Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted A Decision Framework to Select Manufacturing Method Based on Part Complexity (Additive or Subtractive)(Western Michigan University, 2024-08) Alblawi, Trad Mutair; Burns, JamesAt the end of the twentieth century, the industrial sector introduced a new manufacturing method known as additive manufacturing, alongside traditional methods such as subtractive, joining, dividing, and transformative manufacturing. Recently, additive manufacturing technology has become increasingly competitive among these traditional methods due to its unique characteristics and the rapid development of its applications and features. The goal of the current study was to develop a method that enables users to make informed decisions regarding the most appropriate manufacturing method (i.e., additive or subtractive) for producing specific parts. The selection of the appropriate manufacturing method is complex and often relies on subjective judgment or experience, which can lead to suboptimal decisions. This study used part complexity as a basis for determining the most suitable manufacturing method for a specific part. Initially, the study identified factors that affect machining time from the literature, such as pocket internal small radius corners, thin walls, and 3D form surfaces. Actual manufacturing time, which is a reliable indicator of overall machining difficulty, was used along with the identified factors to develop a model that can predict part complexity using multiple regression with 54 parts as training data. The model was successfully validated by applying it to 31 parts as test data. Subsequently, the study developed a decision model that used the part complexity model and shape volume as factors to decide between additive and subtractive methods. The results show that these factors are critical in making the decision. The study also tested how production volume impacts the decision and found that it significantly shifts the choice between these technologies.22 0Item Restricted Evaluation of Ecotourism Opportunities for Sustainable Development: A Comprehensive Approach and Ecotourism Opportunity Index for Alula, Saudi Arabia(RMIT University, 2024-03-09) Sahahiri, Riyan; Griffin, AmyEcotourism opportunity evaluation is essential for sustainable tourism management. However, the inherent complexity of the tourism system presents considerable challenges. This complexity arises from ecotourism opportunities' continuous adaptation, diversification, and interconnectedness. Furthermore, the system's cascading adaptive behaviour makes it difficult to accurately predict future outcomes, adding another challenge for planners seeking to evaluate these opportunities. The current approaches to evaluating ecotourism opportunities depend primarily on qualitative measures and fail to sufficiently capture the system's dynamics. Furthermore, these methods lack a comprehensive understanding of the relationships between local communities, tourists, and the natural environment. This limits the evaluation of ecotourism opportunities as a sustainable development strategy. A more systematic and comprehensive approach is needed to address this complexity. Considering the development of ecotourism opportunities in a Complex Adaptive System (CAS), this study proposes a systematic method for measuring the extent of ecotourism opportunities and developing an Ecotourism Opportunity Index (EOI). Alula, Saudi Arabia, was selected as a case study due to its rapidly expanding ecotourism opportunities, providing an efficient environment to comprehend the system’s complexity. To develop this method, three research questions were set for this study: 1. What types of ecotourism opportunities coexist in Alula? 2. Will these opportunities contribute to sustainable tourism? 3. How can ecotourism opportunities be evaluated to develop an index for assessing potential destinations? The study's threefold methodology begins by identifying ecotourism opportunities using the SWOT-Ecotourism Opportunity Spectrum (ECOS) framework. In the second stage, Sustainable Ecotourism Opportunities Indicators (SEOIs) are compiled and validated in their relation to the identified ecotourism opportunities using the Delphi method. In the third stage, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is applied to test the validity and reliability of the hypothetical relationships developed by the Delphi method. Data is collected and analyzed using several quantitative methods, including the Weight Scoring Method (WSM), Entropy Weight Method (EWM), Delphi method, and Ecotourism Opportunities Gap Analysis (EOGA), resulting in the measurement of the EOI. The findings of the first research question show that the development of ecotourism opportunities as a CAS is shaped by external (opportunities) and internal factors (strengths). The SWOT-ECOS analysis demonstrated that the destination possessed several variables (95 strengths, 15 weaknesses, 25 opportunities and 10 threats) under five ecotourism opportunity dimensions (nature, environmental education/protection, sustainability, socio-cultural benefits, and tourists' satisfaction) and thirteen criteria. More opportunities have led to more strengths across all dimensions, showing that external factors (opportunities) influence internal (strengths) factors. In addition to this interconnection and adaptive behaviour, the destination’s current ecotourism potential also determines its level of adaptation to internal or external influences. In the second research question, by applying the Delphi method, the study used expert consensus to identify 25 interconnected SEOIs and their corresponding 120 sustainable ecotourism opportunities (strengths and opportunities). It also developed a systems diagram to describe how external or internal factors activate adaptations among dimensions, indicators, and variables (ecotourism opportunities), finally influencing the sustainability of Alula's entire ecotourism opportunities system. The findings demonstrate that no single indicator of sustainability works in isolation because impacts in one part of the system can change another. For instance, Saudi Vision 2030 (an external factor) influenced the sustainable indicator “long-term economic growth” strongly by stimulating long-term planning and infrastructure. However, in an indirect link, Saudi Vision 2030 also affected some other variables. Although protecting threatened species and promoting natural heritage are not a part of Saudi Vision 2030, the long-term planning it provoked with the establishment of the Royal Commission for Alula led to actions to produce these outcomes. This underscores the importance of a comprehensive approach to understanding the sustainability of ecotourism, which is needed because a decision to improve one indicator, such as biodiversity conservation, must consider its effects on others, such as local community engagement or tourist satisfaction. In the third research question, the relationships between the dimensions, criteria and variables are explored quantitatively using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The CFA results validated the hypothetical construct that explains relationships between indicators and variables that was developed in the second research question. From this construct, the EOI was developed. The EOI findings demonstrate that Alula and its districts offer promising ecotourism opportunities, and the correlation between dimensions, indicators, and variables in the ecotourism opportunities system is complex and fluctuates based on internal and external factors. The RCU and other government agencies can monitor the sustainability of each of Alula’s ecotourism districts using the index and the ecotourism indicators, such as the indicator “employment opportunities (N21)”, which can bring economic sustainability to local residents. This indicator can allow the local stakeholders to monitor the percentage of local employment that can enhance economic empowerment in the community. RCU has initiated employment-generating programs such as the Alula Oasis. The RCU’s ambitious aim to create the world’s largest living agricultural museum will necessitate a huge workforce, creating employment opportunities for the local residents. By using an employment opportunities indicator to track how many local people are hired for this project, professionals can see how it helps the local economy. Moreover, measuring these sustainable ecotourism opportunities can optimise resource allocation, help monitor sustainability growth, support risk management, encourage stakeholder engagement, and serve as an effective promotional and marketing tool. The development of the EOI represents an innovative method for evaluating ecotourism opportunities. It introduces a new degree of rigour to ecotourism evaluations, allowing for more accurate comparisons and benchmarking among ecotourism destinations and activities. The application of CAS theory to the interpretation of the results provides a more comprehensive comprehension of the dynamics that shape ecotourism opportunities. It broadens the theoretical landscape of the field and may serve as a crucial step for future research employing this theoretical lens. Given the complexity of ecotourism opportunities, this study contributes by developing comprehensive evaluation approaches, such as the SWOT-ECOS analysis and ECOS-Delphi, that assess ecotourism opportunities qualitatively and quantitatively. These approaches are valuable for ecotourism practitioners, policymakers, and researchers as they provide comprehensive evaluations covering all interconnected ecotourism opportunity dimensions, laying a solid foundation for future sustainable ecotourism initiatives, informed decision-making, practical strategies, and policies. The Ecotourism Opportunity Index (EOI) can be used to identify potential ecotourism destinations and inform sustainable tourism plans. EOI can empower local businesses and community leaders to make informed decisions, fostering cultural collaboration and sustainable practices that benefit local economies while preserving environmental and cultural integrity.40 0Item Restricted Learning Outcomes of the Simultaneous Exposure to Two Arabic Varieties by English L1 Learners of Arabic as an L2 at Different Stages of their L2 Development(University of Michigan, 2023-07-12) Alshehri, Mohammed Salem; Alhawary, MohammedThe efficacy of the “integrated approach,” which calls for the simultaneous integration of two varieties in teaching Arabic as a second language (L2), has not yet been rigorously examined, and the very few available studies suffer from many methodological limitations. The current study sought to bridge this gap in the literature by comparing the language output (in terms of fluency, accuracy, complexity, and overall proficiency) of 57 English first language (L1) learners of Arabic as an L2, belonging comparably to two groups: the first consisted of those instructed in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Egyptian Arabic (EA) simultaneously, the integrated program group (IPG), and the second consisted of those instructed in MSA only, the unintegrated program group (UIPG). The participants of both groups were further divided cross-sectionally based on their three proficiency levels: first year, second year, and third year. Their performance was additionally compared to that of a control group (CG) consisting of nine native speakers of EA. Spontaneous obligatory-in-context data were elicited from the participants who performed three oral picture-based description tasks: two narrative tasks and one manipulation task. Fluency was measured by counting words produced per minute (W/M). Accuracy was examined in their production of the past tense, present tense, past negation, and verbal present negation. Complexity was measured by their error-free production of the subjunctive and cause–effect subordinations. The overall proficiency was gauged by adding up the scores attained in the above-mentioned three constructs. The findings revealed that both L2 groups produced comparable W/M when narrating past and present events. However, in other areas examined, the UIPG maintained a significant advantage over the IPG: (a) at the first-year and second-year levels on the past tense, (b) at the third-year level on the present tense, (c) at the first-year and third-year level on the past negation, (d) at the second-year level and (near-significantly) at the third-year level on the verbal present negation, (e) at the second-year and third-year levels on the subjunctive and cause–effect subordinations, and (f) at the second-year and third-year levels on the overall proficiency. The advantage of the UIPG over the IPG was further supported by the within-group analyses. The UIPG improved significantly in the long run—particularly at the third-year level—in their fluency, in all target structures (except for the past tense with the third-person singular feminine form and past negation), and in their overall proficiency. In contrast, the IPG did not show any significant improvement—particularly from the first-year to third-year levels—in their fluency, in all target structures in which MSA and EA diverge, and in their overall proficiency. Additionally, only the third-year UIPG participants were statistically on par with the CG in their accuracy on the past tense and present tense (in the third-person singular masculine context), as well as the verbal present negation. The strong implication of these findings is that the simultaneous exposure to two varieties from the outset, without sufficient recycling, visual presentation, and explicit instruction of their structures in the input, is not beneficial to Arabic L2 learners and might be detrimental to their developmental acquisition paths. Such an instructional practice can cause linguistic dissonance, hinder comprehension, and obstruct facilitative L1 transfer. Thus, it is pedagogically recommended to initially teach one variety for the first 2 years of the learning process.38 0