Women’s Fashion Consumption in Saudi Arabia

This study investigates the influence of the sociocultural factors affecting the fashion and clothing consumption of Saudi women. It is a multidisciplinary study that combines fashion and consumer behaviour approaches in order to define and explain the collective sociocultural norms that underlie the patterns of women’s fashion and clothing consumption in Saudi Arabia. It applies a mixed-method approach as a strategy for data collection, with primary data gathered through observation, a face-to-face questionnaire completed by 654 respondents and interviews with local retailers and experts in the fashion market. The analysis of the empirical data revealed significant findings related to consumption patterns and the characteristics of the local market. It identified that there are two main systems that define fashion consumption in female Saudi society. Each system operates in a different social setting (public and female-only social settings) that requires communicating or establishing a specific value or a set of values to meet social expectations. The research findings also indicate the structure of the market and its operational system used to respond to consumer demands. In the light of these findings, theoretical models were developed to define the particularities of fashion consumption in Saudi Arabia as outcomes of this study. This study could have a substantial influence in academia as it provides a broader insight into fashion consumption behaviour in Saudi Arabia compared to that available in the existing literature. It could also help retailers and investors to understand the particularities of Saudi women’s fashion consumption in more depth. This understanding could be applied to develop strategies to meet Saudi women’s fashion demands.Saudi Cultural Burea

Innovative framework for e-government adoption in Saudi Arabia: a study from the business sector perspective

E-Government increases transparency and im- proves communication between the government and the users. Providing e-Government services to business sector is a fun- damental mission of governmental agencies in Saudi Arabia. However, the adoption of e-Government systems is less than satisfactory in many countries, particularly in developing coun- tries. This is a significant factor that can lead to e-Government failure and, therefore, to the waste of budget and effort. One pertinent, unanswered question is what are the key factors that influence the adoption and utilisation level of users from business sector. Unlike much research in the literature that has utilised common technology acceptance models and theories to analyse the adoption of e-Government, which may not be sufficient for such analysis, this study proposes a conceptual framework following a holistic approach to analyse key factors that influence the adoption and utilisation of e-Government in Saudi Arabia. The developed framework, E-Government Adoption and Utilisation Model (EGAUM), was developed based on critical evaluation of several common models and theories related to technology acceptance and use including Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), in conjunction with analysis of e-Government adoption literature. The study involved 48 participating business entities from two major cities in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh and Jeddah. The descriptive and statistical analyses are presented in this paper and the results indicated that all the proposed factors have degree of influence on the adoption and utilisation level. Perceived Benefits, Awareness, Previous Experience, and Regulations & Policies were found to be the significant factors that are most likely to influence the adoption and usage level of users from business sector. Keywords: E-Government; E-Services; Saudi Arabia; Technology Adoption; Influential Factors; Users’ Intention; Business Sector Perspectiv

From Offline to Online: Do Saudis Change Their Information Search Behaviour?

The purpose of this paper is to study and review factors influencing consumers’ search behaviour for online shopping in Saudi Arabia. The study reveals that most Saudi consumers use online channels as information sources compared to offline channels. Saudi consumers tend to use online information sources, which appear to be more important than offline channels to them due to the perceived easy availability of goods and services, convenience, information, available services, and time and cost efficiency. The grounded theory is used to gather and explore primary data. The non-probability sampling technique is applied to collect and analyse opinions from respondents representing the population of Saudi Arabia. The researcher used the semi-structured interview technique to understand consumer behaviour towards online shopping. The results of the study identified that the majority of Saudi consumers like using online channels as information sources, which influences them to use online shopping. Factors influencing Saudi consumers to use online channels, and consequently online shopping, include the perceived easy availability of goods and services, convenience, information, available services, and time and cost efficiency. Although most Saudi consumers prefer using online channels as information sources, security concerns make some consumers hesitant about online purchasing. The growth of online technology in the country has great potential, as it minimizes the costs of services and delivery of goods, and easily reaches geographical boundaries bringing consumers and retailers together. Factors like perceived ease of available services and goods, convenience, information, available services, and time and cost efficiency are vital elements in influencing Saudi consumers to use online purchasing. The study concluded that online usage and purchasing is comfortable, easy, and better than offline channels.   Research implications: online retailers and the Saudi government should cooperate to enhance consumer awareness towards online shopping, and they should eradicate risks hindering consumers’ use of online shopping.Originality/value: The study revealed that many Saudi nationals are interested in online shopping. However, security risks are a concern to some consumers. The Saudi government and online retailers can benefit from the findings of this study and create appropriate strategies to build customer awareness about online shopping. Keywords: online channel; offline channel; information search behaviour; Saudi consume

The Impact of E-commerce on the Development of Entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia

This paper is based on a Ph.D. study investigating the critical challenges facing e-commerce adoption by entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia, identifying the major driving factors, barriers, motivations, perceived advantages, potential problems and some practical solutions as well as future expectations from entrepreneurs’ perspectives. From the study findings, a set of practical recommendations were derived for the government, entrepreneurs and investors in Saudi Arabia to consider, to promote ecommerce entrepreneurship in the county. The research was undertaken using a qualitative approach. Data collection techniques involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews, with (1) e-commerce entrepreneurs, and (2) government authorities, educational initiatives and private support institutions. Data collected was thematically analyzed. The findings led to the identification of five significant factors that were found to influence e-commerce related entrepreneurial activities in Saudi Arabia, leading to both “necessity entrepreneurship” and “opportunity entrepreneurship”: 1) government and institutional funding and financing, 2) government and institutional education and training, 3) government policies and legislation, 4) infrastructure and 5) gender and the cultural environment

Review of Research on Culture and ICT: Insights from the Arab World

Most published research on information and communication technology (ICT) application has been in the context of advanced economies of the world, particularly western countries, viz. Europe and North America. Research on ICT impact on socio-economic development has been primarily focused on eastern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Relatively little research has been published on ICT in the Arab world. But better appreciation of the role of Arab culture on ICT use may help in providing guidance for more successful implementation of ICT in the future. To help ascertain this role we reviewed the literature between 2003 and 2016 focusing on ICT implementation in Arabic speaking countries

EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF SPORTS INFLUENCER ADVERTISING ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOR IN THE US AND SAUDI ARABIA ON INSTAGRAM.

This paper discusses the influence of sports influencers on the buying pattern of fans in the United States and Saudi Arabia. Sports are a crucial part of life in both countries, with numerous athletes being considered celebrities. Sports influencers have a tremendous impact on the audience, who often imitate their behavior and buy the products they advertise. The sports market is huge in both countries, with businesses utilizing sports influencers to promote their brands. Instagram is a popular platform for businesses to gain young fans and customers. The research and development of the sports industry have enabled considerable growth of related businesses. To understand why changes occur over time, an analysis of private markets and state policies is necessary. Sports influence ads have become a widespread phenomenon; they are mostly everywhere. These are special commercials that capture the attention of people and will be discussed for what makes them special. This paper will look at how this type of advertisement and its objectives differ on Instagram in the United States and Saudi Arabia. Social media allows users to watch and interact with sporting events in different ways (Lamirán-Palo mares, 2020). Sports are entertaining, and anything related to it will always draw a lot of viewers. This research paper aims to study the roles of sports influencers in advertising in the United States and Saudi Arabia on Instagram. The study utilized SPSS software to analyze data and assess the relationship between sports influencer marketing and brand awareness among influencers and consumers in Saudi Arabia and the United States. A two-way ANOVA test was conducted, and the results revealed a significant difference in the effectiveness of sports influencers on social media and advertisement between the two countries. There was also a significant interaction effect between the country and the point sports influencers on social media and advertising. The study suggests that marketers should consider these differences when crafting campaigns and adjust their strategies accordingly

The impact of social influence and third party endorsement on online shopping in Saudi Arabia

It is well documented that social influence and third party endorsements play a significant role in developing trust in E-Commerce. Previous studies have shown that it is relatively true in many countries and across cultures. However, very few studies were conducted in the Middle East and to our knowledge this was the first time to consider family members and friends Recommendation with the context of social influence conducted within Saudi Arabia. The research reported in this paper attempts to investigate whether the findings from previous studies will be similar in Saudi Arabia. Specifically, this study will evaluate the impact of social influence and endorsements on online shopping and whether this plays an important role in increasing online shopping in Saudi Arabia. The results of this study are based on quantitative data collected from a sample of 606 Saudis citizens living in Saudi Arabia. Four factors connected to the impact of social influence and third party endorsements in online shopping are examined. The initial findings of this research confirm that there are similarities with the results of previous studies conducted in other countries. Similarly, the impact of social influence and third party endorsements seems to encourage and support the development of online shopping in Saudi Arabia