SACM - United Kingdom
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/9667
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Item Restricted Foreign Direct Investment and Macroeconomic Stability in Resource- Dependent Emerging Economies(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alotaibi, Abdullah; Ozkan, GulcinThis dissertation investigates the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on long-term growth and macroeconomic stability in 24 natural-resource-dependent emerging economies from 1996 to 2023. Using fixed-effects and dynamic GMM estimators, the analysis shows that FDI’s growth effects are not immediate but materialise with a one-year lag, reflecting the time required for cap- ital absorption and technology diffusion. A major contribution of this study is the examination of the interaction between FDI and natural resource rents. Results reveal that this interaction ef- fect strengthens as resource dependence increases, indicating that resource abundance amplifies the productivity of foreign capital. Economically, this suggests that in highly resource-dependent economies, FDI complements resource revenues by financing diversification, enhancing absorp- tive capacity, and supporting long-run growth. Moreover, the results show that strong government effectiveness further magnifies these gains and conditions the stability outcomes. These findings offer policy-relevant insights into leveraging FDI for sustainable growth in resource-rich emerging markets.11 0Item Restricted An Evaluation of Fire Safety Preparedness in Saudi Arabian Hospitals: A Case Study of Riyadh City Public Hospitals(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alotaibi, Abdullah; Nandi, ErnestModern hospitals are complex environments where fire safety is not just a technical challenge but a critical matter of protecting human lives and property. This study evaluates fire safety preparedness in five tertiary public hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, employing a mixed-methods approach to examine the multidimensional nature of institutional safety. Data were collected from 108 participants across various professional roles using a structured questionnaire covering five key domains: infrastructure, training, organizational culture, system functionality, and human factors. The research utilized advanced statistical techniques, including descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, linear regression, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze quantitative data, complemented by thematic analysis of qualitative responses. The findings reveal that fire safety preparedness is a complex, interconnected ecosystem rather than a linear construct. Organizational culture emerged as the strongest predictor of overall readiness, followed by system effectiveness, infrastructure, and training. The SEM analysis demonstrated significant pathways between variables, with system effectiveness directly influencing readiness and training, significantly impacting both culture and human factors. Significant differences in preparedness were observed across hospitals, demonstrating the impacts of awareness, training, the contribution of the human factor, organisational culture, and leadership. However, no significant differences were found across professional roles, suggesting consistent perceptions of fire safety across different staff categories. The study contributes to the understanding of institutional health and safety management by highlighting the multidimensional, interconnected nature of fire safety preparedness. Also, it provides practical recommendations for enhancing safety protocols in Saudi Arabian hospitals. These findings have important implications for hospital administrators, policymakers, and healthcare professionals seeking to improve fire safety in complex healthcare environments. Keywords: Fire safety, Saudi Hospitals, System Effectiveness, Infrastructure, Fire Safety Training, Structural Equation Modelling, Mixed-Method Analysis.26 0Item Restricted Sustainability and Innovation in Megaprojects: Assessing NEOM’s Role in Saudi Arabia’s Economic Future.(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alotaibi, Abdullah; Arami, MitraThe themes of economic diversification and urbanization have increasingly occupied our attention amongst urban scholars, especially within megaprojects. On a Global scale, cities are embracing technology and innovation, sustainability, and economic evolution towards smart environments. One of the largest and most ambitious urban developments in the world, the $500 billion NEOM smart city in Saudi Arabia, is being advertised as a key aspect of Saudi Vision 2030 (Farag, 2019). The megacity NEOM is perceived as a futuristic city that utilizes artificial intelligence, renewable energy, advanced mobility, and an advanced digitized infrastructure (Altahtooh, 2019). As part of the project which aims to draw foreign investment, establish jobs and cut the kingdom's oil revenue dependence (Yusuf and Abdulmuhsen, 2023). Yet, despite NEOM seemingly mirroring trends towards smart cities globally, it also poses economic, environmental and logistical challenges (Algumzi, 2022). 1.2 Research Context: NEOM and Vision 2030 Vision 2030, which is the national reform strategy for Saudi Arabia, includes economic diversification and decreasing dependency on fossil fuels through sustainable urban development (Alghamdi, 2020). This umbrella includes NEOM as a flagship initiative to make Saudi Arabia at the forefront of city restructuring and green sustainability innovation (Mittal et al., 2023). This paper critically evaluates the role of NEOM in economic diversification, technological affordability and social context under the larger Vision 2030 umbrella. 1.3 Rationale for the Study Smart cities have been identified as valuable tools for sustainable development, thus studying sustainable megaprojects such as NEOM can provide insights into their viability in the context of developing countries. Although the concept of smart urbanism has initiated a rich literature (Kitchin and Dodge, 2017), there is little work focused on the long-term.41 0Item Restricted Harmony Hub Business Plan(University of Surrey, 2024-02-26) Alotaibi, Abdullah; Kennell, JamesThe Harmony Hub Business Plan outlines the establishment of a unique open mic lounge in London, designed to offer a distinctive blend of creativity, culture, and social interaction. The plan details the venture's objectives, distinctive selling points, optimal location, ambiance, and community involvement. It emphasizes the creation of a welcoming atmosphere that celebrates artistic expression, offering late-night snacks and drinks alongside captivating performances. The plan elaborates on product development, required resources, industry analysis, market research, financial strategy, and operational plans, aiming to become a leading destination for those seeking a mix of artistic creativity and companionship in London's vibrant cultural scene.17 0Item Restricted Three Studies in Healthcare Costing and Quality. New evidence from England and Wales on the Impact of the Reference Cost Index and Payment by Result Systems(2023-04-21) Alotaibi, Abdullah; Guven-Uslu, Pinar & Malagueno, RicardoHealthcare provision accounts for a high proportion of public finances worldwide. Therefore, efficiency, quality and value for money are paramount. This thesis focuses on healthcare resource usage in the National Health Service (NHS), in England and Wales where reforms have long sought to ensure value for money and accountability. However, evaluating healthcare performance is complex. Since 1997, the National Reference Cost Index (NRCI) costing system has been applied to generate reliable data for all NHS clinical treatments and to drive improvements to the system. This thesis encompasses three studies. Study 1 Contributes to knowledge in the field of healthcare accounting by presenting an updated mapping of RCIs and an examination of trends within the NHS trusts. The study investigated trends and changes to RCIs, trust1 numbers, trust types and variations between the mean RCI of each group (i.e., region, type and foundation status) from the national average. Descriptive statistics were used, from 1997 (the introduction of the Reference Cost system) to 2016: for 1997 to 2009 data were collected from the National Archives of the Department of Health website; data for 2010 to 2016 were collected from the NHS Reference Costs Collection website. Furthermore, the study’s focus is on NHS trusts’ characteristics rather than patient characteristics or productivity which have attracted previous research attention, extending our understanding of healthcare costs, trends, patterns figures and differences between foundation and non-foundation trusts over the various regions and trust types, for the first 20 years of NRCI application. Study 2 examines cost variations between 2009 and 2016 by analysing the relationship between specific organisational characteristics (i.e., location, the type of service, foundation status and size), which were taken as individual uncontrollable variables, and RCIs. The National Archives of the Department of Health website provided the data for 2009, while NHS Reference Costs Collection website were used for data from 2010 to 2016. Size data was from England NHS website. Patient classification and gender, collected from NHS Digital website, were taken as control variables. Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression technique was used and cost differences across trusts were identified. The study is distinct from previous work in this field as it focuses on trust characteristics and, to the author’s knowledge, is the first to analyse the associations between combined trust characteristics and RCIs over an extended time period. Furthermore, the study uses data for all HRGs, rather than selecting specific categories, as previous research has done. Study 2 takes contingency theory as its theoretical framework, since it suggests that applying a single cost system for organisations which differ as to their geography, type, size, ownership and technology may not be appropriate and that variations should be taken into account. Study 3 examines the relationship between RCI reduction and the quality of trust services provided, in the context of the introduction of Payment by Results (PbR) in the NHS to improve the cost efficiency of trust management. The study applied seven quality measures: mortality rates, Same-day Discharge (SDD), infection rates, mean Length of Stay (LOS), emergency and in-patient and out-patient waiting times. Data were collected from three NHS websites for the period 2010 to 2016. Data for RCIs and foundation status were from the NHS Reference Costs Collection website. Data for the dependent and other control variables were extracted from the NHS Digital website and the National Archives of the Department of health. Study 3 uses panel fixed effect regression. This study contributes to the fields of costing and healthcare quality by examining the association between cost and the quality of trust services provided. Study 3 is the first, to the researcher’s knowledge, to use infection rates as a measure of quality, or to evaluate quality while making a distinction between trusts at the upper and lower ends of the RCI scale.7 0