SACM - Malaysia
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/9660
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Item Restricted A FRAMEWORK FOR SMART CONTRACT EVALUATION AND SELECTION USING MULTI-CRITERIA ANALYSIS(UNIVERSITI MALAYA, 2024) Alshahrani ,Norah Mohammad R; Mat Kiah, Miss LaihaNumerous smart contract frameworks have been proposed in academic literature and implemented in the industry, for a number pf blockchain platforms such as Ethereum, Corda, and Hyperledger Fabric. Choosing among these frameworks involves a multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) process with various evaluation and selection criteria, including security, financial aspects, and technical considerations. To address this complexity, this research aims to develop a comprehensive framework for standardizing the evaluation criteria and building a selection process for smart contracts. This framework will assist in evaluating critical criteria and selecting the most suitable smart contract framework from the available alternatives. Existing approaches for MCDM-based blockchain evaluation and selection are often not tailored specifically to smart contracts. These approaches are typically general and lack comprehensiveness, often designed for specific case studies. Multi-criteria analysis is employed in this research to determine the optimal option based on the decision-maker’s preferences. Among the available MCDM techniques, the Decision by Opinion Score Method (DOSM) was utilized, which has been applied across diverse fields, including financial institutions and operating businesses. However, this technique does not provide the functionality of explicit criteria for weight measurement. Therefore, a modified version of DOSM that incorporates explicit weight measurement is proposed in this research. The proposed framework consists of five phases. In the first phase, the final set of criteria is identified and examined through expert opinions and the Fuzzy-Delphi method. An improved version of the fuzzy DOSM technique with an explicit weight mechanism is employed in the second stage. The third phase involves identifying and evaluating smart contract alternatives using the criteria identified in phase one. In the iv fourth phase, developed and assessed the opinion score weighting algorithm (NS-WFDOSM), This algorithm modifies FDOSM and incorporates a Neutrosophic Fuzzy Sets (NFSs) environment to measure the weights explicitly and rank the alternatives. In the final phase, a sensitivity analysis module to study the behavior of the new weight technique and its impact on alternative ranking is developed. The inclusion of weight parameters in the proposed framework facilitates the identification of influential criteria in the ranking procedure. The research methodology adopts a quantitative approach to determine critical criteria for smart contracts. Different numerical samples obtained through a closed-ended questionnaire survey are applied in various scenarios to collect data regarding the essential criteria of the subject under investigation. Results indicated the following: (1) The FW-DOSM method efficiently weights the criteria for smart contract blockchain. (2) The NS-FW-DOSM method successfully ranks smart contract blockchain frameworks. (3) Given the binary nature of the selected data, the variation of the criteria, and an increase in the number of alternatives, no significant changes were observed in the final framework among different 𝛼 values. The validation of the framework results was confirmed using sensitivity analysis. The implications of this study can assist administrators in various organizations in selecting the most appropriate and confident smart contract framework and guide future directions for system developers. In conclusion, NS-WF-DOSM is extensively discussed and compared with different MCDM methods from ranking and weighting perspectives. The results demonstrate that NS-WF-WDOSM produces more logical outcomes than other MCDM methods.5 0Item Restricted THE ECONOMIC IMPACT AND ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES OF COVID-19 ON UMRAH TOURISM IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA(UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA, 2025) Alzahrani, Shaymah Ahmed; Alzahrani, Shaymah AhmedReligious tourism, particularly Umrah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), was among the most affected sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government implemented various preventive measures, but the recovery process took longer than anticipated. This study examines the economic effects of the pandemic on the Umrah sector and the strategic responses by the Saudi government and business owners in Makkah. Although essential to KSA’s non-oil economy, the crisis resilience and adaptability of the Umrah sector during unprecedented disruptions like the pandemic have received insufficient attention. This study therefore seeks to address this critical need by investigating the economic impacts of COVID-19 on the Umrah sector and evaluating the strategic responses implemented. Such an analysis is essential for advancing crisis management frameworks and ensuring the sustainability of religious tourism under similar conditions. A qualitative research approach employing purposive sampling was used, with data collected through interviews with 13 government officials and three business owners, as well as three focus group discussions. These methods provided a comprehensive understanding of the economic impacts and adaptive strategies utilized. The study was guided by established frameworks, which include Swenson's economic impact framework, Wenzel's crisis response strategies, and Deb and Nafi's recovery model, that offered a structured analysis of the sector’s resilience and adaptation. The involvement of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Ministry of Tourism ensured that the study captured authentic insights into policy-making, sector management, and recovery strategies during the crisis. The interviews, averaging 45 minutes each, offered detailed insights into the participants' experiences and perspectives. The findings revealed that the pandemic resulted in the cessation of Umrah activities, leading to revenue losses, as millions of pilgrims contribute substantially to KSA's non-oil economy annually. The lockdown also caused widespread job losses and income reductions, affecting private and public finances. In response, the KSA implemented various strategies, including immediate financial aid and a shift towards digital platforms, underscoring the critical role of technology in managing crises within the religious tourism sector. This study provides actionable insights for policymakers in KSA, highlighting the importance of integrating digital transformation and adaptive strategies into national policies to ensure resilience in the tourism sector. Furthermore, the findings emphasise the need for dynamic economic strategies that support rapid adaptation and resilience in the face of such challenges. By applying theoretical frameworks such as Chaos Theory to a unique context, this study provides valuable contributions to the literature on crisis management and economic resilience in religious tourism. It offers novel insights into the interconnected economic, social, and operational challenges posed by the pandemic and provides actionable recommendations to policymakers and stakeholders for building a more resilient and adaptive Umrah sector in the future. Finally, future research should explore cross-regional comparisons, delve deeper into the integration of digital solutions, and employ longitudinal and interdisciplinary approaches to uncover sustained effects and broader implications for religious tourism's resilience.5 0Item Restricted CORPORATE GOVERNANCE MECHANISMS AND UNLISTED FAMILY BUSINESS PERFORMANCE WITH THE MODERATING ROLE OF INTERLOCKING DIRECTORATES(Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 2024) Algthami, Nawar muneer; Algthami, Nawar muneerDespite the prominent role family businesses play in the Saudi Arabian economy, which is deeply embedded in the societal fabric, their economic contribution remains relatively modest compared to their significant presence in the society. This performance discrepancy is often attributed to the resource dependence challenges confronting the family business sector, particularly exacerbated by their deliberate choice to restrict ownership exclusively to family members and uphold familial control through family-dominated boards. However, there is a notable scarcity of empirical evidence on how family businesses in Saudi Arabia navigate these resource dependence challenges. Hence, this research examines how interlocking ties, moderate the relationship between family ownership and board composition, particularly, their impact on business performance within family businesses in Saudi Arabia. This study is rooted in the understanding that family business ownership is often underpinned by the emotional commitment owners invest in their enterprises. Furthermore, the effect of family connections on board composition and functioning, in fostering business networks, exerts a significant influence on the performance of family businesses. Consequently, this research explores the interplay between family ownership and board composition, with the moderating effects of sent interlocking directorates and received interlocking ties. The survey method was employed for data collection, involving a sample of 204 respondents. Data analysis was conducted using the statistical tools, SPSS and SmartPLS. Four out of the eight moderation propositions received empirical support, underscoring the significance of discerning between these moderating factors. Hence, this study makes noteworthy contributions to the family business research in Saudi Arabia. It has successfully constructed and validated a model that establishes a connection between the dimensions of family ownership and board composition as a precursor to family business performance in Saudi Arabia. This relationship is moderated by the sent and received dimensions of interlocking directorates. Furthermore, the findings from this study lend considerable support to the theoretical model which posits a direct linkage between family ownership, board composition, and family business performance.20 0Item Restricted DETERMINANTS OF INNOVATIVE WORK BEHAVIOUR AMONG ACADEMICS IN SAUDI ARABIA: QUALITY CULTURE AS MODERATOR(UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA, 2024) Harmal, Majed Ageed A; HANIFAH, HANIRUZILA BT MD; RICHARDSON, CHRISTOPHER JOHANN ROLANDABSTRACT In recent years, there has been a notable increase in government financing and investment directed towards Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Saudi Arabia. This trend highlights the crucial significance of academicians’ hard and soft skills in shaping their performance. The concept of academic Innovative Work Behaviour (IWB) is strongly associated with the ability to come up with and share original ideas. The objective of this study is to further investigate the influence of academic talents on several aspects of innovative work behaviour, with a specific focus on the creation and advancement of novel ideas. Comprehending these processes is crucial for cultivating a culture of innovation within the academic domain. This study looks at the factors that influence innovative work behaviour (IWB) among academic staff in Saudi Arabian higher education institutions (HEIs). This study examines the impact of various factors on IWB, including extrinsic motivation, communication efficacy, self-determination, competence, management support, and psychological empowerment, with the moderating influence of quality culture, with a focus on the country’s underutilization of human resources for innovative ideas despite significant government investments in HEIs. Using an approach grounded in the self-determination theory and the social cognitive theory, the study analysed data from 390 assistant professors, associate professors, and professors. While four out of six primary hypotheses were found to be supported, self-determination and management support were not found to have a significant effect on IWB. In addition, the analysis revealed that the quality culture moderated the association between the aforementioned variables only and innovative work behaviour. The research provides valuable insights into the dynamics of innovative work behaviour within the academic setting of Saudi Arabia, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the factors that foster or inhibit the cultivation of an innovative culture within higher education institutions. This research enriches the literature by examining IWB among academics, incorporating quality culture as a moderating variable. Unlike prior studies predominantly focused on industrial settings, this study offers a nuanced understanding of how these variables function within HEIs. It also has strong implications for administrators, who are encouraged to prioritize programs that enhance extrinsic motivation, competence, communication efficacy, and psychological empowerment among academic staff. Furthermore, this study discussed the limitations and recommends future research that might contribute to the body of knowledge.5 0Item Restricted A CODE-MIXING TRANSLITERATION MODEL TO IMPROVE HATE SPEECH DETECTION IN THE SAUDI DIALECT TWEETS(Universiti Malaya, 2024) Alhazmi, Ali Hamoud H; Associate Norisma Binti Idris, Associate Rohana Binti Mahmud, Nurul Binti Japar Mohamed Elhag Mohamed AboTechnological developments over the past few decades have changed the way people communicate, with platforms like social media and blogs becoming vital channels for international conversation. Even though hate speech is vigorously suppressed on social media, it is still a concern that needs to be constantly recognized and observed. Although great efforts have been made in this area for English-language social media content, but for Arabic language, the detection of hate speech still has many specific difficulties. Arabic calls for particular consideration when it comes to hate speech detection, because of its many dialects and linguistic nuances. Another degree of complication is added by the widespread practice of "code-mixing," in which users merge various languages smoothly. Recognizing this research vacuum, the study aims to close it by examining how well machine learning models containing variation features can detect hate speech, especially when it comes to Arabic tweets featuring code-mixing. Therefore, the objective of this study is to assess and compare the effectiveness of different features and machine learning models for hate speech detection on Arabic hate speech emoji, and code-mixing hate speech datasets. To achieve the objectives, the methodology used includes data collection, data pre-processing, feature extraction, the construction of classification models, and the evaluation of the constructed classification models. The findings from the analysis revealed that the Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) feature, when employed with the Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) model, attained the highest accuracy, reaching 98.21% on code-mixing transliteration dataset. The findings from the analysis also revealed that the highest accuracy of 99% was attained on emoji transliteration dataset. Subsequently, these results were contrasted with outcomes from three baseline studies, and the proposed transliteration learning model on both the code mixing and emoji outperformed them, underscoring the significance of the proposed models. Consequently, this study carries practical implications and serves as a foundational exploration in the realm of automated hate speech detection in text.19 0Item Restricted ROLE AMBIGUITY, CONFLICT AND OVERLOAD AS PREDICTORS OF EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION: THE MEDIATION EFFECT OF TEACHING SATISFACTION AND AFFECTIVE COMMITMENT(Universiti Malaya,, 2024) ALSAGOOR, KHALID; Cheong, Loh SauOwing to the emotionally demanding work context, emotional exhaustion is conceived as a general concern in special education. In a group of 216 special education teachers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this research has investigated the direct effect of role ambiguity, role conflict, and role overload on teacher’s emotional exhaustion. Participants completed the scales of emotional exhaustion, role conflict, role Ambiguity, role overload, affective engagement, and teaching satisfaction. Structural Equation Modelling Analysis (SEM) has been adopted for testing the hypotheses of this research. Results indicate that role overload had a positive significant direct impact on emotional exhaustion. Similarly, role conflict shows a positive significant direct impact on emotional exhaustion, whereas role ambiguity has a negligible direct impact on emotional exhaustion. The estimation of the indirect path between measurements of role stressors and emotional exhaustion through teaching contentment reveals that teaching contentment mediates the effect of role conflict on emotional exhaustion. The research suggests that there is no intervention effect of teaching contentment on the impact of role overload on emotional exhaustion and the impact of role overload and role conflict on emotional exhaustion is mediated by affective engagement. The research recommends further studies to explore the direct and indirect effect of role ambiguity on emotional exhaustion.7 0Item Restricted FACTORS PREDICTING TEACHER BURNOUT: THE MODERATION ROLE OF PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT(Journal of Special Needs Education (NASE Malaysia), 0019-12-20) ALSAGOOR KHALID; Prof. Dr.Loh Sau CheongThe terminal objectives of this study are to examine: the direct effects of stressors on teacher burnout and the moderation effects of social support on the relation between stressors and teacher burnout. A total sample of 202 special education teachers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia completed a 68-item digital countrywide survey questionnaire delivered through email to all special education teachers. For current study, hypotheses were tested based on structural equation modelling (SEM). Results revealed that: (1) role overload had shown significant direct effects on the three dimensions of teacher burnout; (2) role ambiguity had shown significant direct effects on the three dimensions of teacher burnout; (3) role conflict had shown significant direct effects on depersonalization and decreased personal accomplishment; (4) no moderation effect for social support on the relationship between stressors and the three dimensions of teacher burnout.10 0Item Restricted FACTORS PREDICTING BURNOUT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA(Universiti Malaya, 2024) ALSAGOOR, KHALID; Cheong, Loh SauTeacher burnout affects student achievement and imposes financial burdens on districts and states. This study explores factors predicting burnout, focusing on direct effects of role ambiguity, conflict, and work overload, as well as indirect effects via affective organizational commitment and teaching satisfaction. Additionally, it examines moderating effects of perceived social and supervisor support. A sample of 414 special education teachers in Saudi Arabia completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory and scales for various stressors and supports. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using AMOS revealed that: (1) role overload had a significant direct effect on emotional exhaustion (β = 0.389, t = 5.184, P < 0.01), reduced personal accomplishment (β = 0.211, t = 3.797, P < 0.01), depersonalization (β = -0.161, t = -3.392, P < 0.01), and total burnout (β = 0.173, t = 5.828, P < 0.01); (2) role conflict was directly related to decreased accomplishment (β = 0.350, t = 4.194, P < 0.01) and total burnout (β = 0.135, t = 3.465, P < 0.01); (3) role ambiguity affected emotional exhaustion (β = 0.230, t = 4.506, P < 0.01), reduced accomplishment (β = 0.305, t = 3.862, P < 0.01), depersonalization (β = 0.137, t = 2.738, P < 0.01), and total burnout (β = 0.271, t = 7.045, P < 0.01); (4) teacher satisfaction mediated the impact of role overload on emotional exhaustion (β = 0.103, t = 2.573, p < 0.05); (5) affective organizational commitment facilitated the effects of role overload on emotional exhaustion (β = 0.143, t = 2.367, p < 0.05), role conflict on burnout (β = 0.204, t = 6.811, p < 0.05), and role ambiguity on total burnout (β = 0.316, t = 2.715, p < 0.05); (6) perceived social support moderated the effects of stressors on burnout components, such as reducing role overload’s impact on emotional exhaustion (β = -0.226, t = -7.500, p < 0.01); and (7) supervisor support moderated effects of role overload on burnout components, like reducing its impact on emotional exhaustion (β = -0.256, t = -8.868, p < 0.01). These findings suggest that enhancing teaching satisfaction and commitment could mitigate burnout, adding theoretical insights into stressors–burnout relationships among special education teachers in Saudi Arabia.3 0Item Restricted PREPARATION, KINETIC STUDY, AND EFFICIENCY EVALUATION OF DATE PALM STONE-DERIVED BIOCHAR AND HYDROCHAR FOR METHYLENE BLUE REMOVAL(UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA, 2024) ALMALKI, MONA MOHAMMED B; ALMALKI , MONA MOHAMMED BFreshwater shortages are a critical challenge in agriculture and food security, especially in arid regions such as desert areas. A promising solution to these irrigation water shortages lies in the reuse of treated wastewater. However, effective removal of contaminants, including dyes, heavy metals, and organic pollutants, is essential for ensuring water quality. The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is a significant cash crop in many regions. Harvesting of its fruits would normally result in huge production of biomass including dried leaves, stems, pits, and seeds. Based on its high carbon and biochemical contents, these biomass offers interesting alternative to be used as raw materials to produce biosorbents. In view of this, it was the objective of this study to evaluate the feasibility of producing biochar and hydrochar from date palm stones for wastewater treatment and to determine the adsorption mechanism of these materials. In this study, samples of date palm stones (DPS) were collected from the Hail region in Saudi Arabia. Two types of adsorbents were then prepared namely date palm stone biochar (DPSB) and date palm stone hydrochar (DPSH). DPSB was produced through pyrolysis at a temperature of 300 °C for 2 hours, allowing for carbonization in an oxygen-limited environment, while DPSH was synthesized using hydrothermal carbonization at 250 °C for 3 hours in a liquid medium. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of DPSB and DPSH showed the presence of C=C, C=O, CO, and OH groups, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs indicated the presence of a highly porous structure with open pores and sharp edges, critical for enhancing surface area and, consequently, adsorption capacity. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated a total weight loss of 21.76% across both samples between 30 °C to 450 °C, confirming their thermal stability and suitability for reuse in environmental applications. The contaminant removal capacity was evaluated using methylene blue (MB), a model dye representative of many industrial pollutants. Maximum removal capacity of 85.6% for DPSB and 89.4% for DPSH were achieved under optimized experimental conditions determined as follows; initial MB concentration of 10 mg L-1, 2 g of adsorbent and 30 to 45 minutes contact time to reach equilibrium. Kinetic studies indicated that both first-order and second-order reaction models accurately described the adsorption process, highlighting the complex interactions between dye molecules and the adsorbent surfaces. Additionally, molecular dynamics studies utilizing density functional theory (DFT) were performed to propose the geometry of the adsorbents and explore the adsorption mechanisms. Results from the DFT calculations indicated an increase in band gap energy (-0.00956 eV) and dipole moment (8.803487 D) for DPSH compared to DPSB, suggesting a higher resistance of DPSH to chemical and environmental degradation, relative to DPSB. As a conclusion, this study successfully demonstrated the potential of DPSB and DPSH derived from date palm stones, as alternative adsorbents to remove contaminants such as methylene blue from aqueous solution. This finding shall form part of the overall global initiative of addressing the issue of freshwater shortages, better agricultural waste management and having a more sustainable and economically viable solution for wastewater treatment, as well as contributing to the circular economy in agricultural practices.25 0Item Restricted EXPLORING THE VISIT MOTIVATION OF SAUDI VISITORS WITHIN JEDDAH SEASON FESTIVAL: THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG VISITORS MOTIVATION, SATISFACTION, AND WORD-OF-MOUTH RECOMMENDATIONS(Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2024-07) Alsunusi, Arub; Rahman, SurayatiIn Saudi Arabia, the emergence of tourism festivals, commonly called 'seasons,' has become a significant cultural and entertainment phenomenon. This shift is largely due to the 2030 Vision, which aims to diversify the tourism sector beyond its traditional focus on religious pilgrimages. These festivals have quickly gained popularity, experiencing a dramatic influx of visitors. This surge is likely due to the novelty of offering new and unique experiences previously unavailable in a destination traditionally limited to religious tourism. Given the relative newness of these events, there remains a significant gap in understanding how tourists perceive and engage with them. It is crucial to pay attention to these perceptions, as they directly influence the festivals' long-term success and sustainability. Understanding how Saudi tourism festivals are perceived from a tourist's perspective is crucial in assessing their success. Ensuring the success of these festivals will require a deeper exploration into visitor motivations and experiences. This research aims to thoroughly investigate the motivations of visitors attending tourism festivals in Saudi Arabia, with a specific focus on the Jeddah Seasons. Only Saudi Arabian visitors were considered. Besides, the influence of motivation on overall satisfaction, followed by the influence of overall satisfaction on word-of-mouth recommendations, was examined. Data were collected via a self-administered online survey, yielding 400 usable responses. This study Implements the repeated indicators approach and adapted motivation scales as a second-order PLS-SEM from dimensions including Socialization, Family Togetherness, Escape, Novelty, Festival Attraction, and Cultural Exploration. The study revealed that Cultural Exploration and Festival Attraction were the most influential motivational factors, while Socialization and Escape were identified as the least influential. Additionally, the study revealed high satisfaction levels among respondents, alongside a strong likelihood of spreading positive word-of-mouth recommendations. This demonstrates that the Jeddah Season effectively delivers satisfying experiences that visitors are eager to share, thereby enhancing the event's reputation and encouraging ongoing visitor engagement. The primary contribution of this study lies in its development of a detailed model of visitor motivations tailored specifically to Saudi tourism festivals, providing essential insights for event organizers and marketers. This model fills a critical research gap and serves as a strategic tool for improving festival design and marketing initiatives in Saudi Arabia. By addressing this notable gap in existing research, this study aligns with Saudi Arabia's strategic shift in tourism, making a significant contribution to both academic literature and industry practice.5 0