The role of FDI in enhancing Oman’s ports sector

ABSTRACT

The paper examines the determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) and its role in enhancing Oman’s ports sector. Data was collected through an administered questionnaire, with a sample of 59 respondents selected randomly from Sohar and Sultan Qaboos ports. The study found the strategic location of the country, government policy, and easy access to skilled manpower from neighbouring countries are the main factors attracting the FDI to Oman’s ports sector. Benefits of FDI to Omani ports include creating more jobs, supplementing domestic investment, transferring technology and bringing new organisational and managerial practices.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Omer Ali Ibrahim http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7181-4106

Sufian Eltayeb Mohamed Abdel-Gadir http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5808-0475

Devesh Sonal http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2318-8670

Notes on contributors

Omer Ali Ibrahim is Assistant Professor working at the College of Banking and Financial Studies, Muscat. He has a PhD in Econometrics and Social Statistics from Khartoum University, and two Masters: in Economic Policy Management, from McGill University in Canada, and in Economics of Development from the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in the Netherlands. His interest lies in the area of Applied Econometrics, with focus on Macro Econometric Modelling. He has published many papers in various peer reviewed and Scopus indexed journals and conducted many consultancy and training programs to national and international organizations such as the UNDP and the UNICEF.

Sufian Eltayeb Mohamed Abdel-Gadir is Associate Professor working at Sultan Qaboos University, Faculty of Law. His teaching and research experience extend to more than 20 years. He has published many papers in various peer reviewed and Scopus indexed journals and presented many papers in international conferences. His main interest focuses on FDI, Quality in higher education, and econometric modelling.

Sonal Devesh is a Researcher in Postgraduate Studies and Research Department at the College of Banking and Financial Studies, Muscat. She has a Master in Statistics with 19 years of experience in teaching and research. Having completed Diploma in Research Methodology, Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) and Epidemiology, she has published papers in various peer reviewed and Scopus journals and presented papers in international conferences. She has also conducted training courses in statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) and Research Methodology.