PEIE Offers British Firms a Guaranteed ‘Soft Landing’ in the Gulf

Coventry University is providing the gateway for British businesses to the Sultanate of Oman.

A VIP delegation from the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) met recently at Coventry University’s Technocentre to sign an historic agreement for a ‘Soft Landing Zone’ in the sultanate ( pictured L to R: Tim Luft, Coventry University; Dave Pender, PEIE & David Wortley, Serious Games Institute, Coventry University) - meaning access to class A office space and free advice and support on building business in the Middle East. The Soft Landing Zone will be established on Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM), the Rusayl-based technology park managed by PEIE. In return, the Coventry University Technocentre will host PEIE tenants who are interested in developing their business operations in the UK.

“We’re delighted to sign this MoU with Coventry University. Indeed, this is the first Soft Landing Zone to be established in the Middle East and we’re proud to have achieved this. PEIE is keen to encourage international trade and by becoming a member of the Soft Landing Zone community we can open doors for our tenants right across Asia and Europe. This is a very exciting initiative,” remarked Hilal Al Ahsani, CEO, PEIE.

The UK Soft Landing Zone programme has been set up by Coventry University Enterprises in partnership with government body UK Trade and Investment in order to establish a network of British incubator offices around the globe. The offices, located on key science and technology parks in Europe, Asia and now the Gulf, will be open to UK companies who are either considering or are at the early stages of undertaking international business.

In addition to desk space in a dedicated office – complete with IT services, telephone answering and post forwarding - businesses signing up to the programme will also be able to take advantage of a number of support services. Each company will be allocated a dedicated business support officer to advise or call in expertise on all legal, financial, cultural and practical issues of doing business in a particular country. In addition, the partnership with UK Trade and Investment will give participants the opportunity to benefit from subsidies on travel and accommodation.

Tim Luft, UK Soft Landing Zone Director at Coventry University said: “Oman is a dynamic and innovative economy with a young and highly-educated workforce. It’s a country that is very much open for business. Indeed, this unique agreement will lead to exciting opportunities for firms across the UK to enter a fast-growing and prosperous business environment – and to do so alongside expert local guides.”

The other key locations for the Soft Landing Zone programme include Malaysia, India, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Poland, Romania and Sweden.

Blog contents copyright © 2007 PEIE

Smart Man Task Groups Meet

The Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) is helping move Oman’s manufacturing sector forward by setting up a series of Task Groups that will focus on specific areas of concern to industry.

According to Ibtisam Al Faruji, PEIE’s Head of Marketing “The five Smart Manufacturing Task Groups cover: innovation and design; education and training; ICT; finance; and international trade. These groups have been established to ensure that promises made at PEIE’s annual Smart Manufacturing Conference held in April 2007 are followed through. Members from across industry and government are participating and we’re delighted with the sessions that have been held so far.”

Smart Manufacturing Task Groups met this week at PEIE’s Headquarters on Knowledge Oasis Muscat to discuss education and training, ICT and innovation and design. Al Faruji commented “The Innovation and Design Task Group is about helping Oman’s manufacturing sector to be more creative and innovative, particularly with best practices and product design. “For example, sustainable design is an area that the Task Group focused on,” said Al Faruji. “The use of recycled and recyclable materials; reducing pollution through cutting down on transportation, such as by using locally-sourced materials; making products which can be taken apart once they are discarded so that their parts that can be used again; and designing goods which use as little energy as possible while they are being made were all discussed,” remarked PEIE’s Head of Marketing.

Attended by key representatives from Oman’s higher education and industry, issues of specific concern to the Smart Manufacturing Education and Training Task Group include: changing the mindset of manufacturers towards management and workforce development, in effect, stimulating a culture change; tailoring training programs that meet the needs of manufacturers, particularly smaller firms; encourage dialogue between higher education and manufacturing; and promote the role of Oman’s Higher Education in providing training and R&D support to manufacturers.

“The intention is to take forward a number of pilot projects that have been identified by the various Task Groups and report on their progress at Smart Manufacturing in April 2008,” said Al Faruji.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Oman Manufacturing Group Talks Branding

According to Mr. Hilal Al Ahsani, CEO, Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) and organizer of the quarterly Oman Manufacturing Group seminar program: “This is a time of competition and differentiation for Oman’s manufacturers. This is a time for manufacturers to shape the future of their brand in an intelligent and inspirational way.”

Twenty years ago, manufacturers spent little on marketing and branding. Lacking technological resources, they focused on their traditional core markets and seemed unable or unwilling to compete. Nowadays, Oman-based manufacturers are aware of the necessity for a strong brand as a way of creating sustainable value. Led by S. Gopalan, CEO, Reem Batteries, Monday night’s OMG seminar examined the importance of brand development and its relevance to Oman’s growing manufacturing sector.

According to research carried out by Ernst & Young, up to 40 per cent of the 'average' company's market value is based on intangible assets, such as its brand reputation. In Al Ahsani’s view, when manufacturers develop a brand-based marketing plan, it is critical they think about every point at which their target audience may come into contact with the brand. “Every interaction or point of contact with the target audience is an opportunity for manufacturers to enhance their brand. These points of contact, or touch-points, include a wide spectrum of elements from corporate events, advertising, brochures, website, media and even the attitude of clients.”

Commenting from the OMG seminar, Dave Pender, Advisor, PEIE said: “this evening’s discussions clearly demonstrated that marketing isn’t a controlled process in an insulated lab. Manufacturers need to realize that marketing activities are prone to mishaps, last minute changes, conceptual shifts, the volatility of markets, natural disasters, social change and the vagaries of human nature. Some marketing efforts will backfire while others will yield great results. It was evident from tonight’s panel discussion that marketing requires constant fine tuning and adjustments to reflect and respond to the kaleidoscopic environment of our times.”

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Oman Souq Online Wins 2007 BBIC Title

Under the patronage of the Minister of Commerce & Industry, HE Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, Oman Souq Online led by Anwar Al Tobi, Abdulhakeem Al Tobi and Badriya Al Baqlani received the top award at this year’s TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition held on Sunday evening at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Muscat.

Founded in 2006 by Knowledge Oasis Muscat and supported by Ernst & Young, Nawras, Ericsson, NCR, Talal Abu Ghazaleh Intellectual Property, Infocomm and Oman Economic Review the annual competition recognizes and celebrates Oman’s most inspiring business plan.

Organizer of the annual competition, Hilal Al Ahsani, CEO, Public Establishment for Industrial Estates said: "I congratulate the winning team of Anwar Al Tobi, Abdulhakeem Al Tobi and Badriya Al Baqlani and all those short-listed for the competition because many of them have developed potentially winning ideas for areas which are crucial to our economy.”

At the award ceremony Mohammed Al Maskari, Director General, Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) said: “Innovation depends on taking ideas right through to become fully-fledged marketable products and services. Annual competitions like this which help mentor and develop people to market and sell their ideas can only help us in boosting innovation in Oman."

Al Ahsani added: “I’m thrilled to see the growing, important contribution the TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition is making in showcasing young Omani entrepreneurs. The value of role models can not be underestimated and each of our finalists is someone that other young entrepreneurs will aspire to be like. I know that some things are universal when it comes to achieving business success - it takes vision, determination, commitment, sacrifice and passion. This year’s four finalists are testament to that and I applaud their incredible achievements."

To help realise their ideas, Oman Souq Online will have access to 12 months rent free office accommodation in The Knowledge Mine incubator program based on KOM. They will also receive RO4,000 in start-up cash, RO2,000 in telecommunication and Internet credit from Nawras and access to regular business mentoring sessions

Philip Stanton, Managing Partner, Ernst & Young – Oman, and lead sponsor of the business idea competition added: “This year’s finalists are talented and determined young men and women who all have the potential to be tomorrow’s business leaders. They are innovators who are true role models. I know they will inspire many others to take up the challenge of the TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition in future years.”

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Big Business Idea Finalists Announced

E-security, online retail, internet research and survey and multimedia projects, are among the new technology ventures short-listed for this year's TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition final which will be held Sunday 28 October at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Muscat.

The TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition, the largest such competition in Oman, has selected four potentially high-growth businesses, drawn from entries from around the sultanate, to compete on 28 October for RO6,000 of start-up finance and 12 months rent free office accommodation in the TKM incubator program based at Knowledge Oasis Muscat.

The four outstanding finalists are in the early stages of setting up businesses and are based on innovative ideas. The finalists are:

Saleh Al Shukairy – multimedia;
Badriya Al Baqlani, Anwar Al Tobi and Abdulhakim Al Tobi - online retail;
Majid Al Yaqoobi - online research and survey project; and
Jafer Al Mamari - e-security.

The TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition is a prestigious launch pad to raise investment and create high-value technology companies. The finalists will present elevator pitches to the competition’s judging panel on 28 October at the event’s annual gala dinner at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. According to Mr. Mohammed Al Maskari, Director General, Knowledge Oasis Muscat: “The judges look at a wide range of criteria; in particular, business success either by increase in sales and unit volume, market research and identification of customer focus, organizational and team building effectiveness, strategic planning, overcoming obstacles and barriers to success, visionary leadership and social and community responsibility.”

Hilal Al Ahsani (pictured), CEO, Public Establishment for Industrial Estates said: “This is the second year that we’ve run the TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition and it’s developing an impressive track record for creating new ventures. However, we could not organize such an important initiative without the critical support of Ernst & Young, Nawras, Talal Abu Ghazaleh Intellectual Property; Ericsson, NCR, Grofin; Oman Economic Review and Times of Oman. We’re thrilled with the calibre of this year's entries and it has been tough job for the judging panel to narrow it down to the final four.”

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

OMG on Branding

According to Eng. Hamad Al Harthy, Director General of Rusayl Industrial Estate (pictured) the dictionary definition of branding is: “the act of giving a company a particular design or symbol in order to advertise its products and services,” and this is indeed the topic of discussion for PEIE’s Oman Manufacturing Group (OMG) seminar scheduled for 7:30pm Monday 29 October at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Al Harthy is amazed with how few domestic businesses understand the importance of branding. Indeed, he points out that recent research suggests that many businesses see no reason for investing in design, public relations, web innovation or in communicating core messages. “This is disappointing and something we really need to address,” remarks the PEIE Director General.

How a business, product or service is branded plays a major role in whether it succeeds or fails. “Let’s be honest, a brand isn’t a logo, it’s your ethics and persona. It’s your story. This includes your style of design, your execution of that design, your attitude, your marketing, your internal policies and your business process,” says Al Harthy. All of these influence your brand image. Indeed, according to Ernst & Young, up to 40 per cent of a company's market value is based on intangible assets - the emotional and psychological factors that enable a person to feel comfortable with, and relate to a brand.

Backed by some of Oman’s best known brands including Reem Batteries; Oman Cables; Ericsson; Agility; Omani Marble; Jotun; Videocon; Muna Noor Manufacturing & Trading; Future Pipe Industries; Al Mudhish; Oracle; Oman Oasis Water; and Khimji’s Permoglaze, OMG has been designed specifically by PEIE to bring manufacturers and those connected to the sector closer together.

“Creating the right identity doesn’t happen by accident but takes considerable understanding of target markets, a well-defined competitive strategy and the ability to communicate this effectively. These are the issues the next OMG seminar will tackle,” says Al Harthy.

“Many believe we’re on the cusp of a major shift in how Omani firms think about branding,” comments Mohammed Al Maskari, Director General, Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM). Historically, a brand was seen as a promise that said: “You can rely on what we’re offering because of our brand attributes.” This, in my opinion, is beginning to be replaced with a more customer centric branding where the message is: “I know you better than the competitors and you can trust me to put together the right products or services to meet your individual needs.” This branding paradigm shift is more than evident on KOM where firms have become very image conscious. They’re concerned about how they look, the quality of service they deliver and the messages they send out. ”

Blog contents copyright © 2007 PEIE

Origin Oman - Buy Local Survey

This survey is part of research at the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (http://www.peie.om/) to understand the role that domestic manufacturers, shops and local food play in Oman. The objectives are to understand whether goods produced domestically offer benefits for local people and examine links between Oman’s business community and the general public.

All findings will be used solely for research purposes and this is a confidential survey.

1. In which store/market do you normally do your main weekly/monthly shop i.e. where you buy the majority of your groceries?

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2. In which store/market do you do your secondary shopping (if different from above) i.e. not a large weekly/monthly shop?

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3. How much on average do you spend on groceries in an average week?

RO0 - RO10  RO35 - RO50 
RO10 - RO20  RO50 - RO70 
RO20 - RO35  RO70+ 

4. How do you normally travel to your main grocery store?

Drive  Bus 
Cycle  Walk 
Taxi 

5. Approximately how far do you travel?......................................

6. What is most important to you in your local store/market?
Please grade on a scale from 1 – 3, where 1 is the most important

Friendly staff / good service  Location 
Community engagement  Product range 
Availability of specialist produce  Price 

Other:..............................................................................................................................................................

7. What are the main incentives for you when choosing between locally made and international products? Please grade on a scale from 1 – 3, where 1 is the most important

Price  Known brand name 
Quality and taste  Advertising campaigns 
Organic or health related  Special offers 
Locally produced  Recommendations 
In season produce  Attractive packaging 

Other:.............................................................................................................................................................

8. In general, do you know where the products you buy are made?

Yes  No  Sometimes 

9. On average, how often do you buy locally made products (those that are produced in Oman)?

Weekly  Monthly  Yearly  Never 

What are these local products (if applicable)? Please specify

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10. What do you feel are the biggest barriers for you to buy locally made products?
Please grade on a scale from 1 – 3, where 1 is the most important

Lack of availability  Quality is low or inconsistent 
Don’t know what is locally produced  Would rather buy a brand I trust 
Too expensive  Don’t see why it is important 
Poorly packaged and presented 

Other:............................................................................................................................................................

11. I buy locally made products because

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12. I don’t buy locally made products because

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13. Do you think shops in Oman do enough to promote Made in Oman goods?

Yes  No 

14. How important are locally made goods to Oman’s economy?

Essential  Unimportant 
Very important  No opinion 
Neither important nor unimportant 

15. What kind of reputation have Made in Oman products?

Excellent 
Good 
Fair 
Poor 
16. How are Made in Oman products packaged?

Excellent 
Good 
Fair 
Poor 

17. Is there sufficient labelling on Made in Oman products?

Yes 
No 

18. Are Made in Oman products easy to find in local shops?

Yes 
No 

19. Would you welcome a Buy Local campaign?

Yes 
No 

Thank you for responding to the questions about locally made products. We would be grateful you could now answer some about you, and remember that all information will be treated as confidential.

20. Gender:

Male  Female 

21. Age:

Under 16  16-19  20-29 
30-39  40 – 49  50-59 
50-59  60+ 

22. Family Composition

Number of adults: 
Number of children 0- 3 year  4-10 year  11-18 year 

23. Occupation:

Full time employee 
Unpaid family worker/ carer 
Part time employee 
Student 
Self employed 
Retired 

Other:.............................................................................................................................................................

If you would like to receive further details on the forthcoming Origin Oman campaign please provide us with your contact details.

PO Box:..................................................................................

Postal Code:...........................................................................

E-mail:...................................................................................

GSM:.....................................................................................

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION!

Please e-mail your completed survey to Mulkie Al Hashmi on: info@peie.om

If you would like more information about the Origin Oman project or would like to get involved please contact Mrs. Ibtisam Al Faruji on: ibtisam@kom.om

Blog contents copyright © 2007 PEIE

2006 BBIC Winners Talk Shop

Can you give our readers some background details on the Qumreiyat idea and the people involved in the start up?

Qumreiyat is a portal that provides information on Oman. In simple terms, it aims to answer all the questions a potential tourist may have before heading to the sultanate – the portal will enable and empower interactivity between potential tourists and organizations – in both the public and private sectors – working in the tourism industry. The Qumreiyat team is: Majda Al Hinai, Maha Al Bulushi and Zawan Al Sabti.

How and why did you come up with the idea of the Qumreiyat?

From an international perspective, there is still a lack of awareness of Oman as a tourism destination – though with full credit to the Ministry of Tourism, this is changing rapidly which makes it a particularly good time for Qumreiyat to be launched. We see a niche in the market for a portal such as ours and we want to fill that gap.

Why did you enter the TKM- Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition?

As soon as we heard about the competition we decided to enter – we thought that even if we didn’t win the feedback from the judging panel would be invaluable. We were also keen to attend the business plan workshops that were offered by Ernst & Young staff at Knowledge Oasis Muscat.

To be honest, we’d had the Qumreiyat idea for quite some time, kicking concepts around and discussing how to take it forward. But the main obstacle was start-up finance and with RO6,000 on offer to the BBIC winner we decided to enter.

You’ve won RO6,000 in start up finance and 12 months rent free office space in the TKM incubator program – what impact is this having on taking your company forward?

The RO6,000 in start-up funds and the 12 months rent free office space in TKM is pushing us on and up. It’s been an ideal start for us. We're already networking with start ups in the TKM program as well as other tenants on the tech park.

A survey carried by the TKM incubator program shows that – at college age – a high proportion of Omani students want to become entrepreneurs. But the reality is that, later on, few actually do it. Why is that? What were the key factors to sustain your motivation?

Being an entrepreneur is all about taking risks and perhaps young people don’t have the necessary skills or experience to manage risk – this is an issue we should be addressing in schools and colleges – switching young people onto the enterprise culture – preparing them to think about starting their own business.

Finance is another obstacle that fresh business-oriented graduates face. Naturally, graduates are looking for a secure job and a guaranteed income. This brings us back to the issue of risk and what people are prepared to do with their careers. We’re looking for a challenge and an opportunity to fulfil a dream – we want to run our own business, this is what drives us forward.

What obstacles or challenges do you expect your start up to face over the next 18 – 24 months?

Time – there are never enough hours in the day.
Building creative and interesting content for the site that will appeal to all nationalities.
Getting clients to join the portal and believe in the concept.

Did you accept any advice along the way? Do you believe start ups should be open to advice?

Yes, we’re always open to advice. The BBIC business plan workshops were very helpful and so were staff at KOM.

Start-ups need to be patient – it isn’t going to happen over night. Perhaps most importantly, you’ve got to be willing to take criticism, no matter what shape or form it comes in.

What kind of relationship do you expect to establish with your customers?

Customer is king, right? Our relationship with customers will be highly professional. Responding to their needs quickly and appropriately is imperative. We’re here to solve a problem and that’s what will differentiate us from other tourism websites.

What advice would you to pass on to our young entrepreneurial readers?

Never lose your enthusiasm or sense of humour.

Blog contents copyright © 2007 PEIE

Big Business Idea Competition Gala

Entries to the TKM–Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition (http://www.kom.om/), the largest technology-focused business plan competition in the Gulf region, closed late last week. Backed by Ericsson, Nawras, NCR, GroFin, Infocomm and OER, this year’s competition final and Gala Dinner will take place 28 October at the Crowne Plaza Hotel under the patronage of HE Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, Minister of Commerce & Industry.

“The four finalists will present power pitches to the judging panel at the Gala Dinner. The panel of judges will then make their final deliberations and announce the 2007 winner,” said Mohammed Al Maskari, Director General, Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM).

This year the competition has a top prize of RO6,000 awarded to the winning business plan. The winner is also granted 12 months rent free office accommodation in the TKM incubator program based at KOM.

"We welcome entries from anyone - individuals, teams, new companies, colleges creating spin-offs, scientists, students and entrepreneurs - with a good, innovative idea for a science, technology, medical or design-based business," commented the KOM Director General.
The TKM–Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition is not just about the competition itself. Former entrants have used the event as a launch pad to raise investment for their ventures, and the competition’s finalists, particularly, benefit from the additional exposure they receive at the annual Gala Dinner, which provides them with instant access to an audience of influential business angels and venture capitalists seeking new investment opportunities.

One company that has benefited in this way is Qumreiyat who is developing a dynamic tourism portal. Qumreyat’s Zawan Al Sabti was one of three responsible for presenting the prize-winning pitch at last year’s final, she commented: “The TKM–Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition provided our start-up with a great opportunity. We were able to present our initial ideas on business strategy and receive valuable feedback from experienced professionals on how best to take the company forward. Since presenting at the final in 2006 the team have followed up on interest expressed by several organizations who attended the event.”

Al Sabti’s colleague, Majda Al Hinai, agrees that the competition provides an invaluable opportunity for young Omani entrepreneurs. “Qumreiyat has attracted a significant amount of interest since its launch and taking up residency in the TKM incubator program at KOM. The competition provided the focus the team needed to define its business strategy. The document we had to produce was a valuable starting point on which to build the broader plan for the launch. Our appearance at last year’s final clearly raised the company’s profile to a national level, something we could not have achieved so quickly on our own.”

Al Maskari, organiser of the TKM–Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition added: “The quality of entries is very high and our experienced judges are not easily impressed, so getting to the final is a significant achievement, and one which is recognised by potential domestic and regional investors.”

The TKM–Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition has been helping to raise the profile of start-up and spinout organisations since its inception in 2006 by providing valuable exposure for growing businesses and access to a wide range of resources, advice and guidance through its seminar programme and networking activities. The competition is free of charge and open to all Omani nationals.

Blog contents copyright © 2007 PEIE

Infocomm Signs MoU with Saudi ISP

Oman’s leading m-Commerce firm, Knowledge Oasis Muscat-based Infocomm, is participating this week at GITEX, the Middle East’s premier information communication technology trade show in Dubai. "Last year's show was tremendously successful for us, so it was imperative that we participate this year, particularly since we have a range of new WiFI, M-commerce, e-Learning and e-Gaming solutions to present,” said Singaporean entrepreneur and Infocomm’s MD, Karim Rahemtulla. “In fact, the positive feedback from business partners, ISPs and telco operators strengthened our determination to expand our participation at this year's show and to make greater use of GITEX as an international, strategic platform for presentations and networking," comments Rahemtulla.

The first two days of the show have been highly productive for Infocomm and Rahemtulla is clearly enthusiastic as he describes them. “We were besieged on Saturday and Sunday with quality enquiries - people literally queued up one after the other to see our WiFi, M-commerce e-Learning and e-Gaming solutions.”

Saturday marked a milestone for Infocomm as on they signed an MOU to provide a full turnkey WiFi solution for 7i the Saudi-based ISP (pictured L - R: Karim Rahemtulla, MD, Infocomm with 7i's CEO, Eng. Anas Maisarah Taher) This is the second venture between the two companies since they meet at GITEX last year.

7i has also shown keen interest in Infocomm’s e-Learning content. The possibility of accessing this in the Kingdom on a pay per view basis has been suggested. “We’re providing businesses like 7i with solutions that allow business owners to get on with what they’re good at, running their own business. We don’t expect them to know all the latest WiFI, M-commerce or Internet-based learning strategies nor should they, that’s what we are here for,” says Rahemtulla.

Ibtisam Al Faruji, Head of Marketing at KOM commented from the Park’s stand at GITEX: “Infocomm is one of the region’s leading M-commerce firms providing solutions to organizations working in manufacturing, health, travel, leisure, tourism and education. They’re an extremely competent and proactive international firm. On the domestic scene, they’re certainly revolutionising the way in which Omani companies and government departments think about marketing their products and services. We’re proud to have this calibre of company as a tenant. The level of their participation at GITEX is typical of how they operate – absolutely top class and a credit to all the Infocomm team.”

Blog contents copyright © 2007 PEIE

KOM Spreads the Word at GITEX

A multi-million Rial expansion has recently opened on Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM), the Rusayl-based technology park. According to Mohammed Al Maskari, KOM’s Director General: “The RO3.8 million (US$10.4 million) expansion program provides an additional 10,000 square metres of office accommodation to support established and developing hi-tech businesses. Amongst a number of new tenants from Europe and the Middle East, the Park’s recently opened office space is home to Microsoft, Motorola, Qatar Airways and the Information Technology Authority (ITA).”

Announcing this next step in the development of KOM Al Maskari said: “There is a fantastic spirit of entrepreneurship and inspiration running through KOM. This has helped establish the Park and the wider Rusayl area as a centre of excellence for knowledge-based industries and a great place for innovative businesses to develop and thrive. However, it is vital that we keep that momentum going and continue to offer the facilities and support systems that allow our tenants be creative and thrive.”

The Rusayl area is fast becoming an area of growth for knowledge-based companies, many of which are in information communication technology (ICT) and manufacturing, clustering around KOM, PEIE’s Rusayl Industrial Estate, Sultan Qaboos University and the university’s teaching hospital.

Ibtisam Al Faruji, KOM’s Head of Marketing said: “The Park’s new office facilities will bring together science, industry and education in an environment conducive to innovation and entrepreneurship. We’re thrilled with the response from local as well as international firms to take up residency on KOM. ”

In an effort to reach a broader international audience and spread news of KOM’s continued expansion, the Park’s management will participate this week at GITEX - the region’s largest annual ICT trade exhibition.

But what does KOM want to achieve from its GITEX participation? “The obvious answer is our stand crammed with potential tenants, but more realistically it’s about maintaining momentum and quality face time with interested parties. Our main purpose is to meet potential tenants and demonstrate how KOM can meet their varied commercial needs,” says Al Faruji.

Given the sharp increase in the number of firms based on KOM and the additional office space that has come on line, Al Faruji believes the park has a strong and engaging message to deliver. In addition to a growing tenant base, KOM is also behind a number of high-profile ICT initiatives. For example, the TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition, a national business plan event aimed at raising awareness of the start-up culture amongst Oman’s youth. The Park’s quarterly Digital Nation seminars are well-attended networking events that help KOM tenants raise their profiles. “When you have multinationals like Ericssson, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and Cisco backing your marketing initiatives then you know you’re on the right track,” commented KOM’s Head of Marketing. The Park’s annual eGames conference is another regional first, “we’re the only tech park in the Gulf that’s looking at mobile and serious gaming and their applications to areas such as education, tourism, heritage, the environment as well as oil and gas. There’s a tremendous amount of energy on KOM and we need to spread news of that at GITEX,” remarked Al Faruji.

Blog contents copyright © 2007 PEIE

KOM Tunes into Digital Media

Knowledge Oasis Muscat’s next Digital Nation seminar will be held 9:30pm, Monday 17 September at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Backed by Ericsson, Microsoft, HP, Omania e-Commerce, SAP Arabia, OER, Infoline, Nawras, Infocomm and Times of Oman the 17 September session will tune into Digital Media.

But what exactly is digital media? According to Ibtisam Al Faruji (pictured), KOM’s Head of Marketing “it’s anything from the traditional uses of the medium for creating and sharing rich content to the explosion of blogs for self expression and increasingly real time interpretation of news and breaking events.” Digital media is also about shared content via websites like Flicr, YouTube and blip.tv and social sites such as FaceBook and MySpace. It's a concept that's booming.

Today, consumers are more than ever seeking out information rather than following blindly. “We've moved away from an age of deference to an age of reference. The emergence of blogs and wikis ('what I know is?') clearly show the demands of an increasingly sophisticated and information-hungry public and are examples of how consumers are taking power into their own hands and creating their own new and trusted sources of information. The consumer really is becoming king,” comments Al Faruji.

Consumers are exercising more control, said Infocomm’s Karim Rahemtulla. Already in the US, 70% of personal video recorder users are skipping adverts, he noted. "People want to connect to information and connect to their friends," he said. "The focus will be on highly personalized experiences." Suggesting that advertisers might be missing a trick, he added: ""Today only about 5% of global advertising is online, yet 20% of media is consumed online. This is an amazing opportunity for advertisers."


The boom in social websites like Flickr and YouTube “clearly indicate the rise in collaborative usage of the Internet” said Ericsson’s Susie Houh and supporter of the Digital Nation program. "This is a social innovation and not just a technological one," she commented. “Collaborative editing of music and video content are the next likely trends, although this will depend on free licensing and the availability of easy-to-use software,” she added.


PEIE’s Dave Pender believes that consumers of news from the media are transforming themselves into providers of information. For example, the pioneering South Korean "citizen journalism" website Ohmynews now has over 33,000 citizen reporters, though it still used professional editors too, he noted. Pender cited a recent quote from News Corporation boss Rupert Murdoch - "We tell you less, you tell us more" - to illustrate how some of the global media were engaging with the potential power of citizen journalism.


In the not too distant future "content will be delivered anywhere to a growing range of devices. Indeed, a lot of that content will be available on your mobile," forecast Infocomm’s Rahemtulla. "The scope will exist for far greater personalization of all forms of content and end users will be empowered and have greater influence, controlling how, where and at what price they consume content." The feeling among many media commentators is that traditional media players, including public service broadcasters, still have a future, as long as they can reinvent themselves.


For KOM’s Al Faruji, the key to success for TV channels, radio stations and print media still lay in content. “Given the incredible growth of digital media folk in the media industry will need to take greater risks. In the end, it will boil down to creativity, that will be a key factor.”
To attend the free of charge Digital Nation seminar send your name and contact co-ordinates to: info@kom.om


Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Play & Learn with Infocomm

Karim Rahemtulla is the Knowledge Oasis Muscat-based Singaporean entrepreneur and a leading WiFi and mobile marketing specialist, behind the top-flight m-Commerce firm, Infocomm, and the Gulf region’s first value-add infotainment portal - isurf.co.om

Rahemtulla is enthusiastic about Infocomm’s participation at this year’s GITEX exhibition. “This is a huge boost for us,” said Rahemtulla. “GITEX provides us with a world-class profiling opportunity and a chance to expand our current client base by meeting potential customers from across the Middle East and North Africa, all under one roof.”

Infocomm will be exhibiting its existing products as well as a range of new e-Learning and e-Gaming solutions and demonstrating high speed WiFi internet access and mobile marketing services. “We had a tremendous show last year signing a major deal with Saudi Arabia’s ISP 7i and we look forward to repeating that success this year,” Rahemtulla said.

The Infocomm team is particularly excited about advergaming and will be demonstrating how the mobile medium can be used to market and brand products and services. “Advergaming is the new hot topic and it’s moving from the Web to the mobile and we’re eager to share its possibilities with our clients in the region,” remarked Rahemtulla. He went on to explain how the roster of companies that are relying on Web and mobile-based games to generate marketing buzz, or recently have done so, include Nokia, which fielded an online curling game as part of its sponsorship of the Canadian Men's Curling Championship; Fox Sports, with a World Series game in which visitors tried to "hit" a virtual ball out of a virtual stadium; a mobile video game on Audi’s website that allows players to download the Audi Q7 game coupled with Audi Q7 logos; and a coalition of major fast-food restaurant chains and packaged-food companies, including McDonald's and Kraft, that seeks to help curb childhood obesity by offering kids online games that teach nutritional concepts at a new site called Kidnetic.com.

Infocomm is developing in partnership with Nexgen, Singapore’s leading mobile and PC game developers, a number of advergaming solutions. “In this regard, I’m confident that tech savvy marketers will be interested in exploring what advergaming and Infocomm can do for their brand,” commented Rahemtulla.

In addition to the advergaming concept Infocomm will also be showcasing e-Learning solutions from Educomp, one of India’s top 10 companies. Educomp is estimated to be working with 3.6 million learners across Asia and the US and has a presence in over 6,400 schools. “Educomp packages cover a raft of subjects that include physics, chemistry, English, French, geography and mathematics, “they’re highly interactive and the graphics are outstanding,” says Rahemtulla. Indeed, online education is growing rapidly in the Middle East. For example, the market in Saudi Arabia alone is expected to increase at a compound average growth rate of 32%. “The region’s expanding academic sector represents a substantial market for e-Learning, from secondary to tertiary and we’re keen to capitalize on these opportunities,” says the Singaporean entrepreneur.

Big Business Idea Competition Fuels Innovation

The 2nd TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition (BBIC) was launched Monday 9 July at Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) under the patronage of HE Ahmed Al Dheeb, Under Secretary for Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

"Last year's competition attracted over 70 entries from local entrepreneurs, business people and academics, we were delighted with the response and expect a larger number of entries to be submitted this year," said Abdullah Al Jufaili, Director, The Knowledge Mine (TKM) incubator program. Sponsored by Ernst & Young, Ericsson, Nawras, NCR, Infocomm and GroFin Oman, the competition is viewed by many in Oman’s business and public sector circles as a launch pad for participating entrants to successfully raise investment for their commercial ventures.

Although the competition is limited to Omani nationals the organizers welcome entries from individuals, teams, students and entrepreneurs. According to Al Jufaili, "anyone with a good, innovative idea for a technology-driven business should think about participating in the Big Business Idea Competition.'"

In partnership with Ernst & Young, Ericsson, Nawras, GroFin Oman, Infocomm and NCR, TKM will run a series of pre-competition workshops at the Ernst & Young offices in Qurum and at KOM. “The 10 workshops will cover business plan writing, attracting finance, developing a marketing strategy and the importance of technology in the small business environment. We've also arranged for start up firms operating in TKM to give workshops on their personal experiences, what it means in real terms to set-up and run a business. Full details on these can be seen on www.kom.om/bbic," remarked Al Jufaili.

Commenting on their success in the 2006 Big Business Idea Competition, Zawan Al Sabti, Co-founder of tourism portal Qumriyat: "Winning last year's BBIC was huge for us. Since picking up the award we've received a tremendous amount of guidance and PR support from the TKM management. Moreover, we've been contacted by people who want to hear more about our business concept and the technology we're using. The feedback has helped us build an even stronger business model."

"There's compelling market potential for what Qumriyat is doing," said Mohammed Al Maskari, KOM's Director General. "There’s a large tourism market out there, and their technology can be applied to multiple aspects of the industry. It's certainly not a one hit wonder in its potential," he added. "They’re a young, educated and energetic team and they’ve a great plan on how to proceed."

“The three women that make up the Qumriyat team are typical of the hi-tech entrepreneurs we see operating on KOM. In fact, entrepreneurship is a key driver of our economy,” said Al Maskari. “It’s not just wealth but a high proportion of jobs that are created by small businesses – businesses that are started by entrepreneurially minded individuals, many of whom go on to create much bigger businesses. It’s obvious to me that if we foster a robust domestic entrepreneurial culture we’ll maximize individual and collective economic success. It’s with this in mind that we initiated the TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition in 2006. In simple terms, we want to help spread the word of innovation and entrepreneurship particularly among the youth,” commented the KOM Director General.

“We’ve seen from our own experience with manufacturers on PEIE estates and ICT firms on KOM that small firms are dynamic agents of change within the economy,” he added. The creation and growth of small firms helps drive productivity through a competitive spur to other businesses, to improve their efficiency and seek quality improvements. Small firms drive innovation by being flexible and willing to experiment. Nearly half of small firms with between 10 and 50 staff are active innovators. They are a crucial source of new products, services and processes in our economy.

It’s initiatives like the TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition that will help Oman create small businesses, generate employment and show youngsters that it’s perfectly feasible to have an idea and set up a business. "It’s critical for the Omani economy that we get youngsters thinking more creatively about business and getting them interested in the enterprise culture. That’s got to be good for everyone,” concluded Al Jufaili.

Entrants have until 9 September to enter their business plan. The four entrants with the best plans will be invited to present at the TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition Gal Dinner on 22 October. The most fundable business plan will earn its writers a prize of RO6,000 and 12 months rent free office accommodation in TKM.
Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

2007 Big Business Idea Competition Launch

The 2nd TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition (BBIC) will be launched 10:00am on Monday 9 July at Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) and under the patronage of HE Ahmed Al Dheeb, Under Secretary for Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Commerce & Industry. This is the largest such competition in Oman and is now well established as a prestigious launch pad for new science and technology businesses.

"Last year's competition attracted over 70 entries from local entrepreneurs, business people and academics, we were delighted with the response and expect a larger number of entries to be submitted this year," said Abdullah Al Jufaili (pictured), Director, The Knowledge Mine (TKM) incubator program. Sponsored by Ernst & Young, Ericsson, Nawras, NCR, Infocomm and OER, the competition is viewed by many in Oman’s business and public sector circles as a launch pad for participating entrants to successfully raise investment for their commercial ventures.

Although the competition is limited to Omani nationals the organizers welcome entries from individuals, teams, students and entrepreneurs. According to Al Jufaili, "anyone with a good, innovative idea for a technology-driven business should think about participating in the Big Business Idea Competition.'" The idea should be original or a significant improvement on an existing business. "The 9 July launch will be an excellent opportunity for people to learn more about the competition and what it means to initiate a start-up company,” remarked the TKM Director.

“If you’re new to business and creating a business idea, you will learn a lot by participating in the Big Business Idea Competition. Entrants will receive high-level feedback on their business idea and the chance to learn more about processes of business. We believe that the competition is a highly-prestigious platform for successful new venture creation – it offers entrants access to networks, training and valuable contacts and it helps further understanding of the investment process and what constitutes a realistic marketable idea,” said Karim Rahemtulla, CEO, Infocomm and a sponsor of the competition.

Dave Pender, Advisor, Public Establishment for Industrial Estates, explained that the perfect business plan doesn’t exist because each business plan has to be designed for its particular function. His advice to BBIC entrants on pitching an idea to investors: "You’re selling futures and building credibility, so if they don’t believe in you they won’t believe what you tell them."

In partnership with Ernst & Young, Ericsson, GroFin Oman, Infocomm and NCR, TKM will run a series of pre-competition workshops at the Ernst & Young offices in Qurum and at KOM. “We'll be announcing the free of charge workshop schedule on 10 June. In fact, free access to experts from Ernst & Young, Ericsson, GroFin Oman, Infocomm and NCR is an opportunity that doesn’t come along everyday,” commented the TKM Director. The workshops are intended to help would be entrepreneurs look at what it means to research and write a business plan plus how to use the business plan to raise investment for the business.

Entrants have until 9 September to enter their business plan. The four entrants with the best plans will be invited to present at the TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition Gala Dinner on 22 October. The most fundable business plan will earn its writers a prize of RO6,000 and 12 months rent free accommodation in TKM.


Blog contents copyright © 2007 PEIE

Smart Manufacturing Conference Report

Ever since the industrial revolution, manufacturing has been about new ideas, new science and new technologies - applied to creating new products and processes.

Introduction
This Report is a result of PEIE’s annual Smart Manufacturing Conference held 15 – 16 April 2007 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

PEIE's Marketing Department would like to acknowledge those that provided feedback on this Report, these include: Nick Pattison; Mark Eaton; Chris Ward-Brown; Chris Clark; Dr. Fabio Scacciavillani; S.Gopalan; Susie Houh and Amrou Al Sharif.

We would also like to acknowledge the support and sponsorship of this conference by Ericsson; Oracle; Muna Noor Manufacturing & Trading; Reem Batteries; Oman Economic Review; Times of Oman; Oracle; Agility; Omani Marble Company; Jotun; Al Watan; Infocomm Group; isurf.co.om; Al Mudhish; GOIC; Al Buraimi Group; Gulf Industry; Videocon; OCIPED; RealityCG; Future Pipe Industries; Oasis Water; Khimji Permoglaze; and Gulf Air.

Goal
The overall goal of this Report is to identify activities that can strengthen the competitive performance of Oman’s manufacturing sector. In this regard, PEIE wishes to help Oman’s manufacturing sector develop the following characteristics:

Higher levels of awareness and investment in workforce development and stronger levels of demand for learning and skills support.
Improved awareness and application of innovative working practices across all areas of business operations. (emphasis on R&D)
Increased productivity levels.
Improved awareness of and access to international markets
Improved awareness of design, marketing and information communication technologies (ICT).
Access to an improved telecommunication infrastructure on PEIE estates that supports a modern, forward looking and innovative manufacturing sector.
A more positive image of manufacturing among young people.
Improvement of financial support services for the industrial sector.

Scope
This Report contains seven (7) conceptual issues which PEIE is asking a range of partners to comment on as part of a collaborative filtering process to help support the development of Oman’s manufacturing sector. This Report aims to create a collaborative national response to the seven (7) issues identified below and help sustain the development of the sultanate’s manufacturing sector.

1. Access to International Markets
2. Innovation & Design
3. Skills & Education
4. ICT & e-Commerce
5. Access to Finance
6. Image
7. Sites & Premises

Basic Manufacturing Figures
According to figures released by the Sultanate of Oman’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Directorate General of Industry: Industrial Statistics (Features of the Manufacturing Sector: Large & Medium Industries 2005) the number of large and medium-sized businesses with industrial registration - employing more than nine (9) workers - totalled 519, this represents a rise of 38% in 2005 versus 16% in 2004. In 2005, the manufacturing sector contributed 8.5% to GDP compared to 4.7% in 1995. Manufacturing is expected to contribute 15% of GDP by 2020.

In 2005 the total number of workers employed in Oman’s large and medium-sized manufacturing sector stood at 36,743, an increase of 5% on figures released for 2004. The number of Omani nationals employed in Oman’s large and medium-sized manufacturing sector totals 13,224, representing 38% of the sector’s workforce.

The Challenges
Oman-based manufacturers face a range of challenges in today's increasingly competitive environment. Some of these are external, for example, exchange rates, transport, communication and raw material costs, others are internal where manufacturers have the opportunity to take the initiative to drive change forward in areas such as innovation; design; marketing; training; finance; technology transfer; ICT; and logistics.

The challenges Oman’s manufacturing sector seeks to address should not be seen as threats, but rather as opportunities. Oman has many manufacturing success stories, where companies are competing internationally, not just on price, but by adding value using innovation, higher skills, investment and good business practice to create goods and services that people want to buy. From fibre optic cables, batteries, luxury perfumes, automotive spare parts, marble, furniture to food production, Oman has world class manufacturers. The challenge for the sector is for more companies to match the performance of the best.

1. Access to International Markets
International trade is an important economic activity for Oman, generating wealth, encouraging innovation, productivity and creating employment. However, despite recognising 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:

o Insufficient export knowledge, market-entry advice and information.
o Lack of understanding of the available international trade services, market opportunities and the processes involved.
o Lack of skilled staff, particularly those with management, technical and marketing skills, to develop international markets.
o Limited access to appropriate finance.
o Language and cultural barriers.
o Confusion over how to deal with international paperwork.
o 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.

Recommendation
To help Oman-based manufacturers trade internationally, and in partnership with the Export Credit Guarantee Agency, the Oman Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry and Oman Development Bank, PEIE proposes to launch and publicize an online guidance service on www.peie.om where manufacturers can access information on the issues mentioned above. The core of the service is to give a plain explanation of the processes involved in international trade. In brief, if trade barriers are removed, the number of Omani manufacturers trading overseas will increase.

2. Innovation & Design
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.

Improved commercialisation of products and services, better product and market diversification and a greater focus on product design to increase quality and differentiate from competitors are all acknowledged as critical success factors in improving innovation performance to create competitive advantage.

Innovation performance will be enhanced by improved recognition of the opportunities that it presents and the benefits it brings. Oman’s best manufacturers match the best in the world in new product development, innovative production processes, marketing and services. Far more Oman-based manufacturers need to match the performance of the best.

Innovation is a key issue for this Report, but it needs to be tackled in a way that has real meaning for manufacturers, particularly small firms. As a catch-all term, many manufacturers do not relate easily to innovation. They may identify more readily with terms such as product development, technological innovation, R&D and process innovation.

New technologies offer significant benefits to stimulating innovation but also underline the threat to competitiveness if Oman-based manufacturers fail to invest in them as rapidly as competitors in other parts of the world. To access the benefits of innovation, Omani manufacturers need greater guidance on what can be achieved with new technologies.

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 products to be more environmentally friendly. It is in this regard that innovation plays an important role in how the manufacturer and its product(s) are perceived and received in the marketplace.

Recommendation
PEIE proposes to set-up Design 4 Manufacturing, an initiative that would bring together designers and manufacturers. Design 4 Manufacturing will build on the important relationship between designers and manufacturers and help manufacturers develop design briefs, source designers to fulfil the briefs, help designers to think about design from a manufacturer’s point of view and help both sides with marketing information. The Design 4 Manufacturing initiative would be supported by advice from the UK’s Design Council – helping PEIE demonstrate to manufacturers that good design can raise profitability and the quality of goods. In brief, Design 4 Manufacturing aims to help Oman-based manufacturers improve their competitiveness and find new markets by improving product design. Moreover, the initiative - through guidance from the Design Council - would encourage UK-based design firms to partner/mentor young Omani designers.

3. Skills & Education
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:

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

Recommendation
It is suggested that PEIE establish and support through the Oman Manufacturing Group (OMG) a Network of Manufacturing Ambassadors. The Network would be used to promote broader aspects of manufacturing within Oman’s schools and colleges. It would also be used for media purposes for frontline manufacturing stories.

If we are to raise the economic impact realised through available training and R&D, we need to raise the profile of the available resources and knowledge Oman has that can benefit manufacturing and identify where such resources reside. It is suggested that a domestic database of training, research and R&D resources be developed, maintained and placed on http://www.peie.om/

Promoting manufacturing to young people and generating media interest is important to the future success of Oman's manufacturing sector. Therefore, PEIE recommends that a Manufacturing Week be created - this would coincide with the Ministry of Commerce’s Day of Industry – and consist of school and college visits to industrial estates; students to experience managing a production facility; PEIE’s annual Smart Manufacturing Conference; radio and TV interviews with leading manufacturers; manufacturing podcasts; a student product design competition; an exhibition of final year tertiary projects related to manufacturing; and a B-2-C exhibition of Omani products.

4. ICT & e-Commerce
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.

Recommendation
To harness the potential of ICT in manufacturing it is suggested that a Network of ICT advisers be formed - this could be achieved through the Information Technology Authority and PEIE’s ICT partners.

A Network of ICT advisers would deliver front line advice to manufacturers to help them understand the use of ICT, to help them open up new markets, gain new business, improve chances of trading internationally, use e-Commerce for commercial advantage - such as with customer orders and financial transactions made electronically - customer information management and reducing running costs.

In addition, ICT advisers would help manufacturers keep up with the latest technologies, such as broadband, Bluetooth and WiFi, providing expert, impartial and, importantly, jargon-free advice on exploiting them to the best advantage for manufacturers.

Broadband Internet access will continue to play a pivotal role in helping Oman’s manufacturers fully exploit ICT. As the service becomes increasingly available in the sultanate, ICT advisers would be on-hand to show manufacturers the benefits the technology has for their business and, importantly, help manufacturers successfully use the technology.

In addition to the broad ICT themes outlined above, there would also be a demand from Oman-based manufacturers for PEIE in partnership with the Network of ICT advisers to organize events/training programs around the following topics:

o Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG): Helping CPG manufacturers free up cash through operational excellence so they can invest in new innovative products.
o Enterprise Resource Planning: Helping manufacturers become more collaborative and integrate entire operations and extend their supply chain.
o Supply Chain: Helping manufacturers understand supply chain integration, visibility and collaboration to increase response time, decrease production, distribution and channel costs, and increase customer satisfaction, service and response time.
o Product Lifecycle Management: Helping manufacturers focus on product lifecycle management (PLM) environment for end-to-end collaborative PLM business and the IT issues involved in this process.
o Radio Frequency Identification (RFID): Low risk RFID solutions that enable standards-based, next-generation supply chain functionality.

5. Access to Finance
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. Finally, entrepreneurs face too much red tape and therefore the launch of new businesses is mired by regulatory hurdles that hamper the entrepreneurial spirit.

Recommendation
It is suggested that PEIE take the lead in developing a clear overview of all the finance schemes available to Oman-based manufacturers and ensure that the services and products offered, and the conditions that apply, are effectively communicated to manufacturers. This could be achieved in print and on the web (www.peie.om)

Through the proposed Task Groups (see below) it is suggested that PEIE brings the various finance stakeholders together to develop a joint agenda to help finance Oman-based manufacturers. The key stakeholders in this process would include:

o SME Department at the Ministry of Commerce & Industry
o Commercial Banks
o Business Angels
o Private Equity Investor Networks
o Venture Capital Funds
o Oman Development Bank

6. Image
Despite the renaissance of Oman’s economy the image of the sultanate’s manufacturing industry still lags behind the reality.

In particular, there is a lack of awareness and understanding among students, teachers and parents of what Oman’s modern manufacturing sector looks like and the potential it offers for rewarding career progression. Many people see manufacturing as noisy and dirty and yesterday’s industry. For example, oil and gas, tourism, banking and public sector employment present, on the face of it, more exciting and rewarding opportunities for young Omanis. There is also a particular need to attract more women into manufacturing. Whilst numbers have grown the proportion of women in manufacturing is still low.

Whilst the modern face of manufacturing has undoubtedly changed, its image has not kept up with this change. This message needs to be reinforced with a wide range of key target groups which include: policy makers in the public sector, the media, students, parents, teachers and investors. Oman’s manufacturers have an important role to play in helping to change perceptions; more self-promotion is needed and firms need to engage more with the education sector.

Recommendation
An information campaign – consisting of events such as OMG seminars as well as print and web based activities - is required to change the out-dated perception of the sultanate’s manufacturing sector as being low paid, low skilled, dirty, unimaginative, with poor working conditions and bad prospects. The reality is closer to a clean working environment, with good career prospects, rising skill levels and rising pay levels. The target audiences would not only be the potential workforce but also those in a position to advise and influence them, including parents, teachers, university staff and high-profile public sector figures.

7. Sites & Premises
Manufacturing has become increasingly mobile and firms have many options on where to locate, both within Oman and internationally. In this regard, there are several issues which confront manufacturers:

o The availability of hi-tech infrastructure to meet the needs of modern manufacturing.
o The provision of fit for purpose premises for manufacturing start-ups, inward investors and businesses seeking to expand.
o The physical environment on PEIE industrial estates where many manufacturers operate and the need to improve their appearance and security.
o The planning regime and the need to strengthen links between PEIE and its tenant base to address issues of concern.

Recommendation
PEIE already carries out an annual tenant feedback questionnaire. However, response rates are poor. A more aggressive approach is required to circulating the questionnaire, collecting data and responding to tenant needs.

Taking the Discussion Forward

Partnerships
PEIE maintains strong domestic and international links with stakeholders actively involved in the manufacturing sector. It is through these links that we propose to take this Report forward.

Notable examples include PEIE’s current links to: Cambridge University and the Institute for Manufacturing; Coventry University; Middle East College of Information Technology; Waljat Colleges of Applied Sciences; Sultan Qaboos University; OCIPED; GOIC; Information Technology Authority; Hewlett Packard; Omania e-Commerce; Nawras; Cisco; SAP Arabia; Microsoft; Ericsson; Oracle; Khimji Permoglaze; Omani Marble; Jotun; Oman Cables Industry; Al Watan; Gulf Industry; Times of Oman; Oman Economic Review; Agility; Oasis Water; Oman Cables Industry; Reem Batteries; Al Buraimi Group; Infocomm Group; Videocon; Al Mudhish; GroFin Oman; Future Pipe Industries; and Muna Noor Manufacturing & Trading.

OMG Working Groups
Through OMG, it is suggested that six (6) Task Groups be established to oversee the development and implementation of the issues raised in this Report. The Groups will consist of public sector members, manufacturers and private sector partner organisations.

Activities are broken down into six (6) Task Groups:

1. Skills & Education
2. ICT & e-Commerce
3. Innovation
4. Design
5. Sector Image
6. Finance & International Trade

OMG Working Groups would not work in isolation - an important feature of the key issues which they will tackle and the actions which will arise is their ability to interconnect. Therefore, the six Task Groups will work in effect as a team to ensure that actions are closely co-ordinated.

Milestones
The principal milestones for this Report are:

Assemble six (6) Task Groups, agree terms of reference, modus operandi etc: September 2007
Formal launch: Oman Manufacturing Group meeting with Minister of Commerce & Industry and CEO, PEIE: October 2007
First Report from the six (6) Task Groups: January 2008

Blog contents copyright © 2007 PEIE

Ericsson Boosts TKM Mentor Program

The Knowledge Mine (TKM) business incubator program based at the Rusayl Technology Park, Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM), announced today that Ericsson will join the incubator’s growing list of high-profile mentors.

According to Abdullah Al Jufaili, TKM Director, “the incubator acts as a business hub, encouraging growth, quality jobs and economic diversity in Oman.” As tenants, start-ups enjoy modern premises, broadband and access to top line business advice and support. “We’re thrilled to welcome Ericsson to the TKM mentor program, they’ll add substantial value to the composition of the incubator,” says Al Jufaili. In addition to Ericsson, TKM tenants also receive mentoring support from: Trowers & Hamlins; Ernst & Young; KPMG; Talal Abu Ghazaleh Intellectual Property; and GroFin Oman.

“KOM recognises the important role that incubators play in developing the enterprise, supporting new businesses and in enhancing innovation. Research clearly indicates that 80% of businesses that start in incubators are still in business after five years compared with only 33% which do not have such support,” says Mohammed Al Maskari, KOM Director General.

The twelve start-ups based in TKM benefit from practical mentoring sessions that help their businesses develop and drive forward. From expert advice on finance, telecommunications, IPR, technology, accounting, business development, strategy to innovation plus the invaluable networking opportunities offered by KOM, start-ups in TKM enjoy an excellent and fertile working environment,” comments the TKM Director.

“We’re proud to be associated with TKM and its tenants. This further proves Government commitment and ambition to create the right environment for success and provide the incentives to encourage innovation and growth in the enterprise sector. Indeed, TKM is the type of facility that allows entrepreneurs to produce innovative products and services. Our involvement also helps Ericsson contribute to Oman’s social and economic development,” explains Ericsson’s PeterAndersson (pictured above with Mohammed Al Maskari).

“The Government believes KOM plays a significant role in facilitating growth of the high-tech industry in Oman. Moreover, it is fully committed to developing a knowledge-driven economy where TKM contributes in achieving this aim by exploiting available knowledge and technology through its close cooperation with blue chips such as Ericsson as well as with domestic and international tertiary institutes,” comments Al Maskari.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Where the Web's Heading?

Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) will host its quarterly Digital Nation Seminar on 10 June at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Muscat. Backed by Microsoft, Ericsson, Nawras, OER, HP, Infocomm, SAP Arabia, Times of Oman and Omania e-Commerce the topic for this quarter's seminar is Ramping Up Internet Usage and Content. The 10 June panel will be moderated by Graham Porter of Cisco and includes Dr. Mohammed Al Wohaibi, CEO, Omantel, Dr. Salim Al Ruzaiqi, CEO, Information Technology Authority (pictured left) and Ross Cormack, CEO, Nawras.

"The Internet has brought an explosion of creative ideas which are still being developed. Today, the Internet carries much of the information created by man and that's increasing all the time with libraries around the world digitising their content and putting it online so that you're able to read Ibn Majid's poem Hawiya in your living room - even print off a copy. That's exciting and it's up to organizations such as KOM to spread that excitement and encourage people to log on and use the Internet," says Mohammed Al Maskari, KOM's Director General.

"I fully expect the Internet to become ever more personalised", suggests Karim Rahemtulla, CEO, Infocomm and a Digital Nation panelist. "It's all going to be about how you want to see it, what you need from it and what you can contribute to it. For example, development of an intelligent speech interface will mean you'll be able to search for information on a particular topic, analyse it, collate it and present bullets from the top ten most relevant sources. That kind of power is undoubtedly going to change how Oman-based citizens live, work, study and play."

From a business perspective, and according to KOM's Director General, the Internet has triggered a quantum leap in productivity and new possibilities. Today, Oman-based companies have unparalleled access to information. A few years ago you stood out from the crowd if you were on the Internet. Now you're out in the cold if you're not.

"The Internet is changing lives," says KOM's Ibtisam Al Faruji. Indeed, it's radically transforming the way citizens and government communicate with each other and the newly-created ITA is leading the way on this front. "In the not too distant future, the Internet will be the main medium through which we live our lives. As long as connectivity options increase and get faster, we'll see the convergence of the web and audio visual media, to such an extent that the Internet will look more like TV than anything else."

But there are challenges with regard getting Oman-based citizens and firms interested in and using the Internet. "We're still lacking sufficient local content," remarks Al Maskari. However, research clearly demonstrates that the best way to get people learning about the Internet is to get them using it, and the best way to motivate them is to get them using it for something they're interested in. "Contrary to what a lot of people believe, the Internet isn't just about youngsters and techies, we can get older folk interested in the Internet by showing them how to use it to research their family's history, build a family tree and find old pictures of their town or village. At the other end of the age continuum, we can encourage teenagers to use the web using social sites such as isuf.co.om; www.youtube.com; www.myspace.com and Google's www.orkut.com. Parents can be encouraged to help their children with homework assignments by surfing the Internet for relevant information. It's amazing how motivated people become when they realize what the Internet offers them."

The Digital Nation seminar series (www.kom.om/ev.html) is free of charge and open to all. To register, e-mail your name and contacts to: Ibtisam@kom.om

Blog contents copyright © 2007 PEIE

More on Ramping Up Internet Usage

In an effort to discuss the spread of the Internet in Oman and the ramping up of its usage, Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) will host its quarterly Digital Nation seminar on Sunday 10 June at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

According to Ibtisam Al Faruji, KOM's Head of Marketing: "The 10 June seminar has attracted a superb line-up of IT and telco experts, these include: Dr. Mohammed Al Wohaibi, Omantel, Dr. Salim Al Ruzaiqi, Information Technology Authority; Karim Rahemtulla, Infocomm Group (pictured), Tarek Khorshid, Omania e-Commerce; Dr. Irfan Ahmad, Yahoo!; Dr. Roger Hage, Ericsson; Graham Porter, Cisco; Peter Honore, Nawras; and Dr. Sherif Aziz, Middle East College of Information Technology.

Access to goods, services and information, to say nothing of employment and ways of communicating, is increasingly dependent on your ability to access and use information technology and the Internet. But how are people expected to learn about, and access such technology? Many assume that it is only a matter of time until everyone in Oman will have access to the Internet from their home.

However, there are reasons for doubting whether such a scenario is plausible in the short-term. Universal infrastructure provision looks unlikely in rural areas. Meanwhile the cost of computers, modems and links to the Internet service provider remains a substantial investment for many people. The effective use of technology also requires appropriate skills, know-how and information services in addition to access itself.

In this context fears have been expressed about the creation of a group of information poor: that section of the population excluded from the information society. Such social exclusion is not simply a consequence of lack of funds. It may also be due to a lack of training and other support networks to learn about the potential of technology and the Internet and to provide a context in which people feel comfortable using it. It can also come about from an absence of services and content tailored to the needs of particular groups or to the ways in which they want to access information.

"The Digital Nation seminar will also be looking at the importance of high speed Internet to Oman's business community", said Al Faruji, "small businesses are the backbone of our economy. A large proportion of these businesses employ less than 10 people. Indeed, access to high-speed Internet is essential for both businesses and communities of the future. It's all about how change is going to happen. Just as the lack of a decent road hindered the development of villages and businesses in the past, so all communities will have a more limited future and won't flourish without broadband."

"We need to extend broadband faster as it benefits both businesses and communities," says Mohammed Al Maskari, KOM's Director General. "Broadband isn't just about being able to download from a Website faster - a dependable, always on, fast Internet connection will have an enormous impact on Oman's prosperity and quality of life. These are just some of the issues the panel will be tackling on the night of the 10th," says Al Maskari.

The Digital Nation Seminar and Dinner are free of charge, to attend e-mail your name and contact co-ordinates to: Ibtisam@kom.om

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

2007 Big Business Idea Launch

The 2nd TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition (BBIC) will be launched on Sunday 1 July, 8:00pm at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Muscat. This is the largest such competition in Oman and is now well established as a prestigious launch pad for new science and technology businesses.

"Last year's competition attracted over 70 entries from local entrepreneurs, business people and academics, we were delighted with the response and expect a larger number of entries to be submitted this year," said Abdullah Al Jufaili, Director, The Knowledge Mine (TKM) incubator program. Sponsored by Ernst & Young, Ericsson, GroFin Oman, NCR, Infocomm and OER, the competition is viewed by many in Oman’s business and public sector circles as a launch pad for participating entrants to successfully raise investment for their commercial ventures.

The 1 July launch will include a brief on the competition, a presentation by Ernst & Young plus a talk by Dr. Firas Al Abduwani, Founder and CEO of Hussam Technology, a telecommunications start-up firm based in the TKM.

Although the competition is limited to Omani nationals the organizers welcome entries from individuals, teams, students and entrepreneurs. According to Al Jufaili, "anyone with a good, innovative idea for a technology-driven business should think about participating in the Big Business Idea Competition.'" The idea should be original or a significant improvement on an existing business. "The 10 June launch will be an excellent opportunity for people to learn more about the competition and what it means to initiate a start-up company,” remarked the TKM Director.

“If you’re new to business and creating a business idea, you will learn a lot by participating in the Big Business Idea Competition. Entrants will receive high-level feedback on their business idea and the chance to learn more about processes of business. We believe that the competition is a highly-prestigious platform for successful new venture creation – it offers entrants access to networks, training and valuable contacts and it helps further understanding of the investment process and what constitutes a realistic marketable idea,” said Karim Rahemtulla, CEO, Infocomm and a sponsor of the competition.

Dave Pender, Advisor, Public Establishment for Industrial Estates, explained that the perfect business plan doesn’t exist because each business plan has to be designed for its particular function. His advice to BBIC entrants on pitching an idea to investors: "You’re selling futures and building credibility, so if they don’t believe in you they won’t believe what you tell them."

In partnership with Ernst & Young, Ericsson, GroFin Oman, Infocomm and NCR, TKM will run a series of pre-competition workshops at the Ernst & Young offices in Qurum. “We'll be announcing the free of charge workshop schedule on 10 June. In fact, free access to experts from Ernst & Young, Ericsson, GroFin Oman, Infocomm and NCR is an opportunity that doesn’t come along everyday,” commented the TKM Director. The workshops are intended to help would be entrepreneurs look at what it means to research and write a business plan plus how to use the business plan to raise investment for the business.

Entrants have until 9 September to enter their business plan. The four entrants with the best plans will be invited to present at the TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition Gal Dinner on 22 October. The most fundable business plan will earn its writers a prize of RO4,000 in cash and twelve months rent free accommodation in TKM.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE