The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the challenges of globalisation, human capital investment and economic reform : a critical evaluation of the King Abdullah scholarship programme

Globalisation has developed alongside the growth of information technologies. These have in turn required states to pursue policies promoting adaptation to a knowledge-based economy reliant on 'human capital' (a phrase first coined in 1961 by Theodore Schultz). This thesis explores and assesses one aspect of the Saudi Arabian government's response to this globalisation process: investment in capital and development of the population's workplace skills requirements through the King Abdullah Scholarship Programme (KASP). The study considers how countries such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) are looking to maintain their competitive position in the global economic sphere and to increase understanding of the fact that future economic and productivity gains will be dependent on individuals developing their skills, knowledge and specific workplace competencies. The people of a country are themselves potentially valuable assets to be nurtured and utilised. Against this background, the thesis seeks to investigate the effectiveness of the KASP in achieving human capital development and fulfilling policy goals. These strategic objectives are related to the growth and development of the human capital in the country and diversification of the economy. The thesis has three main sections. The first sets out the overarching research question and the research questions and begins to engage directly with the themes identified in the literature review, including definition, measuring human capital and how to engage with the literature. The overarching research question for the thesis is, ‘How has the Government of KSA sought to invest in human capital through the KASP, and to what extent has the programme been successful?” The second phase sets out the research methodology. Data was collected using a triangulation method, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. The third phase analyses the data and the findings of the study. Here, it is argued that KSA has encountered numerous challenges because of over-dependence on oil to run the economy. In addition, rapid grown in the population has exerted additional pressure on the country, especially regarding women’s issues of equality and rights, since women make up half of the population. In the midst of these major economic challenges, the primary task undertaken by the government of KSA has been to invest in human capital development to generate employment opportunities for the growth and diversification of the economy. In this thesis, I attempt to explore, through KASP, the extent to which the initiatives taken by the government of the KSA to improve human capital have been effective or not. This thesis is in alignment with the “Vision 2030” of the country that was announced by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the 25th of April 2016. The Vision 2030 reform plan is a package of economic and social policies designed to free Saudi Arabia from dependence on oil exports. The reform plan is based on three main pillars: the Kingdom’s status as the heart of the Arab and Islamic worlds, the Kingdom’s determination to become a global investment powerhouse to stimulate the economy and diversify revenues and the Kingdom’s intention to evolve into a global hub by taking advantage of its unique strategic location connecting three continents, Asia, Europe and Africa. In order to achieve its goals, Vision 2030 focuses on reshaping the education system to contribute to economic growth, in line with the market needs, providing equal opportunities, focusing on skills and competencies of young generation as the important assets to attend global talent and qualifications, lower the rate of unemployment and increase the participation of women in the workforce. All have been tackled and discussed in the thesis. The themes of this thesis deal with the challenges facing KSA such as globalization, economic reform and human capital investment

Techniques de l'information et de la communication et risques psychosociaux sur le poste de travail tertiaire.

Les risques psychosociaux sont reconnus comme un des problèmes majeurs du monde professionnel contemporain et le dialogue social européen a inscrit la lutte contre le premier d entre eux, la pandémie du stress au travail, comme une priorité. Dans ce contexte le lien entre les techniques de l information et de la communication (TIC) qui innervent les entreprises comme la société et les risques psychosociaux n est pas formellement établi. On continue de poser le travailleur d un côté et ses outils de l autre comme si ces derniers étaient de simples instruments passifs au service des premiers, comme s il était nécessaire et suffisant que l homme soit formé au mode d emploi pour les utiliser. Une enquête statistique nationale, des focus groups, des entretiens qualitatifs et des observations participantes démontrent que l absence de prise de conscience de l écosystème numérique de travail tertiaire a pour conséquence une ignorance de ses effets indésirables qui sont aussi puissants que nombreux. Cette lacune entraîne une maîtrise largement défaillante par les acteurs et les organisations professionnelles.Psychosocial risks are recognized as one of the major problems of the contemporary professional world and the European social dialogue has took on the fight against the first of them, the pandemic of work-related stress, as a priority. In this context the relationship between information and communication technology (ICT) that innervates companies as well as society and psychosocial risks is not formally established. One continues to consider worker on one side and tools on the other side as if they were mere passive instruments to support men at work, as if it was necessary and sufficient to be formed in the instruction for their use. A national statistical survey, focus groups, qualitative interviews and participant observations show that the lack of awareness of the digital ecosystem of tertiary workplaces has resulted in ignorance of the adverse effects that are as powerful as many. This gap leads to widespread control deficiencies in workers and professional organizations.PAU-BU Lettres (644452101) / SudocSudocFranceF

Time Management for System Administrators

Time is a precious commodity, especially if you're a system administrator. No other job pulls people in so many directions at once. Users interrupt you constantly with requests, preventing you from getting anything done. Your managers want you to get long-term projects done but flood you with requests for quick-fixes that prevent you from ever getting to those long-term projects. But the pressure is on you to produce and it only increases with time. What do you do?The answer is time management. And not just any time management theory--you want Time Management for System Administrators, to be exact. With keen insights into the challenges you face as a sys admin, bestselling author Thomas Limoncelli has put together a collection of tips and techniques that will help you cultivate the time management skills you need to flourish as a system administrator.Time Management for System Administrators understands that an Sys Admin often has competing goals: the concurrent responsibilities of working on large projects and taking care of a user's needs. That's why it focuses on strategies that help you work through daily tasks, yet still allow you to handle critical situations that inevitably arise.Among other skills, you'll learn how to:Manage interruptionsEliminate timewastersKeep an effective calendarDevelop routines for things that occur regularlyUse your brain only for what you're currently working onPrioritize based on customer expectationsDocument and automate processes for faster executionWhat's more, the book doesn't confine itself to just the work environment, either. It also offers tips on how to apply these time management tools to your social life. It's the first step to a more productive, happier you.xxiii+200p.;15,5x23c