Origin Oman Showcases Local Fare

Think about the last meal you ate. Where did it come from? Chances are it traveled further to get to your plate than you have over the last few months. “Just take a look at the labels next time you go shopping, asparagus from Thailand, chicken from Brazil, milk from Saudi Arabia, bananas from the Philippines, lamb from New Zealand, the list goes on,” says Origin Oman’s Hamida Al Balushi and organizer of the recent 150 Kilometre Meal held at Knowledge Oasis Muscat.

Al Balushi argues that food production, distribution and consumption patterns have undergone a major transformation over the past 50 years. Just between 1968 and 2008, world food production increased by over 90%. “Today, we’ve identical products being shipped backwards and forwards with heavy environmental costs. Moreover, changes in our food systems have been a contributing factor in climate change,” suggests the Origin Oman Marketing Co-ordinator.

But It is not just business that is responsible for increased food production and distribution, consumers also play a major role in pushing up food kiometres. Research estimates that the average adult travels over 300 kilometres each year by car to shop for food. In fact, over a 12 month period studies show that even a small family of four emits 4.2 tonnes of CO2 from their house, 4.4 tonnes from their car and 8 tonnes from the production, processing, packaging and distribution of the food they eat.

But according to Al Balushi: “Consumers can make a difference by simply investigating where their food has come from and buying food that has been produced locally. In fact, Origin Oman’s 150 Kilometre Meal clearly illustrated that great tasting food is being produced right on our doorstep and we should be encouraging people to buy it.”

There are lots of places where you can source locally produced food – ranging from fruit and vegetable markets through to the large supermarket chains. Supermarkets are becoming increasingly aware of the demand for local produce. The Origin Oman campaign works closely with many of the large stores who have a policy of sourcing local produce wherever possible. “For instance, Carrefour, Lulu, Khimji Mart and Al Fair all heavily promote local produce and feature Origin Oman prominently in their stores,” smiles Al Balushi.

“Our research,” continues Al Balushi, “revealed that the interest in local food is not confined to the well-heeled, affluent and emerging young middle classes. Origin Oman found that more than 49 per cent of consumers would buy local food if it were more readily available and easy to find. This is fantastic news for Oman’s food and drink sector.”

“Organizing a high profile event like the 150 Kilometre Meal brings us into contact with a variety of people and organizations,” says Ibtisam Al Faruji, Origin Oman’s Marketing Director, adding: “Given the initiative’s’ success, we’re keen to forge closer ties with Oman’s catering sector, particularly hotels and restaurants who recognize the value of promoting local food on their menus. Indeed, we encourage hotels and restaurants to promote their local sourcing by publishing the names of local suppliers on their menus and websites.”

Oman Botanic Garden’s Dareen Matwani and 150 Kilometre Meal diner believes: “Choosing local food is a great way for consumers to increase the circulation of their Rials. By supporting local farmers today, you can help ensure that there will be farms in our community tomorrow, and that future generations will have access to nourishing, tasty and abundant food.”

As local food becomes an increasingly popular concept there are signs that many producers, including farmers looking to add value to their produce for perhaps the first time, believe that creating a ‘local’ product is enough to guarantee a profitable future. Sadly, this is not so and all those working in this sector must ensure that anything ‘local’ also has quality, proper provenance, traceability and, above all, good taste. “Labeling a vegetable ‘’Omani’ and selling it through a local outlet won’t ensure that it commands a premium, unless it’s produced to the correct specifications and has quality attached. A poor specimen won’t encourage repeat sales and will tarnish the special image of local food,” warns Al Faruji.

LOCAL FOOD SIDEBAR

What are the Benefits of Buying Local Food?

More nutritious and better-quality food. It is easier to monitor quality and freshness of supplies by buying direct from farmers and producers. Fewer vitamins are lost the less time food is in transit and the quicker it reaches the plate. Chefs can see how animals are reared, produce is grown and items like cheese are made if they are produced near by.

Increases a sense of seasonality. If a chef buys ingredients that are grown locally, then it is going to be seasonal and, therefore, bought when the items are at their cheapest and in peak condition.

Good traceability. It is easier to monitor production and welfare standards with food that is produced just down the road. It's more difficult to carry out checks with farmers and suppliers across the other side of the world.

It's cheaper. The shorter the distance food travels, the lower the costs in aviation fuel and diesel.

Green. Transporting food long distances uses enormous quantities of fuel, which adds to pollution and global warming. Purchasing local foods is generally more sustainable than buying from countries where rainforests are being felled to plant crops.

Economically friendly. Supporting the local economy is advantageous to all parties.

Interesting, tasty products. Locally produced foods are more likely to be made by artisans who put a greater emphasis on producing food with flavour than large manufacturers, who are generally driven by profit.

Great marketing opportunity. Chefs and caterers can promote local sourcing on their menus. Tasty local items like hamour, lettuce, lobster and tomatoes are enticing to customers.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

KOM Showcases Omani Talent at COMEX

Five Knowledge Oasis Muscat-based companies are vying to hit the ground running in 2009 as they pitch their innovative concepts to top executives and investors at COMEX – Oman’s annual ICT exhibition.

From concepts designed to help reduce the spread of CDC H1N1 Swine Flu, to building state-of-the-art WiFi networks through to virtual worlds, serious gaming, and GIS and GPS technologies, the five companies will be “pitching technology with market disrupting potential to local and international companies attending the five-day exhibition,” remarks Mohammed Al Maskari (pictured), Director General, Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM).

“The standard of the five young Omani entrepreneurs is incredibly high and we’re very proud to be able to put these companies in front of top-tier executives and investors. I’m sure that any visitor coming along to the KOM pavilion will be impressed at our extremely vibrant and dynamic tenants,” smiles Al Maskari.

“It’s important that we spread the word about tech excellence in Oman,” comments the KOM Director General. “I can say that the talent we’ll have on show at COMEX is second to none. But we must bring together knowledge silos and develop joined-up strategies to promote the Sultanate’s ICT commercial potential. In this regard, events like COMEX play an important role,” points out Al Maskari.

Since its opening in 2003 KOM has adopted an innovative approach and a gateway policy to ensure that the Park becomes successful by attracting start-ups, early stage businesses and multinationals whose core activity is in the knowledge-based economy, science, technology, environmental, ICT and other such related activities to locate at the Park.

“In order to attract entrepreneurial initiatives with good growth potential, we developed a policy of offering flexible tenancy agreements and attractive rents for pioneering knowledge-based businesses. This allowed new initiatives that would not have previously had the means to get started with the opportunity to grow. Moreover, we assist these businesses to expand into a bigger space with equally flexible arrangements. In the process, KOM provides fledgling businesses with access to free business support to help commercialize their ideas,” remarks Al Maskari.

Alongside the business support it offers KOM nurtures innovation and enterprise in budding entrepreneurs of all ages by playing an integral role with its partners in initiatives such as The TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition.

The TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition searches the Sultanate for the brightest entrepreneurs. A RO6,000 cash prize plus an impressive business support package, including 12 months free space at TKM, KOM’s business incubator program, is offered to the winner. “Muscat Geosystems, one of the winner’s of the competition will be exhibiting at COMEX,” remarks Mohammed Al Hinai, TKM Manager. Adding: “Initiatives such as The TKM – Ernst & Young Big Business Idea Competition really demonstrate how KOM is encouraging and supporting enterprise in the community, going further than just creating employment opportunities.”

Since KOM opened its doors it has created an inspiring environment in which enterprise, business growth, job opportunities, education and skills initiatives are born, nurtured and allowed to flourish - turning what was barren land into a source of both employment and inspiration.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Eat Local

Savour a slice of locally grown tomato and you instantly know it doesn't get any better than that. It may be harder to notice the differences between some other locally grown and shipped-in produce - carrots, onions and potatoes - but members of the Origin Oman Team, a government-run campaign dedicated to the economic, environmental and nutritional benefits of buying local say their campaign to "Think Local" goes way beyond taste.

Zuhair Al Zadjali along with Origin Oman colleagues Hamida Al Balushi, Nasser Al Rahbi and Bader Al Zadjali are co-ordinating the 26 May 150 Kilometre Meal project and he observes: “100 years ago nearly all the food we ate came from within 30 kilometres of our homes. Nowadays, we feast on the meat of the African Buffalo, or eat cheese made from the milk of the Tibetan Yak, but all this fine dining is having a huge environmental cost.”

The idea of living off locally-sourced food has fallen out of fashion only in the last few decades. But Al Zadjali says: “We’ve living in an age of any time, any place, anywhere food – this might work for telecoms but when it comes to food it’s an unsustainable way to live.”

Zuhair admits that choosing to eat from such a rigidly-defined area is a leap into the unknown for many city-dwelling Oman-based families but firmly believes that initiatives like the 150 Kilometre Meal can make a difference, as what we choose to eat is one of the few areas where we can independently reduce our carbon footprint.

People attending the 150 Kilometre Meal at Knowledge Oasis Muscat on 26 May will do so for very different reasons. Some will leave the event wanting to source 100% of their food locally while others will be saying: ‘OK, I've understood the concept. I can now cook an Oman-produced meal.’ “We're not trying to prescribe, we’re just pointing out that local produce is available and we encourage people to take advantage of it,” says Al Zadjali.

Research suggests that food grown in the community is generally picked within 24 to 48 hours of it appearing in the supermarket - it is crisp, sweet and loaded with flavour. Although biotechnology companies have been trying to commercialize genetically modified fruits and vegetables, they are currently licensing them only to very large factory-style farms. Local farmers don't have access to genetically modified seed, and most of them wouldn't use it even if they could. “If you’re worried about eating bioengineered food, you can rest assured that locally grown produce was bred as nature intended,” observes Al Zadjali.

“We have to wake up to how important the carbon footprint of food is,” says Alya Al Hosni (pictured) of the Oman Brand Management Unit and confirmed diner at the May 26th event: "Individuals have real power when they act collectively. The food and beverage sector is a very competitive market, so it means that consumer choices, even at the margins, can make a difference to communities right across Oman.”

Alya believes there are a lot of win-wins out there for the 150 Kilometre Meal project: “Buying local creates jobs, develops the local supply chain, reduces our carbon footprint and creates a stronger local community spirit. By supporting local farmers today, we can help ensure that there will be farms in our community tomorrow, and that future generations will have access to nourishing and abundant food, that’s got to be good for the local community,” smiles Alya.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Innovate

Listen up folk - investment isn't Oman’s scarcest resource - imagination is. What Oman’s future really depends on is innovation. Indeed, it’s impossible to overstate the importance of innovation. It drives productivity. Helps businesses improve the way products and services are made and delivered. Moreover, it reduces costs by increasing efficiency. In fact, research indicates that innovating companies sustain a higher performance and grow faster than non-innovators. However, it appears that not all Oman-based businesses are taking advantage of these competitive strengths.

Research suggests that one of the measures of innovative performance is the number of businesses that introduce new or improved products, processes or services. In this regard, Oman would appear to be lagging behind. The challenge is to improve on our performance. To be blunt, many of our businesses don’t see innovation as being relevant to them – this is probably due to the fact that they don’t understand how rapidly the world is changing. In fact, globalisation and the major advances taking place in science and technology make innovation essential to most businesses, irrespective of whether you’re operating in Nice, Northampton or Nizwa.

What Don’t You Understand?
The fact that many of our businesses don’t see innovation as relevant may also be due to the perception that innovation is just about science and technology. That’s just plain wrong. Innovation’s about anything that enables a business to improve the products and services it offers. Exploiting new technology may be one way of doing this. But it’s equally likely to come from adopting a new business process, using new management techniques or increasing the skills of your workforce. For example, one of the most potent sources of innovation is design. Design can play a catalytic role in the development process, bringing together all aspects of a business from research, through production, sales and marketing. Let’s be clear, innovation has to be for everyone, it’s just as relevant to service industries as it is to the more technology-driven parts of Oman’s economy.

Drucker...Again?
As most of you would expect, it was Peter Drucker who put innovation centre stage. A lot has been written about technological innovation, but Drucker had something else in mind - a new orientation to the concept of innovation and learning:

"Every organization - not just businesses - needs one core competence: innovation. And every organization needs a way to record and appraise its innovative performance." Harvard Business Review (Jan-Feb: 1995).

On the media front, it was probably Fortune magazine that called it first in the business press:

"Innovation is the spark that makes good companies great. It's not just invention, but a style of corporate behaviour comfortable with new ideas and risk...Companies that know how to innovate don't necessarily throw money into R&D. Instead, they cultivate a new style of corporate behaviour that's comfortable with new ideas, change, risk and even failure." (March: 1997).

Simply put, and according to Mark Hobbs, GM, Shaleem Petroleum: “innovation is the successful exploitation of new ideas. These ideas may be new, or simply new to your sector, industry or company. It’s a process that creates wealth from knowledge, reflecting the importance of the value of what you know.” I’d expand on Hobbs’ excellent definition to include: Innovation involves the creation of new designs, concepts and ways of doing things and their exploitation and subsequent diffusion through the rest of the economy and society. As such, defining "innovation" with precision is difficult. It can either be wide and embrace all aspects of business or it can be seen as something elitist, practiced by techies in smart offices up at Knowledge Oasis Muscat.

Its Many Interpretations
What folk need to understand is that innovation is interpreted and perceived differently, for example:

o To the business community – it means sustained or improved growth delivering higher profits for its owners and investors.

o To Bader Average – it means new and more interesting work, better skills, higher pay and importantly having a good working environment.

o To Joe Consumer – it means higher quality and better value goods, more efficient services (both public and private).

o For Oman – it’s the key to higher productivity, greater prosperity, higher standards of living and ultimately a more vibrant and flourishing domestic economy.

A survey carried out by Accenture and the Talent Foundation (Innovation - A Way of Being) showed that 61 percent of business executives believe that innovation has increased in importance since 2001. Moreover, it features in the top 10 issues list for 96 percent of all companies. Another telling statistic from the Accenture-Talent Foundation survey is that companies only commercialize 20 percent of their good ideas – now, this just isn’t good enough.

National Innovation Review (NIR)
Innovation is critical to the future success of business and wealth creation in Oman. This is a hard economic fact. Government, the private sector and education, need, therefore, to work together to create the best possible conditions for innovation in business and industry, to put innovation at the centre of corporate strategies and to covey to young people the excitement and challenges of the advances taking place today in science and technology.

We need to see government, industry, business, finance, tourism, higher education, schools and support providers come together. Such a gathering 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 business community.

Partnerships must be encouraged, for example:

o Between businesses, using clusters and networks to pool their strengths and share best practice.

o Between businesses and universities to exploit research and provide the skilled people businesses need.

o Between government and the private sector to create the best possible conditions for innovation and provide the co-ordinated support businesses need to be able to innovate.

We need to promote strategies that focus on innovation in products, people and processes. If this could be accomplished, we’d raise productivity and higher level skills development within the economy. This in turn would lead to greater focus on:

o Business research and development – stimulating business R&D and increasing the pace of R&D commercialisation.

o Demand for higher level skills – in particular employees, who would see business innovation providing new and more interesting work, better skills and higher pay.

o Patents and Licensing – the number of patent registrations and licensing agreements is seen as a critical measure of commercialisation from the knowledge-base to industry.

Perhaps to achieve all of the above, we need to carry out a National Innovation Review – a review that would be clear and specific about where the government should invest public funds to build the infrastructure and provide the support that businesses really require. The review would help us gain an understanding of Oman’s current position and where its ambitions lie in terms of innovation. The review would examine Oman’s existing education, technology, industry, business, finance and tourism infrastructure and also consider how future investment could strengthen our ability to exploit new and emerging areas. The five cornerstones of an NIR would include:

1. Exploiting capabilities - Oman has a growing network of tertiary institutes and research centres at Sultan Qaboos University. We need to bring this innovative thinking into the workplace.

2. Collaborating to compete – we need to bring businesses together to exploit mutually advantageous innovative thinking.

3. Investing in innovation inputs - investing in the training, education and inspiration of Oman’s population.

4. Enhancing innovation culture and spreading best practice.

5. Providing business with an increasing array of 'innovation tools' e.g. finance, skills and market intelligence.

In brief, the principal aim of an NIR would be to improve living standards by promoting innovation and strengthening the economic base of the Sultanate.

Solid Background
Oman has a strong history of being down-to-earth and pragmatic. A country that sees an opportunity and grasps it. In this regard, it’s vital that we build on our many strengths, like the diversity of the people that live and work here. Over the past few years, much has been achieved on the innovation front, for example, the numerous e-Government projects rolled out by ITA – in areas such as health, education, trade (Ministry of Commerce & Industry’s One-Stop-Shop) and social affairs. PEIE’s work in establishing Knowledge Oasis Muscat, the country’s first Technology Park and base for over 65 hi-tech firms. It’s also home to a business incubator program that’s supported by Trowers & Hamlins, KPMG, Ernst & Young and Intilaaqah. In brief, there are some excellent innovative ideas being taken forward.

On a more practical-level, you’re probably wondering what you can do in your own business environment that’ll contibute to a more innovative Oman? Here’s some actionable advice:

1. Focus on making your customers' lives better. If they can't see that your innovation is going to make their education experiences better, their car hire experiences better, or their supermarket shop better, you may as well throw in the towel.

2. Encourage the dreamers, and have planners who can take the dream and put together a plan and then have executors who can make that plan a reality. Moreover, get these folk to interact and work closely together.

3. Some of the best idea people are most satisfied by seeing their ideas get out there. The really valuable ones are those who have been around the block a few times. Whatever you do, don't lose those people.

4. When you get up tomorrow morning, the first thing you should ask youself is: "Why do I believe what I believe?" Constantly examine your own assumptions.

5. We need to create a tangible new venture process inside organizations. Ideas need a home. They need a place to go. They need people to review them.

6. Do what you love to do and surround yourself with people who also love to do that thing and who are full of talent. If you do that, you’ll build a great business, you can build a big business, or you can build a small business. But be passionate about it and you’ll be innovative as a result.

The Way Forward
We need business to succeed. It’s innovative businesses that will create our national wealth - wealth for our citizens, our families and our communities. Indeed, in this global economy, Oman-based businesses must wake up to the fact that they will find it increasingly difficult to sell poorly designed, packaged and marketed products and services that just don’t cut it with increasingly-sophisticated and informed customers. Success will depend on their ability to compete by producing products and services that customers want on the basis of higher levels of knowledge and skills, new processes and ways of working. This is the route to better jobs and a more prosperous Oman.

Why is it then that many Omani firms aren’t innovative? If innovation is to succeed, lack of creativity is generally not the issue. It’s all about providing the environment, people support processes and organizational climate that stimulates and supports idea conversion. Only once we have this in place will Omani firms achieve higher innovation quotients.

Side Bars
“At KOM, innovation’s our lifeblood. To keep moving forward we need new ideas. One of the challenges that a lot of companies face is creating a culture that sustains innovation. We put aside time for free-thinking, where colleagues sit down together and talk about what we do and how we do it. That process includes everybody from customer care, maintenance, finance, marketing and communications to administration. Let people think; let people dream.” Mohammed Al Maskari, Director General KOM

“You hear managers saying: ‘give me ideas.’ Then they’ll say: ‘But I only want ideas that work.’ If we’re serious about innovation, then we need to be prepared to get things wrong. Since the only way you ever learn is by making mistakes, you have to let that happen in your organization and not punish it.” Raza Ashraf, CEO, Total Alignment.

“I know it sounds off the wall, but tension plays a role in the innovative process. I think for most people, productive days come when our backs are to the wall - that's when creativity really kicks in. If we combine tension with an environment that truly encourages us to take risks, we'll see some great ideas emerge.” Karim Rahmhtulla, CEO, Infocomm Group.

“An ecosystem of innovation has to be created in the organization, and that requires two key players: the idea person, and the internal backer. The internal backers are people who may never have an idea, but they provide the functional excellence that takes an idea, moves it on and up, and creates innovation out of it.” Mark Hobbs, GM, Shaleem Petroleum.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Origin Oman Cooks 150 Kilometre Meal

The demand for local food is on the increase. According to Origin Oman market research 68% of consumers want to buy local and 49% want to buy more local produce than they do at the moment.

“Given this demand, more local produce is going to show up on local supermarket shelves and that’s great news for farmers and consumers,” says Origin Oman’s Bader Al Zadjali.

According to Al Zadjali: “Local produce like, pomegranate, sea salt and goat sausage start out as exotic or niche offerings and then move into the mainstream based on consumer demand for variety, premium products and healthy foods.”

Organizer of Origin Oman’s 150 Kilometre Meal scheduled to be held at Knowledge Oasis Muscat on May 26, Al Zadjali and his colleagues have been studying the evolution of food popularity. "Stage one is something we see in fine dining or ethnic food," he says, adding that stage two is specialty-food-oriented retail and media channels, like the gourmet magazines we pick up in local supermarkets. Stage three finds the item in mainstream local restaurants and retail stores targeting recreational cooks and food lovers. Stage four finds such products getting general market coverage in family and women's magazines. Finally, by stage five the product would be showing up in supermarkets or on fast-food menus either as a stand-alone product, flavouring or functional food.

The key reasons driving the demand for local produce seem to be that consumers want to know more about how their food has been produced. They also care about food safety, traceability, provenance and animal welfare. “Oman-based shoppers also want freshness and to have a sense of food tasting like it should or used to do. In fact, if people made the effort even 20 per cent to eat local, it would have a huge impact on the environment, the local economy and their communities,” says Al Zadjali.

“With a season-less global marketplace at our command, it’s become easy to buy South American asparagus to go with this evening’s chicken roast” says Sami Al Asmi of the Oman Brand Management Unit. “But eating local isn't just about health,” adds Al Asmi: “The more time you spend eating really good food, your taste buds acclimatize. I recently had the greatest fillet of hamour at a local fish restaurant. It was unbelievably delicious. And it hadn’t sat on the back of a truck for three weeks, frozen.”

Al Zadjali agrees: “I always like to use the honey analogy when I talk about the taste of local food,” he says. “The bees visit the local flora. We smell the air and our senses and our taste buds are attuned, so when we buy local honey, it tastes better because we’re smelling and tasting something familiar. It's also good for allergies for the same reason.”

Al Zadjali and his Origin Oman colleagues are upbeat about the 150 Kilometre Meal initiative and the importance of sourcing produce locally. “We ran the same event last year and were overwhelmed by the response, it really captured the public’s imagination and helped us getting people to think local. It really focused their attention. I’m sure this year’s event will have the same result.”

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

KOM's Brave New Media Talking Points

We thought you might be interested in a peek preview of some the issues that will raised at tonight's (4 May) Digital Nation Seminar:

1. Old Media is all about “push” while New Media is all about “pull”.

When you talk about the future of media we should be using words like ‘push’ and ‘pull’. The established broadcast and print media is a 'push' medium. In simple terms, that means a select group of producers decide what content is to be created, create it and then print it or push it down a pipe to an audience. The Internet on the other hand is a 'pull' medium. Nothing comes to you unless you choose it. You're in charge.”

2. The assumption of the old broadcast and print media model was that audiences were passive and uncreative but with the spread of Broadband Internet that is changing.

Take blogging for example, - the practice of keeping an online diary. What the blogging phenomenon suggests is that the traffic in ideas and cultural products isn't a one-way street. People have always been articulate and well-informed, but until now few have broken into print or broadcast. Blogging and the Internet has changed all that and given people the platform they needed.

3. Keeping secrets is another interesting media change.

If one of your products doesn’t work properly then it’s going to pop up on a blog somewhere. Today’s, consumers are better informed and have the tools at their finger tips to search for information on companies and their products. That kind of coverage doesn’t generally appear in your daily paper or on the local news, does it?

4. The other explosion has been in the use of digital photography.

For example, sites like Flickr.com allow people to upload their pictures and display them on the web. The most fascinating aspect of it is that users can attach tags to their pictures and these tags can be used to search the entire database. I looked for photographs tagged with ‘Oman’ and came up with 95,402 images. Ten years ago, those images would’ve ended up in a photo album – today, they’re on the Internet and viewed by millions. This is a perfect example of new media and it has tremendous reach.

We’re witnessing a remarkable change – the creation of news is being driven bottom-up rather than top-down and it’s the power and reach of the Internet that’s doing that.

5. What’s the difference between New and Traditional Media?

I see a couple of differences between New Media (that collection of network-based, computer chip-enabled electronic communication tools) and traditional media (radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, etc.).

The first is that communication is no longer one way. Sure, we had letters to the editor and in North America you could have your own public access television show, but for the average media consumer, there was no real chance of being heard before New Media. That’s definitely new for most of us.

Secondly, the time compression is phenomenal. For example, magazine editors would spend a month doing the work it takes to put out the publication and then wait two weeks for printing and shipping before anyone could even read their work. Today, you post it online and you get an immediate reaction. Being able to be heard quickly by people who are communicating with you is what sets New Media apart from traditional print and broadcast media.

6. What’s New Media got over traditional print and broadcst media? I think truly crucial is the combination of:

(a) universal access to simple publishing tools (meaming anyone can ‘publish’ content – blogs, flickr, facebook, YouTube, etc); and

(b) powerful social bookmarking and aggregation services - meaning anyone can be be heard if they publish something of interest and value.

7. Where are the New Media trends?

The answer lies within the Internet and people’s desire for fresh entertainment! Networking and video-sharing websites are the biggest thing happening within the web. These internet phenomenons have bet set-up to target consumer groups such as students and other young adults. Networking website like Myspace and Facebook have caught people’s attention day after day. From custom options to user programmed applications, these profile sites are where the audiance gather and share interesting entertainment, the latest trends and other media.

8. Let’s put things in perspective, shall we?

The Digital Dividend Organisation notes that there are more telephones in New York City than in all of rural Asia, and as much as 80% of the world's population has never made a phone call. The net connects over 100 million computers, but that represents less than 2% of the world's population.' (Caslon Analytics) From these statistics, it is clear that most of the world is being left behind, while 2% of the population slowly gains complete technological power.

9. What is the role of New Media in advancing social goals and economic development in developing countries?

Examples in developing countries include the use of cell phones by Kenyan farmers to market crops, the Internet as a job-finding tool for slum dwellers in India, educational radio soap operas for tribal communities in Afghanistan and social networking support for goods distribution in rural China.

10. What could we be doing in Oman to leverage the power and reach of New Media?

Come along to the Grand Hyatt Hotel at 7:30pm on Monday 4 May and let's us know what you think!

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

KOM's Brave New Media

The territory once dominated by broadcast TV and print media is being swallowed up by subscription-based narrowcast digital television and the Internet says Knowledge Oasis Muscat’s (KOM) Mulkie Al Hashmi (pictured)and organizer of KOM’s quarterly Digital Nation seminar program.

The changing global media landscape will be the topic of discussion at KOM’s 4 May Digital Nation seminar scheduled to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

According to research from the European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA), almost half of 15-24 year olds (46%) are watching less TV, preferring instead to browse the web while 22% are listening to less radio. The EIAA research also reveals the extent to which the youth is using the Internet to communicate with friends, with 58% preferring to chat to friends over the Internet. “The EIAA statistics clearly reveal a new media trend – and that’s away from established print and broadcast channels,” suggests Al Hashmi.

“When you talk about the changing media landscape we should be using words like push and pull,” says Al Hashmi. “The established media is a push medium. In simple terms, that means a select group of producers decide what content is to be created, create it and then print or push it down a pipe to an audience. The Internet on the other hand is a pull medium. Nothing comes to you unless you choose it. You're in charge.”

The assumption of the old broadcast and print media model was that audiences were passive and uncreative but with the spread of Broadband Internet that is changing. “Take blogging for example”, says Al Hashmi - the practice of keeping an online diary - “what the blogging phenomenon tells us is that the traffic in ideas and cultural products isn't a one-way street. People have always been articulate and well-informed, but until now few have broken into print or broadcast. Blogging and the Internet has changed all that and given people the platform they needed. In fact, people on YouTube are reaching larger audiences than established broadcasters like the BBC and CNN.”

Keeping secrets is another interesting change, suggests Al Hashmi. “If one of your products doesn’t work properly then it’s going to pop up on a blog somewhere. Today’s consumers, particularly the youth, are tech savvy and better informed and have the tools at their finger tips to search for information on companies and products. That kind of information doesn’t generally appear in your daily paper or on the local news, does it?”

The other interesting media development has been in the use of digital photography. For example, sites like Flickr.com allow people to upload their pictures and display them on the web. The most interesting aspect being that users can attach tags to their pictures and these tags can be used to search the entire database. “This morning, I searched for photographs tagged with ‘Oman’ and came up with 95,402 images. Ten years ago, those images would’ve ended up in a photo album – today, they’re on the Internet and viewed by millions,” observes the Digital Nation Co-ordinator.

”We’re witnessing a remarkable change – the creation of news is being driven bottom-up rather than top-down and it’s the power and reach of the Internet that’s doing that. I’m confident that the 4 May Digital Nation seminar will touch on all these issues – it should be a great evening,” concludes Al Hashmi.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Meet-the-Buyer Seminar Grand Success

Many of Oman’s top companies turned out on Monday to attend Origin Oman’s Meet-the-Buyer seminar held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel under the patronage of HE Eng. Ahmed Al Dheeb, Under Secretary for Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Commerce & Industry (pictured).

With panellists from Muscat Municipality; The Wave; PDO; Shell Oman Marketing; Reem Batteries; R&D; and The Nejd the event attracted over 20 ministries as well as a host of manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers and distributors.

“It was more than apparent from the panel discussion and the questions from attendees that buyers are keen to discover new local suppliers. Indeed, this type of event offers both businesses and government departments an excellent opportunity to network with domestic producers and suppliers. In my book, it was a resounding success,” says HE Eng. Al Dheeb.

Luxury candle and soap manufacturer The Nejd attended the event and took part in the panel discussion. Partner, Shatha Abbas says: “Origin Oman’s Meet-the-Buyer seminar was an invaluable tool in helping us generate new business leads. It was a great opportunity to network and meet other producers, as well as a gateway to some of the country’s leading buyers. Today’s event has been very beneficial to our business.”

“This is the first time we’ve run a Meet-the-Buyer style event and given the feedback we think it will a go a long a long way in helping local producers and buyers boost the sultanate’s economy,” says Origin Oman Marketing Director, Ibtisam Al Faruji.

The day proved to be a major success for Mohammed Al Rasbi, CEO of local IT firm R&D: “In just one day I met potential customers that would take me weeks to go and see. I’ve been to a number of Origin Oman events recently and they’re a great place to meet potential clients. And it was all free, so I couldn’t think of a better way to invest my time.”

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Art for Manufacturing's Sake

Origin Oman’s “Portraits of Manufacturing” photographic exhibition was opened Saturday 25 April at Qurum’s City Centre by HE Eng. Ahmed Al Dheeb, Under Secretary for Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

The exhibition which runs until 1 May includes 60 stunning images showcasing the faces of manufacturing. Taken by local photographers – Abdullah Al Shuhi and Rami Al Lawati – these images present manufacturing as it has never been seen before and give it a human face. “The clarity and power of the photographs on display is outstanding,” observes Bader Al Zadjali of the government-run Origin Oman campaign.

Origin Oman’s Marketing Director, Ibtisam Al Faruji, says: “This exhibition follows months of work by Abdullah and Rami and has ben a true labour of love on their part. It’s a unique collaboration by the two. Indeed, the result is absolutely fascinating. I’m sure the exhibition will provoke a lot of debate and I hope as many people as possible will get along to Qurum City Centre to see the pictures. Also, we hope it will educate people about the vibrancy of what’s happening in Omani manufacturing. Personally, I’d like to think that in the long-term it might encourage some people to consider careers in manufacturing,” smiles Al Faruji.

The photographic approach taken by Al Shuhi and Al Lawati is known as “Record Pictures.” This was the original 19th century, matter-of-fact photography employed by industry for functional applications – showing what something looks like as accurately as possible - rather than for aesthetic purposes.

“Why should a photograph be dressed up to look more interesting? Surely a faithful photograph, made to look as realistic as possible, allows you to see more? suggests Al Lawati, Founder and MD of ProShots.

Zuhair Al Balushi, Origin Oman Co-ordinator said: “This will be an emotional exhibition for many people who are involved in industry. It also offers those not familiar with manufacturing a real insight into this economically crucial and growing sector. Indeed, those featured in the exhibition have been captured in an amazing and respectful way.”

“Having Qurum City Centre come in to support the exhibition has been extremely important”, says Al Faruji, adding: “And it was the Mall’s management team offering us their gallery space that has enabled the Origin Oman Team to take this important photographic exhibition to the public.”

After showing in Qurum City Centre, the exhibition moves to the Department of Commerce & Economics at Sultan Qaboos University and then on to a nationwide tour of PEIE’s six industrial estates.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Meet-the-Buyer Says Origin Oman

The government’s Origin Oman campaign, an initiative created to promote locally-made products will organize a Meet-the-Buyer seminar at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on Monday 27 April.

“This is a unique one-day program which will give Omani businesses the chance to meet, and find out how to sell to buyers from the public sector and large firms. It will also offer local buyers the opportunity to network with manufacturers and discuss the challenges they face in sourcing locally-made goods,” says HE Eng. Ahmed Al Dheeb, Under Secretary for Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

The seminar panel is made up of a diverse group of buyers and sellers from a variety of sectors – including PDO; Shell Oman Marketing; Lulu Hypermarkets; Muscat Municipality; The Wave; local luxury candle and soap manufacturer, the Nejd; and Reem Batteries.

Omani businesses know only too well how time consuming, frustrating and expensive selling can be even when you know you have the best of products. According to Origin Oman’s Co-ordinator, Hamida Al Balushi: “90 per cent of the battle is just getting though the door – and with some large companies and public sector organizations, it can be a daunting experience, but we hope Monday’s seminar will help attendees connect with one another and lift barriers.”

The objective says Al Balushi is simple: “Get buyers and sellers talking and identifying ways in which we can strengthen the sultanate’s supply chain. Indeed, it’s an event we on the Origin Oman team are really excited about.”

"Taking part in Meet-the-Buyer will open up new ways of working with both the public sector and large firms and give participants the confidence to build relationships and win business,” stresses Al Faruji.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Wrap Up Properly Says Origin Oman

In today’s more sophisticated market, packaging has become a critical factor and can often make or break a product and the company that produces it. It’s generally accepted that 70 - 80% of a consumer's purchasing decision is made at the point of sale. “In supermarkets, for example, research shows that Oman-based shoppers spend less than 10 seconds in any single product category, so decisions are made very quickly and often based on what a product looks like,” says Hamida Al Balushi, Origin Oman Co-ordinator and organizer of the campaign’s Product Design and Packaging Workshop held on Saturday 18 April at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Muscat.

The look and feel of the product, design, colour, labelling, price and the name of the product itself are all things that trigger us to stop and look at items on shelves. “Most of these triggers either are, or can be influenced by packaging,” suggests Rawan Darwish of Landor Associates and one of the workshop’s presenters. “It’s an accepted fact that most consumers rate a product simply based on its packaging. With so much at stake, having a product packaged creatively will undoubtedly increase the odds of it being bought and then re-bought. Today’s workshop explored these issues and I’m sure attendees will have left with ideas on how they can maximize their business by improving their packaging.”

According to His Highness Sayyid Faisal Al Said, CEO of the newly-launched Oman Brand Management Unit (OBMU) and supporter of the Origin Oman campaign: “attention and power of packaging is often overlooked by Omani manufacturers in the rush to get the product to market– it’s an oversight that’s costing many firms dear. The OBMU CEO goes on to say: “Ask yourself, would you buy a plain looking item or something excitingly and attractively packaged. Which do you reach for first?”

Al Balushi agrees: “Everyone knows that packaging attracts attention, provokes and communicates volumes about the product it contains and the brand. If you were buying a gift, would you choose the one with ‘Super Saver Chocs' printed on the box - even if the contents were just as good as those at twice the price? I know which one I’d pick up.”

Packaging is an important marketing strategy and one that Oman-based manufacturers shouldn’t neglect, suggests Peter Ford of De Montfort University who traveled in specifically from Britain to present at the workshop.

“Most consumers” observes Ford, “judge a product by its packaging before buying. So it’s logical to say attractive packaging is crucial in order to get the first time buyer to choose your product. Without good packaging, who would buy it in order to try it? Your first step to enter the market is crushed if the packaging is ugly.”

One of the key messages that emerged from the workshop was that if locally made products are going to appeal to domestic and international consumers then firms need to seriously re-think their approach to packaging and product design. Indeed, economic development has seen the emergence of a growing Omani middle class, which places a growing importance on matters of taste and appearance. This increasing consumer sophistication is satisfied in part by creatively packaged goods, which offer the promise of higher quality as well as status.

Given the current economic crisis and the fact that companies are slashing marketing budgets, “if you're going to get the biggest bang for your marketing Rial then everything from the company’s ads, branding and packaging must carry the same and consistent message,” argues Ford. “let’s face it, attractive and creative packaging doesn’t have to cost any more than unattractive packaging.”

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Avaya Opens Office on KOM

Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) has attracted another hi-tech tenant to its state-of-the-art facility in Rusayl. In its regional expansion bid, Avaya has opened an office on KOM that will primarily manage its business development in Oman, as well as provide support for its existing customers and partners in the Sultanate.

“Oman is a significant area for Avaya, and we are capitalizing on the changing business environment and endless opportunities present in this country. We wanted to develop our presence in Oman as well as expand the services we offer our existing and new clients. Taking up residency in KOM was an obvious choice; the management team was particularly flexible with our requests, so we got exactly what we needed,” said Roger El-Tawil, Channel and Marketing Director, Middle East, North Africa and Turkey.

The move signifies Avaya’s commitment to the Sultanate. The company has recruited local talent to run its office, and is among the few multinational technology vendors to have an operation in Oman. The office will be fully functional in the next two months. Petroleum Development Oman, Oman Mobile, Bank Muscat, Bank Dofhar, and the Muscat Municipality are among some of Avaya’s customers in Oman.

“We see tremendous adoption of Avaya’s call center technology in Oman, and have identified new opportunities. We are investing and growing our channel resources to help crack these new business opportunities and expand our regional customer base,” added El Tawil.

Mohammed Al Maskari, KOM’s Director General said; “It’s always good to welcome another new tenant onto the Park, especially an important firm like Avaya. We are about technology, innovation and incubation and they are exactly the type of enterprise that KOM is designed to attract. We hope that they will be with us for many years to come and utilise our added value services as part of KOM’s commitment to provide support, to assist in the ongoing development and success of its tenants.”

Ibtisam Al Faruji, KOM’s Marketing Director added: “I’m sure Avaya will make an important contribution to the local economy and I wish them every success in the future.”

Avaya are market leaders in Unified Communications, Contact Centres and related services. The company provides solutions directly and through its channel partners to leading businesses and organizations around the world. Enterprises of all sizes depend on Avaya for state-of-the-art communications that improve efficiency, collaboration, customer service and competitiveness.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Portrait of Manufacturing

A collection of 60 photographs that represent the spirit of manufacturing has been brought together for a special Origin Oman exhibition to run 25 – 30 April at Qurum’s City Centre.

Entitled Portrait of Manufacturing, the five-day exhibition will showcase the work of local photographers Rami Al Lawati and Abdullah Al Shuhi who took photographs of people working in Oman’s manufacturing sector over a period of six months.

According to Origin Oman’s Bader Al Zadjali: “More than 1,000 photographs were researched to find the chosen sixty pieces and we’re thrilled that City Centre Qurum has agreed to showcase this unique collection of images.”

Speaking ahead of the event, Ibtisam Al Faruji, Marketing Director, Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) said: “The photographs in this exhibition give you a glimpse of the people, firms, environment, machinery and products that make up Oman’s manufacturing community, from Raysut in Salalah to Rusayl in Muscat. It’s a marvelous collection of very moving images.”

All sixty images in this exhibition were taken on PEIE industrial estates. ”Ultimately, this is a treasure trove for any one who loves photography, and clearly presents the extraordinary variety, breadth and idiosyncratic nature of Oman’s manufacturing sector,” says Al Faruji.

“Some of the prints look like fashion photography but are fine art and others look like scientific images but are documentary photographs. All these styles are used by contemporary photographers to make artistic or poetic points,” say Al Shuhi. Adding: “The work that will be presented represents an exciting variety of different attitudes and creative approaches to individual manufacturing themes and ideas. I hope visitors to the exhibition will find our work challenging and inspiring.”

Al Lawati added: “There are distinct groups of photos in this exhibition: some are experimental while others are documentary style images, made on the spot, with great detail and a sense of quietness. And some are elaborately staged like theatre specifically for the camera. They capture the true spirit of manufacturing. In fact, I fully expect the event to generate a lot of interest and discussion.”

According to Al Zadjali, the Origin Oman campaign wanted to mount a photographic exhibition that would reach the public and draw attention to manufacturing and the production of local goods. “The images provide the visitor with a cross section of subject matter in colour and monochrome, reflecting the photographers unique take on Oman’s manufacturing environment. Holding this five-day exhibition at a venue like City Centre Qurum is ideal – we get to reach people when they’re relaxed and out enjoying themselves.”

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Serious eGames Conference Starts Monday

With KOM's annual Serious eGames Conference set to start on Monday 30 March at the Middle East College of Information Technology, if you thought video games were only for fun then you had better think again. Today, we’re seeing increased interest in serious gaming. In simple terms, that means the use of interactive video games to make learning more engaging. In response to this demand, video game developers are creating a broad repertoire of educational and training games that can be used in the health, education, tourism and culture sectors – to name just a few.

“Some of today’s more popular video games – such as SimCity, Civilization and Hidden Agenda – are already being used in schools and universities across the world. Indeed, industry research clearly suggests that the demand for serious games will only increase. One reason could be that far more adults – rather than teens or children – are playing video games today,” says Mohammed Al Maskari, KOM’s Director General.

In this sense, video games are much like movies, people don't just stop watching movies after they outgrow Disney. They just switch to different types of movies. It's the same in the gaming industry – adults still want to play games, they're just choosing different types of games.

“The video gaming industry isn’t just about the youth market – far from it,” remarks KOM’s Marketing Director, Ibtisam Al Faruji, adding: “recent IBM and Sony Computer Entertainment figures paint a very different picture, several of these statistics are particularly relevant to the use of ‘games’ for learning and development and help us overcome the perception that ‘games are just for teens, especially as the average game player is now 33 years old and has been playing games for 12 years.”
Other figures show that 38% of all game players are women. In fact, women over the age of 18 represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population
(31%) than boys age 17 or younger (20%). Moreover, 49% of game players say they play games online one or more hours per week.

According to the Entertainment Software Association 70% of major employers utilize interactive software and games to train employees. The study data also showed that more than 75% of businesses already offering serious game-based training plan to expand their usage in the next three to five years. In brief, serious games has multiple applications that are relevant to Oman’s health, education, training, tourism, culture and civil defence sectors and it’s a market that is growing rapidly.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Global Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2007 - 11 report predicts the global gaming market - measured by consumer spending on games played on all platforms, including online and wireless games - will expand at a compound annual rate of 9.1% over the next five years.

In hard cold cash, PwC estimates that the video game market will increase from US$31.6 billion in 2006 to US$48.9 billion in 2011. This makes video games the third-fastest-growing segment of the entertainment and media market after TV distribution and Internet advertising.

The takeaway is clear: Spurred by the new generation of consoles and handhelds, and by increased penetration of broadband and wireless technologies, the serious games industry both globally and domestically is ripe with opportunity. “It’s apparent that there’s a lot of unlocked commercial potential. As a result, it’s predicted that over the next 10 – 15 years serious games will become ubiquitous. "Gamers" as a separate group will no longer exist, because everyone will be a gamer, as everyone now listens to music, watches TV, surfs the Net or reads a newspaper,” says KOM’s Director General.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Serious Games Not Child's Play

It may sound like a contradiction in terms. But serious games are now a very grown-up business and both corporations and governments around the world are using gaming technology to get their messages heard.

From helping to train armies to increasing sales of cheeseburgers, the serious games industry has taken off as an innovative way of truly engaging and educating today’s technologically-sophisticated audience.

“Using virtual worlds, simulation and social networking platforms, games deliver real training, education and marketing benefits,” says David Wortley, Director, Serious Games Institute (SGI), Coventry University and presenter at Knowledge Oasis Muscat’s annual Serious eGames Conference – scheduled to be held 30 March at the Middle East College of Information Technology.

Wortley cites SGI research in which two groups of emergency workers were taught how to cope with a city centre explosion. One underwent traditional training, the other used simulation game Triage Trainer. “Those using Triage Trainer absorbed more information and were better equipped. I think this is because the simulation created a greater degree of realism than could ever have been possible with more conventional scenario training,” he explains.

Similarly, the fast food chain Burger King increased sales – and reinforced its brand message amongst its target audience - when it created an electronic game for sale in US restaurants.

“Games can offer companies a real competitive edge, building relationships with their consumers,” says the SGI Director.

Man has always used games to develop skills and understanding. But the serious games revolution emerged only in the last 10 years when technology previously restricted to the likes of the aviation industry became widely accessible. The dawn of Web 2.0 has taken it onto a new level entirely.
One of the first to seize the initiative was the US army, attracting new recruits, training soldiers and even educating the public through simulation game America’s Army.

“We’re now seeing games that were originally designed for entertainment being put to serious use, for example, Nintendo Wii Fit. Even the best-selling PC game series, MYST, is used in the classroom to switch pupils onto English, with fantastic results,” says Mohammed Al Maskari (pictured) and organizer of the Serious eGames Conference.

On the education front, a recent report commissioned by the games giant Electronic Arts (EA) and carried out by FutureLab surveyed almost 1,000 teachers and more than 2,300 primary and secondary school students in the UK. The survey found 59% of teachers would consider using off-the-shelf games in the classroom while 62% of students wanted to use games at school.

While we might find a “generation divide between teachers and students in respect of playing computer games. For example, the UK study found more than 70% of teachers never play games outside school while 82% of children said they played video games on a regular basis. This tells me that serious games have a role in today’s more tech savvy learning environment.”

Ibtisam Al Faruji, KOM’s Marketing Director said: “Now more than ever people are starting to wake up to the importance of video games; culturally, artistically and economically. Whether you’re in tourism, finance, education, marketing or managing historic buildings, serious games have a role to play.”

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

KOM Doubles Office Capacity

The foundation stone for the new multi-purpose, 30,000 square metre ICT and business development facility on Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) was laid on Sunday 15 March by the Under Secretary for Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, HE Ahmed bin Hassan Al Dheeb (seated right) and HE Mohammed bin Nasser Al Rasbi, Under Secretary, Ministry of Defence(seated left).

In addition to the foundation stone laying ceremony, the two Under Secretaries signed a series of agreements related to the expansion of the Rusayl-based technology park.

Since its launch in 2003, KOM has gone from strength to strength, attracting multinationals such as Microsoft, NCR, Huawei, Motorola and Hewlett Packard to take up residency. Hi-tech SMEs from the Middle East, Asia and Europe have also opened operations on KOM. In addition to this, the Park’s business incubator program, The Knowledge Mine, continues to thrive, now home to over 15 start-ups working in areas that include e-Security, web design, precision engineering and environmental services.

Alongside the business benefits, the new KOM building is expected have a major impact on the domestic economy attracting upwards of 2,000 jobs and substantial inward investment into Oman over the next 5-10 years of its opening.

The new building will comprise of eight floors and take KOM’s existing office accommodation on from 22,000m2 to over 50,000m2. Externally, it will compliment the existing green glassed domed buildings on the park. Upper floors will have superb panoramic views over the tech park and the surrounding countryside.

The large development is the result of a partnership between KOM and the Ministry of Defence Pension Fund. As well as creating a centre for ICT excellence, the new building will also provide a base for firms working in areas such as the creative industries, education and environmental technologies.

Hilal Al Ahsani, CEO, Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) the government organization responsible for KOM said: “The global market for environmental products and services is an area KOM is keen to explore and one that is projected to double from US$1,370 billion (1.37 trillion) per year at present to US$2,740 billion (2.74 trillion) by 2020.”

According to Al Ahsani, in countries such as Germany, environmental technology is expected to grow fourfold to 16 per cent of industrial output by 2030, with employment in this sector surpassing that in the country's big machine tool and automotive industries. “Given the growth in environment technology, the new facility we’re building will certainly be looking to attract companies working in this important sector.”

The PEIE CEO went on to add: “KOM’s new development will bring huge long-term benefits to the Omani economy by fostering closer ties between ICT, business and education, building on the spirit of innovation for which KOM is renowned. PEIE is committed to developing our knowledge economy which is why we are partnering with the Ministry of Defence Pension Fund in this state-of-the-art facility.”

Saleh Al Habsi, Director General, MoD Pension Fund said: “KOM and the new 30,000 square metre office facility is about investing in Oman’s future by providing our people and businesses with the opportunities, skills and facilities they need to prosper.”

The foundation stone laying ceremony marks the start of the building’s construction. The project’s consultants are locally-based National Engineering Office and the contractor is Al Adrak Trading and Contracting LLC. The building is fully expected to be a landmark feature and will be equipped with the latest technology in broadband information and communication.

Long-term tenant of KOM and MD of Infocomm, Karim Rahemtulla said: “This is a major investment in Oman’s future and will bring immense benefits to the sultanate’s ICT and creative industries sectors, particularly in terms of the recruitment and retention of staff, as well as being a catalyst to the economic development of Oman."

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Major KOM Expansion

The foundation stone for the new multi-purpose, 30,000 square metre ICT and business development facility on Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) will be laid 15th March by the Under Secretary for Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, HE Ahmed bin Hassan Al Dheeb.

In addition to the foundation stone laying ceremony, HE Al Dheeb will also sign an MoU with HE Mohammed bin Nasser Al Rasbi, Under Secretary, Ministry of Defense and Vice Chairman, Ministry of Defence Pension Fund with regard investing in KOM’s new facility.

Since its launch in 2003, KOM has gone from strength to strength, attracting multinationals such as Microsoft, NCR, Huawei, Motorola and Hewlett Packard to take up residency. Hi-tech SMEs from the Middle East, Asia and Europe have also opened operations on KOM. In addition to this, the Park’s business incubator program, The Knowledge Mine, continues to thrive, now home to over 15 start-ups working in areas that include e-Security, web design, precision engineering and environmental services.

According to Mohammed Al Maskari, KOM’s Director General: “The new building will comprise of eight floors and take KOM’s existing office accommodation on from 22,000m2 to over 50,000m2. Externally, it will compliment the existing green glassed domed buildings on the Rusayl-based technology park. Upper floors will have superb panoramic views over the tech park and the striking surrounding countryside.“

The large development is the result of a partnership between KOM and the Ministry of Defence Pension Fund. As well as creating a centre for ICT excellence, the new building will also provide a base for firms working in areas such as the creative industries; education; and environmental technologies.

The foundation stone laying ceremony marks the start of the building’s construction. The project’s consultants are locally-based National Engineering Office and the contractor is Al Adrak Trading and Contracting LLC. The building is fully expected to be a landmark feature and will be equipped with the latest technology in broadband information and communication. The building is due for completion by summer 2010.


Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Packaging Origin Oman

In today’s congested business world, packaging has become a critical factor; it can often make or break a product. If the packaging is right, people will buy a product without even trying it because most associate superior packaging with quality. “It’s generally accepted that 70 - 80% of a consumer's purchasing decision is made at the point of sale. In supermarkets, for example, research shows shoppers spend an average of less than 10 seconds in any single product category, so decisions are made quickly and often based on what a product looks like,” says Hamida Al Balushi, Origin Oman Co-ordinator and organizer of Origin Oman’s 18 April Product Design and Packaging Workshop scheduled to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Muscat.

The look and feel of the product, design, colour, labelling, price and the name of the product itself are all things that trigger us to stop and look at items on shelves. “Most of these triggers either are, or can be influenced by packaging,” suggests Al Balushi. Indeed, potential consumers will touch, rate and even smell a product simply based on its packaging. With so much at stake, having a product packaged creatively will increase the likelihood of it being bought and re-bought if it lives up to its name.

However, according to Al Balushi, attention to packaging is a crucial step that’s often neglected in business. “Ask yourself this question, would you buy a plain looking item or something excitingly packaged that makes everyone drool?” smiles Hamida.“Everyone knows that packaging attracts attention, provokes and communicates volumes about the product it contains and the brand. Think about a box of chocolates, would you buy one with ‘Cheap Chocs' printed on the box if you were taking it as a gift - even if the contents were just as good as those at twice the price?” asks the Origin Oman Co-ordinator.

So packaging is important but many Omani companies make the same mistake - they only ever think about packaging when they launch a new product. If packaging is so important as to influence 70 - 80% of a consumer's purchasing decision then it must be continually reviewed and tested. “This is the type of message we aim to get out at the 18 April Workshop. In this regard, we’ll be bringing in key experts to lead the discussions. This will include, Peter Ford, Reader in Design Innovation at Leicester’s De Montfort University. Peter is a major player in his field, having worked on product design and packaging initiaties with companies like Adidas; British Nucleur Fuels; Black & Decker; The Post Office; and Lucas Automotive. He will be joined by Rawan Darwish, Shaun Loftman and Stuart Jeal from Landor Associates – a firm with a long-standing, top-clas international reputation for bringing innovative design solutions.”

“Packaging is an important marketing strategy and one that Oman-based manufacturers shouldn’t neglect,” says Ford, adding: “Most consumers judge a product by its packaging before buying. So it’s logical to say attractive packaging is crucial in order to get the first time buyer to choose your product. Without good packaging, who would buy it in order to try it? Your first step to enter the market is crushed if the packaging is ugly.”

Having eye-catching packaging doesn’t mean you should neglect quality either. Repeat sales depend on high quality products. “Converting first time buyers into loyal customers should be the main goal of your business and packaging is the door to it,” adds Ford

Incorporating new package design into the re-branding process isn’t something to rush into blindly, it’s important to get it right according to Landor’s Shaun Loftman (pictured): “Tinkering with packaging is often the first response company’s use to rejuvenate a tired brand. Frequently, this approach results in an early incremental increase in market share which is then quickly lost once consumers realise it's the same old product.”

“If Oman-made products are going to appeal to consumers then we need to re-think our approach to packaging and product design. Indeed, as Oman’s economy develops, consumers are increasingly turning to packaged goods, which offer convenience, quality, aesthetics and lifestyle branding. Economic development has also seen the emergence of a burgeoning Omani middle class, which places a growing importance on matters of taste and appearance. This increasing consumer sophistication is satisfied in part by creatively packaged goods, which offer the promise of higher quality as well as status,” comments Ibtisam Al Faruji, Origin Oman’s Marketing Director.

And a final word from Hamida: “I strongly believe the 18 April Origin Oman Product Design and Packaging Workshop offers an interesting and important opportunity for us to address the design and packaging challenges that face local manufacturers and retailers.”

Sidebar
You’ve 10 seconds to impress. So what makes good packaging?

Speak
If your target audience wants to feel they’re saving money then making your product look cheaper using plain packaging and a 'No Frills' message would be right - the reality is that the packaging 'origination costs' will bear little or no impact on the product price but it makes the product feel cheaper.

Design
Most consumers like to try new things and the only way to buy something that is worth their investment is through the depiction of the design or image of the packaging. Be creative in your packaging to help better impress potential consumers to buy your product.

Creative packaging help breaks the consumer’s fear of a bad purchase. It also opens the door for products to be tried at least once from first time users. Packaging is a crucial element that can’t be neglected.

Clear
If consumers only spend 10 seconds then they get a lot of information about a product by just looking at the pictures on the packaging than from reading the text. Colour can also convey a message about your product and shortcut communication with consumers. Though be aware, colour has different meanings in different cultures so it needs to be researched. Where text is used, make it easy to read and use language that connects with the target audience.

Consistent
With only 10 seconds, consumers will generally go with what they’re familiar with. However, in the absence of relevance the consumer will always fall back on price. If a consumer has seen your product in advertising they feel that they already know what it can do for them, they will be more likely to buy your product. If you're going to get the biggest bang for your marketing Rial then everything from the company’s ads, branding and packaging must carry the same and consistent message.

Practical
The best examples of this are squeezy ketchup bottles and plastic toothpaste tubes - the physical and practical packaging is as important as the aesthetics. It must add to the positive experience of using the product. At the end of the day, it has to be easy to open and easy to use.


Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

Origin Oman's Product Design & Packaging Workshop

The Origin Oman Team will run a Product Design and Packaging Workshop on 18 April at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. This is a free-of-charge event and open to the general public. However, we will be limiting the number of attendees to 125. Should you wish to attend, please e-mail your name and contact co-ordinates to Hamida Al Balushi on: hamida.albalushi@peie.om

Event Summary
The Origin Oman campaign proposes to conduct two one-day product design and packaging workshops in Muscat. The proposed workshops will provide an insight into the specialist design expertise available to Oman’s manufacturing industry; the importance of product design, development and innovation to manufacturing –illustrated with examples and expert guidance; and advice on how to avoid product development failures.

Event detail and schedule:

9.00am – 9.30am: Networking + coffee

Session 1: 9:30am -10:15am
Peter Ford, Reader in Design Innovation - De Montfort (pictured) University
Approximately 50% of all new product development projects are failures. Session 1 will illustrate with examples, how to avoid the pitfalls and justify why new product development is important to Omani manufacturers. In addition, Session 1 will highlight the key drivers for a successful customer driven implementation strategy.

10:15am – 10.3am: Questions

10:30am – 10:45am: Networking + coffee

Session 2: 10:45am – 11:30am
Rawan Darwish, Shaun Loftman & Stuart Jeal - Landor Associates
Session 2 will outline the why’s, how's and wherefores of design, development and innovation in product design and packaging.

11:30am – 11:45am: Questions

11:45am – 12:00: Networking + coffee

12:00 – 12:45pm: Group Focus - Opportunity to have your say

A breakout session for small groups
What are the main barriers to product design, packaging and innovation in your sector?
What have been the most important product, packaging and design innovations within your organization/sector in the past 10 years?

Each group to present findings to the Workshop

Session 3: 12:45pm – 1:15pm
Post group findings: feedback, advice, further probing and suggestions.

1:15pm – 2:30pm: Lunch + networking


Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE

The Real Value of Buying Local

A one-on-one with Ibtisam Al Faruji - the woman heading up the Origin Oman, Buy Local campaign.

What’s Origin Oman all about?
Origin Oman is a think, buy and eat local business initiative spearheaded by the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE). In simple terms, it aims to preserve and enhance the economic, human and natural vitality of Oman’s communities by promoting the importance of purchasing locally made products and services.

Origin Oman certainly isn’t a militant 'buy only Oman' program. It’s a balanced and rational campaign that’s more about educating consumers and institutional buyers as to the availability of Oman-made products and services and the internal success stories many of Oman’s businesses are enjoying in the international markets. For example, Reem Batteries power London’s iconic red double decker buses.

We want to encourage people to think, buy and eat local. Indeed, we want to make sure consumers, businesses and institutional buyers ask the right questions before spending their money in a way that will hurt Oman’s economy. We want them to look around and see if there’s a reasonably priced quality local alternative available.

Isn’t Origin Oman protectionist?
Not at all. The Origin Oman campaign is entirely about the free choices of consumers, businesses and institutional buyers. No one is being forced to buy local, and no tariffs or other burdens are being placed on non-local goods.

Some economists believe - incorrectly - that initiatives such as Origin Oman must mean putting up trade barriers or inducing consumers to buy more expensive locally-made goods and services. They also forget that economic models assume all consumers have perfect information. One way of looking at the Origin Oman campaign is that it gives consumers better information - about the availability of attractive local goods and services, and about the significant economic, social and environmental benefits of buying local.

Shouldn't we leave the market alone?
A healthy market requires, as Origin Oman insists, that consumers fully gather information about available local alternatives before they make purchasing decisions, in full awareness that every Rial spent locally will have two to four times more benefit than a Rial spent non-locally. In fact, Origin Oman-style campaigns often turn out to be the best way to develop prosperous links to the global economy.

Why the recent interest in local products?
The notion of local products is not a new principle. Most products start their life produced for local sale. The revival of interest in buying goods, food and services from closer to home is stimulated by desire for quality, originality, a concern for the environment and a will to invest in our local communities.

There has been a recent resurgence in interest in buying locally for a number of reasons. We have seen growing concern for the environment, for example, the transport required to bring products and produce to market. This is coupled with nostalgia for the kind of relationship that goes hand-in-hand with the selling of local products. Also, links to tourism have meant that people exploring new cultures take an interest in locally made products and fare, whether they are visitors from other countries or other parts of Oman.

The principle behind local products is that they should give that distinctive difference, offering the consumer a product which reflects their understanding of being locally provided. While there are differing definitions of what ‘local’ means, we should allow the consumer to make that decision. The key in much of this is the authenticity of the product and the trust generated by forming a relationship between manufacturer, grower and consumer.

When considering local products, it is important to note the effect that key trends and influences have over consumer choice. Consumers have varying levels of concern and desire about issues such as health and the environment. In terms of health, consumers increasingly seek out fresh, quality produce, in which they can invest a level of trust. The trust relationship in local foods is often reinforced by the direct selling relationship between producer and consumer. Additionally, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of a need to reduce food kilometres - the distance which goods and produce must travel to reach the market. There are also connected concerns over levels of energy use, and for this reason products which have low levels of energy use, or involving sustainable sources of energy have extra appeal to Oman-based consumers.

Are you asking people just to buy Omani?
No, that’s not what the campaign is about. Of course local manufacturers, farmers and service providers keep more money in the local economy - but less obvious is just how much difference buying locally made products, produce and services can make. Research indicates that for every RO36 local retailers bring in through sales, businesses return RO25 to the local economy through salaries and benefits, purchase of goods and services like office supplies, marketing, PR, IT, advertising and accounting, profits to local owners and charitable contributions.

Indeed, research from San Francisco found that even the smallest shift in consumer spending can have a tremendous impact on the local economy. If 10% of residential spending were redirected toward local businesses, the study found, it would give San Francisco an RO75 million economic boost and generate nearly 1,300 new jobs.

Perhaps not coincidentally, we’re beginning with the goal of convincing consumers, businesses and institutional buyers to redirect just 10% of their spending toward locally made goods, produce and services - that would have a significant economic impact. In these turbulent economic times, it can make the difference between life and death for a local firm.

I guess that once the average Oman-based consumer, business and institutional buyer realizes they already buy local to some degree, whether that’s washing powder, confectionary, car batteries, cooking oil, ceramic tiles, vegetables or building materials, they will perhaps engage in the idea a lot more.

But does the local angle really matter?
Yes, but perhaps not in immediate sales. Rather the local approach humanizes the interaction, and helps the consumer see that they may have more in common with a local company or brand than they had imagined - shared values or environmental views, for example. And that common ground can only get stronger over time. In my opinion, the overall economic, environmental and social impact of buying local is actually pretty astounding.

Blog contents copyright © 2006 PEIE