The Whale Shark Strategy: A Roadmap for an Entrepreneurial Sultanate

If you are looking for an inspiration you would have probably noticed that the beautiful blue and warm oceans can be uplifting in challenging times, such as 2020. Growing up by the Indian Ocean, I have heard many stories about a gentle, peaceful and adaptive giant, that inspires and guides fisherman- the Whale Shark. Much like the Whale Shark, Oman’s modern history shows it has been surviving and adapting to its environment for more than 2000 years by navigating its waters gently and forcefully, or what could be called a Whale Shark Strategy. It has morphed from a tribal coalition before Islam, to a feudal theocratic monarchy/Imamate alliance, then onto to become one of the most powerful regional maritime empires that lead to the present day Sultanate of Oman. Today, with the promising new reign of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, shows signs of adapting from a traditional monarchy to a Sultanate with an entrepreneurial spirit that values peace and moderate risk-taking. The question now is: How can a state innovate in peacefully achieving progress, given the challenges posed by pandemics and geopolitical developments?

Here, I would argue that a state, like the Sultanate, can navigate its world towards socio-economic progress; using an entrepreneurial, principle-based Innovation Radar that breathes life into visionary governance, and answers the 4 main entrepreneurial questions behind the raison-d-entre, reason for existence, of any state: What (Solutions) the state offers? To (People) Whom it offers it? How (In-Country Value) And Where (Presence)?

These 4 questions divided into 12 Dimensions or Studios of Innovation Radar can contribute to enhancing State’s Vision, by streamlining the sense of purpose and end result within and beyond the newly formed government, and by mitigating emerging natural and geopolitical risks of 2020 and beyond:

First: Solutions

1. Offerings

itionally, monarchies use an enduring, tribal, loyalty-based caste system of rewards and punishments to offer people access to resources, such as money, land and labor. While this tribal system brought stability to tribes for centuries, can it adapt to our evolution in a world more connected than ever? and can an caste tribal system offer and facilitate for connected generations unlocking their potential in co-creating value with others calls for empathy and patience? This is why these new teams in the new government Reshuffle in charge connecting people to the leadership; such as the Ministry of Interior, The Private Office, and public safety bodies Can benefit from focusing their end results on considering diversity and inclusion while deciding on accessibility to state offerings, perhaps through a revamped tribalism 2.0 approach. itional tribalism can re-produce a caste system that widens a gap between haves and have nots in a world where societies that are diverse and inclusive achieve a more balanced socio-economic progress and upward mobility.

2. Platforms

While in democracies legislative, policy making bodies and watchdogs provide a system of checks and balances between the haves and have nots, in monarchies in general and in the new government this is now left up to Governorates. Governor Offices are now are the platform or interface between people and the state. So, the question is how would a tribal affairs management bodies transition to to interactive platforms that facilitate access better housing, education, health and economic opportunities? Perhaps platforms that link Governorates to Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, Ministry of Education, And Ministry of Higher Education can mitigate fill the gap of representative bodies and watchdogs.

3. Solutions:

Knowledge economy can offer sustainable solutions by unlocking the power of data. As Oman has the highest ratio of science and technology to total number of graduates, the new government can leverage its new Ministry of Transport and Communications technology to become a global data scientists’ hub. Perhaps the single greatest challenge that will face the new government in producing sustainable solutions is the dismantle of the previous cabinet level Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs into a demoted Enviroment Authority with no climate change related mandate. This leads to a reduced priority and in a modest budget dedicated to sustainable development research and innovation, and therefore is not likely to help any nation in achieving its vision.

Second: People Experience

4. People:

itional tribal societies gravitate towards a caste system oh haves and have nots competing for scarce resources. As COVID 19 pandemic shows that closed networks cannot develop basic health, education and other solutions to survive; Ministries and Authorities with influence on people’s views of life and spirituality will benefit from complementing each other. This could be achieved through diverse and inclusive programs between Ministry of Health, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Religous Affairs, and Iftaa Office.

5. People Experience:

Whereas in the past, as the population was smaller and people knew and trusted each other more it was understandable to for small groups of relatives or business partners, to dominate a sector. With time this has proved to lead to corruption cases that contribute towards the erosion of people’s trust in governments. People expect a fair treatment and experience in all public touch points that influence their livelihood, such as access to work and business opportunities. This is why energy State Owned Enterprises (SoES), Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Ministry of Higher Education and Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, can improve people experience.

6. Value Capture:

Extreme austerity measures can be a slipper slope towards a scarcity mentality, as opposed to a progress and growth mindset. The newly empowered Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank and Oman Investment Authority should not fall in an excessive austerity trap that limits innovation and socio-economic upward mobility. These bodies are the most suitable in facilitating for people to focus on the value of their every day lives and activities, within the country and abroad.

Third: In-Country Value

7. Processes:

The world owes militaries a number humanity’s greatest achievements in science and medicine. In today’s world, Oman can redirect the global military-industrial complex from focusing on arms races to research and innovation that preserves human lives and hence national security. Strategies are effective when directly linked to objectives, hence The Ministry of Defense, Research and Innovation can optimize streamlining processes related to the state’s vision.

8. Organization:

You cannot disrupt yourself. This rule applied in strategies in time of disruption has proved to be effective. For example, can an oversized administration that micromanages almost a 150 government bodies inspire the bodies it oversees to be LEAN or effective? Therefore, a cabinet affairs that applies disruptive innovation strategies is likely to be more effective.

9. Supply chain:

In Country Value can be optimized by strengthening the Authority for SMEs Development, Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and linking them to the market and government companies.

Fourth: Presence

10. Presence:

Showing the character of the nation is not a simple task. Today’s high performing nation can longer be isolationist, supremacist countries, they need to be diverse and inclusive leaders who prioritize unlocking people’s potential. The Royal Office and The Diwan of Royal Court are uniquely positioned to revamp the nation’s character.

11. Networking:

Globally, the rise of populism emboldened global and regional bullies. These global and regional bullies use hard and soft power to harm other nations as the only way to advance their own supremacist interests. So far, the Sultanate’s has been successful in balancing the interests of old colonial bullies and regional states with oversized ambition to dominate other nations. Moving forward with empathy within and with strength abroad is key to thrive as a nation. Hence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can benefit from streamlining our character with our foreign policy. For example, endorsing supremacist, oppressive regimes that live on stealing and occupying others and violating every commandment of being decent human beings is unsustainable, and pokes holes in the nation’s spirit internally and its standing externally.

12. Brand:

Visionary Governance can longer be only about tribes, lobbies, intrigues and separation of roles and responsibilities. Neither can a state vision can depend on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), without clear principles, to inspire trust in generations yearning to move forward. It is also about contemplating the reasons behind our existence, adapting and navigating our world with an innovative sense of purpose. A message Vision 2040 Unit and Ministry of Information can share with the world.

Key takeaways:

1. Whale Sharks And Oman both survived and thrived for by adapting and sustainably building its strength with with all ecosystems around it
2. Moderate risk-taking, and innovating in the way it filters that resources Is the best way to thrive and not relying only on traditional systems
3. An entrepreneurial state resists the temptation of unsustainable practices such as caste systems or regional bulling, and pivots with a vision to achieve more progress while remaining a gentle and peaceful giant in its own right
4. KPIs without sound visionary principles cannot be considered a nation’s vision.