MUSCAT: The National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), in partnership with the Authority for Projects, Tenders and Local Content, will today, Sunday, launch two public opinion polls under the title “Measuring Community Awareness of Local Content.”
The polls will target two groups — one representing the general public and another comprising employees in public and private sector institutions. This initiative supports national efforts to boost in-country value and align with the economic and social goals of Oman Vision 2040.
Running until August 27, the surveys aim to measure awareness of the local content concept, assess the extent of public and institutional engagement with policies favouring local products and services, and explore factors influencing the preference for local goods. They will also identify challenges faced by individuals and organisations in adopting this strategic approach.
The first poll will involve Omani citizens and residents aged 18 and above. It will examine awareness of core concepts, including employment of the national workforce, use of local goods and services, knowledge transfer, and investment in national assets. It will also explore preferences for Omani products, sources of knowledge about local content, and willingness to pay more for locally produced goods of equal quality.
The second poll will focus on Omani employees in supply, manufacturing, distribution, and commercial marketing sectors. It will assess the implementation of local content policies within their organisations, purchasing priorities, challenges in dealing with SMEs, and the benefits of local content application at institutional and sales levels.
Mahfouz bin Salem al Musharfi, Director of the Public Opinion Measurement Department at NCSI, said these surveys will give decision-makers a clear picture, based on reliable data, of the realities and challenges of local content in Oman at both individual and institutional levels.
He added that the findings will help consolidate economic empowerment, encourage national consumption, and strengthen SMEs’ role in supply chains, supporting the goals of Oman Vision 2040 to create a sustainable, diversified economy. Results are expected to yield accurate indicators that will guide the development of national initiatives and inform investments and policies to enhance reliance on Omani human and institutional capabilities. — ONA
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