SACM - United Kingdom

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/9667

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    Safeguarding Intangible Heritage in Saudi Arabia: Challenges and Strategies for Al-Qatt Art in the Asir region.
    (Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Mohdher, Hadeel Talal; Katapidi, Ioanna
    Al-Qatt art is an ancient art form considered as a key element of the identity of the region of Asir and it is a vibrant expression of the cultural heritage of the Asir region in Saudi Arabia, has historically faced challenges in its safeguarding and promotion. This thesis explores the complexities surrounding Al-Qatt art, utilising social practice theory and a qualitative research approach to understand and address these challenges. The primary aim is to develop the contextual framework for protecting the authenticity of intangible cultural heritage, specifically focusing on Al-Qatt art. The research aims to explore the issues, barriers, and enablers surrounding this art form, and to propose comprehensive guidelines for its protection and promotion. The research adopts a case study approach with purposive sampling, focusing on Al-Qatt art practitioners and stakeholders, using in-depth interviews and thematic analysis for data collection and analysis. The study is grounded in the principles of social practice theory, exploring the interplay of meanings, materials, and competencies in the context of Al-Qatt art. This thesis contributes to the theoretical discourse on cultural heritage by providing a nuanced understanding of Al-Qatt art through social practice theory, highlighting gendered cultural heritage dynamics, and extending the theory's application to cultural heritage safeguarding. The research suggests practical strategies for the enhancement of cultural tourism, digital promotion of Al-Qatt art, and community engagement. It calls for institutional support to nurture and market Al-Qatt art, enhancing its economic viability. The thesis underscores the dynamic nature of cultural heritage and the need for adaptation and innovation to ensure its sustainability. As a female researcher from the Asir region, my personal connection to the subject has enriched the research, making it a scholarly pursuit and a testament to the enduring legacy of Al-Qatt art.
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    EXPLORING THE ROLE OF DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES IN GOVERNANCE PRACTICES ON OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY IN SAUDI ARABIA’S PETROCHEMICAL COMPANIES
    (Swansea Univerity, 2024-09) Alsabhan, Bader; Huxtable-Thomas, Louisa
    The purpose of this study is to explore the role of decision-making processes within governance practices on the operational efficiency of petrochemical companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The literature review section explores Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030-associated corporate governance frameworks and their implications for the petrochemical industry. It examines the challenges of breaking oil reliance, its importance in a diversified economy, and how governance affects operational performance. Data transparency and lean concepts are discussed with regard to their applicability to operational improvement. The review outlines the importance of the area in relation to Vision 2030 and fostering more economic diversification; however, it also stresses the need for balanced monitoring, geared towards enhancing both efficiency and adaptability. By following a primary qualitative method, which used semi-structured interviews to collect data from 23 interviewees, a thematic analysis was performed by developing a total of four themes. Under each theme, two codes were extracted. In this way, based on the comparison of the statements of participants, the results of this thematic analysis were obtained. This study reveals that petrochemical companies in Saudi Arabia mostly implement centralised decision-making practices. These practices enable the business organisations to ensure improved stakeholder engagement and operational efficiency as well. However, some challenges, such as resistance to change, complexity and regulatory or market changes, are associated with the overall process of corporate governance implementation in Saudi Arabian petrochemical companies. It is recommended that petrochemical organisations should focus on centralised decision-making, along with some elements of decentralisation, to increase innovation and inputs from lower-level employees. Technological upgrades are an essential requirement for the petrochemical companies, as they allow for increased efficiency in business operations.
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    IMPACT ON TOURIST DECISION MAKING IN SAUDI ARABIAN By: Nuwayyir Albalawi Supervisor: Jillian Rickly
    (University of Nottingham, 2024-07-12) Albalawi, Nuwayyir; Jillian, Rickly
    In the twenty-first century, social media has a growing presence and importance, in particular social media marketing and its impact on tourism. Saudi Arabia has a young and growing tourism sector and needs to discover the best way to attract young tourists interested in the historic and cultural aspects of the country, and to overcome any false perceptions or views regarding the culture and society within the country. Purpose of Research: to discover whether cultural tourism has the same drivers and is impacted by social media marketing in the same way as other forms of tourism. This will enable the tourism sector of Saudi Arabia to ensure that the focus of their social media marketing meets the necessary criteria and is focused on the correct demographic. Methodology: the research consists of a survey of those who have reacted positively to social media marketing posts related to cultural tourism in Saudi Arabia and who are aged 20 to 40 years old. The quantitative data collected has been analysed statistically, including ANOVA and correlations. Findings: the findings of the research indicate that, although this research was conducted on a small scale, it does appear that cultural tourism is no different to other forms of tourism when considered as a subject of social media marketing. Honesty, integrity, and reality appear to be the main influences on potential tourists viewing social media marketing posts. Conclusion: the Saudi Arabian tourist industry is urged to undertake further research, but to ensure that all social media marketing content, particularly where it is paid for content, is honest and reliable, since this does appear to be the most important factor for influencing opinion and changing perceptions.
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    Activating the Transportation Potential of Greenways in Saudi Arabia: A Case Study of Jeddah City
    (University of Nottingham, 2024-04-08) Zawawi, Abdulrahman A.; Porter, Nicole; Ives, Chrisopher D.; Beccarelli, Paolo
    Since the early 1970s, auto-centric planning in Saudi Arabia (SA) has led to car-dependent lifestyles, resulting in health and environmental problems. In the past decade, ambitious policies (e.g., The Saudi Vision 2030), urban design manuals, awareness campaigns, city plans and projects have sought to address this problem by transitioning to sustainable urban mobility. Active transportation (AT) via networks of greenways is a dimension of such a transition and is currently being planned and advocated in Saudi cities. However, current walking and bicycling rates for transportation in SA are extremely low. Simultaneously, there is limited research on greenways in SA, and none has explored the influences on their usage as AT corridors (ATCs). An enhanced understanding of such factors is vital because academic journals found minimal effect on AT over the last thirty years from many greenway investments in various regions worldwide. Therefore, this PhD research aimed to explore the activation barriers and strategies of greenways’ function as facilitators for AT in SA, using Jeddah city as a case study. The review and synthesis of existing literature built an understanding of the state of knowledge concerning the planning and usage of AT and greenways in SA. It also explained the events that evolved greenways’ forms and functions internationally while chronologically relating to urban and open space planning in Saudi cities. Lastly, it examined where and when greenways would be considered routes for daily commutes using a systematic review of published peer-reviewed journal articles from 1991 until 2021. Due to the multidimensionality of such influences, the case study of Jeddah used mixed research methods (web-based questionnaire, environmental audits, field observations, and interviews with experts and leaders of local walking and bicycling groups). Interpretations and inferences of such an empirical study combined the results of these methods thematically and linked them to existing literature. Through (I) assessments of the physical environment at the city, neighbourhood, and site levels, (II) examining the preferences, behaviours, and opinions of users and non-users of greenways in Jeddah city, and (III) understanding the underlying causes to existing conditions, this thesis underscored key impediments that must be overcome. These include automobile-centric lifestyles, planning systems, outdoor temperature, social norms, long commuting distances, lack of AT infrastructure, bicycling skills and knowledge, proximity to greenways, and park facilities and amenities. Results also explained that religious and gender norms on women’s participation in bicycling can affect social support for policies advocating bicycle usage in Saudi cities and the effectiveness of any proposed greenway network in the future. Informed by the interviewed experts, existing literature, and global best practices, the proposed strategies to address the identified barriers stressed the importance of actions across social, environmental, technological, economic and legal domains. These strategies (e.g., improving stakeholders’ participation, integrating with public transit, increasing visibility and awareness, and implementing policies that enable AT) can accelerate the transition towards sustainable transportation in SA.
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    Public Perceptions of the NEOM Project: Analysing Tabuk Residents Attitudes
    (Bournemouth University, 2024-07-11) Makki, Abdulrahman; Linkden, Adele
    This dissertation explores the perspectives of Tabuk residents on the NEOM project, a major development initiative in Saudi Arabia. It aims to understand local views on the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental impacts of NEOM, using established tourism theories as a foundation. The study emphasizes the importance of incorporating local perspectives in tourism development to ensure equitable benefit distribution and environmental sustainability. The literature review provides a theoretical basis by examining existing research on tourism impacts and community attitudes, and it discusses NEOM's emergence as a transformative urban project aligned with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. Methodologically, the dissertation adopts a quantitative approach, detailing data collection methods and ethical considerations. The findings reveal that while residents generally perceive the NEOM project as beneficial for economic development and social advancement, there are significant concerns about environmental sustainability and the extent of community involvement in decision-making. Recommendations highlight the need for inclusive governance and sustainable practices in destination development, contributing to a deeper understanding of the relationship between large-scale projects, community perceptions, and sustainable tourism outcomes.
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    An Exploration of the Opportunities and Challenges of using Digital Technology to Support Social Communication in Non-Verbal Autistic Students in Three Saudi Arabian Schools
    (The University of Nottingham, 2024-03-28) Alassaf, Mohammed; Debra , Costley; Anne, Emerson
    The global rise in autistic children has raised concerns and emphasised the need to tackle its core issues, including social communication (SC) difficulties. The intent of this research was to explore how digital technology is being implemented to support SC in NV autistic students in light of teachers’ experiences and perspectives in mainstream inclusive schools in Saudi Arabia. The context for the research is Saudi Arabia, where digital technology integration for students with learning disabilities is increasing significantly under educational reforms aligning with Saudi Vision 2030. This issue clearly merits further investigation given the paucity of research relating to SC among NV autistic students in the Saudi context. In doing so, the study reported here further assessed the role and influence of digital technology in supporting pertinent SC precursors – in particular, joint attention, social orientation, engagement, and theory of mind – in NV autistic students keeping in view interaction between teacher’s guidance, digital technology and impact of context in three different school setting. The study was informed by Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory (Vygotsky, 1978) to explore how teachers applied digital technologies across the curriculum and interactive activities to provide opportunities for SC of NV autistic students in a mainstream inclusive school setting. The research design drew upon multiple qualitative case study research methodologies, exploring the opinion and perception of eleven teachers using semi-structured interviews and observations of nine NV autistic students from three schools in Saudi Arabia. The findings highlighted the teachers’ perspectives on the available opportunities and challenges as contextual factors that create or limit the conditions required to enable digital technology to support NV autistic students’ SC in the classroom, followed by determining further contributions these digital technologies may provide in teaching and learning processes. Thematic analysis of the case studies indicated that technology tools, along with the mediation of other instructional and behavioural techniques, certainly facilitate, supplement, and reinforce the SC and learning of NV autistic students. The findings indicated the efficacy of digital technologies along with the use of instructional approaches and strategies such as scaffolding and prompting, motivating and engaging these students in shared and collaborative activities, in engaging students with social engagement, orientation, and theory of mind (ToM). The study further demonstrated influencing factors in use of digital technologies including the provision of technological accommodations and resources (applications specific for SC, Arabic versions of applications, provision of devices for each student for individual practices, and better layout and facilities of resource rooms), the provision of assistance staff, and better teacher training and expertise. However, the contrasting views also indicated that the use and execution of digital technologies entail various challenges in the way teachers use them with autistic students, such as technical, support, and supervisory barriers., However, the extent to which the SC enabled by digital technologies may be applied to different situations remains questionable. The thesis concludes by identifying the factors affecting the appropriate integration of digital technologies for NV autistic students through the development of best practices in the use of such tools. The research suggests that future studies should focus on developing teachers’ technological competencies specific for enabling SC. Moreover, the attention of authorities is directed towards the facilitation of better standard assessment procedures to characterise and integrate provisions, specifically the technological accommodations, for NV autistic students.
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    Gender and intersectionality: Understanding and Addressing Women's Mental Health and Mental Health Policy within the Cultural Context of Saudi Arabia
    (University Of Glasgow, 2024-02-06) Alghamdi, NadiaAhmed Alhamd; Melville, Craig
    Background: Intersectionality concerns the interconnected nature of social categories (e.g., race, gender, age, education) and how these ‘intersect’ to produce privilege and oppression. In the current context, this helps to understand women's mental health in socially disadvantaged positions, especially how intersections among gender inequality and factors such as socioeconomic status contribute to women’s mental health inequalities and experiences. Yet this remains an under researched area. This study’s overarching aim concerns understanding Saudi Arabian women’s mental health disorders, risks, challenges, and issues. For this, it has three objectives: to review the effects of intersectionality on this group within extant quantitative literature; to identify and explore the significant interactions among variables relating to this population’s social disadvantage and mental ill-health (e.g., gender and the risk of depression); and to analyse Saudi Arabia’s current mental health policy and gender equality. This study’s more specific aims involve furthering understanding of the effects of content, context, and actors behind mental health policies and programmes on Saudi women to help address their mental health needs. It takes the form of three studies. Study 1. This systematic review investigated quantitative methods used to study the intersectionality of multiple social disadvantages in women with common mental disorders. It reviewed studies on the intersectional effects of gender with multiple social disadvantages from the PROGRESS-Plus inequity framework and examined the quantitative methods these studies employ. The most common and means of studying intersectionality in mental health studies in the included studies was statistical interaction analysis. Other methods such as multilevel modelling and mediation decomposition analysis were also used. These robust statistical methods facilitate research on intersectional effects on mental health and improve understanding of the complex intersection of gender and other social disadvantages concerning women’s risk of common mental disorders. Study 2: This study analysed the National Survey of Saudi Food and Drug Authority dataset, a nationally representative sample of individuals aged 18–88 in Saudi Arabia (3,408 participants: 1,753 males and 1,655 females). Evaluating variable risks of depression using the PHQ-2 screening questionnaire, it found significant correlations between depression risk and the variables of gender, education, family income, and employment status. Although a subsequent multivariate analysis found the only significant predictors of depression risk to be female gender and education below the bachelor level. No interaction effects were observed, implying an additive effect of gender and education on the risk of depression. Study 3: This study analysed Saudi Arabia's mental health policies and gender equality. Using Walt and Gilson's health policy analysis framework, it highlights the need to address gender inequalities in the country's mental health policies. It provides evidence-based mental health policy recommendations relating to women in Saudi Arabia about enhancing their mental health and well-being and establishing an equal health system. Conclusions: Examining women’s mental health through an intersectionality lens can help policymakers address Saudi Arabian women’s mental health issue . To reduce inequalities, advances must be made in women’s education, training, employment, socioeconomic status, access and participation, equality, and overall independence. However, this must take place within a wider targeted and tailored reform agenda (legal, policy, political, PR, cultural, religious, economic, careers, educational) within which women must actively participate. Urgent inclusive, deep, and far-reaching intersectional initiatives, adjustments, research and reforms are needed to elevate Saudi women’s circumstances, experiences, and mental health and thereby address the current issue and ultimately improve society overall.
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    Secure Data-Sharing Among Healthcare Organisations in Saudi Arabia
    (Saudi Digital Library, 2023-07-17) Alzahrani, Ahmed; Wills, Gary
    The healthcare sector is suffering from the inefficiencies in handling its data. Many patients and healthcare organisations are frustrated by the numerous hurdles to obtaining current real-time patient information that are leading to delays in treatment. The healthcare sector’s attention has been drawn to blockchain technology for a part of the solution, especially after this technology was successfully applied in the financial sector to improve the security of transactions. The lack of data-sharing in the healthcare sector is considered a significant issue worldwide. This research focuses on the gap by investigating the benefits of using blockchain at the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia. The study achieves this by providing a detailed analysis of the healthcare sector and evaluating how blockchain technology improves data-sharing in a more secure way. This research proposes a framework that identifies the factors that will provide data-sharing among healthcare organisations using blockchain. The framework has three categories: healthcare systems factors; security factors; and blockchain factors. These were identified by critically reviewing published studies together with factors from the relevant industrial standards within the context of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A triangulation technique was used to achieve reliable results in three steps: a literature review; expert review; and questionnaires. This provided a comprehensive picture of the research topic, validating and confirming the results. To construct the framework the factors of the framework were comprehensively studied and extracted from the literature, then analysed, cleared of duplicates and categorised. Once the framework had been developed, to review and confirm it a study was carried out with healthcare IT specialists and blockchain experts. The expert review findings confirmed that all the proposed factors were important, and suggested recategorising one factor and removing another. After revising the proposed framework according to the expert review and recommendations, a questionnaire was distributed to healthcare IT specialists and blockchain experts in various organisations. Its results were analysed via a one-sample t-test and its data integrity analysed using Cronbach’s alpha, showing that all the factors are statistically significant. The confirmed framework has been based on literature and expert reviews and is supported by a practitioner survey. The framework can be used to inform decision-makers and the Ministry of Health about the factors that will provide data-sharing among healthcare organisations using blockchain. A new instrument was developed. A total of 238 IT and blockchain experts in Saudi healthcare organisations used the instrument. It was developed using the framework to identify the factors that will provide data-sharing among healthcare organisations. The instrument was evaluated using two tests that examined the internal reliability and the validity tests. The results from the instrument were used to develop a model using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The resulting data clearly showed a good fit of the structural model and measurement analyses. The key outcomes of the validation study revealed that the factors were discovered to have a direct and statistically significant effect on the model. This specifies that the proposed model fits the data and applies to the KSA context. The contributions of this research are as follows: first, it developed a framework within the KSA context and, second, from the framework a data-sharing instrument was developed, the results of which were used to generate a structural equation model. Overall, the outcomes of this study are valuable information in terms of recommendations to experts and healthcare organisations. Simply put, these findings can assist data sharing and encourage the spread of this phenomenon across countries in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia.
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