SACM - France
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/9654
Browse
303 results
Search Results
Item Restricted A Framework to Improve Healthcare Services and Wellness Tourism in Saudi Arabia(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Hawsawi, Hana; Lazarev, MarijaThis study examines how Saudi Arabia can strengthen healthcare services and expand wellness tourism through an integrated framework informed by professional insight. Ten participants from healthcare, digital health, and tourism took part in semi structured interviews. Their perspectives were analysed to explore four central themes. These were service quality, digital health integration, governance and sector alignment, and tourism infrastructure. The findings show that healthcare services have improved through Vision 2030 reforms, yet regional variations, workforce shortages, and inconsistent communication continue to limit service quality. Participants emphasized the value of digital health and described digital platforms as essential for both patients and wellness tourists. They also identified governance gaps that restrict coordination between healthcare and tourism organisations. Tourism infrastructure remains under development, and participants stressed the need for structured wellness programs supported by qualified staff and reliable medical services. The study aligns these findings with current literature and highlights the absence of unified frameworks that connect healthcare transformation with wellness tourism growth. The study proposes a practical framework based on the identified themes. The results show that integrated planning, stronger regulation, digital alignment, and workforce development can support national goals and increase Saudi Arabia’s competitiveness in both healthcare and wellness tourism.5 0Item Restricted AI Engineering Orchestrator: A Dual-Lens Framework for Streamline AI Development Pipelines(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Abualsaud, Razan; Ileana, Ober; Hanh, Nhi TranRésumé en français Le développement des systèmes d'intelligence artificielle (IA) est intrinsèquement complexe, car il repose sur un ensemble de processus étroitement interconnectés couvrant plusieurs lignes d'ingénierie, notamment l'ingénierie des données, l'entraînement des modèles d'apprentissage automatique (ML), ainsi que l'ingénierie système et logicielle. Malgré cette interdépendance profonde, les pratiques actuelles ont souvent tendance à compartimenter le développement des composants ML et des composants traditionnels (non-ML), les traitant comme des processus distincts et largement indépendants. Cette séparation conduit à des démarches fragmentées et faiblement intégrées, posant de sérieux obstacles à l'ingénierie du cycle de développement des systèmes d'IA. Une telle fragmentation perturbe directement des activités essentielles de l'ingénierie des exigences, en particulier la gestion des changements de besoins (Requirement Change Management, RCM) ainsi que ses volets liés à la traçabilité, à l'analyse des causes racines et à l'analyse d'impact des changements. Ces lacunes aggravent la propagation des erreurs, augmentent la probabilité de révisions inutiles et compromettent la stabilité et la fiabilité globales du système d'IA final. Pour répondre à ces défis, cette thèse débute par une investigation systématique du processus de développement actuel (as-is) à travers des études de cas approfondies, mettant en lumière les obstacles structurels qui nécessitent une intégration renforcée. À partir de ces constats, elle propose un processus amélioré (to-be) introduisant des points d'intégration inter et intra pipelines, afin de coordonner plus efficacement l'ensemble du processus de développement. Afin de soutenir l'évolution automatique du processus proposé, cette thèse introduit un langage de modélisation spécifique au domaine (Domain-Specific Modeling Language, DSML) exécutable, permettant de spécifier formellement les artefacts distincts mais interdépendants du cycle de vie de développement d'un système d'IA. Associé à des moteurs de processus dédiés, ce DSML permet une gestion coordonnée et une exécution synchronisée de pipelines traditionnellement isolés, renforçant ainsi la traçabilité systématique et favorisant une gestion efficace des changements. Ancré dans les principes de l'ingénierie logicielle et s'appuyant sur des technologies orientées processus, le cadre proposé offre une représentation unifiée et structurée des différents processus d'ingénierie constitutifs du développement des systèmes d'IA. Pour valider cette approche, un outil a été implémenté pour modéliser et exécuter le processus intégré. Sa faisabilité et sa valeur pratique sont démontrées à travers une étude de cas représentative, illustrant son efficacité pour favoriser un développement plus cohérent, traçable et conscient du processus des systèmes d'IA. Résumé en anglais The development of artificial intelligence (AI) systems is inherently complex, unfolding through a set of tightly interwoven processes that span multiple engineering pipelines, including data engineering, machine learning (ML) training, and system and software engineering. Despite this deep interconnectedness, widespread practice still treats ML components and traditional (non-ML) system components as separate and largely independent development tracks. This compartmentalization generates fragmented, poorly aligned workflows that complicate the engineering of AI systems across their lifecycle. Such fragmentation directly disrupts essential requirements engineering activities-particularly requirement change management (RCM) and its associated facets, including traceability, root cause analysis, and change impact analysis. These deficiencies amplify error propagation, increase avoidable rework, and ultimately compromise the stability and reliability of the resulting AI system. To address these challenges, this thesis begins with a systematic investigation of the current (as-is) AI development process through detailed case studies, revealing structural issues that demand tighter integration. Building on these findings, the thesis proposes an improved (to-be) process model that introduces well-defined inter- and intra-pipeline integration points, enabling a more coherent and coordinated development workflow. To support the automated evolution and enactment of the proposed process, the thesis further introduces an executable Domain-Specific Modeling Language (DSML) that formally specifies the distinct yet interdependent artifacts within the AI development lifecycle. Combined with dedicated process engines, this DSML enables synchronized management and execution of development steps that are traditionally siloed, thereby strengthening systematic traceability and facilitating effective change management. Grounded in software engineering principles and supported by process-aware technology, the proposed framework offers a unified, structured representation of the constituent engineering processes involved in AI system development. To validate this framework, a tool was built to model and execute the integrated process. Its feasibility and practical usefulness are demonstrated through a representative case study, which showcases the framework's capacity to enable more coherent, traceable, and process-aware engineering of AI systems.0 0Item Restricted AI-Powered Recruitment and Certified Training for Line-Level Hospitality Roles in Saudi Arabia: Preparing for the 2034 FIFA World Cup(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) AlQawasmi, Lama; Makinen, TiiaThe 2034 FIFA World Cup is an opportunity that Saudi Arabia is getting to transform the nation internationally by displaying its hospitality industry. At the core of this mega-event success lays the willingness of the line level hospitality employees as their performance will have a direct influence on the visitor experiences, service delivery, and destination image. This paper delves into examining the ways Saudi Arabia can strategically equip its hospitality workforce to host the 2034 FIFA world cup, specifically the workforce preparedness, training strategies and artificial intelligence (AI) uses in the recruitment and employee development processes. Through a constructivist research philosophy, a qualitative research methodology has been used, which involves face-to-face and semi-structured interviews with five hospitality professionals, with an equal number of operational and strategic experience in the Saudi hospitality industry. The study is future-oriented and does not emphasize on the immediate needs of the working environment as they arise but on the long-term workforce preparation. The thematic analysis was used in the analysis of the data, which made it possible to identify key patterns and insights in accordance with the objectives of the research systematically. The results have shown that workforce readiness is a multidimensional construct that goes beyond technical capacities to include psychological resilience, cultural intelligence, service flexibility and efficient frontline leadership. The use of scenario-based and certified training programmes was known to be the key factors toward reliable quality of service provision in the circumstances of high pressure and high visibility. The AI- related recruitment and training systems were discovered to increase efficiency, workforce planning, and skills development but their functionality requires to be accomplished with an ethical approach and balance with human judgement. The research paper concludes that phased and strategic workforce planning at an early stage is the key to operational success during the 2034 FIFA world cup as well as the legacy creation of the Saudi Arabia hospitality industry. Indeed, by integrating the human capability development with technological innovation, the Kingdom will be able to enhance service excellence to advance Vision 2030 goals and also develop a workforce that is globally competitive within the hospitality industry.12 0Item Restricted Deficiencies in Soft-Skills Training and Their Effect on Guest Experience in Luxury Hotels(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) AlQawasmi, Deema; Makkinen, TiiaThe purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of soft-skills on the development of service excellence, emotional attachment, and customer satisfaction in the luxury hospitality industry. To accomplish this, the study used qualitative research by conducting four semi-structured interviews with various stakeholders: a general manager, senior executive, hospitality consultant, and operations manager. The findings reveal that within the luxury service industry, emotional skills like emotional intelligence, empathy, communication, and valuing cultural diversity of guests and colleagues are the most invaluable soft-skills and, very often, outweigh technical competencies from marketing, sales, or accounting disciplines. The training in soft-skills development is primarily attained through coaching, with little emphasis on formal classroom instruction. The purpose of this study is to draw attention to the existing gaps in the industry, particularly the soft-skills gap arising from limited personalized coaching, cultural insensitivity, and training models that prioritize operational skills while neglecting the human aspect of service. The findings extend the literature by showing the necessity of training systems that are personalized, culturally informed, and centered on human mindset development. One key conclusion is that the soft-skills required within luxury hospitality are intrinsically human; to make these effective, one needs time, continuity, and organizational support. The study will be useful to hospitality educators, managers, and hotel operators in pursuit of service culture and guest experience improvements in a luxury environment.11 0Item Restricted Integrating Saudi Cultural Identity into Boutique Hotel Guest Experiences in Alignment with Vision 2030: Towards Innovation and Differentiation(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alnuwaiser, Raghad; Maekinen, TiiaSaudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 has placed a strong emphasis on cultural identity as a primary element of tourism strategy. As such, cultural hospitality is reconceptualized as a vehicle for national identity, cultural diplomacy, and tourism product differentiation. In this regard, boutique hotels are specifically designed to offer a culturally rich and personalized guest experience. However, despite this strategy, literature on hospitality and tourism in Saudi Arabia is limited and often focuses on niche areas such as architectural heritage or service quality, overlooking the integration of cultural identity into the holistic guest experience. This study addresses this gap by exploring how Saudi cultural identity can be systematically integrated into boutique hotel guest experiences to enhance authenticity, innovation, and differentiation. Using a qualitative multiple-case study design, the research analyzes online guest reviews of boutique and heritage hotels across key Saudi destinations, including Riyadh, Jeddah, and AlUla. The study employs inductive thematic analysis to identify patterns related to cultural design, service interactions, culinary experiences, and the balance between modern luxury and traditional elements. Findings reveal that deeply embedded cultural elements significantly enhance guest satisfaction and create meaningful, memorable experiences. Guests particularly value authentic spatial design, culturally informed service interactions, and traditional culinary offerings. However, gaps remain in staff cultural competence and the depth of storytelling, leading to occasional inconsistencies in the overall guest experience. The study proposes a Cultural Cohesion-Integration Framework (CCIF), offering a structured approach for embedding cultural identity across strategic, operational, and experiential dimensions. This framework provides practical guidance for boutique hotel managers and policymakers, supporting the alignment of cultural preservation with innovation and tourism development under Vision 2030.20 0Item Restricted Addressing Manpower Challenges for Saudi Arabia's 2030 Tourism Vision(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Almuhawas, Turki; Robin, ReidSaudi Arabia has embarked on an ambitious Vision 2030 strategic framework to steer the economy away from its heavy reliance on oil revenues. A key pillar of this vision is to aggressively develop the tourism sector as a major economic driver and catalyst for diversification. The government recognizes immense untapped potential in leveraging the country's rich cultural heritage, natural landscapes, and religious significance to position it as a premium global destination. Towards this goal, Saudi Arabia has already kickstarted several giga-projects like the $500 billion futuristic NEOM city, the ultra-luxury Red Sea Project, and the wellness-focused Amaala resort, among others (Alam et al., 2021). The overarching vision targets increasing tourism's contribution to the GDP from a mere 3% currently to an impressive 10% by 2030 (Al-Mohmmad & Butler, 2021). This paradigm shift is expected to catalyze millions of new employment opportunities across the tourism value chain - from hotels, airlines, and tour operations to culinary, leisure, and heritage management roles. However, perhaps the biggest challenge in realizing these lofty ambitions is developing an adequately skilled and capable Saudi workforce for the rapidly expanding tourism industry (Al-Mohmmad & Butler, 2021). Historically, the sector has been heavily reliant on expatriate labor, with limited interest from nationals who preferred careers in the public sector or other industries deemed more prestigious.7 0Item Restricted Additive Manufacturing of Ferromagnetic Components by Inkjet Printing Followed by Sintering(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Gishlan, Lujain; Carreno-Morelli, EfrainThis study explores three different additive manufacturing processes using Fe6.5Si: Solvent on Granules 3D Printing (SG-3DP), Binder Jetting (BJT), and Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF). Their ability to produce dense parts with optimized magnetic properties was compared. Two different Fe6.5Si powders were used during this project. One was sourced from Hoganas, while the other was sourced from HLPowder. Both powders were characterized in terms of density and flowability. Parts printed with SG-3DP achieved positive results as their density averaged of around 95%. Cubes and shells were printed and the shells resulted in a stronger <001> crystallographic texture compared to that of the cube, which is beneficial for magnetic applications. Multiple parameters printing parameters were tested with LPBF printing before obtaining parts that yielded an average density of around 99% and were less prone to cracks. Crystallographic orientations varied depending on the part, with the reference cubes exhibiting a more dominant <111> texture, while the Hilbert cross-sectional parts exhibited a more dominant <101> texture. Magnetic testing of toroidal parts fabricated with the SG-3DP and LPBF showcased the same magnetic saturation of 1.5T. However, the LPBF toroid performed better than the SG-3DP toroid in terms of permeability (164), coercivity (346 A/m), and in terms of power losses (12.7 W/kg).8 0Item Restricted Encapsulation of Acidic Alpha-Glucosidase(Saudi Digital Library, 2024) Aldawod, Dana; Sevarika, Boris; McNeil, ScottLysosomal storage diseases are a group of heritable metabolic disorders characterized by a deficiency of specific enzymes within the lysosome, leading to the accumulation of undegraded substrate, which results in cellular damage and dysfunction. There are over 50 types of LSD, but the most common one that occurs in babies and children is pompa disease. Pompa disease is caused by the deficiency of acid α-glucosidase enzyme, leading to glycogen buildup in lysosomes of different tissues and organs. This condition manifests in symptoms such as muscle weakness, respiratory issues, and cardiac abnormalities. The current treatment option is enzyme replacement therapy, which involves the intravenous administration of the deficient enzyme. However, this treatment suffers from different side effects, such as immunogenicity, poor bioavailability of the enzymes in the lysosomes where they are needed, and low efficacy levels. To overcome these side effects and improve the treatment efficacy, we propose enzyme encapsulation into the liposomes as the main strategy. In this project, we aim to develop liposomes with high encapsulation efficiency for the enzyme while preserving the enzyme's activity. To achieve this goal, we investigated the manufacturing process and identified the optimum manufacturing conditions as well as optimal lipid composition that can allow us to achieve high efficiency in the encapsulation process. In the liposome preparation, the particles were characterized and purified, and the encapsulation efficiency was determined using the direct method (HPLC). Additionally, we assessed the activity of the enzyme encapsulated in the particles, and we evaluated enzyme activity under various conditions and with different substances. We successfully elucidated the optimum manufacturing condition and identified the ideal lipid composition having a high encapsulation efficiency of up to 50 %. The encapsulation strategy is based on the induction of charge-based interaction between protein and liposome, which involves electrostatic interaction between the positively charged lipids and the negatively charged acidic alpha-glucosidase used in this study. The activity of the enzymes was high even after encapsulation. Our data confirm that the efficient encapsulation of the enzymes into lipid vesicles is possible.7 0Item Restricted Digitalization and Internationalization: Assessing Digital Maturity’s Impact on the Internationalization Speed and Performance of Saudi SMEs’ Global Expansion(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Babgi, Mnahel; PACHÉ, Gilles; SHAJARI, BenyaminThis doctoral dissertation explores the role of digitalization and internationalization in driving company growth, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). As a powerful duo, these trends present both opportunities and challenges, requiring SMEs to adapt and reconfigure their performance models. Despite significant attention to this topic, there remains a need to synthesize and categorize diverse contributions to gain a deeper understanding of how digitalization and internationalization have evolved. This study employs a three-stage methodology: first, a bibliometric analysis; second, theoretical and conceptual assessments; and third, a comprehensive survey evaluating digital capabilities. By linking digital proficiency to rapid international expansion and SME performance, this research provides valuable insights into the intersection of digitalization and global business growth. The goal is to establish a strong foundation for future research and debate on this critical subject. A bibliometric analysis of 246 publications in international business research was conducted to establish a contextual understanding of digitalization, followed by a front analysis to further refine these findings. Perspectives for future research are also explored. Additionally, the study assesses traditional SME internationalization models and introduces an alternative, capabilities-based digital maturity model designed to accelerate SME internationalization. This advancement calls for an expansion of the resource-based view (RBV) theory to incorporate digitalization-related capabilities. The proposed model features a matrix of eight key capabilities to assess an SME’s digital maturity, along with two components of internationalization speed: the speed of committing to these capabilities and the speed of developing them. Finally, drawing on digital maturity theory, this research explores the impact of eight digital capabilities on SME internationalization and overall performance. Based on responses from 164 Saudi SMEs, the findings confirm that higher levels of digital maturity positively influence both the speed of internationalization learning and the speed of committing to international markets. Additionally, the results indicate that internationalization speed has a positive effect on SME performance. However, in contrast to previous literature, some strategic elements of digital maturity were not supported. Despite this, the study provides empirical evidence to guide SMEs in leveraging digitalization to enhance both internationalization and performance. This doctoral dissertation offers valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers, underscoring the strategic role of digital maturity in SMEs within emerging economies.4 0Item Restricted Stratégies d'enseignement de FLI face à l'hétérogénéité linguistique : Le cas de l'association Cardek à Strasbourg(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Barnawi, Bashayer; Candas, PeggyCe mémoire explore les stratégies d’enseignement adaptées en Français Langue d’Intégration (FLI) pour faire face à l’hétérogénéité linguistique dans un cadre associatif. Le terrain de l’étude est l’association Cardek, qui accueille des adultes migrants aux profils linguistiques et scolaires très variés. Afin de rendre compte au plus près de la réalité des classes, notre recherche s’appuie sur quatre études de cas (niveaux A0 et A2) impliquant trois intervenantes (une enseignante et deux bénévoles). L’objectif de cette étude est d’identifier les stratégies concrètes utilisées pour maintenir tous les apprenants dans l’apprentissage malgré des niveaux très hétérogènes, et de comprendre les facteurs qui orientent ces choix (niveau, composition linguistique du groupe, posture professionnelle, ressources disponibles). Nous avons mené une recherche qualitative en mobilisant deux outils principaux : l’observation non participante des cours et des entretiens semi-directifs menés après les séances. Les données ont été recueillies à l’aide d’enregistrements audio, puis transcrites selon la norme ICOR. Pour l’analyse, nous avons procédé à une triangulation du « dire » et du « faire » à l’aide d’un tableau comparatif. Un codage thématique inductif a ensuite été réalisé et synthétisé dans un mini-codage, permettant de faire émerger des régularités ainsi que des nuances entre les cas étudiés. Les résultats mettent en évidence cinq familles de stratégies complémentaires : 1. Gestion des langues / médiation plurilingue : français comme langue de travail prioritaire, avec tolérance ponctuelle et encadrée de la L1 entre apprenantes pour lever un blocage (un cas impose plus strictement le français, avec exceptions limitées). 2. Explicitation multimodale et accompagnement : combinaison du verbal, de gestes, de supports visuels (mimes, dessins, images) et guidage de proximité (reformulations, feedback immédiat) pour sécuriser la compréhension. 3. Motivation et engagement : valorisation des efforts, apprentissage par les pairs, corrections collectives pour soutenir l’attention et encourager la persévérance. 4. Différenciation des processus et activités : alternance individuel/binômes/petits groupes, tâches à paliers et ajustements selon le niveau et les objectifs. 7 5. Ingénierie et adaptation des ressources : bricolage didactique (étiquettes-syllabes, images, routines de tableau) et recours à des outils techniques ciblés (par exemple, traducteur téléphonique en dernier recours). Dans l’ensemble, les intervenantes cherchent à trouver un équilibre pragmatique entre immersion en français et sécurisation des apprentissages : réduire l’insécurité linguistique, clarifier les consignes, étayer brièvement puis autonomiser les apprenants. Les choix observés apparaissent sensibles au niveau (A0/A2), à la composition linguistique (forte présence d’arabophones), au contexte associatif (moyens matériels limités) et aux représentations professionnelles (place accordée à la L1, priorité donnée à l’écrit ou à l’oral). Cette recherche met ainsi en lumière des gestes professionnels ajustés et transférables pour la gestion quotidienne de l’hétérogénéité en FLI, tout en soulignant l’intérêt d’un cadre partagé sur l’usage raisonné de la L1 et d’une mutualisation des pratiques efficaces au sein d’équipes mixtes (enseignantes/bénévoles).4 0