Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted Balancing Innovation and Protection: Is AI Regulation the Future of Saudi FinTech?(King's College London, 2024-09) Alkhathlan, Alaa Saad; Keller, AnatThis study investigates the implications of artificial intelligence in the Saudi FinTech sector, focusing on the evolving regulatory landscape. While AI holds substantial promise for driving innovation, it also poses ethical and practical challenges such as data privacy, algorithmic transparency, and fairness. This study examines the current regulatory framework in Saudi Arabia, highlighting efforts like the AI Ethics Principles and the Personal Data Protection Law. Despite these measures, significant gaps remain due to the voluntary nature of the AI Ethics Principles and Generative AI Guidelines, resulting in inconsistent implementation. The primary aim of this study is to guide policymakers on regulating AI in the Saudi FinTech sector while preserving innovation. Key recommendations urge policymakers to develop regulations based on international best practices, addressing issues such as data privacy, algorithmic biases, and systemic risks. Emphasising the need for continuous dialogue among regulators, FinTech companies, and international partners, the study also calls for enhancing human-machine collaboration, establishing regulatory sandboxes, creating an AI Oversight Committee, and supporting research to better understand AI's implications. By aligning with Saudi Vision 2030 goals, these recommendations aim to strengthen Saudi Arabia's AI regulatory framework, support sustainable growth in the FinTech sector, and build public trust in AI-driven financial services.3 0Item Restricted Integrating Artificial Intelligence Technologies in Sustainable Project Management(University of Exeter, 2024-07-04) Alqurashi, Abdullah; Roman, Jose MelenezSustainable project management encompassed the economic, environmental, and social aspects of a project to attain the project objectives in a sustainable manner. Nonetheless, the integration of AI technologies in sustainable project management was still low due to factors like inadequate knowledge of technical know-how, costs of implementing AI technologies, and resistance from the project team. This research aimed to identify the factors that hinder the application of AI in project management for sustainable practices and provided recommendations for enhanced application. The research sought to understand the status of AI adoption, challenges faced, and the impact of knowledge management practices on project performance based on the survey of 40 professionals in Saudi Arabia. The findings of this research enhanced the theoretical understanding of the topic by identifying that the level of awareness of AI is much higher than the level of its adoption. The research results show that although the level of awareness of AI technologies is relatively high, the implementation of the technologies is limited because of technical, financial, and organizational constraints. This research has also highlighted how knowledge management practice can be used to close this gap which can enhance increase in project performance, reduce costs and promote innovation. The research provided practical recommendations for organizations interested in using AI for sustainability and following best practices on a global level and in alignment with the vision of Saudi Arabia for the future. When applying these recommendations, professionals will be able to increase project efficiency, reduce costs, and promote innovation which contributes to sustainable development goals. This research presents a conceptual model that outlines how AI technologies can be applied in sustainable project management, fostering innovation and sustainable development. The research also highlights the necessity for future research to delve deeper into developing actionable frameworks and practical strategies for integrating AI into sustainable project management.11 0Item Restricted Taking Simulation Game into International Business Plan: Aljohani's Group(University of Exeter, 2024) Aljohani, Yousef Saad; Thompson, AlexAljohani entered the jetpack market with the introduction of Flying Wing, retailing for $60. The company pursued a pricing strategy by offering a functional jetpack that promised comfort and safety with minimal design and engine power consideration, as its target market was the elderly. This retail pricing was the lowest in the market, which helped the company achieve its main objective of providing affordable personal mobility and, at the same time, attaining robust financial growth and customer satisfaction. The company intended to continue investing in R&D and evolving the market, which led to the development of a new Dreamliner-787 jetpack targeting the academic segment. This continuous development allowed the company to gain other secondary segments and expand its market share. The company focused on low pricing and aggressive product innovation, as witnessed by its R&D budget of $92,500 in the first two years. This pricing worked in entering and gaining a broader market in the elderly and academics segments. The company remained competitive by increasing revenue sold in the second year and profit margin. The company adapted its strategy by producing an eco-friendly jetpack catering to the academics segment. This plan worked by capturing a broader market that values high-quality products at a higher price, even though its pricing strategy led to the decline of the elderly market share. However, the introduction of Dreamliner-787 and the subsequent withdrawal of Flying Wing from the market helped capture other market segments, but it also resulted in a reduction in margin profits. The limitation of this strategy involved increased operational costs due to raw materials, promotion, and high distribution costs. Nevertheless, the company has an opportunity to re-introduce Flying Wing to continue selling to price-conscious consumers and increase the Dreamliner-787 retail pricing to boost sales and profitability. The first product introduced into the market was the Flying Wing jetpack, designed to offer comfort and safety to the targeted elderly group. The product is suited mainly to cost-conscious consumers, which led to its popularity in the academics segment. Since the company did not invest much in its design, promotion, engine power, or environmental considerations, the average production cost for Flying Wing was $31. Therefore, selling it for $60 resulted in higher sales in the two segments and better returns. However, the company introduced its flagship jetpack, Dreamliner-787, towards the end of year 2. Dreamliner-787 was designed to offer superior comfort, environmental friendliness, and enhanced safety features. It also greatly improved the design and engine power by introducing additional features. The flagship jetpack helped address market needs such as ecological considerations by academics and environmentalists, aesthetics requirements for the hipsters, engine capability needed by youths, and comfort and safety preferred by the elderly. Therefore, by developing Dreamliner-787, the company delivered a product capable of handling longer distances, offering quality at an affordable price. Dreamliner-787 exploited the emerging trend of environmental-conscious consumers such as academics and environmentalists. It also provided an opportunity for the company to cater to the consumers who demand powerful engines and aesthetics in their jetpacks. Therefore, Aljohani created Dreamliner-787 with specific considerations of consumer needs and preferences. The innovative and quality features positioned the company to capture a broader market by capitalising on the growing demands. Strategic investments in R&D helped the company remain ahead of the competition. Initially, the company targeted the elderly segment with the Flying Wing jetpack. The company acquired 91.67% of the elderly market share in the first year. The company realised the popularity of the jetpack amongst academics as it acquired a market share of 94.78% in this segment. In the second year, the company began development of Dreamliner-787 and slowed down on the promotion of Flying Wing in anticipation of the launch of the new product. The decision led to the decline of market share in the two segments in the second year. The introduction of the Dreamliner-787 allowed the company to capture a wider market share by having a chunk of each segment available. 46.03% of the environmentalists, 44.85% of the academics, 38.89% of the hipsters, 26.30% of the teen boys, and 15.85% of the elderly purchased the Dreamliner-787 in the third year. This helped boost total volume sales revenue from $740,040 in the first year to $2,330,248 in the third year. The company distributed its product through department stores, online outlets, low-cost chains, high-end stores, and trade fairs. Using all available distribution channels allowed the company to reach all the segments, thus boosting Aljohani's market share. Aljohani utilised various channels to communicate with the target market. Considering the broad target and secondary segments as well as the varied preferences of the demographics, the company utilised both digital and traditional communication channels. They included Internet ads, Pictagram, Talkbook, TV and movies, radio, and trade fairs. The company managed to engage different consumers at various levels, increasing brand awareness and sales. Growth in sales and awareness resulted in increased total equity from $769,750 in year 1 to $3,167,369 in year 3. The growth in equity signified Aljohani's effectiveness as a jetpack manufacturer and distributor. However, the changes in market competition, saturation, and product offering resulted in a considerable decline in net income and net profit margin from year 1 to year 3. Net income started at $218,683 and increased in year 2 to $436,653 before a decline to $192,655 in year 3. This decline in profitability and net income occurred despite an increase in sales volume. Nevertheless, Aljohani remained profitable throughout the simulation period, and consistent growth in the number of units produced per year showed the ability of the company to increase its capacity to handle market demand.40 0Item Restricted Horizon Scanning: Futurology(Unniversity of Bath, 2023-09-04) BAKHASHWAIN, FAISAL; DE SA FIALHO, GUILHERME CALAIS GRILO; SENTHILKUMAR, PRAVEEN; SUN, SHUSHEN; NAGVEKAR, TANAY; ZHOU, XUAN; HAASZ, ANDYBMT's service covers many products and consulting services, with business spread across the globe, thus possessing a solid market position. However, it simultaneously faces inherent risks tackled through scenario planning. BMT faces a problem which is a slow and often inconsistent futurology process. The aim is to optimise this practice, offering a faster and more consistent solution. Futurology is the activity of overlooking the future, in efforts to prepare for dynamic changes. Scenario planning is a futurology tool that creates pictures of current trends to predict future states. Academic scenario planning frameworks can be divided into two areas: those that base scenarios on key drivers and those that don’t. The trade-off between them is consistent, so the team has incorporated ideologies from both types within the proposed framework. Findings from existing frameworks showed that two of the best processes are Shell and the UK Gov. toolkit. Therefore, factors from both are integrated into the proposed framework. The proposed framework has been divided into three main areas, enabling a more targeted and methodical approach, and ensuring that all relevant factors are considered. Challenge assessment pairs technology with potential challenges. The pair analysis evaluates whether a pair is feasible to enter the next stage, which saves time as it eliminates unnecessary items. Finally, devising scenarios serves as the scenario-building stage. 1. Challenge assessment a. SCAMPER: a creativity tool that guides the critical analysis of technology. b. Sector tree: aids in predicting technology transformation. c. Delphi: synthesizes expert opinions through iterative rounds of questionnaires. 2. Pair analysis: utilises a scoring table to evaluate pairs. 3. Devising scenarios a. Cross-Impact method: a comprehensive and structured tool, however the lacking creativity and time-efficiency. b. 4 Questions: the intermediate choice regarding tool trade-off. c. Scenario archetypes: a creative and time efficient tool, however lacking comprehensiveness. However, upon usage, it was discovered that the process was still quite slow. Henceforth, the process was fully digitalised, to decrease time and increase engagement. This resulted in two deliverables: an explanatory word handbook and a digital guidebook. This proposal has proven to save 50% of BMT’s time during their scenario planning process while producing similar/better results. Moreover, this framework is expected to maximise engagement and consistency, optimising decision-making.23 0Item Restricted Developing Dynamic Capability in Entrepreneurial Universities: An Empirical Study on Saudi Arabian Public Universities(Western Sydney University, 2024) Alkhudhayr, Feras; Nakanadala, DilupaAbstract Human capital development has conveniently been the main responsibility of universities. They typically fulfilled this obligation by engaging in research and teaching activities. However, universities have had to create strategies for fostering entrepreneurial development over time to contribute effectively to the local and global economies and respond to changes and emerging trends. Additionally, universities work to foster and support entrepreneurial initiatives to address the financial issues they are facing, primarily resulting from the reduced public funding for higher education in many countries. As a result, some traditional universities have transformed into entrepreneurial universities where dynamic capabilities have enabled them to adapt to rapidly changing environments. This study is informed by the dynamic capability concept (Teece 2007) and the Resource-based View theory (Barney 1991) from the strategic management literature and entrepreneurial university literature. The concept of dynamic capability has been presented to explain the emergence of entrepreneurial orientation in the innovation and entrepreneurship literature. Dynamic capability reflects an organisation’s capacity to sense, seize and reconfigure its potential to create a competitive advantage and to improve performance. This thesis draws on the concept of dynamic capability, where the development of dynamic capability at universities to support their entrepreneurial orientation is at the core of this study. The dynamic capability perspective serves as a link between an organisation's resources and its effective responses to the changing external environment. However, how entrepreneurial universities develop dynamic capability to support their entrepreneurial orientation has not been explicitly investigated in the literature. Therefore, this study aimed at closing this gap by examining how universities apply the entrepreneurial model and develop dynamic capabilities to become entrepreneurial. This is based on the following main research questions; 1. How do universities develop dynamic capabilities to become entrepreneurial? 2. What is the impact of the entrepreneurial orientation of universities’ academic departments on the development of dynamic capabilities? Additionally, innovation culture was identified to promote the attainment of competitive advantage and is an important incubator for creativity and innovation among entrepreneurial universities. Hence, this study also investigated the moderating role of innovation culture on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and dynamic capability. The study focused on public universities in Saudi Arabia considering the strong government focus on entrepreneurial universities and that the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education is keen on enhancing entrepreneurship skills among university students. Saudi Arabian universities encourage students to have strategic abilities in order to advance their competence in their primary fields and strive for excellence and innovation and become globally entrepreneurial. The research study included a two-phase, mixed method design. The use of mixed method design was intended to produce results that were thorough and trustworthy. The study selected seven public universities in Saudi Arabia as the case universities based on the degree of application of the EU model. In the first qualitative phase, data was obtained using semi-structured interviews with 16 strategic management professionals from the seven case universities. The collected qualitative data was then transcribed and analysed thematically. In the second quantitative phase, an online survey questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data which targeted a sample size of 126 heads of academic departments in the case universities. The collected quantitative data was then coded and analysed using descriptive and inferential analyses. The findings of the study revealed entrepreneurial activities among public universities in Saudi Arabia. Six key themes were identified from thematic analysis, showing how public universities in Saudi Arabia develop dynamic capabilities to become entrepreneurial. Specifically, the findings suggest that the development of dynamic capability is enhanced through entrepreneurship training and infrastructure, commercialisation of university research outputs, improvement of entrepreneurial skills and performance, fostering open innovation, sustaining strategic alignment and policy adjustment for entrepreneurship, and implementation of reform initiatives and effective communication. Theoretically, the study contributes to the literature on strategic management by expanding the knowledge on dynamic capability and entrepreneurial orientations to the university context. The findings contribute to the body of literature by the addition of entrepreneurial activities (third-mission) to the teaching and research activities compared to previous studies. In addition, the findings add to the body of EO research by offering new perspectives on how to think about EO as a composite construct of four components consistent with the ENTRE-U scale adapted to the university context. The research also conceptualised the three-dimensional dynamic capability literature, which includes sensing, seizing, and reconfiguring capability, which is consistent with the theoretical perspective put forth by Teece (2007, 2014, and 2018) as the dominant framework in the field of research on dynamic capability. The results of the present study shed new light on the particular micro-foundations of dynamic capability that are relevant in the Saudi Arabia public university setting, including cognitive capability, managerial experience, knowledge transfer and the organisational structures of institutions. The findings of the quantitative phase showed that the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) of academic departments has a significant positive impact on sensing, seizing and reconfiguring capabilities. The study did not find evidence for innovation culture moderating the relationship between the EO of academic departments and their dynamic capabilities. The methodological implications add to the body of research on strategic management by showing the extended utility of existing measures for two key constructs which are entrepreneurial orientation of academic departments and dynamic capability. New measures of dynamic capability were developed based on the qualitative research results, which offer more comprehensive measurements for future researchers. The findings also show that university executives should create a managerial vision that considers the significance of entrepreneurial orientation and create distinctive dynamic capability among academic departments in order to obtain and maintain a competitive edge.11 0Item Restricted Geographic Organization and Commercially Successful Innovations in the Pharmaceutical Industry(Florida International University, 2024) Alharbi, Tareq; Chacar, Aya; Kumaraswamy, ArunPrior research has tied the geographic organization of firms’ innovative activities to knowledge creation and innovation. However, the theory offered and empirical results are conflicting and inconclusive. Some theorize that the geographic dispersion of firms’ innovative activities (GDFI) can facilitate external knowledge acquisition and recombination. Others argue that GDFI can dampen or stifle internal knowledge sharing and development. I present a three-part dissertation to shed new light on the relationship between GDFI and innovation. The first part involves an extensive literature review, aiming to catalog the theoretical links between GDFI and innovation. It also synthesizes prior empirical findings to provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic. In the second part, I propose a situated theory of GDFI and innovation, arguing that the negative effects of GDFI will be minimized in high-stakes environments where the pressures and incentives to innovate are very high. Moreover, I argue that the negative effects of GDFI can be dampened and the positive effects enhanced by two moderating factors: firms’ external network strength and knowledge breadth. This theory is tested in the pharmaceutical industry – arguably a high-stakes innovative environment. This testing relied on extensive primary and secondary data collected for the population of public pharmaceutical firms (or 136 firms) - defined as firms that are publicly listed on a stock exchange and have obtained one or more New Molecular Entity (NME) approval by the FDA over a period of 20 years. This study finds that firms’ GDFI indeed has a positive relationship with the number of NMEs obtained. Firms’ knowledge breadth and external network strength are found to negatively moderate the relationship between GDFI and innovation. In the third part, I undertake a longitudinal historical study of two of the largest global pharmaceutical firms, Pfizer and Merck, over a seventy-year time frame to examine in more depth the organization of R&D and its relationship to innovation. These two firms are important for contrast since they have taken very different research approaches. Merck has focused for most of its history on internal knowledge development and fewer therapeutic areas. It also has kept a relatively stable geographic organization of R&D. Pfizer has drawn more extensively on external knowledge and licensing since its early days while undertaking research in many therapeutic areas. It has also had a much more dynamic R&D organization. The two case studies of Pfizer and Merck indicate support for the theory presented in this dissertation and offer a more nuanced understanding of the benefits and diseconomies associated with GDFI and the limits to such benefits.33 0Item Restricted THE DYNAMIC NATURE OF KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND INNOVATION, AND THE ROLE OF SOCIAL RELATIONS IN SAUDI ARABIAN KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE ORGANISATIONS(Cardiff University, 2024-08) Alqirnas, Ali; Delbridge, RickThe transforming business environment and competitive market dynamics result in organisations needing to adopt tools for knowledge creation, as it fosters innovation, solves problems, and develops products and services. Evidence suggests that organisations that continually create new knowledge are better positioned than their counterparts. Knowledge creation is a social process with a nonlinear nature due to its dynamic and interactive elements among individuals. This research aims to understand the dynamic nature of knowledge creation within the social settings of organisations and to explore the mechanisms by which knowledge emerges. This research focuses on social relations rather than structural conditions to understand how employees contribute to these social relations, thereby influencing knowledge creation processes. The emphasis on social relations seeks to investigate the engagement of social actors and identify factors that either facilitate or hinder knowledge creation in organisations. Furthermore, one of the aims is to enhance our understanding of the complexity of knowledge creation in the specific context of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is a country in an emerging market with ambitions towards innovation, with a complex social and business structure that includes Islamic attributes, gender challenges, cultural differences, and government involvement. This research project is based on an ethnographic study of two Saudi organisations, encompassing participant observations and interviews. The research findings highlight the significance of social relationships that underpin and drive informality, where socialisation plays a prominent role among Nonaka’s four modes of knowledge creation. Informality is illustrated in the form of informal and voluntary actions, which enhance employees' engagement in social settings conducive to knowledge creation. The research unveils the characteristics of social relations that either impede or facilitate knowledge creation within Saudi organisations. This character begins with trust, progresses to a higher level where employees are able to challenge each other due to trust, and involves top management behaviours that both enable and constrain knowledge creation. Furthermore, the findings shed light on the complexity of the Saudi Arabian context in relation to knowledge creation, which involves the relationships with ministries, the avoided relations with clients, and the differences in relationships between genders.16 0Item Restricted Why Use Innovative Engineering Systems to Reimagine, and Revive the Ancient Islamic Craft Intarsia?(The University of the Arts London, 2024-06-20) Alamoudi, Ghada; Wright, ElizabethThis review explores the "innovative engineering systems" encompassing a range of modern technologies and techniques applied to the traditional craft of Intarsia woodworking. This includes advancements in joinery methods, and fabrication processes that enhance the craft's efficiency, flexibility, and structural integrity. The term "revival" refers to the process of breathing new life into a craft that may have faced decline or stagnation, while "re-imagination" involves exploring new creative possibilities and applications for the craft within contemporary contexts. By employing innovative engineering systems, the review seeks to preserve the cultural heritage embodied in Intarsia while also adapting it to meet the demands and challenges of the modern world.18 0Item Restricted Using Design Thinking to Develop and Improve Health Profession Curricula(University of Rochester, 2024) Matbouly, Ghassan; Daley, MichaelIn recent years, there has been a notable shift towards student-centered education, with an increasing adoption of Design Thinking (DT) frameworks in educational settings to achieve this objective. DT methodology offers a novel approach to address longstanding and complex educational challenges, emphasizing collaborative curriculum co-design with key stakeholders in health professions education (HPE). Past research has highlighted the effectiveness of DT in fostering innovative ideas that enhance learning outcomes and critical thinking skills among students. However, successful implementation of DT requires thorough preparation, ongoing monitoring of group dynamics, and continuous engagement of stakeholders. This study explores the application of DT in the development of HPE curriculum, revealing its potential to improve both the education and healthcare sectors through enhanced collaboration and innovation.24 0Item Restricted Fintech and Entrepreneurship: An Assessment Model to Evaluate Policy Instruments for Fintech Adoption by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)(ProQuest, 2023-11-01) Alassaf, Deemah; Daim, Tugrul U.Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the engines that drive economic development. They are the backbone of the middle class as they provide social stability, innovation, inclusive growth, and poverty alleviation. SMEs contribute significantly to job creation, employment, tax provision and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, they face inferior conditions and challenges when it comes to their financing compared to that of large enterprises, as well as having a high expectancy of failing. Because of these limitations, SMEs tend to grow slowly since building up higher credit is difficult for them, and in addition to this, they lack access to broad financing channels. Hence, Fintech solutions offer promising potential for improving SMEs’ access to finance through extending them more accessible and available services, more efficient credit risk assessments and reduced transaction costs. These tools can offer a valuable opportunity for ventures that are too small in size, and involve a great deal of risk, or serve a social purpose. While researchers and practitioners have been promoting Fintech as a potential financial safeguard for SMEs’ needs, evidence shows an inadequate adoption rate of SMEs to such solutions. Therefore, this research aims to provide a comprehensive examination for Fintech policy instruments and analyze their effectiveness on increasing the adoption of Fintech by SMEs through evaluating the essential policy targets impacting the adoption of Fintech and assessing their weights and priorities in the context of SMEs. The research was built upon an inclusive hierarchical decision model and a comprehensive literature review. Experts’ insights were utilized to identify the most important factors influencing Fintech adoption and policy effectiveness. The Hierarchical Decision Modeling (HDM) methodology was used to identify the relative importance of those factors proposing a policy evaluation tool to assess the effectiveness of policy instruments on increasing Fintech adoption. To test the practicality and value the research model adds to the research objective, a case study of the policy instrument effectiveness, the Saudi Arabian regulatory sandbox, was conducted. This research presents the identification of seventeen distinct policy targets that fall within four main perspectives along with their relative weights, as it also integrates the desirability curves methodology that measures the importance of each perspective and criterion. The case study was introduced to illustrate how the model could be used to identify the policy instrument’s actual performance in terms of influencing SMEs adoption of Fintech, identify the instrument’s strengths and weaknesses, and offer recommendations and guiding principles on how to improve the detected weaknesses to increase the policy instrument’s effectiveness on increasing the adoption of Fintech by SMEs.29 0