Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted The challenges that affect management performance in front office departments in the hospitality industry in Saudi Arabia(Saudi Digital Library, 2024) Khamis, Alahmadi; Robin, ReidAs Saudi Arabia is working on reaching the Saudi Vision 2030, the hospitality industry is undergoing a phase of intense transformation and growth, resulting in a more prominent role in the Saudi economy. Front office departments have been identified as one of the key factors in delivering satisfying guest experiences and promoting further industry growth. The present study aimed to uncover and address the challenges impacting the management performance of front-office departments in the Saudi Arabian hospitality industry, with a focus on conflict resolution and reducing employee turnover. A quantitative study was conducted using an online survey as a data collection method, while the sample was collected with a snowballing method sample. A total of 34 participants were featured in the study, with over 80% being front-office employees in Saudi hotels. The results of the study provided an overview of key challenges faced by front office employees, a list of the desirable skills both in front office employees and management, and the elements of service that have the biggest effect on customer satisfaction. In the domain of conflict resolution, the study identified sources of conflict, key strategies for addressing it, and specific recommendations for management involvement. The results also provide a detailed overview of the factors that moderate employees’ job satisfaction, determination to stay in the same position, preferred leadership approaches, and incentives that can reduce turnover rates. The study concludes with specific recommendations aimed at hotels operating in Saudi Arabia.6 0Item Restricted The Role of Social Workers in Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities in Saudi Primary Schools(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) ALSHOMRANI, SHARIFAH; Turner, WilliamGlobally, school social workers play a vital role in promoting inclusive educational environments, particularly for students with disabilities. Their responsibilities extend beyond direct support to students, encompassing the development of mental health interventions and the coordination of student services. As active members of multidisciplinary teams, they collaborate closely with school leaders and teachers to establish realistic goals and expectations that support students with disabilities both academically and socially. Despite the well-established role of social workers in inclusive education across many countries, their contributions within the Saudi Arabian context remain largely unexplored. Although they are expected to help create and sustain inclusive school environments, the absence of empirical research means that little is known about their effectiveness, the challenges they face, or the systemic barriers they encounter. This thesis aimed to explore the perceptions of social workers in Saudi primary schools regarding their roles, the resources available to them, and the support systems in place to facilitate inclusive education for students with disabilities. Guided by an interpretivist philosophy, the study adopted a qualitative methodology, drawing on semi-structured interviews conducted with 25 social workers from state, private, and international schools across Saudi Arabia. A thematic analysis approach was employed to identify key themes in their experiences and practices. The findings revealed that social workers often struggled with the conflation of inclusion and integration. Participants reported encountering numerous challenges, including limited resources, unclear policies, and increasing workloads. Professional development opportunities were found to be unevenly distributed, with state schools particularly disadvantaged in this regard. Nonetheless, social workers demonstrated resilience and a strong commitment to advocacy, driven by intrinsic motivation and values rooted in Islam that emphasised social justice. The study highlights the urgent need for clearer policy frameworks, improved professional training, and fairer resource allocation to enable social workers to fully support inclusive education. It argues that systemic reforms should draw on international best practices while remaining sensitive to the cultural and religious context of Saudi Arabia. This research contributes to the limited body of literature on the role of school social workers in inclusive education and provides a foundation for further study in non-Western educational settings.4 0Item Restricted Future Challenges of Major Tourism Projects in Saudi Arabia: A Prospective Study on Environmental Sustainability(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alanazi, Bassam; Zadeh, Shiva IlkhaniThis research critically examines Saudi Arabia's largest tourism projects—NEOM, The Red Sea Project, Qiddiya, and Riyadh—under the lens of environmental sustainability, and focuses on their place within the Kingdom's Vision 2030. These massive projects, in spite of their ecological claims, causes serious threats to delicate marine and desert ecosystems. The research reveals a disconnection between the projects' ambitious rhetoric of sustainability and their real-world environmental consequences, and alarms both environmental management and government control. This study employs qualitative case study method, and invokes the Triple Bottom Line, Resilience Theory, and Stakeholder Theory, based on eight in-depth interviews as well as extensive examination of government policies, academic scholarship, and media articles. It evidences widespread gaps in sustainability, such as deteriorated water scarcity, loss of biological diversity, increased energy needs, and deceptive marketing that falsely overhypes environmental success. The study points to a lack of responsibility in the projects, with some initiatives such as quantifiable environmental goals, while others are based heavily on promotional hype. The views among stakeholders differ, with some being cautiously optimistic about new technology while others are seriously worried about the long-term environmental impacts. The study calls for a shift in paradigm—one where real ecological protection is coupled with economic development to ensure that such projects deliver sustainability.24 0Item Restricted Assessing the Impact of Saudi Arabia’s 'Tourism Trailblazers' Programme in Developing National Expertise for the Tourism Sectors(Bourmouth University, 2025) Almahmudi, Reem Jaber; Ladkin, AdeleAbstract: This dissertation analyses the efficiency of the Tourism Trailblazers initiative in Saudi Arabia towards sharpening domestic expertise to the tourism industry under the project Vision 2030. Vision 2030 focuses on diversifying the economy and lessening its dependence on oil, making tourism an area of its strategic focus in development. In 2022, the Tourism Trailblazers Programme was announced to educate 100,000 young people in Saudi Arabia with a USD 100 million budget using the existing international facilities. Such attempts are still afforded with concerns on the level of vocational education on par with the labour market, especially in the context of soft skills, employability, and readiness. This dissertation presents the findings of a study that employed a quantitative research design, a structured bilingual questionnaire and sampled 100 participants of this programme. Correlation and regression analysis showed that, organisational experience, relevance, and access to curriculum of technological resources have a significant impact on personal and professional development. Nevertheless, organisational experience was the only predictor that distinctly foretold the employment practice of programme skills. The results show that although the programme advances the development of the skills, employment outcomes and matching results with market needs, gaps remain. The research suggests increasing employer contact, practical training experiences, and gender- responsive strategies to promote effectiveness of vocational training. These findings have significant policy implications on promoting the development of human capital in the Saudi Arabia tourism industry.9 0Item Restricted The Role of Blockchain Technology in Enhancing Transparency in Government Procurements in Saudi Arabia(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Baajajah, khadijh; Christidis, ArisPublic procurement is one of the most legally significant spheres of state activity. It accounts for a substantial proportion of public expenditure and serves as a central mechanism through which governments deliver goods, services and infrastructure. Beyond its fiscal importance, procurement is also a governance tool, as it directly shapes public trust in state institutions and serves as a benchmark for accountability and integrity. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, procurement reform has been elevated as a cornerstone of Vision 2030, the country’s national strategy for socioeconomic transformation. A well-functioning procurement system is considered essential to achieving transparency, accountability and efficiency in public resource management, thereby supporting both fiscal discipline and governance modernisation. Within this framework, the Government Tenders and Procurement Law (GTPL) provides the principal legal architecture for regulating tendering and contracting. Its objectives include securing value for public funds, promoting fair competition, ensuring equal opportunities for bidders and embedding transparency across all stages of the procurement cycle. Transparency, in particular, is the decisive principle: it is recognised internationally – through instruments such as the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Public Procurement and the recommendations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – as the primary safeguard against corruption and the precondition for fair competition and accountability. Weaknesses in transparency create systemic vulnerabilities that can be exploited for corrupt practices, a challenge Saudi Arabia has sought to address through legislative reform and international cooperation. However, despite these advances, Saudi procurement processes continue to face practical and institutional challenges. Gaps in consistency, oversight and accessibility risk undermining fiscal stability and public trust. These concerns are especially acute given their implications for alignment with Vision 2030, which expressly prioritises procurement reform, digitalisation and integrity in public administration as foundations of sustainable development. Against this backdrop, the integration of blockchain technology has emerged as a potential mechanism for strengthening transparency in procurement. It is increasingly viewed as a tool that could mitigate entrenched risks and foster greater accountability. Yet, the technology also raises unresolved legal questions that require careful regulatory consideration. Therefore, this research examines the impact of blockchain technology on enhancing transparency within Saudi Arabia’s procurement framework by analysing the GTPL and related regulations and then identifying structural gaps and practical vulnerabilities and assessing how blockchain may be leveraged to address them. The paper further argues that Saudi Arabia’s digital maturity and reform trajectory position the Kingdom as a particularly significant case study for exploring how emerging technologies may be embedded into procurement law and governance. To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, no dedicated legal scholarship in Saudi Arabia has examined blockchain technology’s potential to enhance transparency within the framework of the GTPL. Although the principles of procurement transparency and integrity have been extensively addressed in the international literature and blockchain’s application to procurement has been analysed in other jurisdictions, Saudi legal research has not yet explored this intersection. Thus, the current study contributes to domestic legal discourse by situating blockchain within the Kingdom’s procurement framework while also adding to comparative scholarship by examining an under-researched jurisdiction and offering insights relevant to both national reform and the broader development of international procurement governance.11 0Item Restricted Assessing the Societal Impact of Using Green Energy Technologies in Smart City Projects of KSA(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alotaibi, Yazeed; Volpe, RobertoThe project focuses on the societal impact of Green Energy Technologies (GETs) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The data has been collected through a Questionnaire Survey to address the research objectives. The project used descriptive analysis to present quantitative findings using SPSS. The data analysis based on 60 samples found that the people of KSA are in favour of using GETs in order to save the environment, raise living standards and development of the country. A total of 88% respondents agreed that GETs can improve productivity, economic growth and social health in the country. The study has also proven that GETs are crucial for society's well-being, as about 86% study population agreed. Moreover, the project outcome is in favour of using GETs in the country. On the other hand, there are still a few people who think that GETs can have some negative impacts on society, which could be a potential hurdle in the way of using GETs. The study recommends that the government and relevant stakeholders should provide more guidance and awareness to society on GETs.54 0Item Restricted The Saudi Stock Market Reaction to, and Valuation of, IFRS Reconciliation Adjustments.(University of Dundee, 2025) Almutlaq, Abdullah; Fifield, Suzanne; Kourtzidis, StavrosA significant change in Saudi Arabia over the last decade was the mandatory adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The conversion to reporting under IFRS required listed companies to publish reconciliation statements between the previous Saudi Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (S-GAAP) and IFRS, as mandated by IFRS 1. IFRS was established to meet the global economy's demand for high-quality and transparent financial reporting, and to harmonise financial reporting practices and address challenges from variations in accounting practices across different financial and legal systems, and cultures. The extant literature on IFRS adoption, market response, and value relevance has primarily concentrated on the European context. However, there is a need for research regarding IFRS adoption in Saudi Arabia. The country unique characteristics, such as its high reliance on oil revenue and its Vision 2030 initiative to diversify its economy underscore the need for adopting IFRS. Challenges like necessary changes to financial reporting systems and cultural barriers complicate this transition, which may impact market responses and the relevance of financial information. Consequently, this thesis seeks to fill this gap by examining (i) how the Saudi stock market responded to the release of IFRS reconciliation statements; and (ii) how the level of value relevance has developed over time. The aim of the current study is threefold. First, the study determines how market participants reacted to the mandatory adoption of IFRS, using a sample of 150 companies listed on the Saudi stock market during the period 2017 to 2019. Studies suggest that investors' perceptions of IFRS adoption are affected by their expectations of the future benefits and costs associated with IFRS adoption (Comprix et al., 2003; Daske et al., 2008; Armstrong et al., 2010; Joos and Leung, 2013). The findings show that the market reacted positively to IFRS adoption, suggesting that investors perceived it as being beneficial. However, for some sectors, the reaction to the publication of IFRS Reconciliation Statements was negative, and suggested that some information leakage may have occurred. Second, and building on the foundation established in the first empirical chapter, this thesis analyses the value relevance of IFRS using a sample of 105 listed companies for the three years before and after the adoption of IFRS in Saudi Arabia. The findings indicate that adopting IFRS enhanced the value relevance of accounting information, as demonstrated by an increase in explanatory power following the implementation. Third, the thesis examines the impact of IFRS adoption on accounting quality in Saudi Arabia by utilising three accounting quality models, using a comprehensive dataset of 101 listed firms over the period 2014 to 2020. The findings reveal that IFRS adoption improves certain aspects of accounting quality, including earnings persistence, and earnings smoothing. These results contribute to the ongoing discussion about the effects of IFRS adoption on financial markets and accounting practices in emerging economies. As such, the thesis offers valuable insights for policymakers, standard-setters, and financial statement users in Saudi Arabia and other developing countries that are considering similar regulatory changes. The findings of this study have important implications. They support Saudi Arabia's transition to IFRS, showing a positive stock market reaction that suggests investors see benefits in this adoption. This may encourage regulators to tailor standards to user needs. In addition, the stock market reaction may indicate how investors in other developing countries view IFRS modifications, offering insights for policymakers in similar economies. Finally, the thesis reveals that adopting IFRS in Saudi Arabia has enhanced certain aspects of accounting quality, indicating that the standards meet some objectives.10 0Item Restricted Understanding the Impact of Adopting Information Management Systems (IMS) on Firm Performance in Saudi Arabian SMEs(American University of Bahrain, 2025) Alhajouj, Asama; Mohammed, LaylaThis study explores how adopting Information Management Systems (IMS) influences the performance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Saudi Arabia. Using a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews with SME managers across multiple sectors, the research identifies key benefits such as enhanced operational efficiency, improved decision-making, better customer satisfaction, cost reduction, and competitive advantage. It also highlights major challenges including financial constraints, technical barriers, organizational resistance, cultural factors, and industry-specific needs. The findings emphasize that successful IMS adoption requires strategic planning, employee training, phased implementation, and collaboration with experts. The study contributes to the limited literature on IMS adoption among Saudi SMEs and provides practical recommendations for overcoming barriers and enhancing firm performance.4 0Item Restricted Female entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia Bricolage, resilience, and sociocultural context under Vision 2030(Faten Mohsen Alotaibi, 2025) Alotaibi, Faten Mohsen; Cotterell, Dafydd; Jones, Paul; Pickernell, DavidIn recent years, Saudi Arabia has undergone major economic and social reform under Saudi Vision 2030, which targets greater inclusion of women in the entrepreneurial landscape. Despite these shifts, female entrepreneurs, particularly those managing low-resilience resource-constrained small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), continue to face challenges. This thesis explores the experiences of 20 female entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia to examine the challenges, opportunities, and institutional support mechanisms shaping their experience of running a business. Drawing on culture theory, institutional theory, and resource bricolage theory, the thesis investigates how women mobilise cultural capital, informal networks, and adaptive strategies to navigate financial, regulatory, and sociocultural constraints. The analysis is based on qualitative methodology, with semi-structured interviews and reflexive thematic analysis used to uncover themes across participants’ experiences. The findings indicate that cultural and network bricolage are critical for female entrepreneurs to overcome systemic limitations. Informal support systems, including family and community networks, are identified as essential for access to finance, mentorship, and operational resilience. However, challenges remain in accessing formal capital, navigating bureaucratic processes, and overcoming entrenched gender norms. The thesis also reveals the inadequacy of current policy frameworks. In response, several practical and social implications of this research are highlighted. On a practical level, gender-sensitive financial instruments, structured mentorship programmes, and inclusive regulatory reforms are proposed as solutions. These elements are crucial to foster resilience and sustainability among female-led SMEs. On a social level, the thesis shows the importance of these measures for ensuring that Saudi Arabia achieves its Vision 2030 goals, not only by increasing women’s economic involvement but also by changing their social prospects within this unique sociocultural and economic context. Ultimately, this thesis contributes to understanding how entrepreneurship is embedded in the Saudi sociocultural context. Moreover, it offers a framework for empowering female entrepreneurs to become key agents of economic diversification and national development under Vision 2030. In presenting its findings and implications, this thesis offers a valuable and original in-depth discussion of the challenges, drivers, and unique features of this specific type of entrepreneurship, with potential ramifications that extend beyond the chosen developing-country context of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under Vision 2030.15 0Item Restricted The Role of Islamic Culture Curriculum in Saudi Universities in Promoting Women’s Rights(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Bajabir, Salwa Saeed; Brown, KatherineDespite the legal and educational reforms under Vision 2030, this research argues that a gap remains between policy advancements and societal awareness of women's rights principles in Islam (WRPI) among Saudi University students. Through a qualitative case study at a leading Saudi University, including content analysis and semi-structured interviews, this research explores how the Islamic Cultural Curriculum (ICC) influences women students' perceptions of their rights. This study integrates Freire's Critical Pedagogy and Tibbitt's Human Rights Education models to advocate for a transformative approach incorporating gender justice and peace education in line with Islamic principles. Findings reveal that the ICC content and teaching strategies contain a blend of preaching, indoctrination, and marginalisation of women's agency as rights holders in the Islamic framework. The analysis explores how the current ICC discourages critical engagement instead of promoting discussion and reflection, reinforcing hierarchical gender norms through rigid teaching methods and structure that presents knowledge as static and unquestionable. As these findings contradict WRPI, this research suggests that applying the foundation (Al-Taʾṣīl) methodology within a critical, dialogical framework can reconcile WRPI with contemporary gender issues, needs and rights. Overall, this research provides a multidisciplinary analysis of the Islamic approach to women's rights, transformational higher education, and gender justice.31 0