Fuzzy-based model for developing a digitalization index for evaluating construction project digitalization levels in Saudi Arabia

The purposes of this chapter are to identify how digital transformation can enhance the efficiency, transparency, and cost-effectiveness of tax administration, leading to increased tax revenue and reduced compliance costs in Indonesia. The results of study indicate that the digital transformation of tax administration in Indonesia is currently in the acceleration stage. The tax authority (DGT) has set a policy for digital transformation in the tax administration system to reduce compliance costs and improve administrative process efficiency, as well as optimize budgetary functions. DGT has developed big data processing from taxpayers and external parties for analysis purposes used by authorities for compliance risk management, business intelligence, surveillance, audit, and more. The challenges of digital transformation in tax administration in Indonesia are the integration of information system applications in DGT. Another challenge is the difference in interests between authorities, technological platform differences, and the willingness level of each authority toward the adoption of integrated automation processes in all sectors in Indonesia. Therefore, it is crucial to build collaboration in the development of an integrated information system and strategic adjustments to business processes. National enterprise architecture-related policies are highly needed to achieve strategic digital transformation objectives.

PurposeThere is a limited number of research work on critical success factors (CSFs) in public construction projects in Saudi Arabia. In response to this knowledge gap, the objective of this paper is to assess the impact of CSFs on the government construction projects in Saudi Arabia. The success factors are investigated from a broader consideration of failure criteria, from consideration of most effectiveness in successful project completion and also from consideration of the impact of implementing control processes for successful project completion.Design/methodology/approachThis study has analysed the impact of success factors on construction projects in Saudi Arabia using a descriptive methodology. An exhaustive literature survey is undertaken to identify the success and failure factors related to government construction projects in Saudi Arabia. The survey data are sorted out and analysed by cost, schedule, technical, context and finance dimensions of the projects based on project types, engineering complexity, size, modality, jurisdictional control and funding approach. To evaluate the influence of success factors implementation, qualitative data were collected in a survey via a web-based questionnaire that was sent to officials working and occupying a responsible position in national project guidelines organizations and in government construction organizations in Saudi Arabia. In all, 28 CSFs were identified, ranked and evaluated for their impact on project success. The four identified factors belong to process categories of construction projects, nine factors belong to management of construction projects and 15 success factors are identified for impact assessment of implementation in construction projects.FindingsThe study's findings have identified and ranked the top five CSFs that significantly influence project outcomes, including meeting time targets, adhering to financial budgets, delivering desired outcomes for all stakeholders, effectively managing risks and assembling the appropriate team while optimizing resource allocation. Additionally, the research indicates that hindrances to projects primarily stem from execution, economic, human and political factors. The study advocates for strict controls over incomplete engineering designs and advises against contractors independently handling design work to ensure project success. Additionally, addressing contractors' qualifications and financial matters is crucial for project success. By highlighting these CSFs and challenges, the research provides actionable insights to enhance project management practices in the construction industry.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited to the infrastructure projects constructed by governmental bodies with the participation of officials from government organizations. Further study, including private projects and officials working on private projects, may be needed to generalized the research outcome.Originality/valueNumerous studies have investigated CSFs in construction projects, but few have examined their relevance to Saudi Arabian government projects. This study aims to fill this gap by identifying key CSFs specific to Saudi Arabian public sector construction projects and assessing their impact on project success. It advocates for stringent controls in the Saudi Arabian construction sector, emphasizing the importance of preventing incomplete or altered engineering designs by contractors to increase the success rate of public sector projects. This research offers practical insights to stakeholders, advancing project management practices in Saudi Arabia's construction sector for improved outcomes and resource utilization.

Disputes are an inevitable component of construction projects, often resulting from the complexity, multi-party nature, and uncertainty that characterize the industry. In Saudi Arabia, the rapid expansion of the construction sector under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 program has intensified the need for efficient dispute resolution mechanisms capable of maintaining commercial relationships and minimizing project disruption. Traditional litigation has frequently proven to be slow, expensive, and adversarial, prompting stakeholders to explore Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods such as arbitration, mediation, and adjudication. This paper examines ADR in the context of the Saudi construction industry, identifying its legal framework, institutional mechanisms, and cultural dimensions. It evaluates the role of the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) and other emerging bodies in shaping a modern ADR environment aligned with international best practices while accommodating the principles of Islamic law (Sharia). By analyzing current trends, comparative practices, and case experiences, this study highlights the opportunities and challenges for integrating ADR within Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving construction sector. Keywords: Alternative Dispute Resolution, Construction Disputes, Saudi Arabia, Arbitration, Mediation, Vision 2030, SCCA

Digital transformation in medical education has emerged as a critical driver of educational innovation, but it also presents several challenges and issues. This exploratory study was conducted in preparation for a digital leap in medical education, critically examining the meaning and process of digital transformation in medical schools in Korea. The process of digital transformation has been divided into digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation, reflecting the progressive course of medical education. The educational approaches involving digital transformation in medical education are described in this study, differentiating between learner-centered adaptive learning, experience-based immersive learning environments, and the integration of assessment and learning. Additionally, the educational potential of emerging technologies, such as large language models, cloud computing, and blockchain, is explored. The constraints on digital transformation in medical education include the limitations of the digitalization process of educational materials, lack of empirical evidence on the educational effectiveness of digital tools, unpreparedness of stakeholders, and ethical, physical, and psychological issues. The conclusion emphasizes that digital transformation should not be a temporary measure, but a true advancement in education, highlighting the importance of learning design based on educational needs to increase effectiveness. It also highlights the ethical use of digital tools and the creation of a safe learning environment based on fairness and trust in the digital transformation process. Finally, it underscores the significance of flexible curriculum design driven by educational needs, interdisciplinary approaches, and the evaluation and dissemination of digitalization initiatives.

Digital transformation (DT) has attracted the attention of management and organizational scholars in the past decade. It has become an important factor for the competitiveness of businesses especially with the microenterprises. The use of technology has been the goal of many microenterprises to push forward in the competition and provide better quality products and services to its customers and improve the customer experience through IT innovation. This paper presents the challenges encountered by the microenterprises in Nueva Ecija both on the business and its employees in relation to digital transformation. A structured questionnaire was given to the 359 respondents representing microenterprises in Nueva Ecija, which showed that majority of the respondents were females at an average age of 43 years old. The objective of the study is to determine the challenges in digital transformation of microenterprises in Nueva Ecija. The sample size of 359 respondents answered questionnaires based on the factors like the level of digital skills, degree of digital transformation acceptance, level of technological adoption, implementation of digital transformation, and the challenges encountered in the process of digital transformation. The level of digital skills especially in the management level and employees appears to be high. On the degree of digital transformation acceptance, the microenterprises showed positive or good acceptance on the digital transformation. In the level of technological adoption, the result showed that majority of the microenterprises are moderately applying digital transformation or willing to apply technology in their business. While in the factor of implementing digital transformation in the business, a very small number of microenterprises implement digital technologies in their operation. Most of the microenterprises experienced difficulties in the digital transformation due factors like financial constraints, resistance to change, skills gap and others. The study recommends that microenterprises in Nueva Ecija should conduct regular training to its management and staff for skills development and acquire the necessary technologies as part of its risk management plan. It is also recommended that owners secure funds to digitally transform its businesses to stay competitive. This paper may be of help to the microenterprises owners and future researchers on the topic of digital transformation of microenterprises.

This article is devoted to highlighting the problems of practical application of methodological and system solutions for construction project management, as well as the directions for their prevention. In modern conditions, the management of construction and investment projects is largely interconnected with the life cycle of buildings being erected. In this case, this is determined by the formation of a digital prototype of construction projects in the practical use of, for example, BIM modeling methods as system solutions for project management in construction. A digital model of a building is formed at the design stage and then adjusted in the process of practical implementation of construction work. Subsequently, such a model is assessed by an organization in the construction sector for the effectiveness of operation in reality. Such an information model contributes to the adoption of reasonable and balanced system decisions in construction management on the reconstruction or major repairs of buildings, when forming projects for dismantling specific construction projects. Methodological and system solutions adopted in the course of forming a digital model of construction projects at any stage of practical implementation of investment and construction projects play a fundamental role in the activities of construction sector organizations, since the comfort, reliability, durability, environmental friendliness, safety and energy efficiency of a building depend on the approved planning decisions, selection of a land plot for development, architectural appearance of a construction project, methods of installation of engineering and technical means and equipment. At the present stage, a significant number of methodological and system solutions have been formed that contribute to the creation of an information foundation for making informed and balanced decisions on project management in construction sector organizations that are focused on achieving the target result. Nevertheless, the results of construction production of buildings are accompanied by the occurrence of destruction, deformation, degradation of construction projects, emergency situations. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to determine the issues of practical application of methodological and system solutions for construction project management, as well as directions for their prevention. Main results of the study: 1) the results of an analytical review of the main existing methodological and system solutions for construction project management are presented; 2) the problems of practical application of methodological and system solutions for construction project management are highlighted; 3) the directions of preventing problems of practical application of methodological and system solutions for construction project management using digital technologies are reflected. Research materials: results of academic research on the assessment of methodological and system solutions for construction project management; practical testing of the construction project management model using digital technologies. Research methods: systematization, comparative analysis, contrastive analysis, generalization, abstract logical method, induction, deduction, systems approach, data conceptualization, graphical and tabular data visualization, construction of information and measuring systems for construction project management, project management methods, artificial intelligence. Main conclusions of the study: 1) the analyzed methodological and system solutions for construction project management are historically determined by the use of management and project approaches by organizations in the construction sector. At the same time, they determine only some fragments of the formation of an information model of a construction site as a fairly complex technical and organizational project management system; 2) an analytical review of the main existing methodological and system solutions for construction project management contributed to the identification of important system-forming factors of automated modeling of a construction project, based on the essential characteristics of the current technological structure of the economic and social space: the human factor (collective activity of responsible persons who make significant decisions in project management), the factor of the goal of the construction project (goal setting), the information factor (use of a digital platform), the communication factor (metalanguage for describing a construction project), physical factors of a construction project (energy, time and space); 3) the identified problems of practical application of methodological and system solutions for construction project management allowed us to conclude that an adequate project management method should be based on the harmonization of the provisions of different areas of scientific knowledge, fundamental laws corresponding to modern practice of construction production, as well as modern trends in the development of organizations in the construction sector.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has accelerated the construction industry’s shift toward digital transformation. This progress is mainly driven by the emergence of innovative technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twins (DTs). While global research has extensively explored the benefits and challenges of AI-based DTs, the rapid growth of Saudi Arabia’s construction sector—fueled by substantial local investments and international partnerships—underscores the urgent need to examine their specific impact within this context. To address this gap, this study aims to investigate the potential benefits and challenges of integrating AI-driven DTs into Saudi Arabia’s construction industry. To achieve this, a structured literature review and a survey were conducted among architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms, with 106 complete responses analyzed using correspondence analysis (CA). The findings revealed that AI-driven DTs substantially benefit Saudi Arabia’s construction industry. For example, among the 17 identified benefits, the top-ranked ones include AI capabilities to improve analytics, AI’s facilitation of digital twins in modeling complex real-world systems, and the facilitation of strategic decision making. However, several challenges hinder the realization of these benefits, including a lack of standardization of integrated DT and AI in construction projects, a lack of understanding of AI’s capabilities, a lack of logistics and the limited availability of IT infrastructure, and the complexity of AI algorithms. These findings underscore the transformative potential of integrating AI-driven DTs to optimize construction performance, improve decision-making, and address real-world complexities. This study provides actionable insights for stakeholders and recommends future research exploring strategies for overcoming adoption challenges, fostering technological innovation, and capacity building in Saudi Arabia’s construction sector.

Background The construction industry has an important role in the economy of countries, as the construction industry represents 6.1 percent of the gross domestic product in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A global disaster such as an epidemic causes long-term damage to society, the economy, and related industries. The recent COVID-19 epidemic is one of such disasters. The construction industry was greatly affected by the epidemic globally, as well as in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods This research aims to determine the impact of the epidemic on construction projects and shed light on the actions taken to mitigate the impact of the epidemic through a multiple case study of three construction projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were conducted with professionals in these projects. Descriptive analysis and the Relative Importance Index (RII) were used. Results The impact was of high importance on the project time throughout all projects, especially on the project schedule; the RII value was the maximum. Secondly for material delivery within time ranged from 0.8 – 0.91 for RII value and in terms of the mitigation actions taken, communication between project management and employees witnessed maximum effectiveness reached to 83% of participants reported a very effective response, with the help of modern technologies. Most factors ranged from limited effectiveness to ineffective. Conclusion This research contributes to determine the effects of the epidemic and the actions taken to mitigate it, which benefits the organizations and stakeholders in the field of construction and engineering project management, to develop and improve actions, and to prepare and plan for similar circumstances in the future.

The article formulates the essence of the concept of "digital transformation of business". The main strategic aspects of digitalization in the modern conditions of the functioning of international companies are substantiated. Based on the results of the research, the challenges of digital transformation were identified, and various types of digital business models were analyzed. The reasons that exacerbate problems in the field of digital transformation of business are formulated. Stages of the process of digital business transformation based on change management are recommended. The differences between digital marketing and digital branding are identified. Digital business transformation is the process of implementing digital technologies to improve all aspects of the company's activities, including optimization of business processes. Among the reasons that exacerbate problems in the field of digital transformation of business can be named: lack of a clear strategy and vision; employee unpreparedness; insufficient budget; cultural barriers; insufficient integration with existing systems; insufficient attention to cyber security; inadequate monitoring and evaluation. Digital business models have great potential to revolutionize almost all sectors of the economy. For companies that want to remain competitive, it is important to understand how to use digital technologies to create new value for customers and develop new business models. The use of digital marketing and branding tools is about strategic, customer-driven business transformation that requires end-to-end organizational change as well as digital adoption. Digital transformation drives the organization to better manage change as a whole, essentially making change a core competency as the enterprise becomes customer-centric system. Digital transformation has become an integral part of modern business. It allows companies to adapt to rapidly changing market conditions, improve operational efficiency and create new opportunities for growth and scaling. Companies that do not adopt digital technologies risk being left behind by their competitors. Digital tools allow to optimize business processes, improve the quality of products and services, as well as offer customers new opportunities, improve communications with them, and create a more personalized experience for customers. Automation of routine tasks, optimization of business processes, use of cloud technologies – all this allows to reduce costs and increase productivity. At the same time, digital technologies (AI, Internet of Things) open up new opportunities for creating innovative products and services.

Digital transformation is a global phenomenon, capturing the attention in every industry and spurring major investment. However, digital transformation is not a single objective; it is a multifaceted approach depending on the goals of the respective industry and digital maturity. Thus, digital transformation is the way of change from a monolithic business approach to fully digitized business concepts. Therefore, Chap. 1 introduces us to relevant definitions on digital transformation and their main technological background. One major concern in digital transformation is the confluence of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Analytics, Blockchain, Cloud Computing and Services, Internet of Things and Industrial Internet of Things, and others. In this regard, Cloud Computing and Services achieve a new generation of Artificial Intelligence, applied in an increasing number of industrial applications with unprecedented results. Besides this, the Internet of Things connects industrial devices and entities within industrial value chains and infrastructure, however, generating terabytes of data every day, which requires Big Data and Analytics to deal with them. Therefore, the digital transformation has a huge impact on industrial control systems and processes, as well as on the Key Performance Indicator (KPI). Moreover, emerging technologies also will have a huge impact on the realization of circular economy in the industrial sectors, a paradigm in today’s digital transformation in industrial, public, and private discussion to reduce the greenhouse effect. Against this background, digital transformation has received a great attention in all industrial, public, and private organizations, which will be fundamentally changing operational business approaches in all sectors. Hence, the transformation of organizations through digitization and emerging technologies can be referred to as a technological wave, such as the third and now the fourth industrial transformation. In this context, the fourth industrial transformation optimizes computerization of the third through digitization, wireless infrastructure networks, intelligent algorithms, and others, which today is known as digital transformation paradigm. Thus, digitization and technologies in digital transformation create, and consequently change, market offerings, business processes, or business models, which result from the use of both. However, the intrinsic complexity of digital transformation also makes cybersecurity awareness a sine qua non. Cybersecurity deals with the presence of cyber attackers with their cybercriminal attack repertoire. Cybercrime causes $ 100 billion and more in damage annually, which means cybercriminal attack prevention has a clear need to address it. However, cybersecurity spans many areas, including, but not limited to, data security, information security, operational security, and others. Moreover, cybersecurity is fundamental to both protecting secret data and information and enabling their defense. Therefore, cybersecurity is understood as a body of knowledge with regard to technologies, processes, and practices designed to protect computer systems, networks, infrastructure resources, and others, from cyber-criminal attacks, damage, manipulation, or unauthorized access. In this context, Chap. 1 introduce in Sect. 1.1 into the manifold aspects of digital transformation with their great impact on industrial, public, and private organizations development, enhancing their business success. Section 1.2 focusses on emerging technologies required and used in digital transformation, presented in twenty Subsections. Against this background, Section 1.3 discusses the challenges of digital transformation in industrial businesses, while Sect. 1.4 introduces applications in digital transformation. Section 1.5 answers the question how to become a leader in digital transformation. Section 1.6 introduces the topic cybersecurity, taking into account knowledge about the interaction of digitization and emerging technologies to gain knowledge about cybersecurity risks through threat event attacks. In this sense, Section 1.6 also focusses on the CIA Triad and the actionable knowledge in cybersecurity that is still paramount. Finally, Section 1.7 describes the challenges of digital transformation to build up a circular economy. Section 1.8 contains comprehensive questions from the topics digital transformation, cybersecurity, and circular economy, followed by references for further reading section.

Introduction: Digital transformation of supply chain operations in general and supply chain finance (SCF) in particular is an inevitable trend for domestic and international enterprises to contribute to improving financial efficiency and optimizing cash flow. This article focuses on proposing solutions to apply digital transformation technology to build SCF digital transformation solutions to support Vietnamese enterprises participating in digital SCF activities, contributing to ensuring that the supply chain is regularly connected, avoiding interruptions, breaks and maintaining sustainable connections. The author uses the SWOT analysis method to assess the current status of SCF digital transformation of enterprises in Vietnam, thereby proposing solutions to support enterprises to apply digital SCF more effectively when participating in the supply chain. Objectives: Researching the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges of digital transformation for SCF activities of enterprises and organizations that sponsor enterprises participating in the supply chain. Thereby, the article researches and uses the SWOT matrix analysis model to analyze and propose solutions for strategic consulting on SCF digital transformation activities, connecting enterprises and organizations that sponsor the supply chain. Methods: The article uses survey methods, investigating businesses to collect data; Use descriptive statistics to synthesize, analyze and process survey data. At the same time, use SWOT matrix analysis method to analyze strengths, weaknesses, point out opportunities and challenges of SCF digital transformation in businesses. Thereby, propose solutions to effectively implement SCF digital transformation. Results: This article has researched and proposed solutions to apply digital transformation technology to build SCF digital transformation solutions to support Vietnamese businesses participating in SCF digital transformation activities by analyzing the SWOT matrix with 4 main factors (S, W, O, T) to survey and evaluate the current status of SCF digital transformation of 50 businesses and organizations in Vietnam. Through this solution, it will help ensure that the supply chain is regularly connected, avoid interruptions, breaks and maintain sustainable connections between parties including: Supplier (seller) - Sponsor/financial institution - Enterprise (buyer). Conclusions: The article focuses on the current status of SCF operations and SCF digital transformation to support businesses in Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam to participate in the supply chain based on the collection, synthesis and analysis of related studies, and a survey of 50 businesses in Thai Nguyen province. At the same time, the article presented and used the SWOT matrix analysis method to analyze the strengths and weaknesses, pointing out the opportunities and challenges of SCF digital transformation in businesses. Proposed solutions and recommendations for effectively implementing SCF digital transformation in businesses.

Journalism is a field in society that will have to undergo digital transformation according to the general development trend, and even develop into a digital media economy. Digital transformation in journalism is not simply a mechanical release into the digital environment. Still, digital transformation is the processing of information obtained from the digital ecosystem, while also facing a number of difficulties such as human resources, finance, fake information, etc. The article focuses on presenting some key features of the current state of digital transformation in journalism, raising challenges in the digital transformation process in the journalism sector, and making some recommendations to transform the field of journalism more effectively in the near future.

In the digital transformation era, organizations and talent development are facing enormous challenges. First, this paper introduces the organizational and talent development challenges of digital transformation by crawling through the surveys and reports from research institutions such as IDC (2020), IBM (2021), and SAP (2021). Secondly, this study analyzes the organizational and talent development strategies under digital transformation. Third, this paper establishes a digital talent transformation model. Fourth, this study proposes a training strategy for digital talent. Finally, the conclusions of this paper are discussed. This study finds that the challenges of digital transformation lie in resources, but the organization and talent issues are the key to the most important. This part of the government policy can do little; more need for the internal consciousness of enterprises and the courage of leaders to promote.

Evaluation of insurance policies in the Saudi Arabian construction contracts

The Algerian government has worked to accelerate digital transformation in recent years, primarily through its orientation towards the knowledge economy and startups, by creating a supportive and framed system and creating many legal frameworks, in addition to taking many incentive measures, which contributed to the development of the startup sector in Algeria, especially tourism startups. However, this sector faces many challenges. This study aims to explore the challenges of the digital transformation of the tourism sector in Algeria through an evaluation research of the challenges of the digital transformation of tourism enterprises in Algeria from the perspective of startup owners. Through qualitative research was conducted through interviews with owners of emerging tourism enterprises to identify the key determinants of digital transformation and critical challenges. Additionally, quantitative research was conducted using a questionnaire to measure these determinants. And quantitative research was conducted by preparing a questionnaire to measure determinants of digital transformation and challenges directed towards owners of startups providing various tourism services, The result of Cronbach’s alpha is 0.795 that indicates that the internal reliability of this set is acceptable. The results showed that most startups in the tourism sector were created in 2019 due to establishing the Ministry of Knowledge Economy and Startups in Algeria in the same year. Most tourism startups are located in the North-Central region due to the region’s favorable ecosystem. The most critical challenges facing digital transformation in Algeria are the need for more supportive institutions and e-governance. The results also show a correlation between a startup’s location and the level of digital transformation challenges. The result indicates that startups located in the High Plateau Center region and the Northeast region face the highest challenges in digital transformation; the results show a correlation between the startup field of activity and the level of digital transformation challenges. The results show that startup activists in direct tourism, e-commerce, and financial services are the most active fields facing higher challenges in digital transformation.