Kuwaiti Government Research Articles

On the accuracy of ARIMA based prediction of COVID-19 spread

COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020, and has infected more than 4 million people worldwide with over 300,000 deaths by early May 2020. Many researchers around the world incorporated various prediction techniques such as Susceptible–Infected–Recovered model, Susceptible–Exposed–Infected–Recovered model, and Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average model (ARIMA) to forecast the spread of this pandemic. The ARIMA technique was not heavily used in forecasting COVID-19 by researchers due to the claim that it is not suitable for use in complex and dynamic contexts. The aim of this study is to test how accurate the ARIMA best-fit model predictions were with the actual values reported after the entire time of the prediction had elapsed. We investigate and validate the accuracy of an ARIMA model over a relatively long period of time using Kuwait as a case study. We started by optimizing the parameters of our model to find a best-fit through examining auto-correlation function and partial auto correlation function charts, as well as different accuracy measures. We then used the best-fit model to forecast confirmed and recovered cases of COVID-19 throughout the different phases of Kuwait’s gradual preventive plan. The results show that despite the dynamic nature of the disease and constant revisions made by the Kuwaiti government, the actual values for most of the time period observed were well within bounds of our selected ARIMA model prediction at 95% confidence interval. Pearson’s correlation coefficient for the forecast points with the actual recorded data was found to be 0.996. This indicates that the two sets are highly correlated. The accuracy of the prediction provided by our ARIMA model is both appropriate and satisfactory.

Marine Pollution in Kuwait and Its Impacts on Fish-Stock Decline in Kuwaiti Waters: Reviewing the Kuwaiti Government's Policies and Practices

Kuwait's “Blue Economy” project aims to help replace the country's oil and gas income by the sustainable development of its marine resources. The fishing industry has a prime place in the “Blue Economy” project, but nine of the main fish species in Kuwait have recently declined Rubian (Shrimp), Zobaidi (Silver Pomfret), Suboor (Hilsa Shad), Naqroor (Javelin Grunter), Hamoor (Orange-Spotted Grouper), Hamra (Malabar Blood Snapper), Halwayuh (Black Pomfret), Frush (Trout Sweetlips), and Kasur (Lizard Fish). This paper investigates the nature of pollution in Kuwaiti waters, examining its extent and causes, questioning whether or not it is a primary reason for fish decline, and discussing what measures could be taken to reduce or remove it. The data for this study were gathered from peer-reviewed articles, official Kuwaiti statistics and reports, and semi-structured interviews conducted in Kuwait with stakeholders in the fisheries including staff in the Kuwaiti Scientific Institute, the Fishery Protection Authority, the Environmental Protection Authority and governmental departments; fishers; and fishery business owners. The main finding of this study is that because of the weak government policies and practices to counter pollution, pollution does exist in Kuwaiti waters, but there is no solid evidence that it has a direct link to the decline in fish stocks. Overfishing, especially by illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) vessels, seems to be a more substantial cause of the decline in fish stocks.

ACADEMIC STAFF PROMOTION SYSTEM AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE QUALITY OF VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION - COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGICAL STUDIES, AS A CASE KUWAIT

The need to enhance local capability is one of most Kuwaiti government priorities that is embodied in the overall governmental plan. In fact, the Kuwaiti government has exerted efforts to forge the College of Technological Studies, CTS, in order to equipped students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are required by essential sector in the country’s economy (e.g., Oil and Electricity and Water). However, the success of the College of Technological Studies in achieving its objectives would rely on the competencies of the CTS management and academic staff in meeting industrial requirements. The shaping and enhancing of student’s ability in managing, maintaining, and adapting the imported technology in industries would rely on the level of academic staff knowledge, skills, experience, and attitude in meeting industrial requirements. The efficiency of the promotion system for academic staff would indeed contribute significantly to shaping the standard of the CTS graduates. The need to absorb and evaluate the current status of the CTS academic staff promotion system must be one of highly management priority in order to achieve the CTS overall objectives. The aim of this paper is to identify and examine the efficiency of the academic staff promotion system. Several issues would be investigated and examined. Among which: the criteria’s applied in selected and approving academic journals, the criteria’s required for promoting academic staff, work ethics and its relation to the academic staff promotion system, and the obstacles that might face the CTS management in applying the academic staff promotion system. The paper would conclude that unless the management of the CTS realised and appreciate the significant role of the academic staff promotion system, industries would continue to rely on expatriate for years ahead. Article visualizations:

Boards of directors and firm performance: A study of non-financial listed firms on the Kuwait Stock Exchange

Prior to 2017, there were no corporate governance rules in Kuwait. The previous rules were silent regarding boards of directors, shareholders’ rights, disclosure, and auditing. However, at the beginning of 2017, the Kuwaiti government introduced new governance rules and required all firms listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) to comply with these rules. This study examined the impact of boards of directors on firm performance following the implementation of these new rules using a sample of 89 non-financial listed firms from 2017 to 2019. The study used four board variables – namely, board size, board independence, family directors, and board diversity – and found that, based on Tobin’s results, board size, board independence, and board diversity significantly impact firm performance whereas the ROA results indicate that only family directors significantly impact firm performance

Factors Affecting Technology Integration in EFL Classrooms: The Case of Kuwaiti Government Primary Schools

Previous Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) research has shown that technology is beneficial for promoting language learning, but some teachers neither use technology as an assisted tool nor integrate it into their language classrooms. It has also been argued that the integration of technology has been unsuccessful in Kuwait. This study aims to explore the factors influencing teachers’ use of technology in English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom in Kuwaiti government primary schools. More specifically, it aims to highlight factors promoting and hindering EFL teachers’ use of technology. For the purpose of this study, 55 questionnaire responses were collected from different primary school teachers in Kuwait, followed up with 15 semi-structured interviews. The study findings show that Kuwaiti primary school EFL teachers who participated in the current study demonstrated positive attitudes towards using technology and acknowledged the implementation of some cutting-edge technologies in their classrooms. Enhancing students’ language learning, innovation and school support were the main factors that encouraged the participating teachers to use technology. Other factors hindered the use of technology; particularly those related to lack of parental support, personal expenses and health problems, teachers’ lack of skills and training, poor classroom infrastructure, and time constraints/workload. The findings also reveal that the lack of professional development training workshops provided by the Ministry of Education led the Kuwaiti teachers to rely more on informal training in which they worked and learnt together with their colleagues in small sub-groups to improve their use of technology. The study findings have implications for policymakers and other stakeholders intending to integrate technology in Kuwaiti primary schools.

Historical Development of E-Government in the Middle East

The intention of this paper is to explore historical development of e-governance in Kuwait. The study explore the overview of the development of e-governance, the Development of E-Governance in Middle Eastern Countries detailing the level of progress made so far acknowledged by various international organizations which UN, OECD among others. Similarly, the paper explore the Status of E-Government in the Middle East, the Contribution of E-Governance in Sustainable Governance in Middle East. Contextually, the paper thoroughly discussed E-Governance in Kuwait as well the Challenges of Implementation and Development of E-Governance in Kuwait. The paper finally provided Recommendations for Improvement including a call on Kuwaiti government to invest in upgrading its ICT and internet infrastructure in order to enable good provision of services.

Historical Development of E-Government in the Middle East

The intention of this paper is to explore historical development of e-governance in Kuwait. The study explore the overview of the development of e-governance, the Development of E-Governance in Middle Eastern Countries detailing the level of progress made so far acknowledged by various international organizations which UN, OECD among others. Similarly, the paper explore the Status of E-Government in the Middle East, the Contribution of E-Governance in Sustainable Governance in Middle East. Contextually, the paper thoroughly discussed E-Governance in Kuwait as well the Challenges of Implementation and Development of E-Governance in Kuwait. The paper finally provided Recommendations for Improvement including a call on Kuwaiti government to invest in upgrading its ICT and internet infrastructure in order to enable good provision of services.

Between Populism and (Electric) Power: Reconciling a Green Shift and Popular Legitimacy in Kuwait

Kuwait faces the double challenge of potentially destabilising effects of climate change as well as a changing international energy market in favour of renewables that may threaten the foundation of the oil-based economies dominating the region. Both these challenges point to the need for a transition towards more renewable energy sources and not least more sustainable patterns of energy consumption –– a transition that will be demanding for state and society alike. A successful green shift depends on a certain level of popular support or acceptance, yet it has proven difficult for the Kuwaiti government to gain support for their proposed solutions, and to reconcile the necessary changes with the existing relationship between state and society. This paper explores these challenges by studying public discourse concerning two contentious issues that are at the heart of the government’s economic reforms and of Kuwait’s planned efforts to cut GHG-emissions, namely fuel subsidy reform, and water and electricity conservation.

Uloga šiita u Kuvajtu u održavanju ravnoteže u politici vladajuće porodice

Kuwait is an exceptional country among the sheikhdoms, and its Shia also has special status compared to the Shia of neighboring countries. The present study, based on the theory of "weak state" and using descriptive-analytical method, examines the unique position of Shia in the equations of the ruling family to maintain power. The main question of this research is what effect the presence of Shia in Kuwait has on the survival of the Al-Sabah family. Given this question, the research hypothesis is that Shia, especially after 1990, has played the role of a lever of balance, and if they had not been in Kuwait, Al-Sabah dynasty would most likely have faced a destructive crisis putting their survival at severe risk. The results of the study show that the rulers of Kuwait use the social classifications of the country, sometimes by approaching the Shia and sometimes by expressing hostility towards them to prevent their own decline. In this way, they have been able to overcome major crisis, although they lose the integrity of society. This study helps to understand the situation of the Shia in Kuwait and to adopt an appropriate approach towards the Kuwaiti government and its Shia.

The Consequences of Some Angry Re-Tweets: Another Medium is the Message

AbstractMost research on the Gulf states focuses on oil and its impact on state power. The literature on rentier theory almost unanimously agrees that oil rents buy off citizens and lead to socio-political stagnation. Massive protests and government attempts to address citizen demands in Kuwait between 2011 and 2013 call into question that narrative. Since those protests, the Kuwaiti government has taken steps to increase its representation of public officials and accessibility in the public sphere, including by expanding the government's presence on Instagram. How have Kuwaiti citizens voiced their opinions to government accounts? And how has the government responded to online criticism?This essay looks at the pattern of interactions between the state and Kuwaiti citizens on Twitter and Instagram using a content analysis of government accounts. The findings raise questions about the validity of the payoff thesis and understandings of consent and acquiescence. My analysis illustrates that there is a public dialogue that moves beyond the rigid structure of state and society by which the literature has traditionally understood Gulf rentier societies.

The Issue of Citizenship for the Bidun Minority in Kuwait after the Arab Spring

AbstractKuwait is a country in which there are many tribes but it is the al‐U'zam tribe which is very dominant and influential in local politics and the economy, in contrast to the other tribes in Kuwait who are recognized by the state as being equal, but have little influence in these things. The Bedouin tribes, such as the Bidun society in Kuwait, who have been excluded from nationality and citizenship and thus have no influence, are an exception. The Kuwaiti government claims that the Bidun themselves gave up these rights so as not to be part of the Kuwaiti state and this has resulted in the Kuwaiti government not granting them any formal economic, political, or social rights. Because of this, the Bidun have had to fight for their rights for decades since the formal establishment of an independent Kuwait in 1961. This article wishes to discuss whether the question of the Kuwaiti refusal to recognize the Bidun as citizens is because of geostrategic reasons, because of the fear of creating a precedent that might lead to the inclusion of other tribes into the Kuwaiti state, or because this is a traditional political strategy for dealing with politically weak tribes.

An Initiative Towards the Global Lighting Challenge for Kuwait

Lighting accounts for 15% of global electricity consumption and contributes to 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In the 6th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) meeting, an initiative of COP21, Global Lighting Challenge (GLC) was endorsed by 13 countries including the USA and the European Commission. Currently 17 nations have joined this initiative that targets transitioning to energy efficient lighting.Kuwait is among the highest per capita annual energy consumption countries. Kuwait consumes an average of 15 MWh/person/year surpassing industrialized countries. The high consumption pattern is attributed to subsidized electrical energy prices reaching up to 95%. The subsidy endured by the Kuwaiti Government is around $58 billion (USD) for some commodities including fuel and energy for the years 2016 through 2019. This monetary burden, with the current low oil prices, leads to a deficit in the national budget. The Kuwaiti Cabinet endorsed a plan to rationalize fuel prices while the electrical energy prices will be rationalized in some sectors. The residential sector will be the last sector to be considered to avoid political pressure.To join in the global efforts in transitioning to energy efficient lighting, this article assessed the savings realized by replacing incandescent lamps, still used in Kuwait, with LEDs. The savings are estimated for the replacement of 10 lamps per home across 100,000 homes. The simple payback period for the Kuwaiti government is 9 months if the lamps are distributed free of charge. The savings are estimated at a cost of electrical energy of $0.10/kWh. An economically justified solution for the Kuwaiti government is provided to rationalize national energy consumption, reduce power demand, enhance consumer energy efficiency awareness and most importantly contributing to global efforts in transitioning to efficient lighting.

Whistleblowing in Kuwait and UK against corruption and misconduct

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the nature and the scope of whistleblowing in Kuwait and in the UK. Whistleblowing is when a person, usually an employee, in a government agency or private enterprise, discloses information to the public or to those in authority, of mismanagement, corruption or other wrongdoing. Due to the unpredictable consequences of whistleblowing, it is probable that many employees who witness wrongdoing do not consider blowing the whistle, because they fear the impact of such action on their relationship with their employers.Design/methodology/approachThe author evaluated the whistleblowing systems in different countries. He first tackled the nature of whistleblowing in general, proceeded to analyse whistleblowing in Kuwait with mentions from other countries and finally evaluated the whistleblowing process in the UK.FindingsThe whistleblowing situation in the UK is clearer than that in Kuwait. Recent improvements have been made in the UK to protect whistleblowers. In the UK, the whistleblowing law under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 came into force in July 1999 to protect whistleblowers. Kuwait also has had some improvements, which were seen to offer legal protection for those raising concerns about corruption under Law no. 24 of 2012. However, the author recommends that the Kuwaiti Government should give more protection to whistleblowers, and there is a need to protect the whistleblowers.Originality/valuePotential whistleblowers might feel discouraged from disclosing information against their organisation, fearing a backlash against them. This is where the law and the rights of employees must be clarified. This paper will, therefore, evaluate the system of whistleblowing in the UK under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 and examine this against the whistleblowing law in Kuwait under the Whistleblowing Act no. 24 of 2012.

Obstacles toward Adopting Electronic Government in an Emerging Economy: Evidence from Kuwait

The current study provides assessment to the current system of e-government in Kuwait. It also identifies possible obstacles towards promoting effective e-government and what should be done to alleviate these obstacles. A questionnaire survey has been used to achieve the aim of the study. During January and April 2017 the questionnaire was distributed to 275 public sector employees. Of which 200 returned completed resulting in 72% usable response rate. Descriptive statistics was performed together with Mann Whitney test to identify significant difference in the participants’ answers due to their managerial occupation. The study revealed that Kuwait has the required financial resources to adopt an effective e-government system. The participants in the survey indicated that Kuwait lacks an effective infrastructure of information technology and a major proportion of the participants demonstrated that they acquire a low or average level of knowledge and experience in information technology. They consider the current information technology system adopted by the Kuwaiti government is not secured enough to protect public data and information.

The role of corporate governance in intellectual capital disclosure

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the influence of corporate governance mechanisms on the extent of intellectual capital (IC) disclosure among companies listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE).Design/methodology/approachA content analysis approach was used. The association between dependent and independent variables was examined using multiple regression analysis.FindingsThe results suggest that corporate governance mechanisms strongly influence the quantity of IC information disclosed in the annual reports of KSE-listed companies. Specifically, companies with larger boards, higher proportions of external directors and higher blockholder ownership are associated with higher levels of IC disclosure.Practical implicationsThe findings highlight the effectiveness of corporate governance mechanisms in promoting IC disclosure. They are a useful guideline for regulators, company management and shareholders regarding corporate governance mechanisms that influence the extent of IC disclosure. Given recent Kuwaiti Government initiatives to promote transparency and the informational efficiency of the stock market, this research provides timely empirical evidence in support of these initiatives.Originality/valueIn the frontier market context, the study contributes to a theoretical understanding of the corporate reporting of IC and the relationship between IC disclosure and corporate governance mechanisms. The findings provide empirical support for the theoretical notion that effective corporate governance plays an important role in increasing the extent of voluntary disclosure.

Preferences of Kuwait’s Residents for E-Government Services and Portal Factors

E-government involves the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) by government agencies to provide information and services to residents, businesses, and various arms of government. It can provide speedy, inexpensive, trustworthy, and reliable delivery of government services to households and businesses. The State of Kuwait is in an intermediate stage of implementing e-government services (e-services). An understanding of its residents’ perspectives can help the government better plan the future rollout of e-services and e-government portal factors, as well as provide useful insights to governments of other countries. The authors conducted identified 37 e-services (classified into seven broad factors) and 26 features important to user acceptance of online sites. Factors were identified in prior research as characterizing the categories of services typically offered by e-government portals. The authors hypothesized that the importance of the seven e-services factors to Kuwaiti residents would positively relate to the importance of the portal success factors. The goal of this research was to identify which portal success factors would likely encourage use of the e-services factors that are important to Kuwaiti residents. This study provides several useful implications for Kuwaiti government officials, other countries, and e-government researchers. Each of the four portal factors -- Quality, Appeal, Control and Savings, and Personalization -- was positively associated with the importance of at least one or more of the e-services factors, indicating their individual relevance to the design of the portal. Two categories -- government resources and resident feedback services -- were unrelated to any of the portal factors. The findings demonstrate that the State of Kuwait may need to improve involvement of its residents in the development of national policies. Including the voice of the residents through the portal, and acting on that feedback, may improve support for government initiatives as well as build trust in the government. This study sought to improve e-participation in Kuwait and other developing countries. The findings suggest to governments that by selectively improving the quality, appeal, efficiency, and personalization of the e-government portal, it may be possible to achieve public buy-in and increased usage of specific e-services.

Sunlight analysis for the Kuwaiti Government dwelling design and effects on householders’ health

This paper discusses access to sunlight and daylight in contemporary Kuwaiti Government dwellings. Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among the Kuwaiti population is related to a lack of exposure to sunlight radiation. Householders’ of the contemporary Kuwaiti Government dwellings in Al-Nahda town in Kuwait have been selected as a case study for the research project. Householders’ were interviewed about sunlight access into their dwelling and health issues associated with living in the dwelling. The research project includes a new design for the Kuwaiti Government dwellings, which has been analysed for sunlight and daylight access as related to Al-Nahda town location in Kuwait.

Impact of subsidization on high energy performance designs for Kuwaiti residential buildings

In this paper, the impact of heavily subsidized energy prices is evaluated for the residential building sector in Kuwait. The analysis compares the impact on both the Kuwaiti government and households of the existing building Energy Conservation Code of Practice as well as of a more stringent energy efficiency code. The stringent code is developed using an optimized life cycle cost analysis approach based on a wide range of design and operating energy efficiency measures suitable for Kuwaiti residential buildings. Specific policies are suggested and discussed to improve the energy performance of residential buildings while reduce the financial burden associated with the high energy subsidies. The analysis indicates that both households and the government would benefit from a stringent energy efficiency codes even under the current highly subsidized energy prices. Moreover, it is found that by doubling the electricity prices relative to the current levels and establishing a rebate program to cover the implementation costs of the energy efficiency measures required by a more stringent building energy efficient code, both the Kuwaiti government and the households would benefit. The energy bills would be reduced by 21% for the households while the energy subsidies incurred by the Kuwaiti government would be lowered by 28% relative to the current policy. The expenses associated with financing the energy efficiency program can be recovered within 2 years due to the income from the increase in electricity prices.

Evaluation of Dental Status of Adolescents at Kuwait University Dental Clinic.

This study was designed to evaluate the dental status of adolescents initially presenting at Kuwait University Dental Clinic (KUDC). The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate (a) the prevalence of unrestored caries dentin among 12- to 16-year-old Kuwaiti residents, (b) the frequency of restorations extending into the inner half of the dentin, and (c) tooth loss pattern among this age group. Twelve- to 16-year-old patients who attended KUDC during the period January 2009 to December 2012 were included in this study. The total number of patients included in the study was 486; however, only 409 panoramic radiographs were available for evaluation. The Student t-test and one-way ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. The prevalence of unrestored dentin caries among 12- to 16-year-old patients was 52%. The frequency of deep restorations extending into the inner half of the dentin was 33%. Tooth loss was found in 8.0% of the sampled population. The most common missing tooth was the mandibular first molar followed by the mandibular second premolar and the maxillary first molar. There were no statistical differences between Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti residents regardless of gender; however, males had a slightly higher DMFT. The DMFT and DMFS values in this study were higher than in other studies. Despite the tremendous effort by the Kuwaiti government to improve oral health, comprehensive preventive strategies, dental treatment and maintenance of oral health are still necessary and must be reinforced in this age group.

Awareness, Drivers, Actions, and Barriers of Sustainable Construction in Kuwait

The construction industry has a significant impact on the environment. It is responsible for a large proportion of global CO2 emissions, as well as the use of both natural resources and energy reserves. Green building (GB) practices are becoming increasingly recognized as a way of mitigating CO2 emissions and energy consumption, with environmental, economic, financial, social and benefits accruing. This paper reports the results of a study about the opportunities to promote sustainable construction (SC) practices in Kuwait. This entails identifying the current status of SC practices, the awareness level and knowledge of construction stakeholders, the key drivers that motivate the implementation of green practices, as well as barriers to SC. After comprehensive reviewing the literature, the data is conducted and collected through quantitative approach by questionnaires survey. The judgmental and snowball sampling techniques are used for the data collection. The local stakeholders associated with the Kuwait construction industry were the target population and used as a platform to obtain the data. A total of 678 questionnaires were distributed and 504 completed questionnaires were received. The quantitative data is then analyzed through descriptive analysis and inferential statistics. The main findings of this research are as follows: implementation of the concept of SC is low in the Kuwaiti construction industry; more action and strategies to improve and encourage this concept are therefore required in order for it to be applied efficiently in future projects; lack of awareness was found to be the main barrier to the use of SC approaches in Kuwait; the Kuwaiti government must take initiatives in terms of introducing standards, policies and incentives to promote SC. The findings of this study provide valuable information for organizations that intend to participate in green construction projects in Kuwait.