Innovation First and Foremost: The Case of Oman's Ranking in the Global Innovation Index

Abstract

GII is one of the most significant reports that measure the country's level of innovation. Oman's performance has been outstanding since 2013, with specialists expecting to rise to the top 40 countries in the index. However, over the last two years, Oman's ranking has dramatically declined to 80 by 2019 and continued to decline after it was 57 in the year 2018. The purpose of this research is to identify the factors that contributed to the Sultanate's decline in this report, evaluate the role of government institutions in this decline in terms of policy modification or improvement, and investigate the effect of this decline on society. Due to a lack of information on the topic, this descriptive research has adopted a combined method for collecting the data, including interviews with three participants, distributing 204 questionnaires, and document review. Some reports and other documents were analyzed, with central themes as described. Respondents for interviews and questionnaires were selected based on the study's themes to accomplish consistency and relevance. Thus, this study offers a clear picture of the factors contributing to a decrease in the GII relative to previous years. Furthermore, it provides a blueprint for stakeholders to implement significant changes needed to improve performance in crucial innovation metrics. Moreover, it will help to raise awareness about policy instrumentation in Oman among professionals and organizations. Finally, this research will suggest opportunities for potential studies on this subject and government policies that will improve the report's indicators despite the decline of Oman's ranking.