Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted The Impact of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Behaviour in Saudi Arabia(Loughborough University, 2023-05) Alsharyoufi, Sarah; Abu wardeh, MahmoudThe results identified a positive but weak correlation between consumer behaviours and SMM efforts linking to aspects like entertainment, interactivity, perceived relevance, and informativeness. However, the relationship between interactivity and informativeness with consumer buying behaviours was more robust than the variables. Also, there was a moderate link between eWOM and SMIs with the consumers’ buying behaviours. On the other hand, regression analysis indicated a weak link between purchasing behaviours through SMM efforts that develop trust and brand awareness and image and entertainment, interactivity, perceived relevance, informativeness, eWOM and SMIs.27 0Item Restricted Unveiling the Digital Divide: Public and Private Spaces on Social Media in the Saudi Context(La Trobe University, 2024-05) Bahabri, Alaa Sultan; Bahfen, Nasya; McCarthy, BrigidThe emergence of social media has significantly altered the traditional boundaries between public and private, creating blurred spaces. As users around the world navigate these novel spaces, considerable research shows that they utilise various strategies to manage public and private. In the Saudi context, previous studies have shown that Saudis – influenced by Islamic privacy norms– tend to strictly segregate public and private spaces on social media using several strategies. Nonetheless, much of this research has primarily focused on users, with little attention paid to the influence of digital elements. This study investigates a common strategy of navigating public and private in the Saudi context, which is the segregation of public and private spaces across platforms. The study takes into account the influence of the platform’s interface and affordances. The study was conducted through three phases of data collection and analysis. The first phase involved analysing social media platforms using a digital ethnography approach; the walkthrough methodology to demonstrate the platform’s interface and affordances of public and private space. The second phase focused on investigating users’ perspectives and behaviours related to public and private spaces across platforms using a questionnaire and interviews. Lastly, the third phase delved deeper into specific public and private spaces identified during the earlier phases through in-depth interviews and further analysis the online social norms of public and private space. This study argues that, as social media platforms blur the boundaries between public and private, the proliferation of social media has led Saudi users to heavily rely on segregating public and private spaces across these platforms, taking into account each platform's interface and affordances. This segregation reflects the Islamic notion of privacy, and it allowed users to reflect and facilitate their culture and social norms in the online space. The findings revealed that Saudis preferred platforms with default public or default private design, while they negotiate semi-public platforms. Twitter was favoured as a public space due to its default public interface design, while Snapchat’s was favoured as a private space. Conversely, Facebook’s semi-public nature was rejected due to perceived openness, leading to its designation as a niche network among Saudis. Instagram’s semi-public space was also negotiated and was used as a functional platform. Finally, TikTok was rejected due to the perception that it is not culturally appropriate. 5 Further analysis examined the social norms on Twitter and Snapchat, highlighting the differences in public and private interactions. The study found Twitter users exhibited cautious behaviour due to its public interface design, and presented a collective self, with either a serious or professional personas. In contrast, Snapchat provided a unique dynamic, particularly as older users were present on the platform, leading young users to create a more closed private space that differed from offline private circles. Overall, this research underscores the intricate interplay of culture, technology, and user behaviour in shaping Saudi Arabia’s digital landscape, emphasising the importance of considering both the cultural values and digital environments in understanding these dynamics for effective platform design and policymaking.15 0Item Restricted Understanding Patients' Perceptions of Social Support Features on Social Media and its Effects on Behaviour Change(University of Wollongong, 2024-04) Basahal, Suliman Mabrouk; Win, KhinSocial media has become one of the most effective tools that diabetic patients increasingly use to adopt healthy behaviour in recent times. It has grown into one of the most social media platforms that diabetic patients gradually use to adopt healthy behaviour in the latest times. However, social support features on social media groups have significantly improved diabetic life, illustrating its practical impact on meeting diabetic patients' requirements. Exchanging social support features such as” Informational, emotional, belonging, and instrumental” in social media groups have played a remarkable role in maintaining diabetic conditions. Many studies covered Facebook's role in enhancing diabetic life, illustrating its practical effect on meeting diabetic patients' needs. Based on the latest update within the literature, there is a need to investigate the role of social support groups on social media and their role in changing patient behaviour. Recent studies do not present this appropriately, mainly when they refer to social media as a primary tool to identify patient behaviour change. Therefore, this research aims to fill the gaps in this area by focusing on patients' perceptions of social media usage to change patients' health behaviour regarding social support groups on social media. The research aims to understand patient perceptions of social support features on social media and its effects on their behaviour change. Mix method research composed to generate three main results chapters. First, the study started with a Delphi study to develop and validate a robust instrument that adequately captures the properties of the key constructs, domains, and relevant items required to study the role of social support features on diabetic Facebook groups and their effect on behaviour change. Second, the quantitative result is a crosssectional design that involves carrying out an online-based questionnaire, which is considered an appropriate design for such a study. In other words, this research conducted an online questionnaire to understand what patients believe about the role of social media in empowering social support aspects among virtual societies to encourage them to promote their health by changing unhealthy habits and adopting healthy behaviour. Third, the study conducted interviews with 12 diabetic patients who have experience with such social support groups on diabetes Facebook groups. It is an unstructured interview focused on patients’ free expression and their beliefs and experiences of diabetes Facebook groups. To validate an instrument to identify and measure diabetic patient perceptions of social support features on Facebook and their impact on behaviour change. An E-Delphi study was conducted, and 15 health and Information technology experts were involved. Two rounds have been completed, including 15 experts for round one and 12 experts for round two, to validate the new instrument that includes 57 items. The last instrument version involves 45 items with overall acceptable scale values, “relevance = 0.910, clarity = 0.900, and Importance = 0.862”, presenting an acceptable validity level for this novel instrument. However, further study must be conducted to validate the instrument developed in an empirical study. A cross-sectional survey collected a total of 339 questionnaires from Diabetic Facebook group users, 161 of which were included in the model analysis. SPSS was used for clearing and descriptive analysis, and a partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) used SmartPLS (Version 4.0.7.8) to analyze the measurement model and structural model tests for the study model “Developed Framework”. The results show that diabetes Facebook group users got helpful information “Content and 2 Source”, which indicates an enhancement in their awareness of diabetes disease, leading them to increase motivation to use such these groups, which led to growth in diabetes patients’ behaviour change. The research outcome states that there is a solid and positive impact on users’ behaviour change when they use diabetes Facebook groups. There was a positive relationship between users’ “Awareness, Instrumental Support, Ease of Use, Privacy Risk, and Usefulness” and their Motivation to use diabetes Facebook groups. There were no statistically adequate Emotional Support and Belonging Support on usage Motivation to use diabetes Facebook groups. The primary purpose of this qualitative part is to deeply understand the diabetic patient's perceptions of social support features on Facebook and how to utilize such technology to deal with this chronic disease, followed by its effect on behaviour change. A qualitative study was conducted at DFGs with 12 Arab members who had previously done the questionnaire and agreed to endure doing the online interview. The study was conducted to learn more about how they utilized the group "Facebook" pages' social support elements in detail. The collected data was analyzed using thematic approaches. Twelve interview transcripts were uploaded and analyzed using NVivo 12 software. The results show that DFGs have played a remarkable role in changing patient behaviour in their eating and practising habits. This study’s findings showed that the developed framework could explain customers' motivation to use diabetic Facebook groups, leading them to change their behaviour. In the end, the study afforded ideas and recommendations for further study and the implications of its study outcomes.18 0Item Restricted The Effectiveness of Source and Message Characteristics on Consumers' Behavioural Response to Social Media Influencers Event Marketing Posts(Bournemouth University, 2024-07-25) Alawairdhi, Fatimah; Moital, MiguelWith social media being the centre of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) communication and connections, marketing strategies and initiatives have aligned with current trends. This is seen in all sectors, and the event industry is no exception. One of the strategies used is social media influencer (SMI) marketing and it continues to rise in prominence for its perceived ability in persuasive communication. This dissertation explores the effectiveness of source and message characteristics on consumer behavioural responses within the context of SMI marketing promotions for events, specifically focusing on the Riyadh Season events Boulevard World and Boulevard City. This study employs a quantitative approach, utilising an online questionnaire distributed via social media platforms to a sample of Saudi citizens. The research investigates key characteristics such as trustworthiness, likeability, message credibility, strength of delivery and richness, alongside the interpersonal factor of homophily. Different consumer responses were explored but the focus of this study is on behavioural. The study also explored theories such theory of planned behaviour (1898) and the AIDA model (1985) to understand consumer behaviour and response and to how efficiently persuade them to interact with marketing and promotional content. The choice of Saudi Arabia as the geographical focus for this research is justified by the Saudi society’s high social media usage and the significant role SMIs play in marketing within the region in addition to the surge of event the country is experiencing. The data collected revealed that message characteristics are more effective in generating a behavioural response from consumers to the event promotional content than source characteristics. Recommendations for future research include expanding the geographical scope to other Gulf regions, conducting longitudinal studies and exploring additional source and message characteristics.25 0Item Restricted EVALUATION OF A WHATSAPP-DELIVERED DIABETIC SELF-MANAGEMENT EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES: A MIXED METHODS STUDY(The University of Newcastle, 2024-06-07) Yaagoob, Esmaeel; Regina, Lee; Chan, Sally; Stubbs, MichelleDiabetes is a severe chronic health and potentially devastating medical condition that has increased in prevalence over the past few decades to constitute a significant public health challenge of the twenty-first century. Inadequate diabetes management can result in severe complications, including cardiovascular diseases and strokes, impacting the quality of life. Effective self-management is crucial, with individuals making daily decisions related to their diabetes care. Diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) provides people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) the necessary knowledge, skills, and confidence to manage their condition. It has been found that increasing individual knowledge regarding disease and its complications has significant benefits in compliance with treatment and decreasing complications associated with diabetes. Traditionally, such programs are conducted via face-to-face group sessions. However, there are challenges in accessing face-to-face programs due to factors such as geographic location and travelling distances. In regions where digital technology and social media are pervasive, there is potential to increase innovative delivery methods such as social media platforms to provide accessible and flexible DSMES, thereby reaching a wider audience and improving health outcomes for individuals with T2DM. Considering the widespread use of WhatsApp in Saudi Arabia, online delivery of the DSMES may serve as a viable platform to decrease the burden and impact of living with T2DM. All research in this thesis was conducted in Saudi Arabia using a mixed-methods experimental design to examine the effectiveness of DSMES delivered via WhatsApp for people with T2DM. There are three phases in this study. In Phase One, a qualitative descriptive study was conducted using semi-structured phone interviews. The objective of this phase was to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences and perceptions of people with T2DM regarding diabetes self-management. Insights from this phase guided the development of the teaching materials for the online diabetes self-management education program implemented in Phase Two. In Phase Two, a randomised controlled trial (RCT) was conducted. The objective of the RCT study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the WhatsApp-based DSMES in enhancing self-efficacy and diabetic knowledge (primary outcomes), as well as evaluating its impact on glycemic control (HbA1c), health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and levels of anxiety and depression (secondary outcomes). Subsequently, the third phase was a process evaluation to explore the experiences of people with T2DM who participated in the newly developed WhatsApp-based DSMES. In Phase One (qualitative interviews), nineteen (n=19) participants were recruited from the diabetes centres located within Jazan General Hospital and King Fahd Central Hospital in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia. Themes generated from the qualitative analysis included knowledge deficit regarding disease management and its complications, difficulties in coping with the disease, adjusting to lifestyle changes and coping mechanisms influenced by a blend of culture and religion. Participants shared their experiences in accessing diabetic services via social media. Data generated from Phase One were used to develop an intervention that was tailored to the specific needs and experiences of people with T2DM in Saudi Arabia, as identified through the qualitative inquiry. The intervention was developed based on self-efficacy theory and aimed to enhance the self-management skills of people with T2DM through a structured educational delivered via WhatsApp. Common outcomes of WhatsApp-based DSMES for people with DM is to increase motivation to modify behaviours, adopt healthier lifestyles and adhere to prescribed medications. The educational content of the WhatsApp-based DSMES included general diabetes care information, signs and symptoms of diabetes, pathophysiology, aetiology, diet therapy, exercise, and other self-care behaviours. The intervention was delivered over six weeks, with each week focusing on a specific topic related to diabetes management. Participants received text messages, photos, and videos through a WhatsApp group, and were encouraged to interact, share experiences, and ask questions. The educational sessions were designed to take about one hour per week, and participants indicated their engagement by sending a thumbs-up emoji or the word "done" after reviewing the weekly content. In Phase Two (RCT), 80 participants were recruited from the diabetes centres at Jazan General Hospital and King Fahd Central Hospital in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia were randomly assigned into intervention (n=40) and control groups (n=40). The intervention group received a 6-week intervention via WhatsApp, while the control group received usual care. The primary outcomes measured included UK-Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale (DSMES-UK) and the Diabetes Knowledge Test2 (DKT2). The secondary outcomes measured included glycaemic blood test (HBA1C), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Diabetes Quality-Of-Life scale (DQOL). These outcomes were assessed at three time points: baseline, immediate post intervention at 6th week and two months after the intervention at 12th week. Findings at 6- and 12-week time points showed significant improvement in DSMES-UK and DKT2 in the intervention group compared to the control group. No significant difference in secondary outcomes was observed in HbA1c, total HADS, total DQoL, T0 to T1. In Phase Three (process evaluation), twenty-three (n=23) participants from the intervention group were recruited. Those who had previously consented during Phase Two and had indicated their willingness to share their experiences of the intervention were invited to participate in semi-structured phone interviews. Qualitative analysis found the participants expressed positive feedback surrounding the acceptability, flexibility, and relevance of the intervention content along with elements of cultural inclusion of the WhatsApp-based program. The participants also supported that the 6-week WhatsApp-based DSMES intervention enhanced a healthy change in lifestyle choices. They offered recommendations for enhancing the WhatsApp-based DSMES including more interactive and real-time features, the inclusion of allied health professionals for specialized support, the involvement of family members, and the integration of the program into standard diabetes care practices. These suggestions could increase the WhatsApp-based DSMES effectiveness, engagement, and overall impact on diabetes management. Findings of this study highlighted the positive effects of a WhatsApp-based DSMES on self-efficacy and diabetic knowledge of people with T2DM. Findings also provided feasibility data for the delivery of an evidence-based social media intervention to achieve optimal diabetes control, health outcomes, and quality of life for people with T2DM within communities. Findings further demonstrated DSMES was easily accessible, flexible, and assisted participants in modifying their behaviours to adopt a healthier lifestyle. By incorporating social media and culturally specific needs into DSMES, we can enhance health outcomes for people with T2DM and alleviate disease burden. Healthcare providers and policymakers may improve health outcomes for people living with T2DM by implementing the delivery of DSMES via social media platforms such as WhatsApp. Future research should focus on multicentre clinical trials with longer follow-up periods to investigate the long-term and cost-effectiveness of WhatsApp-based DSMES. Future studies should also explore the perspectives of diabetes educators and nurses and the readiness of healthcare centres to implement such online educational interventions. Expanding the scope to include a family-centred approach may lead to more sustainable interventions to promote self-management skills for people living with T2DM within communities.31 0Item Restricted VISUAL CONTENT ANALYSIS OF WOMEN INFLUENCERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST(California State University, Fullerton, 2024) Aljohani, Rawan; Assaf, EliseThe literature has confirmed that social media influencers influence different aspects of their followers. The literature has studied the impact of these celebrities on social media on their followers, who reach thousands or millions. This study aimed to complete the other side and examine the accounts of celebrities to find out what these audiences are exposed to. This study analyzed the visual content of six mega Arab women influencers on Instagram: Nour Arida, Nour Stars, Amani Al-Hanthi, Doha Al-Araibi, Amal Samir, and Maram Douzi. This study examined four aspects of influencers' posts: body image and looks, representation of others, and work to reveal how these celebrities represent women in Arab societies. The study also divided celebrities into celebrities from Asia and others from Africa and compared them. The study found that the body image of the female influencers in the sample is not perfect. In this regard, the study also found that veiled influencers are careful not to show their body image. We also found that modern fashion dominates the tastes of female influencers. However, some influencers still wear traditional fashions from their culture and traditions. In addition, the study revealed that some female influencers' accounts depend for their fame on depicting family atmosphere. The findings also showed that female celebrities prefer to refrain from showing aspects of their professional lives to their followers on the application. Finally, the study found that there are no fundamental differences between influencers from Asia and Africa.11 0Item Restricted Beyond the pain: A creative strategy to raise awareness about migraine disorder affecting Saudi professional women in the creative industry.(Univeristy of the arts london, 2024-02-16) Mashhor, Khaldah; Martin, MichaelMigraines are a neurological disorder affecting over a billion individuals globally (World Health Organization, 2016). They are more commonly found among young women than men due to the hormonal changes they undergo as they grow up (Wilhour, 2023). In Saudi Arabia, many individuals are diagnosed with migraine disorder compared to the global average (Albalawi et al., 2023). Despite the concerning findings and the high numbers of affected people, Saudi Arabia's acknowledgement of the disorder is considered low compared to other Western countries (Syed et al.,2020). Therefore, a gap between the prevalence of migraines and the level of public understanding within Saudi Arabia was discovered. Many people recognise migraines as ' just a headache' however, they cause debilitating pain, which can be described as a "throbbing and pulsing headache" (Cleveland Clinic,2021), usually affecting one side of the head. It disturbs someone's quality of life, leading them to endure more than mere pain. Migraines often strike young women during their peak years of professional productivity (Cimons, 2018), creating a dual challenge as they grapple with their condition while also meeting the demands of their careers. Saudi Arabia's flourishing creative industry is increasingly drawing in young, determined women, among whom are many managing the added complexity of living with migraines. These women frequently encounter daily factors like extensive technology usage and external environmental triggers in their workspace that affect their condition (Luccheetti, 2023), often compelling them to withdraw to a place of comfort to relieve their pain. Understanding and empathy are what those women seek from their surroundings, particularly from their work colleagues with whom they spend 8 hours a day, 5 times a week. During the research journey, key insights and findings were the stepping stones that determined what to focus on in producing the final outcome. Leading to the employment of a creative framework to fill in the found gaps. Therefore, The Double Diamond by IDEO (Design Council, 2023), known for its user-centric approach, was used as a guiding structure for this project. By prioritising the affected women, the methodology focused on understanding their needs and challenges by following its directing stages. Alongside that is the theory of change model, which this project leveraged its planning steps to reach an outcome that initiates a desired social and behavioural change. As a result, a tailored, creative, and strategic intervention has been crafted to enhance awareness of migraine disorders among professional creatives surrounding young women affected by migraines in the Saudi creative sector. While acknowledging that meaningful change takes time, this comprehensive strategy is planned over a four-year timeline. The output marks the implementation of the initial phase in the first year of this strategy, which consists of a digital social media awareness campaign. The visuals, content, and videos were crafted collaboratively, where the main stakeholder took part in creating the visuals. By doing so, the project encourages these women to share their voices to be heard and bring awareness to their colleagues. While the nature of the outcome might be challenging to measure due to the project's time restrictions, the desired effect this project aims to achieve would be raising awareness through a dedicated Instagram account. This digital platform bridges the communication of the awareness campaign and extends its reach to the Saudi creative industry as a whole. Another thing this project aims to achieve is to diminish the stigma surrounding the disorder, leading to the establishment of supportive and understanding working environments. Reflecting on this project's journey, launching the awareness initiative is not just about disseminating information; it is a heartfelt movement towards fostering empathy within a society that does not fully grasp the debilitating nature of migraines. The future of this dedicated account would be a potential start to address other unspoken disorders and shed light on those whom our Saudi society must acknowledge.28 0Item Restricted User-generated content, brands and value co-creation - Students critically evaluate how user-generated content contributes to value co-creation and co-destruction, as well as suggest ways of countering co-destruction.(University of Dundee, 2023-11-22) Alghamdi, Abdullah; Loannis, ZisisSocial media has empowered everyday consumers, granting them a wide variety of platforms to share their brand experiences. This user-generated content (UGC) represents a double-edged sword for brands. On one hand, it can build authentic connections, credibility and innovation. However, left unchecked, it also threatens brand reputations and relationships. This review explores the complex dynamic between User generated content, cocreation of value and co-destruction. By synthesizing 40 studies, the researcher has uncovered UGC’s multifaceted impacts. When governance policies respectfully harness real customer voices, UGC fuels value creation. However, neglect risks spirals of negativity and distrust. Key lessons emerge for brand building in this study which included fostering participatory experiences, customers care that is active and highly responsive, balanced governance with openness, systemic improvements from critiques etc. Furthermore, future research recommendations are also presented in this paper.30 0Item Restricted Online Personas, Offline Identities: Exploring the Use of Pseudonyms Amongst Saudi Twitter Users(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-08-17) Alshehri, Razan; Cheng, ZhiIn everyday life, people present themselves depending on who their audience is. The emergence of social media platforms collapsed various audiences into one virtual space, urging users to present a unified face to everyone. To navigate that, some have resorted to the use of pseudonyms rather than their full names when they create a profile on social media. The use of pseudonyms has been an interesting phenomena that researchers have explored in the context of self-presentation and self-disclosure. However, most previous literature has focused on Western cultures when they examine the affordance of a pseudonymous self-presentation and self-disclosure. Following a socio-technical approach, this study contributes to the scarce literature on the use of pseudonyms amongst non-Western users who come from collectivist societies. The study proposes two research questions: why and how do Saudi users use pseudonyms to present themselves on Twitter. The methodology followed in this study is qualitative semi-structured interviews followed by a thematic analysis. By integrating culturally-embedded theories, affordance and anonymity, this study deduces the dual privileges that pseudonymity provides to Saudi Twitter users: 'no strings attached' and 'no questions asked' between their online personas and offline identities. Additionally, it delves into how the audience, despite the veil of pseudonymity, plays a significant role in users' self-disclosure and self-presentation dynamics. This study contributes to the information systems literature by looking at affordances and anonymity as relational concepts, providing valuable insights that unpacks the complex and socially embedded nature of these concepts. By assessing self-presentation, anonymity, and related aspects in a Saudi context, the research offers nuanced insights potentially guiding a more inclusive design and policy-making of future social media platforms.48 0Item Restricted Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Media Policy in Protecting Social Media Users in Saudi Arabia from Hate Speech and Discriminatory Content: Transparency, Awareness, Trust, and Future Vision(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-08) Alghannam, Hussain Ali; Boyle, RaymondThis groundbreaking study delves into the effectiveness of media policies in Saudi Arabia in combating hate speech and discriminatory content on social media platforms. Through a comprehensive exploration of Saudi users' perspectives, this research measures exposure levels, evaluates awareness and trust in state-enacted policies, and gauges users' optimism for future developments. The integration of quantitative and qualitative methods provides a nuanced understanding of the data. Results indicate relatively low exposure to harmful content, with 66.48% reporting no encounter, yet 33.52% experienced such content. Qualitative insights reveal a consensus on defining hate speech, aligning with global perspectives. Awareness of policies is high but calls for intensified education emerged, emphasising the correlation between awareness and trust. Remarkably, 88.26% express confidence in Saudi media policies. Optimism about future policy development is widespread, with over 90% expressing positivity. Recommendations for future research include broader inclusion of stakeholders, comparative studies with other cultures, and exploring the dynamics of trust and awareness. This study contributes to media management research, emphasising the importance of effective policies in creating respectful and protective digital spaces. Despite its Saudi focus, the study's implications transcend borders, advocating for global collaboration in mitigating harmful online content.71 0