and businesses to value the economic and environmental impact of buying Oman made products and services.
A variety of marketing and communication channels will be used, these include: paid advertising, sponsorship, news media, press releases, editorials, print supplements, blog, road shows, brochures, newsletters, e-bulletins, billboards, events, Origin Oman Week, posters and the Origin Oman website (www.originoman.om)

Timeframe
Given the time and care that is required to develop a campaign such as Origin Oman, every effort will be made to begin the campaign in the first week of January 2008. The Omani National Products Campaign has had a high public profile since its inception and this has created significant expectations with various stakeholder groups. Communications around the campaign will need to be carefully managed if it is to ramp-up its reach and credibility.

Target Audiences
The broad target audiences for the marketing, media and events campaign are:

o Consumers, segmented in various ways (age; income; life-style; social class; gender; and life-cycle-stage)
o Corporate/Government Procurement Teams
o Manufacturers/producers of products and services
o Retailers/resellers of local products
o Omani businesses more generally
o The wider community and opinion leaders
o The youth market

Key Messages
The initial concept will be a high-level, generic marketing, media, advertising and experiential event campaign designed to appeal to national pride and to make Oman-based citizens feel good about supporting Omani businesses. At a later stage, the campaign will be more targeted to specific audiences and market segments. The initial generic campaign will allow businesses to link their own domestic marketing, media, advertising and event activities into the Origin Oman campaign and leverage off it if they wish. Encouraging people to support Omani goods and services (identified by the Origin Oman campaign logo) will be the foci of the media campaign, which will certainly be the most visible part of the campaign.

As part of the Origin Oman campaign, the following themes/messages will be developed to appeal to the target audiences highlighted above:

1. A generic appeal to national pride – irrespective of nationality
This high level theme would cut across all elements of the campaign and answer questions such as, "What is this all about?" "Why are we doing this?"

2. Pride in Omani values
Emphasise the international quality and durability of Omani products and the goodness and purity of ingredients.

3. Reversing the cultural cringe
People from other countries seek out Omani goods and services, so why not buy them here at home?

4. Invest locally
Studies show that significantly more money will stay in Oman where purchases are made locally. In brief, more money is kept in the community because locally owned businesses purchase from other locally owned manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, service providers and farms.

5. Taste the difference
Most local produce has been picked inside of 24 hours. It comes to you ripe, fresh and with its full flavour, unlike supermarket food that may have been picked weeks or months before. Close-to-home foods can also be grown for taste, rather than withstanding the abuse of shipping or industrial harvesting. Ever tried Omani tomatoes, onions, aubergines, dates, bananas, limes, mangoes, eggs, chicken, kingfish, tuna, shrimp, abalone, or lobster?

6. Save the planet
Locally owned businesses can make more local purchases requiring less transportation. This generally means contributing less to congestion, habitat loss and pollution. A UK study found that a typical British meal, sourced locally, travelled 66 times fewer “food miles.” In fact, with 1/4 of all trucks on our roads are carrying food, plus the pollution caused by transporting produce by air, it’s easy to see how the movement of goods is contributing so heavily to carbon emissions. We could cut millions of tons of carbon out of the atmosphere by reducing our dependence on international products and going back to buying local instead. Alternatively, we can just keep burning those fossil fuels and learn to live with global climate change.

7. Career choice
Skilled and talented young people should see Oman's manufacturing industries as a worthwhile and rewarding career choice.

8. Talent magnet
A growing body of economic research shows that in an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.

9. Know what you eat
Buying food today is complicated. What pesticides were used? Is that fruit genetically modified? Was that chicken free range or did it grow up in a box? People who eat locally find it easier to get answers.

10. Explore Oman
Visiting local farms is a way to be a local tourist. You'll also be ploughing money back into the local community.

11. Live healthy
By buying local you will eat more vegetables and fewer processed products, sample a wider variety of foods, and eat more fresh food at its nutritional peak.

12. Get better service
Locally owned businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they're selling and take more time to get to know customers.

Campaign Evaluation Criteria
The marketing campaign will be evaluated using the following measures:

Manufacturers
o Uptake or those who become members of the Origin Oman campaign.
o Changes in attitude and behaviour towards the Origin Oman campaign.

Corporate & Government Procurement Teams
o Advertising awareness of the Origin Oman campaign.
o Procurement Teams’ willingness to buy Oman made products/services.

Retailers
o Advertising awareness of the Origin Oman campaign.
o Retailers' willingness to stock/promote Oman made products/services.

Consumers
o Advertising awareness, unprompted, of the Origin Oman campaign.
o Advertising awareness, when prompted, of the Origin Oman campaign.
o Consumers' disposition/consideration to buying Oman made products/services.
o Specific attitude changes to Oman made products.

Origin Oman FAQs
The aim of the Origin Oman is to encourage consumers and organisations to buy Oman made goods and services wherever possible. It’s not a difficult concept to sell. Most people share the common human inclination to support their own local community ahead of outsiders. And the success of the Origin Oman campaign will be greatly helped by the well recognised Origin Oman logo. The campaign intends to:

o Promote national pride in our manufacturing industry and the economic importance of buying Oman made.
o Encourage Oman-based consumers to buy locally made products, use local services and to be local tourists. Indeed, we are sure that many who want to buy Oman-made products or purchase Omani services are frustrated by not knowing where to look for them.
o Build brand loyalty for Oman made products.
o Create awareness of the employment, economic, environmental and social benefits of buying locally made products and services.
o Enable consumers to clearly identify Oman-made products and to make an informed choice.
o Help increase Oman's manufacturing capability.
o Reduce imports, especially of consumption goods.
o Help create employment.
o Help reduce fuel consumption.

Is the Government involved?
The government spearheads Origin Oman. The Ministries of Commerce & Industry and National Economy provided seed funding for the initiative.

Can I join?
Any business of any size can join, whether you make or sell a product or service. Non-business organisations such as educational institutions, government organizations, charities, sports clubs and other bodies can also join.

What are the annual membership fees?
o Business membership (products & services) RO300
o Start-up business (within first 24 months) RO150
o Non-profit organisation (e.g. health or education institution or sports organisation) RO100 per annum
o Government organization – RO150 per annum
o Retail store - By arrangement

Origin Oman invoices you for your membership fee once your membership has been approved. Payment is due on receipt of the invoice.

What are the benefits?
Origin Oman continuously encourages consumers and procurement teams to buy products and services of members. Benefits include:

o Promotion under the Origin Oman banner through literature, campaigns, print, web, television and radio coverage.
o Own website page on: www.originoman.om - the content of which is fully controlled by you and links to your website if available.
o Use of the Origin Oman Member logo to promote the business.
o Opportunity to apply to use the Origin Oman logo on products.
o Website entry on the Origin Oman website www.originoman.com
o Access to marketing and promotional materials.
o Training at subsidised rates.
o Opportunities to participate in shows and events.
o Trade development opportunities through meet the buyer initiatives.
o Be part of the Origin Oman Week.
o Access to a PR & press release service.
o Newsletters and e-bulletins.
o Invitations to Origin Oman networking meetings and seminars.
o Entry into the published Origin Oman guide.
o Members bulletin board /forum on: www.originoman.om

Who are your members?
Companies and organisations, small and large, from virtually every economic sector will join the Origin Oman initiative. Indeed, we fully expect the number to grow monthly. This means that hundreds of consumer and industrial products will be carrying the Origin Oman logo.

How can I join?
Application forms are available from the Origin Oman offices at PEIE’s head office on Knowledge Oasis Muscat or they can be downloaded from: www.originoman.om Application for membership of Origin Oman is based on the following criteria:

o I am a business based in Oman and committed to the aims and objectives of Origin Oman.
o I agree to support Origin Oman initiatives and events and provide reasonable information about the performance of my business. I understand that this will be treated in confidence but that it may be used in summary by Origin Oman to satisfy current funders or to secure future funding.
o I will strive to ensure that my products are of the highest quality and produced with care and commitment.
o I agree to comply with all relevant legislation relating to food safety and hygiene, traceability, environmental health and trading standards.
o All products when offered for sale to the public should clearly indicate the provenance or origin of the product for the benefit of the consumer, so that they are able to easily identify local produce.
o As a producer - all primary product (fruit, vegetables, meats etc) must have spent the majority of its life in Oman.
o As a manufacturer – all products made have undergone a value added process over and above re-packaging or re-marketing and wherever possible, be sourced from products originating in Oman.
o Retailers, wholesalers and hospitality members will demonstrate active local sourcing where and when products are available from within Oman.
o I agree to provide full details for all products that I intend to carry the Origin Oman logo and only to use the logo in accordance with the style guide provided. These details will include, but are not limited to, identity/source of raw ingredients, location of manufacturing/processing and other information requested by Origin Oman.
o Approval must be granted before the Origin Oman logo may be used.
o I understand that I will be required to pay an annual subscription charge for my membership (12 months from the date my membership is approved and payment is received by Origin Oman). The subscription will be due on or before this date the following year. In the event of non-payment of that subscription within 30 days of the anniversary date, Origin Oman may thereafter terminate my membership without notice and all benefits of membership will immediately cease. My membership will only be reinstated, at the absolute discretion of Origin Oman, upon payment in full of any outstanding subscription.
o I understand that I must at all times abide by the Code of Conduct, Origin Oman may, in its absolute discretion, terminate my membership for any breach of any term of the Code of Conduct. The decision of Origin Oman shall be final. If my membership is so terminated, I understand that all benefits of membership will immediately cease, but there shall be no entitlement to a refund of any sums I have paid.

How long does it take to process my membership application?
Approximately one week, depending on the quality of the information supplied by the prospective member, as well as on the volume of applications being processed at a given time.

How will I know which companies make or supply certain products or services?
The Origin Oman website - www.originoman.om - has a full list of members. There is either a short profile on each member company, its products and/or services, or a hyperlink to that company's website.

Can Origin Oman help me with my marketing and advertising campaigns?
Yes, but our primary goal is to promote the Origin Oman campaign and our members, create awareness of, and interest in, products and services bearing the Origin Oman logo. It is a marketing effort which members should complement with their own activities. Although we do not directly assist members with their marketing and sales strategies, we do give advice to members on leveraging their association with Origin Oman.

Can I be supplied with Origin Oman promotional items?
Yes. A range of Origin Oman items are available at a nominal cost. Check our website, www.originoman.om

How do I communicate the merits of my products or services to other members?
There are a number of ways of doing this:
1. You can advise other members of your membership of Origin Oman.
2. You should take advantage of the networking opportunities created by workshops and forums organised by Origin Oman.
3. Send messages via the campaign's communication material whenever opportunities arise.

What do I do if I buy an Origin Oman product or service that turns out to be of poor quality?
Our Code of Practice provides for a grievance procedure to be followed in such situations. You must lodge a formal complaint with Origin Oman. We then set the procedure in motion, requesting the provider of the product or service to respond within a certain period. If the complainant is not satisfied with the response, we then start a mediation process with a view to settling the complaint.

Can I promote Origin Oman internationally?
Definitely yes, but it is the responsibility of members to familiarise themselves with existing trade protocols and market conditions that could affect your business activities in the international market.

Has Origin Oman plans to go international?
The campaign is focused specifically on the domestic market. We will extend our activities abroad once we have achieved satisfactory success at home. However, we do undertake to assist members leverage their brands via our relationships and partnerships with like-minded international organisations.

Member’s Code of Conduct
o To promote the aims and objectives of Origin Oman.
o To work in collaboration with fellow members.
o To source locally thereby reducing food kilometres.
o To work together with fellow members to build supply chains, retaining the economic benefit within local communities.
o To ensure that the Origin Oman brand represents local provenance and quality to the public.
o You agree that Origin Oman may record and store information and materials you have posted, transmitted, sent or communicated on the Origin Oman website.
o We reserve the right to refuse any application for membership if, in our absolute discretion, we consider that the applicant does not meet the standards required of members, as set out in these Membership Criteria, Terms and Conditions, Code of Conduct or in any other document published for that purpose by Origin Oman. The decision of Origin Oman will be final.
o We reserve the right to terminate the membership of any member if, in our absolute discretion, we consider that the member has failed to comply with, or maintain, the standards required of members as set out in these Membership Criteria, Terms and Conditions, Code of Conduct or in any other document published for that purpose by Origin Oman. The decision of Origin Oman will be final. In the event of terminating the membership on these grounds, notice of termination will be given to the member and all benefits will immediately cease, but there shall be no entitlement to a refund of any sums paid by that member.
o If an application for membership is refused, or membership is cancelled, Origin Oman accepts no liability whatsoever for any alleged loss which may result.
o In granting membership Origin Oman reserves the right to require any member alter, remove or cease any form of sales production and sale of goods associated in any way with Origin Oman that contravenes any current relevant legislation or brings, or is likely to bring Origin Oman into disrepute.
o All intellectual property rights on and relating to the Origin Oman site and in the logos, including trademarks, trade names or other signs, vest in Origin Oman.
o All marketing and other materials bearing the Origin Oman name or logo must only be used in accordance with the Origin Oman guidelines. On termination of membership, the licence granted to the member of Origin Oman to use its logo, marketing information or any other material of any description (“the materials”) is immediately terminated and the materials must, at its option, either be returned to Origin Oman or destroyed.
o Any member is entirely responsible for the accuracy of all information included on the site concerning that member. Information provided will be available to members of the public. However, Origin Oman reserves the right to reject, edit or remove at any time any information which Origin Oman, in its absolute discretion, considers is unsuitable for any reason whatsoever.
o Origin Oman will inspect /audit a member before approval of their application and at any time in the future.
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Style Guide for Members
This guide will tell you when and how to use the Origin Oman branding. It is important that our members adhere to these guidelines to preserve the overall image of Origin Oman and its membership.
Origin Oman reserves the right to refuse requests to the use of the logo in any circumstances it deems inappropriate and in the event of non compliance with such a request, or use not strictly in accordance with this guide, to take appropriate action against the relevant member.
There is one distinct logo to be used. Only the original image supplied by Origin Oman should be used to generate any publicity or marketing materials. Please contact ibtisam@originoman.om for copies of the appropriate image.

The Origin Oman logo can be used on:

o Letterhead, marketing promotions and at premises.
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o Your website. Please provide a link to www.originoman.om
o Use in any other circumstances is to be approved by Origin Oman.

Who do I contact?
Further information on Origin Oman is available from our website, www.originoman.om or e-mail us on: members@originoman.om

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

PEIE's Value Stream Mapping

The Oman Manufacturing Group (www.peie.om/OMG.shtml) will hold its final seminar for 2007 on Sunday 16 December at 7:30pm at the Crowne Plaza Hote Muscat.

A panel of manufacturing experts led by S. Gopalan, CEO, Reem Batteries (pictured) that includes, Amrou Al Sharif, Teclution; Raza Ashraf, Total Alignment; Manoj Manoharan, Jotun Paints; and Venkatesh, Savoir Faire Management Consultancy will discuss Value Stream Mapping and Lean Manufacturing processes two of the most powerful techniques to reduce manufacturing bottlenecks and increase organizational efficiency.

In the face of increasing global competition, manufacturing companies across Oman face a number of growing challenges from reducing costs, improving marketing, packaging, design and product quality, training, introducing new technology through to speeding up production processes. In order to help manufacturers meet these challenge, the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) has organised a series of four OMG Seminars for owners, managers, supervisors and others who are committed to improving their manufacturing performance. These have been held throughout 2007 and according to Ibtisam Al Faruji, PEIE’s Head of Marketing “have been tremendously popular with Oman’s manufacturing community, we’ve been delighted with the OMG feedback received from businesses that have attended the OMG Seminar Series that was launched in March.”

Delivered by experienced manufacturing practitioners, “the OMG Seminar Series has introduced best practice ideas and practical tools and techniques to Omani manufacturers. The three seminars that I’ve attended have been highly participative and great networking events,” says Teclution’s Regional Manager, Amrou Al Sharif.

According to Hilal Al Ahsani, CEO, PEIE: “OMG is the voice of Oman’s manufacturers and was designed specifically to raise the profile of the Sultanate’s manufacturing sector. Together with our partners we’ve delivered a series of top-class seminars that I believe have gone a long way to helping manufacturers grow, export and succeed.”

Susie Houh of Ericsson and a supporter of PEIE’s OMG Seminar Series commented: “OMG offers manufacturers and those servicing the sector the opportunity to meet with each other, share experiences and discuss the challenges that the sector faces. It’s an initiative that aims to help Oman-based manufacturers shortcut the learning curve on the key issues that will help them grow.”

Gen Y Panel Notes

Here are the panel notes prepared for last night's (9 December 2007) Generation Y Digital Nation seminar held on Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM).

1). The term Generation Y (Gen Yers)
The term Generation Y (Gen Yers) first appeared in an August 1993 magazine AD Age editorial to describe those born between 1981–1995.The scope of the term has changed greatly since then, to include, in many cases, anyone born as early as 1976 and late as 2000.

2). Oman’s Demographics – Large Gen Y Community
3,204,897 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2007 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 42.7% (male 698,461/female 670,793) 15-64 years: 54.6% (male 1,026,686/female 723,712) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 47,534/female 37,711) (2007 est.)

Median age - Total: 18.9 years Male: 21.5 years Female: 16.5 years (2007 est.)

3). Gen Y & Rebirth of Community Spirit
"Personal computing is more and more 'interpersonal' - people use computers to relate to others online" (Crainer quoting Tapscott, 273, 2006). Written almost 10 years ago, Tapscott's prediction that the internet would become a community springboard rather than an isolating phenomena has come true. Commonly referred to as "Web 2.0," this new movement of up and coming websites is all about interaction, communication, and mass customization. Instead of viewing the web as a conglomerate of static pages designed by a group of highly skilled programmers, Web 2.0 sites encourage browsers to make spaces that are all their own (customized templates, backgrounds, music, etc.) while at the same time integrating features that instantly connect like-minded others. Blogging is just one example of this community trend. Not only are people able to share their thoughts, experiences, and opinions with the world at large, but many bloggers find that the "at large" part isn't as big as many assume....

4). Use of Technology
From older Baby Boomers to young adults, people use the same kinds of technology, but it's Gen Y that's integrating it into their daily lives at a faster rate than ever before, a research firm said Monday.

Generation Yers are spending more time online, watching less TV, engaging in more social computing activities, such as instant messaging; and using more social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, Flickr and Youtube than any other generation.

Mobile phone use provides the best example of how the younger generation is integrating technology into their lifestyles. Fully, 45 percent of Gen Yers who have mobile phones use data services, led by text messaging, ring tones and games.

That percentage, however, drops significantly for the older generations. Fully, 27 per cent of phone-carrying Gen Xers, defined as 27 to 40 years old; and 17 per cent of younger Baby Boomers, 41 to 50 years old, use data services.

Gen Yers spend an average of 12.2 hours online every week, which is 28 per cent longer than Gen Xers and almost twice as long as older Boomers, which range from 51 to 61 years old, Gen Yers are 50 per cent more likely than Gen Xers to send text messages, twice as likely to read blogs and three times as likely to use social networking sites.

When it comes to online shopping, Gen Xers lead the charge. This year, 16.9 per cent of Gen Xers are expected to shop online, compared with 9.6 per cent of older Boomers, 12.4 percent of younger Boomers and 4 per cent of Gen Yers. Those numbers are not surprising, considering that the prime spending years are 27 to 50 years old. Fully 41 per cent of US household now shop online.

When it comes to online banking, however, Gen Yers lead with 67 per cent having checked bank account balances during the last three months, compared with 64 per cent for Gen Xers, 53 per cent for younger Boomers and 49 per cent for older Boomers.

5). Bit More on Marketing
Marketers trying to anticipate future consumer trends should tune in to Gen Yers. As these do-it-yourselfers become a primary consuming audience, they will carry with them their cross-channel shopping enthusiasm, active blog usage, and reliance on the information-scouring powers of Google.

One key data point that stands out: 24% of Gen Yers read blogs, which is twice as often as the 12% of Gen Xers (ages 27-40) and three times the 7% of Young Boomers (ages 41-50) that read blogs. So sceptics of blogs should suspend their disbelief and look to at least one bellwether demographic to get an idea of how widespread blog readership can potentially grow in the future.

This then begs the question whether marketers should have a blog themselves to connect with blog readers. The answer is a qualified "yes", with the huge caveat that companies shouldn't have a blog just to have one. The better question to ask is whether you are interested in engaging in a different type of dialogue that this generation seeks in its regular interactions -- one characterized by give and take and a culture of generosity. All too often, marketers see blogs as yet another channel through which they can foist their existing marketing messages but beware as Gen Yers can sniff insincerity out in a nanosecond.

6). Profiling Gen Yers
The Tough Side: Generation Yers tend to share a number of common characteristics, many of which fly in the face of their Boomer and Xer predecessors' values.

They're impatient. Gen Yers have been raised in a fast-paced world dominated by technology and instant gratification. The result: Speed, not patience, is their virtue. Don't be surprised if they chafe at many-stepped processes and bureaucracy — or prefer to vault over, rather than methodically ascend, the corporate ladder.

They're skeptical. Generation Y wears a BS detector on top of its head - and why not? They've been scammed to, lied to and exploited.

They're disengaged. According to a November 1999 Kaiser Family Foundation Report, "Kids and Media @ The New Millennium," 8 to 18 year olds are exposed to almost eight hours of media each day—including TV, videos, computers and video games. As a result, expect this generation to eschew single, focused challenges in favour of multiple and varied projects.

They're blunt and expressive. Told repeatedly to Just Do It, Gen Yers value self-expression over self-control and speak their minds freely — a tendency that can get them in trouble when dealing with customers, co-workers or people in authority.

This doesn't mean, however, that Generation Y doesn't heed respect. But Generation Y won't automatically offer up their respect just because someone is older or has a title.

The Bright Side: Like any generation, what makes Generation Y difficult to deal with is also what makes it uniquely skilled. A number of talents and tendencies dominate, including the fact that they are:

· adaptable
· techno savvy
· able to grasp new concepts
· multi-taskers
· efficient
· tolerant

Perhaps the most surprising attribute many Gen Yers share is a sense of commitment. They pledge their hearts and souls to causes that they believe in, which makes them very loyal employees.

Money Isn't—Mostly—Everything
Compensation plays a tricky role for Generation Y. While it isn't the end all and reward all that it often has been for previous generations of workers, when the chips are down, it still makes a difference.

Marketing to Gen Yers: Getting it Right?
Here are 14 ways to improve your marketing success to Generation Y

1. Avoid clichés and insincerity.
2. Avoid hype.
3. Use sound bites, strong images and short snappy phrases.
4. Keep your marketing text concise.
5. Use plenty of cool graphics.
6. Keep the tone of your marketing campaign low-key and sincere.
7. Show concern for the environment.
8. Understand that they expect instant gratification.
9. Appeal to their sense of being technologically savvy.
10. Emphasize the functional benefits of your products/services.
11. Be realistic and offer practical information.
12. Emphasize quality.
13. Understand that this group is bright, technically astute and sophisticated buyers.
14. Keep abreast of trends and respond quickly to its ever-changing needs and wants.

7). Creating Brand Recognition for Gen Y
Creating brand recognition with Gen Y can be tough. By practically becoming an extension to their computers and mobile devices, they are quickly moving the bulk of marketing to the Internet. Where is all that time being spent online though? For many, it's on games. Believe it or not, online games are forms of social networking too. We're not just talking about Yahoo! Pool but a host of others like World of Warcraft, Lineage II, and Everquest — games that have subscribers in the millions and boast annual sales in the billions. In these simulated worlds, players can chat, shop, create interest groups, throw parties and do virtually anything save their homework.If you're looking to provide interactive content for Gen Yers, games may be the way to go. Some hotel and automobile marketers like Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Ford, and Toyota and have already taken advantage of cross-promotion opportunities. Many brands make their appearance in virtual worlds through clothing and food as well.

8). Blogging
Information used to be controlled by a powerful few but now Gen Yers are revolutionizing things with the Internet. This generation no longer settles for what big companies are willing to offer and instead are finding their own ways to get exactly what they want. Marketers should be keen to notice that this doesn’t exclusively apply to products but information too.
Back in the day, it was okay for companies to stay low-key on the Web but now more than a main site is required to connect with the wired Gen Yers. While many Gen Yers frequently check blogs, podcasts and emails, a large percentage of business executives reported that they had no plans to spread information about their companies on blogs or community sites. This can be troublesome to companies unaware of their reputations from other Generation Y sources. Moreover, Gen Yers are less prone to trust big companies due to a disparity in attitudes.

9). Gen Y Leads Purchasing Decisions
Gen Y is seen as one of the most lucrative market segments for many online brands. Now, a new study reported in an article by USA Today asserts that Generation Y surpasses the Baby Boomers in purchasing power and heavily influences most family purchase decisions.
Often studied by marketers as the leaders in new fashion trends, Generation Y is turning away from department stores, such as JC Penney or Dillard’s, and favoring high-end brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, Coach, and Express for their clothing needs. They are also more likely to bargain shop at places like Goodwill or similar thrift stores than to shop at department stores, mixing a need for high-fashion with a sense of fiscal frugality.

Similar trends can be traced across the retail spectrum, from automobiles to electronics. Generation Y’s need for immediacy will steer them towards discount webs sites offering free shipping such as eBay Express or Overstock.com and away from text-intensive sites with poor navigation. Retailers would be smart to acknowledge that Gen Y associates a quality made web site with a quality brand and vice versa.