Exploring the utilization of generative AI by librarians in higher education across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: Trends in adoption, innovative applications, and emerging challenges

This research paper examines the impact of water scarcity on agricultural output in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. It highlights the increasing global water scarcity and its consequences, including the prevalence of water‐stressed areas and the adverse effects on human health and economic sectors. The paper focuses on the GCC region, known for its water scarcity and desertification, exacerbated by climate change and pollution. The study aims to investigate the relationship between water stress levels and agricultural productivity, evaluating the effects of freshwater withdrawals, fertilizer consumption, and agricultural methane emissions on crop production. Additionally, it explores the connection between agricultural output and net national income per capita. By addressing these research questions, the study contributes to the understanding of agricultural water scarcity and its implications for global food security and sustainability. The paper utilizes data from the World Bank to analyze crop production in the GCC countries from 2001 to 2020, shedding light on the influence of water scarcity on agricultural landscapes. The research highlights the efforts made by GCC countries to enhance food security, including strategic investments in agricultural lands and bilateral agreements. It also discusses the challenges faced by specific countries within the region, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Kuwait, in terms of agricultural production and water constraints. Overall, the paper provides insights into the complexities of agricultural water scarcity and its effects on the GCC region, emphasizing the need for sustainable solutions to ensure food security and economic stability.

The State of Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region are located in a hyper-arid area with no rivers, over-abstracted groundwater supply and limited rainfall. Consequently, with the discovery of oil and gas and the associated economic prosperity, the State of Qatar and the GCC region have relied on desalination of seawater from the Arabian Gulf. As of 2013, the GCC region held a 70% share of total global desalination capacity.Multi-Stage Flash (MSF) desalination technology has been the source of water supply in the State of Qatar and the GCC region for the past few decades due to the low cost of energy in these countries and the problems historically faced by Reverse Osmosis (RO) membrane processes in dealing wih the high salinity of the Arabian Gulf. MSF is a thermal process that distills water through stages based on high temperature and changing pressures. The systems suffer from high energy requirements and low recovery rates resulting in significant discharge of brine with elevated temperature to the ambient receiving water. RO on the other hand relies on applying a positive pressure to pass permeate through a fine polymer filter material against the osmotic pressure gradient. RO is widely adopted worldwide due to its lower energy consumption and increased product recovery. With recent developments the technology can cover the high salinity of the Arabian Gulf (40,000 mg/L to 55,000 mg/L total dissolved solids). Nevertheless, RO systems require extensive pretreatment to ensure the integrity of the membrane and to prevent blocking of the fine pores. This makes the process susceptible to surface water quality fluctuations such as during algal blooms and therefore its application in Qatar is still challenging due to the shallow and enclosed nature of the Arabian Gulf.Subsurface intake processes for RO have the potential to reduce the effects of fluctuations in source water quality and reduce the energy intensity of the process, since they provide natural filtration of the source water and simplify the extensive pretreatment requirements necessary to protect the RO membranes. However, significant tradeoffs occur by using subsurface intakes. For instance, intake pumping may be increased to overcome the additional headloss through the intake media while the construction phase also involves increased civil works. This research investigates the environmental impacts associated with the operation phase of RO systems using both open intake and beach well intake systems theoretically located in the State of Qatar, since operational phase impacts typically comprise most of the environmental loads in cradle-to-grave assessments.The study utilizes Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to assess a wide range of effects from the systems. The ReCiPe lifecycle impact indicator approach is utilized with mid-point impact indicators including climate change, marine eutrophication, terrestial acidification, photochemical oxidant formation, particulate matter formation, marine ecotoxicity, water depletion, mineral resource depletion and fossil fuel depletion. The RO system, its pretreatment and intake will be sized and modelled for a desalinated water output of 100,000 m3/d using a combination of fundamental process equations and commercially available software. The results will show a clear direction from an environmental perspective on which type of intake system Qatar should consider if implementing seawater RO as a preferred desalination technique.

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the impact of firm-specific characteristics on managers’ identity disclosure in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Design/methodology/approach – Research data were collected from 2010 annual reports and financial statements of 403 listed firms in the GCC countries. The data were analyzed by multiple regression models. Findings – Evidence suggesting that managers’ identity is significantly disclosed by firms that separate the office of chairman from that of chief executive officer was documented. It was also found that mature firms significantly disclose their managers’ identity. Our finding suggests that firms’ declaration that they comply with a set of corporate governance code leads them to disclose managers’ identity. However, we find that firms that are related to the state significantly disclose their managers’ identity, contrary to expectation. Research limitations/implications – One limitation is the lack of a uniform classification of industries by the stock exchanges in the GCC region. The implication of this is that researchers are lacking a uniform standard to apply in their research. Another limitation is the use of only 2010 annual reports and accounts; thus, there is a problem of inter-temporal generalizability. As markets in the GCC countries are evolving, it will be interesting to capture the state of managers’ identity disclosure after 2010. Practical implications – The paper has the potential to influence firms in the GCC region to begin disclosing managers’ personal details and other contact information. In addition, there is the prospect that market regulators in the GCC region and other emerging markets who may read this research may now require firms to disclose their managers’ identity. Originality/value – This is an Original research paper.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to delve into the complex interplay between earnings management (EM), the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) implementation and the reporting lag (RL) within the specific context of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, with a particular emphasis on the Saudi context, offering insights into their influence on financial reporting practices.Design/methodology/approachUsing a panel data set of 135 Saudi companies over an eight-year period, covering four years before and after the mandatory adoption of IFRS in 2017, this study investigates the Saudi financial reporting landscape. It uses interaction moderation analysis to explore variable effects and includes robustness analyses to validate the findings.FindingsThe findings reveal three key outcomes. First, they challenge conventional expectations by showing no significant impact of discretionary accruals (DACC) on RL, contrary to established accounting theories. This deviation is attributed to unique market characteristics within the GCC region, including family-owned businesses, government involvement and distinct regulations, with specific insights relevant to Saudi Arabia. Second, an unexpected positive association between IFRS adoption and RL in Saudi Arabia emerged. Several contextual factors contribute, including transition costs, compliance expenses, institutional dynamics and reconciling IFRS with local Shariah principles. Most importantly, IFRS adoption significantly reduced RL, especially for companies with high DACC levels. This highlights IFRS’s transformative role, emphasizes aligning EM with international standards for investor confidence and mitigating nonconformity risks in the GCC region’s business landscape.Practical implicationsThe research findings carry significant practical implications for companies operating within the GCC region, accentuating the strategic imperative of timely financial reporting to bolster credibility, align with international standards and fortify investor confidence. Moreover, regulators and policymakers are urged to consider tailoring accounting regulations to accommodate the distinctive GCC context, thereby adeptly addressing the intricacies stemming from the interplay of EM, IFRS adoption and RL dynamics in the region.Originality/valueThis study adds to the current body of literature by highlighting the significant moderating influence of IFRS transition on the nexus between DACC and RL. It underscores the crucial role of this global accounting framework in reshaping financial reporting practices.

This article emphasizes the importance of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and large companies in driving economic growth. SMEs are labour-intensive and agile, creating more jobs, while large companies are capital-intensive and rely on technology, having more resources for research and development. In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, SMEs contribute significantly to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and job opportunities, while large companies dominate specific sectors. The research employs a multidisciplinary approach using an extensive literature review to summarize the current literature, highlight the economic impact of SMEs and large companies in GCC, and highlight the importance of large companies in developing local citizens. Policy-makers must consider these differences to integrate these dynamic changes for effective support policies. This study examines the economic impact of SMEs and large companies in the GCC region, providing recommendations to support large businesses. It addresses challenges and opportunities related to employment, household earnings, economic output, and value addition. Promoting the economic impact of SMEs and large companies can lead to sustainable economic growth and development in the GCC region. Also, this article pointed out the importance of large companies and their economic impact in the GCC region; policy recommendations will help the governing bodies in decision-making towards promoting sustainable economic growth.

PurposeIn some regions including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region where construction is one of the main industries, the implementation of BIM is still at a slow rate. This article attempts to know the current situation of BIM and explore the challenges in the BIM implementation in the GCC construction industry.Design/methodology/approachA mixed research approach that includes a systematic literature review and a survey questionnaire was adopted to achieve the aim of this research. For the systematic review, four main databases were search considering a period of 2010–2019 to identify the main challenges in the BIM implementation. A total of 39 different challenges from 47 documents were classified into four main categories. A structured questionnaire developed on these challenges was sent to 206 selected from the top construction organizations from all over the GCC region.FindingsA total of 39 different challenges from 47 documents were classified into four main categories. The respondents for the questionnaire were selected from the top construction organization from all over the GCC region. A large number of the respondents (69.79%) reported that their organizations are planning for BIM implementation in their future projects. The results show that top challenges fall under the main categories of “Organization”, “Technical”, “Government and Legal” and “Environment”.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the paper provides an overview of BIM in a global context, however, the dynamics and maturity of the construction industry in different regions are quite different from each other. Since the data collected in this research is from the GCC region, the results are more relevant to the GCC region.Practical implicationsThe finding of this research identifies the main challenges which GCC construction is facing in the implementation of BIM. The finding will, therefore, be useful for the key stakeholders to develop strategies to overcome these challenges and pave the road to take the advantages of BIM implementation in construction.Social implicationsThe BIM implementation in the GCC construction industry will not only improve the performance of the industry but will also open the doors for new opportunities and employment. The BIM implementation in construction will help the region to achieve Goal 9 (industrial innovation and improved infrastructure) of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.Originality/valueThe results of this study help to understand the overall situation including the challenges in the BIM implementation in the GCC construction industry. This study will be helpful for all the stakeholders to develop strategies for the effective implementation of BIM in the GCC construction industry.

COVID-19 has rapidly evolved into a global pandemic and has strongly impacted financial markets of the world, including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Since the outbreak is unprecedented, there is a need to analyze the effects of the disease on volatility spillovers between equity and bond markets. We empirically investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial equity and debt markets in the GCC region. We used the TVP-VAR dynamic connectedness approach to measure risk transmission in the GCC market. This study investigated the time-varying behavior of GCC equity and conventional and Islamic debt markets using data from 1 January 2019 to 30 August 2021. The results were also validated by performing a DCC-GARCH analysis to check the shock and spillovers among the GCC markets. We found the persistent shock transmitter roles of equity markets to bond and Sukuk markets in the GCC region, and the total dynamic connectedness increased during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the significant level of interconnectedness exists within the GCC markets.

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the association between the adoption experience of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the quality of reported earnings in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region – a region that exhibits several features of emerging economies.Design/methodology/approachThe authors analyse a hand-collected dataset of 222 firms across 4 countries in the GCC region over the period 2012–2017 and measure “IFRS experience” as the number of years since a country has mandatorily adopted the IFRS. In measuring earnings quality, the authors focus on two properties of reported earnings: persistence and accruals quality and employ multivariate regression models based on two-way cluster-robust standard errors and fixed-effects.FindingsThis study’s findings suggest that earnings persistence is decreasing, and discretionary accruals are increasing in IFRS experience in the GCC region over the period 2012–2017. The authors conclude that reported earnings quality has declined following IFRS adoption in this sample.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors contribute to the IFRS literature in the GCC region, which is in its infancy.Practical implicationsThis study’s findings have important policy implications for countries that are about to adopt or are in the early implementation stage of IFRS and suggest that strong enforcement of accounting standards along with improvement in the institutional environments might be needed for improving financial reporting quality.Originality/valueThe authors provide the first cross-country evidence on the relation between IFRS adoption in the GCC region and earnings quality. Moreover, unlike most prior studies, the authors employ a continuous measure that is superior to a binary measure in capturing the effect of IFRS adoption.

Innovation management (IM) for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region poses unique socio-economic challenges due to the multi-faceted nature of Arab and Islamic countries. Additionally, proposals for indigenous initiatives, sustainability transitions and outward-oriented strategies in economic reform plans of the GCC add further complexity to IM scholarship and practice with imperatives to harness the potentials of these strategic visions. Yet, there is an absence of a systematic review to scrutinize IM literature on the GCC region. This paper systematically reviews the IM literature whose subject involve the GCC countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The review scrutinizes theories, trends and targets in this literature, covers the period from 1980 to 2019, and involves 110 journal papers from high quality IM-related publication outlets. Using insights from the review, the paper develops theoretical foundations for creative complementarities, institutional-pumps and a ripple model of regional innovation. The review also details some methodological, theoretical, conceptual and topical directions for future regional IM research studies.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the potential of renewable energy as an essential future energy source in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. This paper summarizes the main projects and measures established to start the transition toward renewable energy. The opportunities and challenges for developing renewable energy projects have been discussed to reach a better understanding of the future of renewable energy in the region.Design/methodology/approachThe paper provides a literature-based study on the status of the renewable energy sector in the GCC, including potentials, projects, targets and strategies. The opportunities and challenges of the development of renewable energy sources in the GCC region have been discussed based on the literature.FindingsThe paper shows that the GCC countries have begun to adopt a more proactive approach toward renewable energy, while the reorientation of strategies and plans for renewable energy is evolving in these countries. All of the GCC countries focus on solar and wind energies and plan to invest in waste-to-energy (WtE), while only Saudi Arabia is interested in going for geothermal.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the provision of an extensive literature review on the development of renewable energy in the GCC countries. It provides an updated and comprehensive overview of the region’s renewable energy potential and highlights the main renewable energy strategies and targets. This paper targets regional decision-makers as well as multilateral stakeholders to formulate a set of recommendations to promote renewable energy deployment and improve industrial capabilities.

BackgroundThis systematic review aimed to evaluate the status of Human Biomonitoring (HBM) in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and provide recommendations for future research, considering the increased environmental contaminants that pose a threat to human health in this rapidly industrializing area. MethodsA thorough search was performed in PubMed and Web of Science databases up to February 2023 to identify biomonitoring studies on human exposure and levels in the GCC region. Two independent reviewers assessed study eligibility, conducted data extraction and risk of bias assessment. The NIH Quality Assessment Tools and PRISMA guidelines were utilized for quality evaluation and reporting of results. ResultsA total of 38 eligible articles were included in this systematic review out of 662 articles screened. The majority of the publications were from Saudi Arabia (n = 24) and Kuwait (n = 10), while limited representation was found from Qatar (n = 3) and the UAE (n = 1). No articles were identified from Oman and Bahrain. The studies focused on metals, organohalogen compounds, pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and phthalates. The findings revealed elevated levels of metals and established correlations between metal exposure and adverse health effects, including infant neurodevelopmental issues, vitamin D deficiency, and oxidative stress. The presence of organohalogen compounds and pesticides was prevalent in the GCC region, with significant associations between exposure to these compounds and negative health outcomes. Notably, high levels of perchlorate were observed in the Kuwaiti population, and a study from Saudi Arabia found an association between per- and polyfluorinated substances and increased odds of osteoporosis. ConclusionsThis review emphasizes the need to address environmental health challenges in the GCC region through improved HBM research methods and strategies. Implementing biomonitoring programs, conducting cohort studies, investing in tools and expertise, promoting collaboration, and engaging the community are crucial for reliable HBM data in the GCC.

Workers’ remittances in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region has significantly contributed towards the development of many countries globally over the past decade. Using remittance flows data from GCC region countries, this study examines the determinants of workers’ remittance by considering internal and external factors. We estimated a gravity model for remittance flows using a variety of existing literature to determine the extent to which macroeconomic factors control the remittance flows from the GCC region. The estimation was based on a variety of panel data from 6 host countries of the GCC region and 5 home countries; two Far East countries namely Philippines and Indonesia, and three Near East countries namely India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The study found that several factors have a significant effect on remittance flows from GCC region include stock of migrant, inflation rate and exchange rate. The study also provided evidence that GDP of the GCC region have a positive and statistically significant effect on remittance flows. Empirical analysis also demonstrated that level GDP of the Far East and Near East regions responded negatively to remittances, however, this was not significant. Evidence indicated that workers’ remittances responded on the level GDP of GCC region rather than GDP of other regions. The study also found factor like physical distance between host and home countries proved to be a poor proxy to determine the remittance flows.

Background: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Survival rates from OHCA vary drastically around the world. Recent studies have demonstrated low survival rates in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar. However, there remains a paucity of data published on OHCA in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, and the issue is poorly understood as a whole. Anecdotally and from our experience, there are unique demographic, cultural and logistical challenges related to the management of OHCA in the region. As a result, evidence produced in Western systems can be challenged when attempts are made to directly translate it to systems in the region. In order to begin to address OHCA in a meaningful manner in the region, we first need to quantify the issue. Methods: A scoping study using Arksey and O’Malley’s approach was used to synthesise the evidence (published and grey literature) on OHCA in the GCC region. A scoping study was identified as the most appropriate approach due to the predicted lack of published data, the anticipated heterogeneity among study characteristics, and variances in reporting. Several electronic databases were searched from 1990 onwards. Non-indexed journals in the region were identified and searched, and multiple Google and Google Scholar searches were conducted. Several subject matter experts in the region were also consulted. All types of studies were included with no language restrictions applied. Results: A total of 22 studies were included in the review from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar. Three of these were reports or theses (that were later described in peer-reviewed articles), three were abstracts, and one was a letter to the editor, with the remaining 15 comprised of articles (published and unpublished). No literature was identified from the state of Bahrain. OHCA victims in the GCC region are consistently younger, predominantly male, and more co-morbid than their counterparts in Western studies. We observed low levels of EMS utilisation, low bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) rates, low return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) rates, and lower levels of survival to hospital discharge across the region when compared to Western studies. There are notable differences in the characteristics of OHCA among different ethnic groups in the region (e.g. Arab, South Asian and North African). Survival rates for paediatric OHCA were low. Discussion: This study is the first of its kind to collate data on OHCA in the GCC region. It has highlighted unique demographical traits related to OHCA populations in the region. In addition, we have attempted to outline some of the challenges related to OHCA management in the region. The study findings may help to inform the design of initiatives and systems to identify and manage OHCA in the GCC region. It may also aid in the identification of issues related to knowledge translation from Western systems, and assist in the identification of priority areas for future research.

Each economic factor generates both positive and negative externalities regarding environmental quality. Owing to this, the current study aims to explore the impacts of various economic variables on the environmental quality of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. By sampling the 24years (1996-2019) financial statistics of six GCC region countries, we investigate the impact of economic growth, foreign investment, trade volume, tourism investment and revenue, and electricity production on CO2 emissions. The empirical analysis is based upon dynamic least square and fully modified ordinary least square model due to the existence of cointegration. Following the results, economic growth, foreign investment, tourism investment, electricity production, and population density have a positive impact, while trade volume and banking development have a negative impact on the volume of CO2 emissions. The results support the pollution haven hypothesis in the GCC region and have many policies for environmental economists regarding the protection of the natural environment in the long run. In parallel to economic growth, the policy officials from the GCC region should focus on environmental sustainability. They should exert more effort for developing sustainable economic growth policies. The current analysis offers new insights regarding the dynamic role of various economic factors in establishing the CO2 emission volume in the GCC region.

Growth and sustainability trends in the buildings sector in the GCC region with particular reference to the KSA and UAE