Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted Government Legislation's Influence on Clean Energy Integration: A Legal Analysis of Challenges and Opportunities for Corporations in Saudi Arabia and the UK Clean Energy Sectors.(University of Westminster, 2025) Alsudais, Saleh; Muth, Daniela1. Abstract: The study has provided a comparative study on the Legal Frameworks prevalent in Saudi Arabia and the UK considering the challenges faced by the corporations dealing with clean energy. It is by the year 2030 that the UK intends to accomplish the aim of producing “about half of its electricity using renewable energy sources, with the remaining 50% to be generated from gas” taking into account the point that it is beyond the testament of the commitment to sustainability for Saudi Arabia. As per the principles of the International Energy Agency (IEA), "Saudi’s electricity generation mix is still dominated by natural gas (58.4%) and oil (41.3%)” with around 0.3% found being “sourced from renewables, the majority of which is generated by solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities” . The Ten Point Plan for the Green Industrial Revolution, an initiative of the UK has been illustrated in Figure 1 below for harnessing the potential of nature to absorb carbon through the establishment of new National Parks, as well as the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, thereby founding superior biodiversity-related havens, concentrating on the 2030’s goal of safeguarding the 30% of England’s countryside. Besides, “the Climate Change Act sets legally binding targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the UK by at least 80% by 2050, from 1990 levels” , which has become the Parliament’s Act in the year 2008. 1.1. Research Purpose and Objectives The main purpose of conducting this research is to provide a comparison between the clean energy regulations of Saudi Arabia and the UK. In this context, it considers exploring the impact that Saudi Arabia's accession has on the World Trade Organization taking into account the clean energy sector, encompassing the manner, in which national legislation can be influenced by international trade commitments, thereby supporting the sector’s growth over the years. Considerably, the research objectives that have been formulated for being discussed in the study are as follows: 1. Analyse Government Legislation: Examine how government legislation influences the integration of clean energy in the corporate sectors of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. 2. Identify Challenges and Opportunities: Identify the key legal challenges and opportunities that corporations face when complying with clean energy regulations in both regions. 3. Compare Regulatory Frameworks: Provide a comparative analysis of the clean energy regulatory frameworks in Saudi Arabia and the UK, highlighting similarities and differences. 4. Assess Impact on Corporations: Evaluate the impact of these legislative measures on corporate strategies and operations related to clean energy adoption. 5. Recommend Best Practices: Suggest best practices and actionable insights for policymakers and corporate stakeholders to enhance the effectiveness of legal frameworks and promote sustainable corporate growth in the clean energy sector. 1.2. Research Questions The completion of the study can contribute to the addressing of the main research question as provided below: • What are the key similarities and differences between the clean energy regulatory frameworks in Saudi Arabia and the UK? For addressing the main question, the below-listed sub-questions also need to be duly addressed: • How does government legislation impact the integration of clean energy in the corporate sectors of Saudi Arabia? • What are the primary legal challenges and opportunities for corporations complying with clean energy regulations in Saudi Arabia? • How do these legislative measures affect corporate strategies and operations related to clean energy adoption in both regions? • What best practices can be recommended to policymakers and corporate stakeholders to improve legal compliance and promote a robust clean energy sector in Saudi Arabia 1.3. Research Background For the attainment of the research aim and objectives, it is first of all important to understand the different terminologies associated with Clean Energy Legislation, the definitions for the different concepts have thus been outlined herein for setting up an apt foundation for the study. Renewable Energy can be defined as the “energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed” with some of the common ones being solar, wind, and geothermal energy. Although the terms ‘Renewable Energy' and 'Green Energy' are used interchangeably there exists a significant difference between the two and that is Green Energy can be produced from a particular source and with the application of a specific method, which by no means can be harmful to the natural environment. It can hence be stated that all renewable energy sources cannot be considered as green energy but the majority of the sources of green energy are found to be renewable in nature ; . One of the most common types of renewable energy is the Solar Energy and Wind Energy with the former found to be generated from Sun and the latter directly from the air. In this context, Solar energy is found to be “created by nuclear fusion that takes place in the sun” and is indeed “necessary for life on Earth, and can be harvested for human uses such as electricity” . On the other hand, wind energy generation is primarily associated with kinetic energy, i.e., the energy evolving from motion. To understand wind energy more aptly, it can be stated that a "wind turbine takes the kinetic energy of wind and turns it into electrical energy” . Another important concept to be discussed throughout the study is Carbon Emission, which refers to the carbon compounds getting released into the atmosphere in the forms of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) contributing to the trapping of heat into the atmosphere and in turn leading to the occurrence of global warming as the foremost outcome . To provide a detailed discussion on Clean Energy Integration, knowing about the Hydrogen Economy is of great significance and it can be defined as “a vision of an energy delivery infrastructure based on hydrogen as a carbon-free energy carrier” . A multifaceted global movement encompasses a state of transition taking place towards renewable energy, as well as sustainability. It is further driven by the factors of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, identifying the urgent need for combating climate change, and promoting environmental conservation. One of the several trends that contributes to the restructuring of the energy landscape universally is the renewable technologies’ economic viability, which can be inferred from the dramatic improvement brought about in the solar, as well as wind power’s competitiveness from the year 2010 to 2020. The electricity expenses incurred from utility-scale solar Photovoltaics (PV) had fallen by 85% with a reduction in Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) by 68% followed by a fall in the onshore wind and offshore wind by 56% and 48% respectively. It can further be inferred that “up to 800 gigawatts (GW) of existing coal-fired capacity could be economically replaced by new renewables capacity, saving the electricity system up to USD 32 billion per year and reducing carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 3 gigatonnes (Gt) CO2” . Rapidly growing usage of renewable energy technologies is another trend indicating the global shift towards sustainability. It can be understood from the point that wind energy production has risen globally from 0.5 petawatt-hours (PWh) (2011) to 4.8 PWh (2021) with the world found to be harnessing 2.7 PWh of solar energy in the year 2021 from 2009 showing an increase by 4,660%. Contextually, “the shift to renewable energy picked up speed in 2022, contributing to a 107 gigawatt (GW) global surge, making up 90% of new power capacity, fossil fuels included. In 2023, this is expected to surpass 440 GW, matching India's total power capacity. By 2024, the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts, driven mostly by solar PV technology advances, this growth will equal the combined power capacities of China and the US” . Therefore, it can be stated that shifts have not by any means taken place automatically but necessitate the need for making continuous investment in the domains of training, as well as re-skilling so that workers can be prepared for taking up the required roles and playing their parts efficiently in the sectors dealing with renewable energy resources. This study initially develops the Introduction chapter, which offers insights into the International Energy Agency’s principles dominating the legal frameworks of the UK and Saudi Arabia along with the policies being presented in the Ten-Point Plan for the Green Industrial Revolution. The purpose and objective of the study along with the research questions have also been underlined herein with brief description of the related terminologies. This is followed by the second chapter of International Framework for Clean Energy, which demonstrates in details the diverse factors and components of the frameworks and their impacts in the long run. In the third chapter of the study, the Legal Frameworks of Clean Energy prevalent in Saudi Arabia has been discussed in details encompassing the related theoretical frameworks, application of Corporate Social Responsibility policies, and the challenges associated with the same. Another point of discussion under this chapter is the Vision 2030 and Clean Energy Legislation of Saud Arabia, which is followed by the strategic initiatives and legal aspects associated with the same. Clean Energy Legislation Trends of Saudi Arabia has also been discussed herein based on the data gathered on the impacts of the legal frameworks on the corporations dealing with clean energy services. The fourth chapter is the Legal Frameworks of Clean Energy prevalent in the UK, which not only discussed about the relevant theoretical frameworks along with description of the Climate Change Act 2008 and the Green Industrial Revolution but also the Legislation Trends of Clean Energy within the nation. The fifth and the most important chapter of the study is the Comparative Analysis of Legal Frameworks in Saudi Arabia and the UK. In this case, the foremost section demonstrates the differences lying between the legal and regulatory frameworks of both the nations. The similarities and differences lying amidst the legal challenges in the corporate compliances of the UK and Saudi Arabia have also been critically compared and interpreted under this section. This is followed by the comparison of the clean energy sectors’ opportunities under the existing frameworks, which have been considerably described in this section of the study for demonstrating the differences within the markets of the UK and Saudi Arabia, specifically the grounds of investment incentives and market access as well.20 0Item Restricted Large-System Transformation in Healthcare and the Roles of Senior Leaders: A Case Study from Saudi Arabia(University of Manchester, 2024) Bawhab, Omar; Nelson, Adrian; Coleman, Anna; Mahon, AnnThe implementation of large-system transformation in healthcare is complex and multi-faceted, requiring effective leadership at all levels, particularly from senior leaders. However, there is limited conceptual clarity around large-system transformations in healthcare and the roles senior leaders play in driving such transformations, especially in a non-Western context. This thesis addresses these knowledge gaps by exploring senior leaders' perceptions of large-system transformation and their role in its implementation in Saudi Arabia. Using a qualitative single case study design, this research gathered insights from 22 senior leaders at national and regional levels of the Saudi healthcare system through semi-structured interviews. The study employed an inductive-deductive thematic analysis approach, guided by the Health System Dynamics Framework, sensemaking theory, and systems leadership perspectives. Two conceptual frameworks were developed: one delineating ten key components of large-system transformation in healthcare, and another outlining seven critical roles of senior leaders during such transformations, six categories of enablers, and eight types of challenges. The large-system transformation framework highlights the interconnected nature of contextual triggers, climate for change, vision, leadership, governance, actors, resources, processes, social forces (e.g., resistance to change), and information flow. The senior leaders’ roles, enablers, and challenges framework emphasizes leaders' responsibilities in creating a climate for change, communicating and learning, managing resources, engaging stakeholders, setting strategic direction, managing social dynamics, and developing key leadership attributes. The framework also indicates multiple enablers and challenges relevant to the roles of senior leaders, providing a nuanced understanding of the complexities involved in healthcare system transformations. This research contributes to the theoretical understanding of large-system transformation in healthcare and senior leaders' roles, enablers, and challenges, particularly in a non-Western context. It offers practical implications for healthcare leaders and policymakers engaged in system-wide transformations. Future research directions are suggested to further validate and expand upon these findings.20 0Item Restricted Large-System Transformation in Healthcare and the Roles of Senior Leaders: A Case Study from Saudi Arabia(University of Manchester, 2024) Bawhab, Omar; Nelson, Adrian; Coleman, Anna; Mahon, AnnThe implementation of large-system transformation in healthcare is complex and multi-faceted, requiring effective leadership at all levels, particularly from senior leaders. However, there is limited conceptual clarity around large-system transformations in healthcare and the roles senior leaders play in driving such transformations, especially in a non-Western context. This thesis addresses these knowledge gaps by exploring senior leaders' perceptions of large-system transformation and their role in its implementation in Saudi Arabia. Using a qualitative single case study design, this research gathered insights from 22 senior leaders at national and regional levels of the Saudi healthcare system through semi-structured interviews. The study employed an inductive-deductive thematic analysis approach, guided by the Health System Dynamics Framework, sensemaking theory, and systems leadership perspectives. Two conceptual frameworks were developed: one delineating ten key components of large-system transformation in healthcare, and another outlining seven critical roles of senior leaders during such transformations, six categories of enablers, and eight types of challenges. The large-system transformation framework highlights the interconnected nature of contextual triggers, climate for change, vision, leadership, governance, actors, resources, processes, social forces (e.g., resistance to change), and information flow. The senior leaders’ roles, enablers, and challenges framework emphasizes leaders' responsibilities in creating a climate for change, communicating and learning, managing resources, engaging stakeholders, setting strategic direction, managing social dynamics, and developing key leadership attributes. The framework also indicates multiple enablers and challenges relevant to the roles of senior leaders, providing a nuanced understanding of the complexities involved in healthcare system transformations. This research contributes to the theoretical understanding of large-system transformation in healthcare and senior leaders' roles, enablers, and challenges, particularly in a non-Western context. It offers practical implications for healthcare leaders and policymakers engaged in system-wide transformations. Future research directions are suggested to further validate and expand upon these findings.17 0Item Restricted Challenges Facing the International School Leaders in Saudi Arabia and Strategies Developed to Overcome Them(Flinders University, 2024-06-28) Alghamdi, Ahmed; Rogers, BevUsing qualitative grounded theory, this paper aim to investigate the challenges facing international school leadership in Saudi Arabia. Data and information are collected from published researches, governmental reports, and academic experts’ opinions and stories. The significance of this paper is its contribution to the limited academic literature in this area, and it is hoped that the findings to be useful to inform policy makers and educate them about the challenging situation for international school leaders while they are doing their jobs. Those schools are a crucial part of the education system and provide quality education to millions of student Saudi nationals and foreigners. However, they operate a liberal approach to education which does not align with the conservative nature of the community. This situation creates many challenges for the school leaders that they need to deal with on a daily basis. The literature review chapter highlighted a number of serious challenges faced by international school leaders in Saudi Arabia mainly related to the MOE framework and restriction, staffing and human resource problems due to high turnover among leaders, and managing parents’ expectations, among many others. The copying strategies developed by those leaders to overcome and mitigate these challenges is the second topic this paper is interested in researching. The reviewed literature shows that compliance and circumvention are the two major copying strategies developed by school leaders. Compliance with the MOE framework and policy,meaning they were not able to develop or introduce new policies, rather go with the ministry. Circumvention is another coping strategy where some school leaders try to bypass the rules lying to the ministry, and keep it quiet within the school. Also, this paper investigates how leaders perceive their leadership role in a highly challenging environment. Given their unique structure, and role, international school faces more challenges than public schools. It takes a proud leader to lead any of these schools. While many of them burn out and leave their role as they cannot handle the pressure and mounting challenges, they have to face day in and day out. Through this paper, we will learn how leaders perceive their leadership role, and whether these challenges help them be creative and think outside the box. Limitations and delimitations are presented and discussed in this study as well. The study concluded with a recommendation for more research and studies in this area34 0Item Restricted The effect of HRM practices on the CSR integration into organisational culture: A study of the role of HR in developing a socially responsible culture .(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-09-28) Almatrafi, Ghadeer; Ali, BaharCorporate Social Responsibility (CSR) significance in an organisation has been rapidly growing for many years, acknowledging the imperative of addressing Environmental, Social, and Governance concerns in the strategies of business. CSR integration into organisational culture is necessary for sustainable competitive advantage, societal well-being, and stakeholder trust. Human Resource Management (HRM) practices wield a profound influence on the culture, and they can share the CSR principles integration. The empirical investigation on the interaction between CSR and HRM integration is scarce. The study filled the gap by exploring how HRM practices support and contribute to the integration of CSR into organisational culture. The study investigated HR's role in nurturing a socially responsible culture, uncovering key benefits and challenges, and underscoring the importance of aligning both HRM and CSR practices. The research also underscores the HR professional vital contributions and provides insights to foster a socially responsible culture that drives social impact and sustainability, enriching strategic, practical, and academic understandings in the process.35 0Item Restricted Examining Academics and Students Attitudes to Mobile-learning in a Transformative University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: a study of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University(Saudi Digital Library, 0023-10-27) Alshehri, Eman; Preston, Greg; Buchanan, RachelAlthough there is a growing interest in mobile-learning and its potential benefits in higher education, limited research has investigated cross-contextual mobile-learning issues such as university technology policies, usage levels, and practices in relation to students' gender, contextual, educational, and gender-based mobile-learning attitudes. This study was undertaken as a case study at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), to investigate the attitudes of both academic staff and students towards the adoption of mobile-learning with Smartphones. The first purpose of this study was to explore the current Smartphone policies, level of usage, preferred learning activities by students and academics at IAU. The second purpose of the study was to investigate the student’s and academics’ attitudes and perceptions toward using their Smartphones as learning and teaching tools, with particular regard to the challenges and/or enablers that they may encounter. This study used an adapted version of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and a sequential mixed methods design to collect the data using online surveys with students (N=325), and semi-structured interviews with academics (N=21). Regression analysis was used to analyse the online surveys (quantitative data), and a thematic analysis was used to analyse the semi-structured interviews (qualitative data). The study findings revealed that both students and academics generally have a positive attitude toward the use of Smartphones in the learning environment at IAU. Around 98% of students at IAU use Smartphones every day for learning, while the use by the academics was substantially less. From the nine measured variables, only four predictors had a significant influence on students’ attitudes to mobile-learning: self-efficacy, enjoyment, perceived ease of use, and mobile-learning preferences. For academics, the most frequently reported challenge they faced when adopting mobile-learning was the lack of policies and regulations governing their use. This study contributes to the body of knowledge on mobile-learning in higher education and offers useful insights into how Smartphones are currently used by students and academics at IAU and the best practices for implementing Smartphones as learning and teaching tools.74 0Item Restricted Challenges Facing COVID-19 Vaccines Cold Chain Systems in Low-income Countries and Their Effects on COVID-19 Vaccine Inequity in Africa and Globally(Saudi Digital Library, 2022-10-03) Alfaraj, Ghaidaa; Roberts, StephenRealizing that the COVID-19 pandemic is a tremendous public health burden due to dramatically increased morbidity and mortality rates, countries undertook measures to limit the transmission of the virus. Eventually, experts and scientists met the urgency of this matter with unprecedented extensive efforts to develop safe and effective vaccines for COVID-19. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 vaccines were developed quickly, and little attention was drawn to their deployment. Therefore, it is justified to expect supply chain challenges in low-income countries, especially those related to the vaccination cold chain. This literature review dissertation aims to explore the challenges facing the COVID-19 vaccines’ cold chain systems in low-income countries and discuss what impacts these challenges have on vaccine inequity in the African region and on larger global efforts to end the pandemic. The methodology of this dissertation is a literature review that employs a qualitative research approach to address the research questions. It is conducted by referring to the six-phase framework for doing a thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke. All publication types were retrieved electronically by searching relevant databases. A total of 14 papers were included in this review. Thematic analysis resulted in four themes, including the challenges facing cold chain systems in low-income countries which are: inadequate cold chain establishment, special vaccine requirements, lack of human resources, and poor infrastructures. Findings show that low-income countries struggle to provide and maintain cold chain systems for COVID-19 vaccines, leading to difficulty deploying them where they are needed, which confirms the contribution of the COVID-19 vaccines cold chain systems’ deficiencies in low-income countries to vaccine inequity in Africa and globally. These consequences and delays in COVID-19 vaccines’ deployment cause vaccine inequity in low-income countries, further exacerbating the pandemic’s dire global effects and challenging global health’s progress towards achieving global health equity.19 0Item Restricted EXPLORING SUCESS FACTORS OF ADOPTING ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY FOR ELECTRICAL VEHICLES INDUSTRY IN SAUDI ARABIA APPLYING THE TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE MODEL (TAM)(Al Fatais, Abdullah, 2023) Al Fatais, Abdullah Mohammed; Korwowski, WaldemarBased on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the study explores the success factors of adopting Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT) for the Electrical Vehicles (EVs) industry in Saudi Arabia. The study assesses the impact of eight factors on AMT adoption and implementation success. The dimensions include Training & Education, Planning, Management, Technology, Business, Economic, Policies & Regulations, and Social. The study analyzes the sample including people with careers related to advanced manufacturing in Saudi Arabia, either in the public sector, private sector, industrial sector, and academia. Furthermore, an online questionnaire was used to collect data from the participants. Additionally, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted to analyze the existing literature in addition to the utilization of TAM for data analysis. This study aims to evaluate the readiness of the Saudi industrial sector to adopt EVs manufacturing technologies. Moreover, this study is expected to use a reasonable sample size for analysis purposes which can result in solid conclusions and practical recommendations.18 0Item Restricted Online Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic at Tertiary Level in Saudi Arabia: Challenges and Benefits from the Students’ Perspective(2023) Almjlad, Amal; Walsh, ElaineDue to the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, a temporary interruption of education activities occurred all over the world. The sudden and quick shift from face-to-face learning mode to the sole online learning mode affected the perceptions of students toward the online learning application. This study investigated the perceptions of students toward the online learning application. It involved sixty students studying in different colleges at Northern Border University in Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire survey was designed to obtain quantitative data and Interviews were used to obtain the qualitative data. The data were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The quantitative data analysed using SPSS and the qualitative data were thematically analysed based on Braun and Clark's (2006) steps. The results discovered that the Saudi university female students showed positive attitudes and perceptions toward using online learning through attending online classes and doing their activities online because they viewed that online learning brought them many benefits referred to in detail in the results chapter. However, the students indicated that they faced a serious problem represented in the internet connection where most of them mentioned that they faced either frequent cut-offs in internet connection or poor quality in the internet connection negatively affected their attendance in their online classes and their performance in completing their online activities. Finally, the study provided some important recommendations for different stakeholders48 0Item Restricted The Challenges for Saudi Females Studying ESL Abroad in a Mixed-Gender Learning Environment(2023-05-04) Ashwaq, Alhudaib; Denise, CameronWhen Saudi females migrate to countries with mixed-gender learning settings, as are prevalent in an English-speaking country, they face difficulties with this mixed-gender class environment since the situation is different from what they were used to in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to shed light on such difficulties and obstacles those females encounter, the reasons behind these obstacles, and how they can be overcome. Moreover, the study implements a systematic literature review (SLR) technique to better understand why these difficulties occur. No previous research has tackled a similar issue to the best of the author's knowledge.78 0