Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/10
Browse
4 results
Search Results
Item Restricted Exploring How Leadership Style at Athlete and Management Levels Influences the Culture of High-Performance Rowing in Saudi Arabia(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alghuraibi, Lama Abdulkarim A; Thurston, AlexThis project relates to professional practice by offering insights into the real-world leadership dynamics within a developing high-performance sport system. Grounded in the operations of the Saudi Rowing Federation, it addresses the growing need for evidence-informed strategies to support leadership development in emerging sport environments. As Saudi Arabia continues to invest in high-performance pathways as part of Vision 2030, understanding how leadership functions at both management and athlete levels is crucial for shaping a cohesive team culture, enhancing communication, and sustaining high-performance standards. This study has three aims: to (i) demonstrate how the Performance Director and national coaches contribute to shaping high-performance culture in the Saudi Rowing Federation; (ii) highlight the role of athlete leaders in driving team values, communication, and motivation and (iii) explore the interaction between formal and informal leadership within a high-performance team context. :Background Saudi Arabia’s high-performance rowing system is undergoing rapid development as part of the country’s broader Vision 2030 strategy (Saudi Vision 2030, n.d.). Since its establishment in 2019, the Saudi Rowing Federation has made significant progress, including its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, a major milestone that marks the nation’s emergence on the global rowing stage. The federation’s vision, “Inspiring a culture of excellence through rowing,” has driven investments in infrastructure, elite coaching, and athlete development to build a sustainable high-performance environment (Saudi Rowing Federation, n.d.). Leadership plays a vital role in shaping not only organizational structures but also values, cultural norms, behaviours, and performance standards. This study draws on three leadership theories: Transformational Leadership (Bass & Riggio, 2006), which emphasizes vision and inspiration; Transactional Leadership, which focuses on structured expectations and rewards (Bass, 1990); and Social Identity Leadership (van Knippenberg & Hogg, 2003), which emphasizes shared group identity and cohesion. These frameworks inform both the analytical approach and methodological design of the study. By integrating these theoretical perspectives with original qualitative data from the Saudi Rowing Federation, the study aims to gain a deeper understanding of how leadership styles impact the emerging high-performance culture in a non-traditional rowing nation. : Design and Implementation The study adopts a qualitative research design utilising semi-structured interviews as the data collection method and thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2019) to analyse data. This qualitative approach is ideal for gathering in-depth, context-specific data and gaining insight into the lived experiences, social dynamics, and perceptions within a developing high-performance sport system. The leadership theories informed multiple stages of the research design, including participant selection (identifying individuals in formal and informal leadership roles), generating questions, and serving as an analytical framework to interpret the findings. The sample comprised of 10 to 15 purposefully selected individuals affiliated with the Saudi Rowing Federation. This selection aimed to generate contextually rich and practice-oriented data to support grounded understanding and analysis. Participants included management and performance directors, national team coaches, and high-performance athletes with leadership responsibilities. : Outputs/Outcomes, Reflections, and Future Development The study identified patterns in the participants' narratives, focusing on leadership, team culture, and motivation. This approach allows for an exploration of the social, cultural, and psychological factors that influence Saudi high-performance rowing. The outcomes included (i) a deeper understanding of how various leadership styles contribute to fostering a cohesive, high-performance culture in a non-traditional rowing nation, (ii) practical recommendations for sports federations in similar contexts that seek to enhance leadership development at both management and athlete levels and (iii) reflections on how formal and informal leadership interact to foster team identity, communication, and resilience. The findings also informs future leadership training, athlete development structures, and succession planning policies in emerging high-performance contexts across the Gulf region. Further research could compare leadership models across various sports or use long-term studies to track the evolution of leadership over Olympic cycles.17 0Item Restricted THE EFFECT OF HOSTING PRESTIGIOUS SPORTING EVENTS ON RESIDENTS’ PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES: THE CASE OF RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Baalayan, Anas; Yong, Jae KoThis study examines how hosting prestigious international sport events influences residents’ psychological outcomes and behavioral responses in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Drawing on Trust Transfer Theory, the research investigates whether trust in prestigious events is transferred to positive perceptions of city brand reputation, civic pride, place attachment, quality of life, and support for future events. A cross-sectional survey of 305 Riyadh residents was conducted, and data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), structural equation modeling (SEM), and ANOVA. Results show that event prestige significantly enhanced city brand reputation, which in turn increased civic pride and place attachment. Place attachment had a positive influence on perceived quality of life, revisit intention, and support for future event hosting, supporting the hypothesized model. While overall gender and generational cohort effects were not significant, differences emerged among female generational groups: younger women showed higher support for future events and greater intention to revisit compared to older cohorts. These findings highlight the importance of considering gendered generational dynamics when planning event legacies. The study offers theoretical contributions by expanding Trust Transfer Theory in a sport event context and practical insights for Vision 2030 planners on leveraging event prestige to improve resident well-being and city branding.18 0Item Restricted Vision 2030 and Sports Policy in Saudi Arabia: Shaping National Development and Global Impact(Loughborough University, 2024-09) Turkistani, Saleh; Piggin, JoeThis study examines the evolution of Saudi Arabia’s sports policy under Saudi Vision 2030, focusing on three key areas: physical activity, sports infrastructure, and the hosting of sports mega-events (SMEs). The research aims to explore how these policies have developed to support economic diversification, enhance quality of life, and position Saudi Arabia as a global sports hub. Employing a qualitative approach, the study uses policy and documentary analysis guided by the Interpretative Policy Analysis (IPA) framework, along with concepts of soft power and nation-branding. The findings reveal that initiatives such as the Quality-of-Life programme (QOLP) and the Sports for All Federation (SFA) have effectively increased sports participation, particularly among women, while significant investments in sports infrastructure have facilitated community engagement and prepared the Kingdom to host major international events. Hosting SMEs, framed as part of Saudi Arabia's nation-branding strategy, is shown to contribute to economic growth and international recognition. This study highlights the interconnected nature of physical activity promotion, investment in sport infrastructure, and major event hosting, illustrating how sports policies are vital to achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. The research offers insights for policymakers, sports management professionals, and academics on the potential of sports as a tool for national development and global influence.353 0Item Restricted Project Management Methods Deployed in Organising Sporting Events in Saudi Arabia(Manchester Metropolitan University-MMU, 2024-09-09) Banjar, Abdulmohaimen; McLoughlin, AndrewHosting major sports events is a strategic component of Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to diversify the economy and reduce dependency on oil income. Successful administration of mega-sports events is crucial for achieving these goals, and PM methods provide solid frameworks to boost the efficacy of this undertaking. Traditional and agile methodologies have evolved to suit various industries and enhance project success. Saudi Arabia's socioeconomic transformation has been significantly accelerated by hosting mega sports events, which drive economic diversification, foster international partnerships, and enhance the country's global image. These events have created new opportunities in tourism, hospitality, and infrastructure development, aligning with Vision 2030 objectives. PM methods, such as Agile, Lean, and the Waterfall model, offer structured approaches to planning, implementation, and closure of projects. Glocalization, an essential aspect for developing nations like Saudi Arabia, integrates global best practices with local contexts to address cultural nuances, regulatory frameworks, and socio-economic conditions specific to the host country. However, there is limited empirical research on the application of PM methods in the context of sports events, particularly in Saudi Arabia. By combining PM methods with glocalization, the study aims to identify key success and failure factors and provide recommendations for improving the management of such events. This approach seeks to create an efficient and culturally sensitive framework that meets the expectations of a global audience while addressing the specific needs of the local community, ultimately enhancing the overall success and impact of sports events in the region.63 0