Saudi Arabian Context Research Articles

Developing a Cybersecurity Framework for e-Government Project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The evolution of information systems has escalated significantly within the last decade as research unveils new concepts. The general orientation to provide solutions to complex problems continues to inspire innovation and new advancements. Cybersecurity is emerging as a critical factor for consideration within the resultant paradigm as information systems become significantly integrated. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of cybersecurity within the context of information systems. The paper examines some of the most consequential aspects of cybersecurity from the perspective of an e-government project in Saudi Arabia. A holistic system is proposed within the research framework to incorporate various scientific guidelines. The general orientation of this research is predicated on the aspiration to design and implement a complex and robust framework within which an e-government system can thrive within the Saudi Arabian context. A consideration of the physical environment within which the project will operate is also made, focusing on security. An evaluation of the cybersecurity environment in Saudi Arabia is reflective of significant advancements that have occurred in information system domains within the past few years.

Psychometric Properties and Measurement Invariance of the Arabic Version of the Flourishing Scale

The flourishing Scale (FS) is a measure of overall life well-being. The aim of the study was to assess the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Arabic version of the FS in the Saudi Arabian context. Data was collected from two samples: 969 students at two universities and 299 full-time employees working in multiple sectors. Internal consistency of the FS was examined by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient to test relaibility. To evaluate convergent and discriminant validity, the FS was compared with other measures of well-being, happiness, and depression. In order to examine the factor structure and the measurement invariance of the FS across study samples, confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis were performed. The FS showed good internal reliability as well as convergent and discriminant validity. Results also provided support for a one-factor and an invariant structure of the FS. Taken together, these results suggest that the FS Arabic version is a reliable and valid measure for the Arabic cultural context.

Social Evaluation of Public Open Space Services and Their Impact on Well-Being: A Micro-Scale Assessment from a Coastal University

Public open spaces services have been shown to be profoundly affected by rapid urbanization and environmental changes, and in turn, they have influenced socio-cultural relationships and human well-being. However, the impact of these changes on public open space services (POSS) remains unexplored, particularly in the Saudi Arabian context. This study examines the socio-cultural influence of POSS on the King Abdulaziz University campus, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and the impact of these services on well-being. A field survey and questionnaire were used to collect data. Non-parametric tests (Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests) were used to find significant differences in the importance of POSS as perceived by stakeholders based on socio-demographic attributes. Factor analysis was performed for 14 POSS to identify those that are most important. The study showed that (i) university stakeholders are closely linked to services provided by public open spaces (POS) and dependent on POSS, (ii) there were significant differences in the perceived importance of POSS according to gender, age, and social groups, and (iii) 70 to 90% of stakeholders reported POSS as having a positive impact on well-being. Thus, the findings will help design and plan POSS to meet the needs of society and promote well-being.

Spoken Error Correction Practices and Beliefs of EFL University Teachers in Saudi Arabia

Despite the wealth of knowledge in the field of oral corrective feedback, empirical evidence is still scarce regarding the EFL teachers’ OCF perceptions and practices in Saudi Arabian context. This study therefore, sought to gain an understanding of teachers’ use of oral corrective feedback (OCF) in the Saudi Arabian EFL context. The following two questions guided the study: 1) According to teachers, what are the methods/strategies by which they provide oral corrective feedback (OCF) in the Saudi Arabian EFL context? 2) Is the teachers’ oral corrective behaviour in this context informed by the research? For this purpose, a short questionnaire was designed and distributed among EFL instructors in Saudi Arabia. The research paper suggests that the OCF practices of EFL teachers in Saudi are mostly inline with the research.

Environmental Performance of Residential Buildings: A Life Cycle Assessment Study in Saudi Arabia

The building and construction sector has a huge impact on the environment because of the enormous amounts of natural resources and energy consumed during the life cycle of construction projects. In this study, we evaluated the potential environmental impact of the construction of a villa, from cradle to grave, in the Saudi Arabian context. Centrum voor Milieukunde Leiden (CML) for Centre of Environmental Science of Leiden University-IA baseline v3.03 methods were used to obtain the environmental profile for the impact categories, and Cumulative Energy Demand v1.09 was used to measure the embodied energy of the villa life cycle. The analyzed midpoint impact categories include global warming (GWP100a), ozone layer depletion (ODP), acidification (AP), eutrophication (EP), photochemical oxidation (POCP), and indicator cumulative energy demand (CED). The operation use phase of the villa was found to have the highest global warming potential and acidification with 2.61 × 106 kg CO2-eq and 1.75 × 104 kg SO2-eq, respectively. Sensitivity analysis was performed on the Saudi Arabian plans to increase the share of renewable sources and reduce the amount of electricity generated from hydrocarbons, which currently represents 46% of the total installed power, by 2032. The results showed that compared with the current electricity environmental impact, the CO2 emission from electricity will decrease by 53%, which represents a significant reduction in environmental impact. The findings will help with the life cycle assessment of structures during future planning and for energy conservation.

Adapting evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Saudi Arabia: process and outputs of a national initiative

BackgroundWe recently adapted the published National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis and management guideline to the Saudi Arabian context. It has been postulated that adaptation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to the local healthcare context rather than de-novo development will improve their adoption and implementation without imposing a significant burden on resources. The objective of this paper is to describe the adaptation process methodology utilized for the generation of the first national guideline for management of people with ADHD in Saudi Arabia.MethodsWe used the KSU-Modified-ADAPTE methodology for the guideline adaptation process. We describe the full process in detail including the three phases of set-up, adaptation, and finalization. The process was conducted by a multidisciplinary guideline adaptation group in addition to an external review for the clinical content and methodology.ResultsThe group adapted ten main categories of recommendations from one source CPG (NICE). The recommendations include: (i) service organisation and training, (ii) recognition, identification and referral, (iii) diagnosis, (iv) support, (v) managing ADHD, (vi) dietary advice, (vii) medication, (viii) maintenance and monitoring, (ix) adherence to treatment, and (x) review of medication and discontinuation. Several implementation tools were compiled and developed to enhance implementability including a clinical algorithm, quality measures, coding system, medication tables, translations, patient information, and online resources.ConclusionsThe finalized clinical practice guideline provides healthcare providers with applicable evidence-based guidance for the management of people with ADHD in Saudi Arabia. The project also demonstrated the effectiveness of KSU-Modified-ADAPTE, and emphasized the value of a collaborative clinical and methodological expert group for adaptation of national guidelines.

Public Open Spaces Evaluation Using Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) in Saudi Universities: The Case of King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah

Public open spaces (POSs) provide multiple services (such as facilities for physical activities and social interactions) to local people, and these services are important for the well-being of society and for improving the quality of life. Extensive research on POSs has been carried out in developed countries (such as the US and Australia, as well as European countries including Spain, France, and Germany). However, POSs in the Saudi Arabian context remain unexplored. This study aims to examine the importance and performance of public open spaces on King Abdulaziz University (KAU) campus, Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia, using importance-performance analysis (IPA). One-way ANOVA and Kruskal–Wallis tests were performed to identify differences in the importance and performance of POSs. It was observed that there are significant differences between the importance and performance of public open spaces on the KAU campus, as perceived by stakeholders. Therefore, this study may be helpful in understanding the importance and performance of public open spaces, allowing spaces to be prioritized to improve management and restore open spaces to achieve environmental sustainability at a local scale. In addition, this study suggests that decision-makers involved in campus planning should consider the contribution of public open spaces to education, recreation, and the environment, at the campus planning stage.

The Practice of Cross-Grading in Assessing Writing: The Case of EFL Teachers and Students in a Saudi Arabian Context

This qualitatively based research study utilized a combination of multiple methods, which aimed at investigating the efficacy and reliability of employing cross-grading when assessing English as a Foreign Language (EFL) tertiary level learners’ writing. It further explored the perceptions of the EFL teachers and learners regarding the cross-grading practices to provide a clearer understanding of this relatively unexplored line of research enquiry. It was set to answer the following research question: In what ways does cross-grading practice contribute to assessing EFL writing? The participants of this study were conveniently selected where the sample included four language instructors from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, as well as four Saudi EFL learners. Semi-structured interviews were individually conducted with all eight participants. In addition, four one-on-one feedback sessions between language instructors and learners were observed to assess feedback effectiveness after the cross-grading sessions. The data analysis revealed that instructors had difficulty explaining the feedback on their learners’ papers since they did not grade their students’ papers themselves. Furthermore, students felt they did not benefit from the feedback sessions because they could not fully understand the external grader’s markings and, thus inhibiting the learner’s ability to improve and develop their writing. The study concluded with some pedagogical implications for the EFL writing assessment context.

Modelling Health Process and System Requirements Engineering for Better e-Health Services in Saudi Arabia

This systematic review aimed to examine the published works on e-health modelling system requirements and suggest one applicable to Saudi Arabia. PRISMA method was adopted to search, screen and select the papers to be included in this review. Google Scholar was used as the search engine to collect relevant works. From an initial 74 works, 20 were selected after all screening procedures as per PRISMA flow diagram. The 20 selected works were discussed under various sections. The review revealed that goal setting is the first step. Using the goals, a model can be created based on which system requirements can be elicited. Different research used different approaches within this broad framework and applied the procedures to varying healthcare contexts. Based on the findings, an attempt has been made to set the goals and elicit the system requirements for a diabetes self-management model for the entire country in Saudi Arabian context. This is a preliminary model which needs to be tested, improved and then implemented.

Impact of cost stickiness on financial disclosure quality: A study in the Saudi Arabian context

The study examines the association between the disclosure quality and cost stickiness in the Saudi Arabian context. The influence of accounting information on the decisions of different stakeholders gives a clear idea of the importance of this accounting information and its reporting. Annual accounting reports form the final stage of the disclosure process. Moreover, the recognition of different types of costs is an important issue in cost and management accounting. Submitting quality annual reports has always been an interesting concern to different stakeholders of a company. The study sample consists of 102 companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange Tadawul between 2009 and 2018. The study uses pooled OLS to investigate the association between financial disclosure and cost stickiness. The relationship of financial reporting quality with the cost of goods sold is negative, positive with the sales cost, and positive and insignificant with administrative costs. The study concludes that variables related to sticky costs affect financial quality disclosures. The impact of sticky cost variables on the quality of disclosures is different due to the transition policies adopted by the Saudi Arabian economy.

End‐users’ requirements underpinned by IoT layered architecture to the development of smart sustainable cities

It has been claimed that the adoption of a smart and sustainable city concept is one of the most effective ways to eliminate the risk of unsustainable living. Since the sixties, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was transformed from a country of traditional settlements to a modern urban setting. However, this development has been based on conventional methods of city construction and building practices. Therefore, the main aim of this primary research is to establish the fundamental aspects of developing a sustainable and smart city framework that can be applied to most Saudi Arabian cities and societies. A qualitative research methodology is adopted to determine end-user requirements, with more than 500 well-informed participants from 17 different cities. Subsequently, the main contributions here can be summaries as follows: (a) evaluating public willingness regarding smart sustainable city movements, (b) establishing requirements for a sustainable and smart city framework based on end-user perspectives, (c) providing a decision makers with a robust generic framework of sustainable development across Saudi Arabian cites, and (d) an Internet of Thing (IoT) architecture for SSC Adoption and implementation along with an integrated socio-organizational, financial, and technical generic framework for smart sustainable city adoption in the Saudi Arabian context.

Investigating EFL student teachers’ perceptions of self-study in the Saudi Arabian context

ABSTRACT In the field of teacher education, self-study is often interpreted as studying by oneself. It refers to inquiries conducted by individual student teachers or groups of teachers working collaboratively to clearly understand the problems of teaching practice. Self-study has become popular in teacher education to encourage and advance student learning. Increased attention has been paid to its usefulness, yet little research provides an entire picture of how student teachers perceive it. Therefore, this study used five focus group interviews from a university in Saudi Arabia to investigate EFL student teachers’ perceptions of self-study. Interview data was compiled to reveal three representative themes of students’ self-study experience: Conducting self-study, sharing self-study with others, and learning from self-study findings. Results found that students acknowledged freedom of choice in obtaining enquiry data online, but were hesitant about sharing their creation processes of enquiries with others. Others preferred to receive guidance from a model, and some believed grades were more important than learning enhancements. It is essential to investigate students’ perceptions to obtain a more thorough understanding and allow the formulation of an effective framework implementing self-study.

Job advertisements for English teachers in the Saudi Arabian context: Discourses of discrimination and inequity

AbstractThis article looks at how job advertisements for recruiting English teachers in the Saudi Preparatory Year Programs promote bias and inequity. Based on analysis of 25 job advertisements targeting overseas applicants, the article reports three kinds of selection criteria: professional, demographic, and personal qualities. Although these criteria include a wide range of requirements, speakerhood status was identified as the primary qualification in most of the advertisements. Therefore, this article argues that discrimination based on speakerhood status and country of origin is practised in the recruitment of teachers of English as a foreign language, and the TESOL community needs to problematize the discourses of native speakerism that create unequal status among English language teachers. This article concludes by presenting a number of recommendations to avoid professional inequity and to enhance advocacy and empowerment in TESOL.

The Use of Social Media Platforms to Enhance Vocabulary Developing in Learning a New Language: A Review of The Literature

Social media platforms (SMPs) are widely used by many users worldwide in different fields, including business, politics, education, and personal enjoyment (Kapoor et al., 2018). However, the use of SMPs for English language vocabulary learning is still under-researched, particularly in a Saudi Arabian context. Alzahrani (2016) and Alqunayeer (2016) have underscored the scarcity of research exploring the use and effect of SMPs on Saudi learners’ vocabulary development, and as these platforms are highly favored in Saudi Arabia, the paucity of research makes the current study timely and pertinent. Furthermore, recent studies in Vietnam and Indonesia have recommended that further research should be conducted regarding the use of SMPs for English language vocabulary learning and indeed for learning English as a second language (Indari & Putri, 2018; Tran, 2016). This paper aims to review the research concerning the use of SMPs for vocabulary learning from 2014 to 2018. Out of 50 peer-reviewed articles, only 15 studies were relevant to SMPs and vocabulary learning. It has been recognized that SMPs are effective in improving learner engagement, motivation, and vocabulary development, suggesting that SMPs can be valuable tools and resources to facilitate learning. The authors have also proposed a definition for the term social media, as one has not been agreed upon in the educational literature, this is not surprising given that the social media phenomenon is still a new and rapidly evolving field of practice and study.

Knowledge of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus among Prenatal Women Attending a Public Health Center in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a current health problem that affects pregnant women and fetuses. Addressing GDM offers a window of opportunity for the prevention of DM in Saudi Arabia. Here, we aimed to assess the current level of knowledge regarding GDM among prenatal women attending primary healthcare centers (PHCs) in the city of Al-Khobar. We also aimed to increase the awareness of GDM and to determine the significance of this study within the Saudi Arabian context. Methods: After obtaining informed consent from the study subjects, a pre-validated, structured questionnaire was used to assess GDM knowledge among prenatal women attending PHCs in the city of Al-Khobar. Results: We included 471 prenatal women in the study (mean age: 29 years). Overall, 36.5% of the women had good knowledge of GDM, while 50.5% had fair knowledge, and 13% had poor knowledge. Most women (> 99%) were literate and identified themselves as housewives (75.4%). The knowledge score concerning how GDM is diagnosed was 45.3%. Approximately 41.4% women had undergone tests for GDM. Furthermore, 65.8% of the participants were aware of GDM treatment. However, only 39.5% were aware of the consequences of GDM. A major source of GDM knowledge was reported to be from friends and relatives. Conclusion: Although knowledge of GDM as a disease in Al-Khobar community was average, the depth of this knowledge was poor. Thus, doctors and healthcare providers must play a greater role in improving health education among prenatal women. Furthermore, suitable intervention programs should urgently be undertaken by the Ministry of Health to improve GDM knowledge among this population.

Social Capital and Disaster Resilience Nexus: A Study of Flash Flood Recovery in Jeddah City

Governments, researchers, and humanitarian agencies have increasingly focused on reducing disaster impacts and enhancing the resilience of individuals, households, and communities, as the human and economic costs of natural disaster events have dramatically increased over the past century. Achieving resilience in a disaster context means the ability to survive future natural disasters with minimum loss of life and property as well as the ability to create a greater sense of place among residents, a stronger, more diverse economy, and a more economically integrated and diverse population. However, less attention has been paid to the significance of social capital in a post-disaster context and its contribution in building community resilience. It is very obvious that the contribution of social capital to post-disaster resilience in a Middle Eastern/Saudi Arabian context is virtually unknown. With a focus on the Saudi Arabian context, this research paper develops a social capital framework centered on resilience and post-disaster recovery. To conduct this study, a holistic approach to data collection is followed through questionnaire surveys, structured and non-structured interviews with citizens, and informal discussions with government and major stakeholders related to flash flood disaster management in the City of Jeddah. It is interesting to note that several religious institutions have played important roles in evacuating people and providing help for a quick recovery. In addition, government organizations are taking the recovery process seriously by providing necessary help in the flood-stricken areas. Within the scope of the given framework, the research explores and evaluates the role of social capital in post-disaster recovery efforts through a case study of the 2009 and 2011 Jeddah flash floods.

Gifted Education in Saudi Arabian Educational Context: A Systematic Review

The educational dynamics for the gifted students have a catalyzed effect on the global educational endeavor. Similarly, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has also developed educational policies for meeting and expanding the scope of gifted education. The study, therefore, aims to identify the pattern of giftedness among the Saudi educational practices and research. A literature search was carried out at a broad spectrum from different libraries and scholarly platforms including; Medline, ERIC, PubMed, and Google Scholar to retrieve quality studies. This literature search discussed goals, practical strategies, assumptions, and major approaches associated with paradigms of gifted education from 2009-2018. The findings of this study showed that gifted education in Saudi educational context evolves around three integrated paradigms; gifted child, talent development, and differentiated instruction. However, the findings indicated that differentiated instruction has an exclusive manner in which the identified gifted students are instructed in a sperate classes through the pull-out programs, rather than in mainstream classes. In particular, the study showed that the talent development and differentiation in pull-out programs were the two paradigms specifically associated with gifted education practices in Saudi Arabia. Gifted child paradigm embedded within the talent development and differentiation paradigm. The study highlighted two emerging paradigms of giftedness in Saudi Arabian context; one is the participatory paradigm and second is the creative productivity.

A Sociolinguistic Investigation of Compliments and Compliment Responses among Young Saudis

There is a lack of awareness of the use of compliments and compliment responses in the Saudi Arabian context. This research investigates, from a sociolinguistic perspective, the speech acts of compliments and compliment responses as realized by eighty Saudi students who study English as a Foreign Language (EFL). It aims to identify the semantic and structural formulas used by the participants to express compliments and to respond to compliments. The study also examines the roles of the topic of conversation and the participants’ first language in the realisation of compliments. Furthermore, the study investigates gender differences with regard to the use of compliments and compliment responses. A discourse completion test (DCT) consisting of twelve situations was used to collect data from the participants. The analysis of the responses found that the dominant form of compliments used was unbound semantic formulas that were not influenced by the social relationship between the participants. Topics that are socially delicate result in the use of more implicit compliments than explicit compliments. The religious norms require politeness in the interactions between people, and this is reflected in the prevalence of implicit compliments. There is a wide range of compliments used with no fixed pattern of usage. Compliments tend to be given using adjectives rather than verbs. Gender did not appear to affect the nature of usage of compliments and responses. The research suggests that the cultural influences of the English language and western culture may be influencing how young Saudis use compliments.

A Sociolinguistic Investigation of Compliments and Compliment Responses among Young Saudis

There is a lack of awareness of the use of compliments and compliment responses in the Saudi Arabian context. This research investigates, from a sociolinguistic perspective, the speech acts of compliments and compliment responses as realized by eighty Saudi students who study English as a Foreign Language (EFL). It aims to identify the semantic and structural formulas used by the participants to express compliments and to respond to compliments. The study also examines the roles of the topic of conversation and the participants’ first language in the realisation of compliments. Furthermore, the study investigates gender differences with regard to the use of compliments and compliment responses. A discourse completion test (DCT) consisting of twelve situations was used to collect data from the participants. The analysis of the responses found that the dominant form of compliments used was unbound semantic formulas that were not influenced by the social relationship between the participants. Topics that are socially delicate result in the use of more implicit compliments than explicit compliments. The religious norms require politeness in the interactions between people, and this is reflected in the prevalence of implicit compliments. There is a wide range of compliments used with no fixed pattern of usage. Compliments tend to be given using adjectives rather than verbs. Gender did not appear to affect the nature of usage of compliments and responses. The research suggests that the cultural influences of the English language and western culture may be influencing how young Saudis use compliments.

Examining the Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Assisted Social Media Marketing on the Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises: Toward Effective Business Management in the Saudi Arabian Context

Purpose: To examine the impact of artificial intelligence-assisted social media marketing (AISMM)on the performance of startup businesses of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach: A survey technique was employed whereby primary and secondary data was collected, analyzed, and interpreted. Participants involved business operators or employees of start-up businesses and SMEs in the Saudi Arabian context. Data were analyzed by using partial least square structure equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings: AISMM, which exhibits an increasing trend among start-up businesses and SMEs in Saudi Arabia, accounts for an overall increase in the number of customers and customer bases—and an additional tertiary effect of increased profitability. AISMM increases the effective business management and SMEs performance (SMEP). Moreover, effective business management increases the SMEP Originality/value: This study is quite unique as it is investigated that AISMM practices has significant role to enhance SMEP in which effective business management playing a mediating role. Implications: The practitioners can get help from this study to increase the performance by decreasing various problems of marketing by using AISMM.