Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted دور الأخصائي الاجتماعي في التوعية الصحية لأسر مرضى الأمراض المزمنة بالمملكة العربية السعودية دراسة ميدانية بصحة منطقة القصيم(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) الحربي, نايف; ابوالعلا, دينا محمد السعيدينبثق الهدف الرئيس لهذه الدراسة من خلال التعرف دور الأخصائي الاجتماعي في التوعية الصحية لأسر مرضى الأمراض المزمنة بالمملكة العربية السعودية وخاصة بصحة منطقة القصيم، ولقد تبنت الدراسة توجهًا نظريًا تمثل في النظرية البنائية الوظيفية، ونظرية المعتقد الصحي، وتعد الدراسة من الدراسات الوصفية التحليلية، واستخدمت الدراسة منهج المسح الاجتماعي بالعينة، كما اعتمدت الدراسة على أداة الاستبيان، وقد طُبقت على عينة مكونة من (270) من أسر مرضى الأمراض المزمنة المترددين على عدد من المستشفيات بمنطقة القصيم2 0Item Restricted PAINFUL AESTHETICS: ON PAIN IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY AMERICAN LITERATURE AND THE WAY WE READ LITERATURE(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Asiri, Ali Saeed A; Barnes, AshleyThis dissertation examines nineteenth-century American literature representations of pain to argue that scenes of suffering function as a crucial bridge between aesthetic form and historical and political interpretations. Against a longstanding critical division that treats formal analysis and contextual reading as incompatible approaches, the study contends that pain exposes the limits of that separation by demanding narrative mediation while remaining inseparable from the historical conditions that produce it. Focusing on Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Frederick Douglass’s autobiographical narratives, Harriet Jacobs’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, and Charles W. Chesnutt’s The Marrow of Tradition, this dissertation traces how genre, race, gender and historical context shape how pain is represented in these texts, how it circulates between the characters, and whether it can generate ethical judgment or political response. In particular, the discussion analyzes how Stowe’s strategic restraint, Douglass’s confrontation, Jacobs’s indirection, and Chesnutt’s depiction of blocked recognition reveal pain not as a universal or transparent experience but as a mediated concept whose political force depends on formal strategy. By treating pain as a methodological problem for literary criticism, this study challenges approaches that assume pain’s political significance to be self-evident or retreat from its ethical demands and argues that nineteenth-century American literature binds aesthetic judgment to historical urgency through the difficulty of representing suffering.7 0Item Restricted Saudi Female EFL Students’ Informal Digital Learning of English: Practices and Perceptions(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Althunayyan, Ghadah; Murray, LiamThis study investigates how Saudi female EFL university students engage in the Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE), focusing on the types and frequency of activities, the nature of engagement, perceptions of effectiveness, and motivational factors driving participation. Positioned within a gender-segregated and rapidly transforming educational context, the research explores IDLE as an emerging and influential complement to formal English language instruction in Saudi Arabia. Grounded in Self-Learning Theory (SLT), Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and constructivist and communicative approaches, the study examines four research questions using a mixed-methods design. The study involved 102 students from Qassim University, Saudi Arabia, who completed the questionnaire in the quantitative phase, alongside 8 students who participated in semi-structured interviews for the qualitative phase. The findings show that IDLE offers a natural and self-directed learning environment characterized by autonomy, enjoyment, and exposure to authentic language input. Students predominantly engaged with passive digital activities such as watching English media, listening to podcasts or music, and consuming social media content. While these activities provided rich linguistic input, students’ reliance on passive engagement limited opportunities for active language production, revealing an asymmetry partly shaped by sociocultural norms that have historically constrained Saudi women’s participation in interactive spaces. Learners in IDLE generally fell toward the incidental pole of the learning spectrum, with their engagement largely driven by enjoyment and their language gains emerging naturally from meaningful exposure, often noticed only in retrospect. However, a notable subgroup demonstrated integrated intentionality, embedding purposeful methods within informal digital experiences. Those who approached their engagement with greater awareness and reflection reported deeper and more lasting learning, underscoring the importance of conscious attention in informal contexts. This blend of incidental and intentional engagement indicates that the effectiveness of IDLE lies not in the particular type or combination of activities but in how learners manage their attention and reflection. Motivation to learn English was shaped by intrinsic factors such as curiosity, cultural interest, and self-growth, as well as extrinsic factors including academic and career advancement. Motivation to engage in IDLE was driven by enjoyment, autonomy, self-expression, and intercultural connection. The virtual environment allowed learners to express themselves, overcome social constraints, and access meaningful cultural and linguistic experiences that are not always available in traditional educational settings. Overall, my study concludes that IDLE is a valuable, learner-centred, and motivational pathway for English language development. While it supports autonomy, self-directed engagement, and global connectivity, it may require complementary structure to ensure balanced linguistic growth. The findings advance our understanding of IDLE in the Saudi context, highlighting its value as an effective supplement to formal EFL instruction and offering practical insights for educators, institutions, and policymakers aiming to enhance English learning within culturally and socially conservative settings.2 0Item Unknown Genome mining and biosynthetic investigation of secondary metabolites produced by fungal highly reducing polyketide synthases(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) Arishi, Amr Abker Y; Chooi, Heng; Flematti, Gavin; Shang, ZhuoFungi produce diverse bioactive metabolites with pharmaceutical and agricultural relevance. Among these, polyketides generated by highly reducing polyketide synthases (HR-PKSs) are promising drug leads, although their biosynthetic mechanisms remain only partially understood. This thesis employs genome mining and heterologous expression to investigate selected fungal HR-PKS pathways. It reports the discovery of luteodienoside A, released via a glucinol-utilising cAT domain; elucidates the cerulenin biosynthetic pathway; characterises collaborative HR-PKS and type III PKS systems producing alkylresorcinols; and identifies genes essential for hymeglusin biosynthesis. Collectively, this work advances our understanding of HR-PKS-mediated biosynthesis and expands the known chemical diversity of fungal polyketides.12 0Item Unknown 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 Unknown Enhancing Sustainability in Construction Planning: A Digital Twins and Augmented Reality Approach for the Megaproject Infrastructures(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Almojalli, Hamad; Khudirat, AyinlaThe complex realm of construction in which projects tower above and hopes and aspirations fly high is one where the idea of a Megaproject pops up as the wonder of human creativity and ambition. The likes of monuments and skyscrapers are ambitious tasks. The success of their missions lies in precise planning and execution. Through this narrative, we cover a trip wherein contemporary technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and Digital Twins (DT) are interlinked with the great vision of sustainability in the construction site and particularly the Megaproject infrastructures (Jackson & della Dora, 2009).7 0Item Unknown Enabling Sustainable Transitions for SMEs in Saudi Arabia(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alsahli, Shahad; Jochem, KroezemThis project explores how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Saudi Arabia can contribute to the country’s sustainability transition under Vision 2030, using eco-packaging in the food and retail sectors as a practical starting point. The report highlights the shift from traditional, low-cost plastic packaging practices toward more sustainable alternatives such as compostable, reusable, and recyclable materials, driven by growing consumer awareness, government regulations, and emerging green startups. It identifies major barriers facing SMEs, including limited awareness, higher costs, weak recycling infrastructure, and lack of sustainability expertise, while also outlining institutional enablers such as government initiatives, financial support programs, and sustainability-focused incubators. Drawing lessons from Dutch SMEs, the project proposes solutions including financial incentives, cross-sector collaboration, pilot programs, digital platforms, and awareness campaigns to accelerate adoption. Ultimately, the report presents a roadmap for scaling eco-packaging adoption across Saudi SMEs as a catalyst for broader circular economy practices and long-term sustainable business transformation.4 0Item Unknown Characterization of Age- and Sex-Specific Metabolic Pathway Alterations in the Colon Associated with CRC Development(Saudi Digital Library, 2024) Alhazmi, Rawan; Derer-Petersen, Stefanie; Gottschild, ClarissaBoth age and sex are important factors influencing metabolic processes, impacting energy production, immune regulation, and lipid metabolism. Metabolic efficiency usually declines with age, leading to dysregulation of key metabolic pathways, which could lead to different health issues such as chronic inflammation and cancer. These age-related changes are affected in both sexes differently, with males and females experiencing distinct metabolic shift patterns due to their biological differences, such as sex hormones. Investigating these variations could help clarify how age- and sex-specific metabolic shifts elevate health risks. Therefore, a proteomic analysis was used to filter proteins from C57BL/6J mice of different ages and sexes based on their involvement in metabolic processes, and then through statistical analysis, significantly up-regulated or down-regulated proteins were identified. STRING network analysis was employed to identify key metabolic pathways enriched in these regulated proteins. Notably, pathways related to lipid metabolism, such as fatty acid oxidation and lipid transport, were highly enriched in up-regulated protein, particularly in older male mice, suggesting an age-related shift toward lipid utilisation. Down-regulated proteins were primarily associated with amino acid metabolism across sexes, though with distinct patterns. Among the proteins involved in enriched pathways, four proteins were observed in multiple enriched pathways. CD36, FABP4, HMGCS2, and KYAT3. These metabolic shifts are closely tied to the development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). CRC incidence increases with age, and men are generally at higher risk than women. Metabolic dysregulation, including lipid accumulation, impaired energy metabolism, and a weakened immune response, has been strongly linked to CRC. These processes not only facilitate the growth and proliferation of cancer cells but also create a tumour-friendly environment in an ageing colon. Therefore, monitoring these metabolic alterations could provide insights into potential biomarkers for early CRC detection.0 0Item Unknown تقييم كفاءة أنظمة الوقاية والسلامة باستخدام بطاقة الأداء المتوازن(ماجد عمر عبدالله بالبيد, 2026) بالبيد, ماجد; يسن, مصطفىتم منحي درجه الماجستير من جامعه حلوان بعنوان رساله تقييم كفاءة أنظمة الوقاية والسلامة باستخدام بطاقة الأداء المتوازن1 0Item Unknown أثر أنماط القيادة الموزعة على تنمية رأس المال الفكرى بالمؤسسات الصحية: دراسة ميدانية(Saudi Digital Library, 2026) ALQHTANI, SAIF; السوداني, محمدأثر أنماط القيادة الموزعة على تنمية رأس المال الفكرى بالمؤسسات الصحية: دراسة ميدانية2 0