Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted The Importance of Friends and Corporate Finance Practices Around the World(La Trobe University, 2024-12) Grami, Madaniah; Al Mamun, Muhammad; Balachandran, Balasingham; Karuna, Christo; Baghdadi, GhasanThis dissertation adopts an interdisciplinary approach by drawing on the theoretical framework of the New Institutional Economics proposed by Williamson (2000). It investigates the influence of the importance of friends (FRI) on the financial decisions and outcomes of listed firms from around the world. The thesis is structured into six chapters: an introduction, a presentation of the concept of the importance of friends, three empirical chapters, and a conclusion. The introductory chapter builds on the existing literature on friendship and it explores the following: (a) the background, (b) the motivation supported by theoretical arguments and anecdotal evidence linking FRI with corporate finance decisions, (c) summaries of the three empirical chapters, and (d) contribution to the literature on this subject. The second chapter explains the conceptual understanding of the importance of friends. The first empirical chapter (Chapter 3) explores how FRI, as a measure of social connections, shapes firms’ relationships with their suppliers. Specifically, it examines the role of FRI on firms’ trade credit policy (TC) and shows that higher FRI increases firms’ usage of TC. Extending the potential implication of FRI on the managerial agency behavior of firms, the second empirical chapter (Chapter 4) investigates the influence of FRI on firms’ dividend policy. Empirical results show that higher FRI increases the dividend decision-to-pay and payout ratio; in fact, it mitigates the agency implications of dividend policy. The third empirical chapter (Chapter 5) extends the potential caring argument of FRI to firms’ communities by examining its influence on businesses’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. The results show that higher FRI promotes firms’ ESG performance. Collectively, these findings offer a new perspective on understanding corporate decisions related to financing, distribution, and stakeholder commitments. The findings from this thesis have significant implications for relevant stakeholders in making investment decisions, financing choices, and other related decisions.39 0Item Restricted Impact of Culture on Cybersecurity Awareness in the GCC Region(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-08-22) Almalki, Riyadh; Khan, ImranDue to the increasing complexity of technology and the proliferation of global networks, cybersecurity threats pose a serious problem for businesses and governments worldwide. The purpose of this study is to examine the role that national and organisational culture plays in shaping cybersecurity in two GCC countries—Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The study used secondary data using a narrative literature review strategy to identify peer-reviewed and grey literature focusing on culture and its impact on cybersecurity. A total of 12 articles were identified through a systematic search process. The following key observations are made. Cybersecurity practises are thought to be influenced by national cultural characteristics in both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. There is clear evidence of a high-power chasm between the two nations, with decisions on cybersecurity and related policies being made at the highest levels of management. This has caused people's lack of confidence and their ignorance on how to better their own cybersecurity habits. Both nations have a collectivist culture that encourages the use of weak passwords and the sharing of passwords and devices amongst friends and relatives. Evidence also suggests that few organisations have a thorough policy for protecting sensitive data. Top-down decision making is encouraged, which limits employees' participation in cybersecurity conversations. There is also worry that workers are not receiving adequate resources or training. Overall, the culture and support of the organisation are moderate to low in terms of cybersecurity.62 0