Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted Artificial Intelligence (AI) Assimilation in the Public Sector:An Attention-Based Exploration of Decision Making, Leadership, and Communication in Saudi Arabia(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alshahrani, Albandari Fahad; Griva, Anastasia; Dennehy, DenisThe rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has opened new possibilities for public sector organisations to improve service delivery, strengthen decision-making processes, and enhance operational efficiency. However, successfully assimilating AI in government contexts presents distinct challenges that differ markedly from those faced by private sector organisations. Public institutions operate within complex frameworks shaped by multiple stakeholder expectations, stringent regulatory requirements, accountability obligations, and often risk-averse organisational cultures — all of which significantly influence technology assimilation outcomes. Despite growing interest in AI within government, there is still limited understanding of how organisational attention dynamics shape AI assimilation processes. This PhD thesis addresses this critical gap by applying the Attention-Based View (ABV) theory to explore how leadership attention allocation, communication practices, and institutional contexts influence AI integration in public sector organisations. This doctoral thesis, structured as an article-based PhD, comprises three interrelated studies that collectively advance understanding of AI assimilation through the lens of organisational attention. The research pursues five Research Objectives (ROs): identifying organisational and governance challenges in public sector AI assimilation through a systematic literature review (RO1); investigating leadership attention allocation mechanisms in AI initiatives (RO2); examining communication channels as attention management mechanisms in public sector AI integration (RO3); analysing how national policies and institutional contexts influence AI assimilation outcomes (RO4); and providing practical insights for AI-driven governance (RO5). Methodologically, the research combines a systematic literature review with qualitative case studies conducted in the Saudi Arabian public sector, focusing on organisations implementing AI under the Vision 2030 transformation agenda. The first study presents a systematic literature review of 61 peer-reviewed articles published between 2012 and 2023, mapping the current state of AI research in public administration. This review identifies seven major challenges including infrastructure limitations, data governance issues, workforce readiness gaps, regulatory complexities, cultural resistance, cybersecurity concerns, and resource constraints, and five primary benefits, such as enhanced decision-making, greater efficiency, cost optimisation, increased transparency, and improved citizen engagement. This study lays a foundational understanding of AI assimilation challenges and underscores the need for attention-based perspectives. The second study applies ABV theory to examine attention-related challenges in AI assimilation within Saudi public sector organisations. Using in-depth qualitative analysis of a single case study, the research identifies five core attention-based challenges, divided into internal (situated) and external (structural) categories. Internally, challenges include fragmented leadership attention, competing priorities, and resource conflicts; externally, they involve regulatory demands, stakeholder expectations, and institutional pressures. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how attention allocation shapes AI outcomes and underscore the central role of leadership focus in managing assimilation challenges. The third study extends this analysis by exploring how leadership practices and communication channels facilitate AI integration across multiple Saudi public sector organisations. The research shows that leaders coordinate organisational attention through structural frameworks (formal systems), situated practices (contextual engagement), and communication-mediated mechanisms (information flow management). The study introduces the concept of leaders as "attention architects" who design and manage attention structures to support digital transformation. Findings reveal how formal and informal communication channels function not only as conduits but as active mechanisms shaping attention, fostering alignment, and sustaining commitment to AI initiatives. Theoretically, this thesis advances ABV by applying the theory to public sector AI assimilation and developing communication channels as attention regulators. It offers the first thorough application of ABV in public sector AI assimilation, highlighting distinct dynamics compared to private sector contexts. The study also underscores the role of national transformation agendas in shaping attention allocation and assimilation trajectories, providing insights relevant to Global South and developing country contexts. Furthermore, this thesis establishes a novel theoretical framework that integrates organisational attention with institutional theory, demonstrating how cultural and political factors systematically influence attention allocation patterns in complex technological transformations (Ocasio et al., 2018; Taras et al., 2020). The thesis also contributes to communication theory by conceptualising formal and informal communication networks as co-equal drivers of attention distribution, challenging traditional hierarchical models of organisational attention and proposing a more dynamic, multi-channel approach to understanding attention flows in public sector contexts (Putnam & Mumby, 2014; Cornelissen et al., 2020). Practically, the findings provide actionable guidance for public sector leaders and policymakers. They suggest strategies for designing attention structures, managing competing demands, and leveraging communication channels to enable successful AI integration. The focus on Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 offers valuable lessons for other governments pursuing digital transformation under complex institutional and cultural constraints. This thesis acknowledges limitations, including its focus on a single national context, the literature review's temporal scope (up to 2023), and the qualitative nature of empirical studies. These limitations present opportunities for future work, such as cross-country comparative studies, longitudinal analyses of attention dynamics, and quantitative validation of the developed frameworks. In sum, this thesis makes significant contributions to both theory and practice by demonstrating the critical role of organisational attention in public sector AI assimilation. It reveals that successful integration demands strategic attention management, effective communication systems, and leadership practices that align organisational focus with implementation goals. The findings offer a strong foundation for future studies on attention dynamics in technology assimilation and provide practical insights to support leaders and policymakers striving for AI-enabled governance transformation. By integrating theoretical depth with practical relevance, this PhD research advances academic understanding and offers concrete guidance for navigating public sector digital transformation.6 0Item Restricted An Investigation on the Influence of Digital Transformation on Organisational Project Management in Saudi Arabia's Tourism Sector(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Albalawi, Amal; Tomasz, ArkadiuszThis research investigates the role of Digital Transformation(DT) on Organisational Project Management (OPM) within Saudi Arabia's tourism sector, a key area for Vision 2030 development. A significant gap exists in scholarly understanding of digital transformation's specific role and consequences for OPM in this context. The study aimed to address this gap by exploring key hindering and facilitating factors as well as the benefits and challenges of DT for OPM, ultimately offering recommendations for the enhancement of DT’s integration in OPM in Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry.51 0Item Restricted Digital Enterprise Architecture Maturity and Performance (DEAMP) Assessment Framework(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Alsufyani, Nujud Mohammed J; Gill, Asif Q; Beydoun, GhassanOrganisations increasingly recognise the transformative potential of digitalisation. This phenomenon involves changes in organisational strategy, processes, knowledge, and the entire sociotechnical system. These changes have unpredictable impacts on organisational performance, posing challenges for decision-makers in assessing the feasibility of digitalisation and its intended performance outcomes. However, current research reveals a significant gap in understanding digital maturity (DM) levels and their link to organisational performance outcomes. Thus, this research aims to understand enterprise-architecture- driven DM levels, digitalisation performance outcomes, and their relationships to develop an assessment framework. A well-established DSR method has been employed to construct a theoretically robust framework for assessing digital enterprise architecture maturity and performance (DEAMP assessment framework). This framework comprises two components: the DEAMP model and the DEAMP process. It captures the interconnectivity between DM levels and organisational performance outcomes to provide decision-makers with valuable insights to enhance DM for organisational performance gains. This framework was evaluated using illustrative scenarios and an expert survey. The findings were utilised incrementally to iteratively develop and refine the framework and demonstrate the framework's suitability and effectiveness. The thesis research offers significant contributions to academic and practical knowledge in the field of enterprise architecture and a solid foundation for future directions.35 0Item Restricted A framework to adopt construction 4.0 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Impact of Institutional Pressures, Ambidexterity and Organizational Resources on Intention to Adopt(University of Newcastle, 2025) Alyami, Abdullah; Thayaparan, Gajendran; Marcus, Jefferies; Tanvi, NewazConstruction 4.0 is the construction industry’s response to Industry 4.0, a technological revolution to adopt innovative methodologies and modern technologies to boost productivity and efficiency in modern workplaces. Construction 4.0 is driven partly by an accelerated pace of urbanization, the resulting heightened demand within the construction industry, and the construction industry’s reputation for lack of modernization. It marks a paradigm shift characterised by the integration of digital technologies, automation, real-time data, and artificial intelligence across all stages of the construction lifecycle. The extant literature suggests that Construction 4.0 adoption is influenced by organizational resources (technology, people, process, and education), ambidexterity (exploration and exploitation), and institutional pressures (normative pressure, memetic pressure, and coercive pressure). The predominant discourse of existing studies on the implementation of Construction 4.0 have focused on its impact on work procedures, project completion times, quality, and safety measures, despite the significant influence of organizational resources, ambidexterity, and institutional pressures on the successful adoption of Construction 4.0. Less attention has been paid to how internal organisational factors and external institutional forces interact to shape the strategic intent to adopt Construction 4.0 technologies. This study addresses this gap by investigating the influence of three critical constructs: organisational resources (technology, people, processes, education and training), organisational ambidexterity (exploration and exploitation capabilities), and institutional pressures (coercive, normative, and mimetic) on the intention to adopt Construction 4.0 within the Saudi construction industry. Hence, this study investigates the influence of organizational resources, ambidexterity, and institutional pressures on the adoption of Construction 4.0 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ultimately, the study has developed a framework for implementing Construction 4.0 in the Saudi construction industry. This research developed a theoretical model proposing eighteen (18) hypotheses, based on theories related to strategic resources (Resource-Based View), strategic flexibility (ambidexterity), and institutional pressures (institutional theory) to understand their impact on Construction 4.0 adoption. A comprehensive literature review was conducted, and a conceptual model was developed to measure the influencing factors. A quantitative research methodology was adopted, underpinned by a positivist paradigm. Data was collected through a questionnaire completed by 261 professionals in construction organizations in Saudi Arabia. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was adopted to test the hypotheses, examine the relationships between variables, and validate the conceptual model. The results of the SEM confirmed 13 of the 18 hypotheses, revealing that institutional pressures significantly influence exploration orientation. This orientation, in turn, positively impacts key organizational resources—particularly human capital, education and training, and processes—needed for the adoption of Construction 4.0. The intention to adopt C4.0 was found to be most strongly influenced by the development of these organizational resources. Moreover, the study identified five dominant adoption pathways that integrate external institutional forces and internal strategic capabilities. These pathways offer a nuanced understanding of how adoption dynamics unfold in practice, especially in contexts undergoing rapid socio-economic transformation. These findings offer theoretical and practical contributions. Theoretically, it advances the discourse on digital transformation in construction by integrating three organizational theories into a single explanatory model. The integration of organizational theories provides a deeper understanding of Construction 4.0 adoption dynamics. Empirically, it provides evidence-based insights specific to the Saudi Arabian context, an emerging market undergoing rapid reform aligned with Vision 2030. Practically, the study offers an empirically validated framework tailored to the Saudi construction context, which can inform decision-makers, policy developers, and construction professionals seeking to enhance productivity through digital transformation in alignment with national strategic ambitions.22 0Item Restricted تأثر التحول الرقمي على الأداء المالي دراسة تطييقية على شركات الادوية في المملكة العربية السعودية(جامعة المنصورة, 2024) Al-Maqati, Abdullah; Mutawa, Saadملخص الرسالة : هدفت الدراسة الحالية إلى دراسة أثر التحول الرقمي (مصروفات البحث والتطوير)على الأداء المالي (العائد على الاصول، العائد على الملكية، ربح السهم، الربح التشغيلي ، معدل النمو في حجم الشركة (اجمالي الأصول ) لشركات الادوية في المملكة العربية السعودية. وسعت الدراسة أيضا إلي معرفة دور المتغيرات الحاكمة (عمر الشركة وحجم الشركة) في العلاقة بين التحول الرقمي والاداء المالي. اعتمدت منهجية الدراسة على الفلسفة الكلاسيكية والمنهج الاستقرائي، وتم جمع بيانات كمية ثانوية من التقارير المالية السنوية ل ١٠ شركات أدوية فيالمملكة العربية السعودية السعودية خلال الفترة من 2014-2024. أوضحت النتائج أن التحول الرقمي يؤثرتأثيراٌ معنوياٌ على العائد على الملكية، ومعدل النمو في حجم الشركة، والربح التشغيلي للشركة، بينما أوضحت النتائج وجود تأثير غير معنوي للتحول الرقمي على العائد على الاصول وعلي ربح السهم. كما أشارت النتائج أيضا إلي أن المتغيرات الحاكمة تلعب علاقة ذات دلالة إحصائية معنوية بين تأثير التحول الرقمي والأداء المالي مدعوم جزئيا.تمثلت الإضافة العلمية للدراسة في تحديد تأثير التحول الرقمي على الأداء المالي للشركة داخل قطاع شركات الأدوية، كما حددت الدراسة تأثير التحول الرقمي على حجم الشركات والربح التشغيلي الخاص بالشركات. قامت الدراسة بالجمع بين الأبعاد المختلفة داخل نموذج الدراسة، حيث تم قياس التحول الرقمي من خلال مصروفات البحوث والتطوير، كما تم دراسة الأداء المالي للشركة من خلال العائد على الاصول والعائد على الملكية، ومعدل النمو في حجم الشركة ، والربح التشغيلي لتحديد مدى نجاح الشركات في أداء المهام الخاصة بها. فحصت الدراسة الدور الذي تلعبه المتغيرات الحاكمة (عمر الشركة وحجم ااشركة) في العلاقة بين التحول الرقمي (مصروفات البحث والتطوير) والأداء المالي للشركة (العائد على الاصول، العائد على الملكية، و معدل النمو في حجم الشركة ، والربح التشغيلي)، حيث لم يتم العثور على أي دراسة جمعت كل هذه المتغيرات معا من قبل في نموذج واحد.توصي الدراسة الحالية بضرورة الاستثمار في التحول الرقمي لما له من دور فعال في دعم الأداء المالي للشركات، والعمل على دعم فكرة التحول الرقمي داخل الشركة، وحث الموظفين على تقبلها والتعامل مع التغيرات الناتجة عنها. كما وصي الدراسة الحالية بضرورة اجراء دراسات مستقبلية تتضمن بحث العلاقة بين التحول الرقمي و الأداء المالي لشركات أخري في قطاعات مختلفة بالمملكة العربية السعودية مثل قطاع الأغذية وقطاع النقل والسياحة وقطاع البنوك. الكلمات الرئيسة: التحول الرقمي، الأداء المالي، عمر الشركة، شركات تصنيع الأدويةItem Restricted Integrating Digital Technologies with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to Enhance Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty in Luxury Hotels(Manchester metropolitan university, 2024) Assiri, Tarek; Cosser, GillianThis study investigates the integration of digital technologies—namely Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Big Data analytics—into Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems in luxury hotels. The research evaluates the impact of these technologies on customer satisfaction and loyalty through a quantitative approach, utilizing data from surveys conducted with hotel front-office employees. Findings reveal a varied adoption of digital tools, with IoT significantly enhancing operational efficiency, Big Data analytics improving customer retention strategies, and AI demonstrating underutilization due to staff training challenges. The study underscores the importance of aligning technology adoption with employee proficiency and guest expectations to optimize CRM effectiveness. Strategic recommendations include enhanced staff training programs, expansion of IoT applications, and leveraging Big Data for predictive analytics to strengthen customer relationships in the luxury hospitality sector. Limitations, such as the focus on luxury hotels and the exclusion of guest perspectives, highlight areas for future researchItem Restricted Exploring the Role of Strategic Management Accounting in Enhancing Organizational Performance: A Comprehensive Literature Review(Swansea University, 2024-09) Alfaddah, Zuhair; Ojra, JafarThis dissertation explores the role of Strategic Management Accounting (SMA) in enhancing organizational performance through a comprehensive review of existing literature. SMA, which integrates financial and non-financial information with long-term strategic goals, is positioned as a critical tool for improving decision-making and maintaining competitive advantage. Key techniques such as Activity-Based Costing (ABC), the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), Target Costing, and Benchmarking are examined for their contributions to aligning management accounting with broader business strategies. The study identifies SMA’s potential to improve resource allocation, cost control, and performance measurement by linking accounting practices with strategic objectives. However, the successful implementation of SMA is challenged by factors such as complexity, high implementation costs, and resistance to cultural change within organizations. These barriers, especially prevalent in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), underscore the importance of tailoring SMA techniques to specific organizational needs and fostering cross-functional collaboration. The dissertation also highlights gaps in the literature, particularly the under-exploration of SMA in service industries and its integration with emerging business trends such as sustainability and digital transformation. Recommendations are provided for practitioners on how to overcome implementation barriers, invest in data infrastructure, and integrate SMA into strategic planning processes. In conclusion, while SMA offers significant benefits for improving long-term competitiveness and decision-making, its effectiveness depends on the organization's ability to align SMA practices with strategic goals, adapt to evolving market conditions, and overcome operational and cultural challenges. The study suggests areas for further research, including the application of SMA in non- manufacturing industries and its role in supporting sustainability initiativesItem Restricted Strategic Investment Funds Digital Transformation: Service-Oriented-Architecture Approach(University Colleg London, 2024-08-12) Alaskar, Abdulaziz Abdullah; Zhang, PeipeiThe research projects studied the case of digital transformation within Strategic Investment Funds (SIF) using service orchestration approaches with Service-Oriented-Architecture technology, where the unique financial business model was considered from a systems engineering perspective. The literature review of the research project was conducted with past published material, where past experiences in digital transformation, academic research and technology recommendations were presented, where three main dimensions were identified as follows: 1- Business dimension 2- Technology dimension 3- Social dimension The social dimension was classified as soft systems to incorporate the existing soft systems methodology systems thinking tools. The research data collection was conducted using 1-2-1 online interviews with current strategic investment fund employees, digital transformation project managers, academic researchers and field experts and consultants. The data collection interview questions were split based on the experiences and specializations of the interviewees to account for all the perspectives in the financial ecosystem. The questions were split into: 1- Business operations 2- Technology expert 3- Management 4- Consultation and field experience The results were analyzed to extract empowering factors, as well as identify the current challenges of the field. Soft systems methodology and Seven Samurai models were developed to develop the integration level metrics, digital transformation roadmap and architecture recommendations. Finally, the extracted and analyzed information is summarized into several recommendations for SIF Digital Transformation Projects.Item Restricted Exploring Digital Transformation Strategies in Healthcare: Integration of Telemedicine and Electronic Health Records (EHR) Systems(University of Warwick, 2024-07-29) Aljamaan, Rayan; Beck, SusanneTelemedicine and Electronic Health Records (EHR) are a combination that significantly drove digital transformation in the healthcare sector. This study addresses the question: How does the integration of telemedicine and Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems affect the efficiency, accessibility, and quality of healthcare services? The importance of this study is best understood in the background of the increasing need for practical, affordable, and patient-centered solutions, particularly in the post-COVID-19 world and the progression of digital health solutions. Methodologically, the study uses a literature review conducted using research retrieved from peer-reviewed scientific journals. Databases used for search include Google Scholar, Scopus, ResearchGate, and ScienceDirect. The collected information was thematically organized into themes and sub-themes to present the results systematically. Generally, the review looks at the literature on telemedicine and EHR systems separately to determine their joint influence on the overall delivery of healthcare services and patients’ satisfaction. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) concepts are used to assess the influencing factors related to the adoption and impacts of these technologies. The main findings show that the successful implementation of telemedicine and EHR provides a better opportunity to increase the access of patients and, at the same time, reduce healthcare workers' workload and increase patient revisit. However, challenges like technical integration, security of information, and training and follow-up still need to be solved. These results imply that it is necessary to deal with these challenges using phased approaches of implementing innovations, involving all relevant stakeholders, and providing ongoing education. Thus, this study contributed to the growing body of knowledge and helped identify possible approaches to improving integration perspectives of digital business models in the healthcare industry.Item Restricted The Future of Indirect Marketing in a Digital World(University of Sussex, 2024-09-27) Aldowais, Raed Fahad; Ye Yang, NicoleThis dissertation explores the transformative impact of digital technologies on indirect marketing strategies, focusing on how businesses adapt to the evolving digital landscape. The study aims to assess the roles of artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and the Internet of Things (IoT) in enhancing indirect marketing, with a specific focus on consumer behaviour and brand loyalty. The research methodology is based on secondary data analysis, drawing from academic journals, industry reports, and case studies. This approach allows for a comprehensive examination of current trends and technologies affecting marketing practices across various industries. The main findings indicate that AI, big data, and IoT significantly enhance marketing effectiveness by improving customer targeting, personalization, and real-time engagement. These technologies have enabled businesses to create more meaningful consumer interactions, leading to increased customer loyalty and higher marketing ROI. The integration of these technologies provides a synergistic effect that amplifies their individual benefits. In conclusion, the dissertation underscores the critical role of digital technologies in shaping modern marketing strategies. The study highlights the importance of adopting these technologies to remain competitive in a digital-first marketplace while addressing challenges such as data privacy and the need for skilled personnel. These insights offer valuable guidance for future research and practical application in the field of digital marketing.