Purpose: This theoretical paper aims to draw on existing literature to examine the case for libraries to play a key role in the democratization of Oman. This paper is intended to provide foundation for further empirical research to develop a proposed future strategy for Oman’s library sector that will help facilitate the future political and economic transition of the Sultanate. Design/methodology/approach: This is a theoretical study that draws on existing literature to examine the case for libraries to play a key role in the democratization of Oman. Findings: There are four main ways in which public libraries support democratization are identified and discussed: providing access to information, ensuring inclusivity of knowledge, forming a community hub for interaction and dialogue and promoting social inclusion through internet access. Originality/value: As Oman undergoes political and economic transition, this study and the follow-on empirical research will be highly significant in ensuring that the expansion of democratic processes in Oman proceeds peacefully and that the Sultanate provides a best practice model for Islamic democracy within the Gulf Cooperation Council region and globally.

As with many industries, artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a pivotal role in transforming the podcasting sector. However, like any technology, it is essential to strike a balance between opportunities and challenges. This study, conducted through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with seven podcast creators in the Sultanate of Oman, aims to explore the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating AI into the podcast industry. It also examines strategies for mitigating potential risks and considerations for ethical practices when incorporating AI technologies into podcasting. The key findings suggest that the opportunities arising from AI integration in the podcast industry encompass time, effort and cost savings, particularly in improving sound quality, eliminating noise, adjusting tone, expanding the reach through translation and transcription services and increasing accessibility for visually impaired and deaf audiences. Moreover, the results indicate that this integration can lead to certain challenges, including information bias, limited access, loss of human touch, potential lack of uniqueness, data accuracy and credibility, deep fakes, privacy and data security concerns, intellectual property issues, job displacement, accessibility issues for visually impaired individuals and financial costs associated with AI tools. Furthermore, the results emphasize the importance of ensuring the accuracy and credibility of information obtained through AI, respecting the intellectual property of others, maintaining authenticity and creativity, and considering the general ethical considerations in content creation when integrating AI technologies.

This study aimed to assess the readiness of government institutions in the Sultanate of Oman to adopt data governance by identifying the strategic and legislative foundations of data governance in the Sultanate of Oman, as well as the human resources and infrastructure necessary for governance within government institutions. This study relied on a qualitative approach to achieve its objectives and used semi-structured interviews to collect data from a sample comprising seven government institutions and one government company in the Sultanate. Interview transcripts were analyzed through thematic coding, first identifying initial codes and then grouping them into broader categories aligned with the study objectives. The results of this study showed Oman’s interest in regulating the legislative framework for data governance, demonstrated by a set of laws issued to govern data handling in government institutions. It also highlighted disparities in the level of readiness of government institutions in Oman for data governance. In addition to a shortage of specialized data governance expertise in Oman, there is a clear need for university graduates and postgraduate research in this field. This study recommended developing a strategic plan for implementing data governance, to be followed by government institutions and companies in the Sultanate of Oman, and the establishment of an office to monitor data governance across all government institutions and companies in the Sultanate of Oman. This office would be responsible for monitoring the implementation of strategies and policies and ensuring compliance and would submit performance reports to the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the reality of research centers in Oman and their role in supporting decision-making by examining the types of research and the nature of the services and activities provided by these centers. Methods: To achieve its objectives, the study usedthe qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews as a tool to collect data. The study’s population included all the 21 academic and government’s research centers in the Sultanate of Oman, with the exception of three newly established research centers. Eighteen managers and two department heads were interviewed. Results: The study results showed that majority of the research centers contribute to supporting decision-making according to their varied specialty and concerns by providing several types of research according to their source of funding. Research funded internally by the istitution achieved the highest percentage(100%), followed by contract research funded externally by public and private sectors with (95%). Long-term strategic research funded by His Majesty the Sultan to support scientific research and the strategic research grants programme conducted by the Research Council reached (38%). Lastly, research chairs percentage was (29%). In addition, the study demonstrates the diversity of research fields of the research centers in Oman which focus on future studies and local opinion poll studies. It also showsthat the centers provide several services and activities including: consultation services, joint committees, conferences and seminars, training workshops and community initiatives. Conclusions: The study recommends activating collaboration between local research centers and establishing cooperation networks in order to exchange experiences.

The study aimed to assess the readiness of government institutions in the Sultanate of Oman to adopt data governance by identifying the strategic and legislative foundations of data governance in the Sultanate of Oman, as well as the human resources and infrastructure necessary for governance within government institutions. The study relied on a qualitative approach to achieve its objectives and used semi-structured interviews to collect data from a sample comprising seven government institutions and one government company in the Sultanate. The results of the study showed Oman's interest in regulating the legislative framework for data governance by issuing a set of laws governing data handling in government institutions. It also pointed to disparities in the level of readiness of government institutions in Oman for data governance. In addition to a shortage of specialized data governance expertise in Oman, there is a clear need for university and postgraduate graduates in this field. The study recommended developing a strategic plan for implementing data governance to be followed by government institutions and companies in the Sultanate of Oman, and establishing an office to monitor data governance across all government institutions and companies in the Sultanate of Oman. This office would be responsible for monitoring the implementation of strategies and policies and ensuring compliance, and would submit performance reports to the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology.