Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/10
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Item Restricted Towards Industrially Adoptable Generation Invariant Reprocessable Polydicyclopentadiene Thermoset Plastics(Saudi Digital Library, 2025-05) Alfaraj, Yasmeen; Johnson, JeremiahThe industrial transition to sustainable polymer technologies necessitates novel end-of-life approaches for historically un-recyclable thermoset plastics. Polydicyclopentadiene (pDCPD), a high-performance thermoset known for its superior mechanical and thermal properties represents a compelling target for sustainability-oriented innovation due to its established industrial use, diverse manufacturing methods, historic challenges in reprocessing, and an increased interest from its relevant industries to recover valuable fillers and reinforcing materials from pDCPD carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs). Recent reports exhibit the ability to deconstruct pDCPD through a cleavable comonomer (CC) approach; however, we currently lack cost-effective strategies for scaling its deconstruction and recycling. This thesis addresses the fundamental barriers to industrial implementation of deconstructable pDCPD thermosets through a comprehensive, three-pronged approach that integrates data-driven molecular design, drop-in strategies for multigenerational recyclability, and cost-informed evaluation of CCs. In the first part of this work, a closed-loop experimental–computational platform is developed to predict glass transition temperatures (Tg) in deconstructable pDCPD networks incorporating bifunctional silyl ether (BSE) CCs and cleavable cross-linkers. Leveraging a curated dataset of 101 compositionally diverse pDCPD-based thermosets, machine learning model ensembling and strong regularization techniques are implemented to mitigate overfitting and quantify predictive uncertainty. Experimental validation of model predictions shows that the resulting models achieve accurate Tg predictions for variable CC and cleavable cross-linker loadings, novel CCs, and previously unseen related classes of strand cleaving cross-linkers. This chapter demonstrated the viability of predictive informatics in navigating the vast chemical and compositional space of deconstructable thermosets. The second segment presents a minimally chemically intensive, drop-in strategy for pDCPD recyclability. Using cleavable BSE comonomers and cross-linkers, networks with up to 20 wt% recycled oligomeric fragments are synthesized and evaluated. These materials exhibit thermomechanical properties and deconstructability that remain invariant across three generations of recycling. Furthermore, the incorporation of a cleavable cross-linker, dimethyl di-dicyclopentadiene silyl ether (DDMS), not only preserves but enhances bulk properties such as Tg in virgin and recycled samples, and addresses issues of oligomer incorporation in recycled samples as evidenced by gel fraction analysis. The ability to maintain and tune materials properties without post-processing or structural reformulation underscores the industrial potential of the drop-in CC approach for scalable, circular thermoset manufacturing. The final component of the thesis evaluates MeSi7, a seven-membered BSE CC, as a low-cost, synthetically accessible, and possibly scalable alternative to existing CCs. Thermodynamic polymerization parameters and CC performance under industrial thermoset cure conditions are assessed. We find that high-temperature cure conditions enable sufficient incorporation into the pDCPD network strands for deconstruction with as low as 5 mol% loading of MeSi7. These samples retain Tg values above 100 °C, with a moderate reduction relative to non-deconstructable analogues. Assessment of performance in industrial formulations also shows comparable deconstructability thresholds and modest impact on Tg. Importantly, MeSi7 is projected to cost less than 2% of iPrSi8 based on raw material pricing, offering a highly attractive economic profile for broader market applications. Together, these contributions deliver a framework for the rational design, performance prediction, and techno-economic evaluation of cleavable, recyclable thermosets through a convergence of data science, molecular design, and systems-level engineering considerations.9 0Item Restricted Drone Technology for Last-Mile Delivery – UK(leeds beckett, 2025-05) ABDULLAH, ITIDAL; Chikwere, DavidThis research explores the challenges and opportunities of using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly referred to as drones, for last-mile delivery in the UK retail logistics sector. It investigates whether current drone technology can overcome the regulatory and technological barriers, particularly those imposed by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and how these technologies contribute to sustainability and efficiency. The study adopts a qualitative approach through literature review and online interviews with key stakeholders, including logistics professionals, drone operators, and consumers. Findings reveal that although legal restrictions are currently a major limitation, there is optimism that ongoing technological advancements—particularly in battery life, controllability, and payload—could enable safer, more efficient operations. The study concludes that while large-scale deployment in urban areas is not currently viable, there is potential for limited implementation, especially in non-urban zones. Recommendations include standardized drone operator training, an industry-wide code of conduct, and continuous monitoring of drone and battery technology.9 0Item Restricted The requirements of digital product passport (DPP) for the defence sector(Cranfield university, 2024) Alnijaidi, abdullah; Matopoulos, ArisThe adoption of Digital Product Passports (DPPs) is emerging as a strategic solution to enhance supply chain transparency, regulatory compliance, and sustainability within the defence sector. This thesis explores the potential of DPPs to address key challenges, including complex global supply chains, stringent regulatory demands, and the growing pressure for environmental accountability. Through a mixed-methods approach involving literature review, stakeholder interviews, and surveys, this study identifies the specific requirements, benefits, and challenges of implementing DPPs in the defence industry. Key findings demonstrate that DPPs offer significant advantages, including improved traceability, predictive maintenance, cost savings, and support for circular economy goals. By providing detailed, secure product data across a component’s lifecycle, DPPs enhance both operational efficiency and compliance with defence regulations. The thesis also highlights the role of enabling technologies such as blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI) in driving DPP adoption. However, high initial costs, cybersecurity concerns, and integration challenges remain barriers to implementation. Despite these challenges, DPPs can provide defence companies with a competitive edge by improving trust with government clients, mitigating supply chain risks, and fostering long-term sustainability. In conclusion, the research positions DPPs as a vital tool for the defence sector’s future, enabling organizations to meet evolving geopolitical, technological, and environmental demand10 0Item Restricted Investor Relations in the Fashion Industry: An Investigation of the Role of Sustainability in Investment Using the Situational Theory of Problem-Solving and Organization-Public Relationship Frameworks(Virginia Commonwealth University, 2025) Banasser, Abrar; Alkazemi, Mariam FThis study examines the factors affecting individual investors' decision-making in the fashion industry, focusing on the impact of sustainability and investor relations. By employing both the Situational Theory of Problem Solving (STOPS) and the Organization- Public Relationship (OPR) frameworks, this paper investigates the influence of variables such as problem recognition, constraint recognition, involvement recognition, and relationship qualities, including commitment and control mutuality, on investors' situational motivation and communication actions. Weighted regression analysis was conducted to evaluate hypotheses pertaining to these variables. The study also explores the types and sources of investment information that investors most used and preferred. The findings show that most STOPS’ predictors effectively triggers investors' motivation regarding investment, whereas commitment and control mutuality substantially impact communicative behaviors and investment intentions. Among communicative actions, information acquisition significantly influences investors' willingness to invest in fashion companies. In addition, the study emphasizes the importance of financial and sustainability reporting communication, primarily via the company’s annual reports and SEC filings, when considering investment in the fashion industry. The findings highlight the increasing value of incorporating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards alongside financial performance reports to appeal to both profit-oriented and socially responsible investors. Practical implications suggest that fashion firms should prioritize the transparent communication of brand identity and accomplishments, enhance investor participation via collaborative platforms, and design sustainable strategies to align with investor expectations. This study advances the knowledge of investors' behaviors in the fashion industry and provides insightful guidance for improving investor relations approaches.34 0Item Restricted Environmental Injustices in Robinson Jeffers’s and Denise Levertov’s Ecopoetry(University of Birmingham, 2025) AlRowisan, Amal Ali M; Holmes, John; Zimbler, Jarad; Wood, SaraThis thesis explores critiques of environmental injustices in the poetry of Robinson Jeffers (1887-1962) and Denise Levertov (1923-1997). The anthropocentrism typical of American culture constantly imposes hierarchal division and underestimation of otherness which cause injustices to people and nonhumans. In urban, war, and natural environments, the poets investigate the impact of modernity, imperialism, and environmental degradation on changing environmental conditions and ecological wholeness. Jeffers and Levertov establish in their poetry a shared trajectory where they start with a description of injustices and their destructive impacts, progress towards a condemnation of the politics behind these injustices, and propose alternative ecological values. In their trajectories of critique across these three contexts, their poetry attempts to bridge the divide between the city and nature, between the Americans and the Vietnamese, and between humans and nonhumans. It provides a model for the reconstruction of anthropocentrism toward ecological relations of integrity. Their poetry reveals situations of the environmental ‘unconscious’ and attempts to draw a vision of environmental imagination and justice. Chapter 1 of the thesis registers Jeffers’s response to modernity. It explores his presentation of the city as a centre for accumulating change and corruption that separates man from nature. He presents the struggle of presence within the confinement of urbanization, mechanization, and rapid changes against human instinctual freedom and cultural values, a crisis he resists with his philosophy of Inhumanism. Instead, he urges a withdrawal to nature where he affirms in the landscape timeless and holistic values as contrasting models to human values. Chapter 2 investigates Levertov’s account of the Vietnam War as breeding violence and destruction to people's safety and emotional wellness. She presents victimization, loss, and emotional stasis which she supports with her political poetry of resistance. She encourages empathy, solidarity, and the need to maintain safety for others. Chapter 3 traces the poets’ presentations of exploitation, destruction, and cruelty to land and animals in their poetry. In the poems, both poets point out nonhuman forces that wrestle with humanity's injustices which they represent through myth and figuration. In their presentation of nonhumans, they highlight existing ideologies that underestimate nonhumans and seek in their poetry to affirm nonhuman agency and consciousness. In my investigation of their critique of injustices, my thesis draws on recent developments and turns of ecocriticism. It reframes the poets’ critiques through Environmental Justice theory, looking at human alienation in the city, the victimization of people in the Vietnam War, the exploitation of lands, and the cruelty to animals as environmental injustices. Under these thematic discussions, my thesis analyses the affective forces that emerge in response to injustices across these contexts. Jeffers’s presentation of the hopelessness of people in the city, Levertov’s depiction of the victimized emotions in Vietnam, and their presentation of nonhuman struggle in the degraded environments underscore the poets’ awareness of the notion of interdependency in the universe. The thesis also demonstrates the material forces of nonhumans that wrestle with human denial of them and affirm their existence instead. These recent developments in ecocriticism, which resonate with the poets’ critiques, elucidate the fundamental dynamics of existence and challenge the anthropocentric ideology that fosters such injustices.33 0Item Restricted Sustainable water management: Practices, challenges and benefits: A case study of hospitality sector in Alula, Saudi Arabia.(University of Gloucestershire, 2025) Aljohani, Manar; Abd Razak, AzleySustainable management is becoming increasingly relevant globally, with resource management as a key element. Businesses faces critical issues related to water, making effective management essential for businesses like hospitality. This study examines sustainable water management (SWM) in Alula's hospitality sector, a new case that has not yet been thoroughly investigated. It combines three elements: 1- Practices applied in Alula's hospitality sector – Which practices are most used, and are they primarily low-cost and simple? 2- Challenges and barriers – Are costs, lack of awareness, resource limitations, technical difficulties, expert shortages, and guest behaviours the biggest barriers affecting practice choice? 3- Sustainable practises benefits and look if they have benefit in reduce operational cost and water consumption. It applied three assumptions. The study applied three assumptions and used a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from questionnaires with qualitative insights from interviews with industry professionals. The findings conclude that while basic SWM practices are, like low flow showerhead, adopted in Alula's hospitality sector, significant barriers hinder the implementation of more advanced measures. Addressing these challenges through enhanced stakeholder engagement, increased awareness, and improved access to resources and expertise is crucial. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of SWM in emerging tourist destinations and provides sight for policymakers and industry stakeholders to promote SWM66 0Item Restricted Sustainability Reporting, Global Uncertainty, Cost of Capital and Firm Performance: The Case of Global Energy Industry(University of New Orleans, 2025) Alshehri, Abdullah; Hassan, M. KabirThis study examines the impact of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) performance on financial metrics within the energy sector, focusing on cost of capital and firm performance, with moderating factors such as the World Uncertainty Index (WUI) and Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI). The first study investigates how ESG performance affects the cost of capital measured as weighted average cost of capital (WACC), cost of equity, and cost of debt in energy firms. Using ordinary least squares regressions and longitudinal data from the LSEG database, findings reveal that higher ESG scores, including individual pillar performance (Environmental, Social, Governance), consistently reduce all three cost-of-capital measures. The WUI significantly moderates this relationship, amplifying ESG’s cost-lowering effect amid global uncertainty, offering energy managers a pathway to optimize capital structure while enhancing sustainability. The second study explores ESG’s impact on firm performance proxied by return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), and earnings per share (EPS), across 700 energy firms from 2007–2023, analyzed through panel regression. Results indicate that robust ESG practices, particularly the Social Pillar (e.g., employee relations), strongly enhance ROA and ROE, while the Environmental Pillar drives EPS, underscoring the financial benefits of sustainable practices. Midstream and Downstream energy sectors show the strongest ESG performance links, with the CVI revealing that climate-vulnerable firms with high ESG scores maintain profitability during environmental stress. Collectively, these findings highlight ESG’s transformative potential in reducing financing costs and boosting performance, moderated by uncertainty and climate risks. For practitioners, integrating ESG offers a dual benefit of financial efficiency and resilience, while policymakers can leverage these insights to strengthen ESG reporting and address climate vulnerabilities like biodiversity loss and extreme weather. This research bridges gaps in ESG literature, emphasizing its critical role in shaping energy sector stability and sustainability.28 0Item Open Access Investor Relations in the Fashion Industry: An Investigation of the Investor Relations in the Fashion Industry: An Investigation of the Role of Sustainability in Investment Using the Situational Theory Role of Sustainability in Investment Using the Situational Theory of Problem-Solving and Organization-Public Relationship of Problem-Solving and Organization-Public Relationship Frameworks Frameworks(Virginia Commonwealth University, 2025-03-03) Banasser, Abrar; Alkazemi, MariamThis study examines the factors affecting individual investors' decision-making in the fashion industry, focusing on the impact of sustainability and investor relations. By employing both the Situational Theory of Problem Solving (STOPS) and the Organization- Public Relationship (OPR) frameworks, this paper investigates the influence of variables such as problem recognition, constraint recognition, involvement recognition, and relationship qualities, including commitment and control mutuality, on investors' situational motivation and communication actions. Weighted regression analysis was conducted to evaluate hypotheses pertaining to these variables. The study also explores the types and sources of investment information that investors most used and preferred. The findings show that most STOPS’ predictors effectively triggers investors' motivation regarding investment, whereas commitment and control mutuality substantially impact communicative behaviors and investment intentions. Among communicative actions, information acquisition significantly influences investors' willingness to invest in fashion companies. In addition, the study emphasizes the importance of financial and sustainability reporting communication, primarily via the company’s annual reports and SEC filings, when considering investment in the fashion industry. The findings highlight the increasing value of incorporating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards alongside financial performance reports to appeal to both profit-oriented and socially responsible investors. Practical implications suggest that fashion firms should prioritize the transparent communication of brand identity and accomplishments, enhance investor participation via collaborative platforms, and design sustainable strategies to align with investor expectations. This study advances the knowledge of investors' behaviors in the fashion industry and provides insightful guidance for improving investor relations approaches.47 0Item Restricted Assessing the Effectiveness of Carbon Trading Mechanisms in Promoting Carbon Reduction: A Case Study of the US(University of Glasgow, 2024-08-16) Alduraihem, Abdulaziz; Spagnolo, FabioThis study examined the effectiveness of the cap-and-trade policy adopted by California by exploring the effectiveness of the program in meeting the intended goals of reducing carbon emissions within the energy sector. The study used a deductive approach to analyse and empirically test the data using regression analysis. Data was sourced from government agencies in the fifty states and included per capita carbon emissions, carbon intensity, energy intensity, and GDP. The time frame for analysis was 2008 to 2021. The findings show that the cap-and-trade program implemented in California has resulted in a decrease in per capita CO2 emissions in the energy sector. The study also found that the effects of cap-and-trade did not intensify in the subsequent years after its adoption. Despite the limitations of data quality and availability, focus on per capita emissions and exclusion of carbon leakages, the findings of this study are crucial for economic policy development and implementation on carbon emissions.9 0Item Restricted The Impact of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Factors on Firm Financial Performance: An Empirical Study of Non-Financial Constituents of the S&P 500(University of Liverpool, 2024-09) Fallatah, Ahmed Zaki; Giorgioni, GianluigiAbstract This study empirically examines the influence of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors on financial performance of non-financial firms listed on the S&P 500. It analyzes data for 425 firms over the period from 2010 to 2023. This research study apply panel data analysis using Generalized Least Squares (GLS) Regression and reveals a significant and positive relationship between overall ESG scores and Corporate financial performance metrics, Return on Equity, Return on Assets and Tobin's Q for current S&P 500 firms. For the firms that were removed from the index, while ESG scores significantly enhance Tobin's Q in terms of market evaluation and their impact on financial measurement is less pronounced. The analysis highlights that environmental scores influence financial outcomes across both current and dropped firms. Social scores positively affect financial performance in current firms but show limited impact for firms removed from the index. Governance scores appear to have a more nuanced impact, suggesting that good governance alone may not be enough to differentiate performance among firms. The study shows the importance of robust ESG practices, particularly in environmental and social pillars, for enhancing corporate financial success and market valuation. The firm’s market position and financial health may influence the relationship between ESG factors and immediate financial returns. The research shows that ESG investments can boost a market position of company and resilience and their direct impact on immediate financial returns can vary depending on the company’s financial health and market status. Therefore, this study reveals the complex relationship between ESG practices and financial performance. The findings provide useful valuable insights for business leaders, investors, and policymakers looking to align ESG practices with financial goals and foster sustainable, long-term growth.48 0
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