The Impact of State-of-the-Art Supply Chain Management Practices on Operational Performance

This study will investigate the impact of optimal supply chain practices on the operational performance of companies. To achieve its objectives, the study used a descriptive analytical method drawing on a desktop survey of the relevant literature on supply chain management and its impact on operational performance. The study analysed a number of research studies in the field of supply chains over the period 2010-2019.The study reached a number of conclusions, the most important of which is: the significant potential effects of supply chain management in improving the operational performance of enterprises. In light of the findings of the study, a number of recommendations are made: that organizations adopt a more strategic approach to supply chain management based on establishing strong, long-term relationships with suppliers, and customers, effective communications, so raising the standards and quality of sustainable business performance, and strengthening the connections between the three elements of the supply chain  along with greater  attention to the practices connected to  relationships with customers

A Research Model on Social Media-Enabled Public Value: A Refinement Using an Online Focus Group

Government agencies, including municipalities around the globe, have begun using various social media applications to provide useful and even innovative services to citizens through fostering an improved engagement with them. The success of government agencies in creating and delivering innovative services is often interpreted using the lens of public value. Despite a growth in the scholarly literature on social media and public value, scant attention has so far been paid by IS and e-government scholars to explain how citizens government officials alike perceive public value created by social media applications. We thus report on the development of an initial research model to explain public value creation using social media applications. We further refine the model using an online focus group (OFG) comprising eight participants from three groups: academics, government officials, and citizen representatives

PUBLIC VALUE CREATION USING SOCIAL MEDIA APPLICATIONS FOR THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTEXT

In recent years, the use of various social media applications has received growing attention from local government agencies. This is because social media applications have the potential to offer public value to those agencies as well as citizens through enhancing public engagement and public services innovation. Despite the growth in the literature on social media, there is still a limited understanding of how the key stakeholders of local government agencies, around the world in general and Saudi Arabia in particular, can receive public value created through us-ing various social media applications. To address this concern, this proposed study is initiated to develop a model for investigating public value creation using social media applications. The model is influenced by multiple theoretical lenses (e.g. trust in social media, social media capability, public engagement, public services innovation, public value theory, and stakeholder theory). This proposed research is based on a qualitative methodology with several phases of research (e.g. pilot study, multiple-case study and domain expert panel) for the Saudi Arabian local government context. The expected contribution of this research is a model with constructive associations between several variables identified from multiple streams of literature (e.g. social media, information systems literature and public administration literature). Furthermore, a classification of public services innovation associated with four types of public value are proposed. The findings of the study are expected to benefit public managers as well as citizens to better utilise social media for public value creation. Keywords: Trust in social media, social media capability, public engagement, public service innovation, public value, stakeholder theory

Unsupervised Learning: Using Educational Videos as a Learning Tool to Enhance the English Vocabulary Use for the I-Generation

Words are the foundation that we need to build our meaning on therefore without vocabulary one cannot communicate properly or create a single comprehensible conversation Ghazal 2007 p 84 Furthermore Bowen and Marks 2002 describe vocabulary as follows words are the base of language which makes them the base of communication indicating the pivotal role of vocabulary knowledge in second language acquisition as cited in Ebrahimzadeh 2017 p 1 Consequently not having an adequate amount of vocabulary leads to a deficiency in language production Ebrahimzadeh 2017 p 1 This paper aims to highlight the most salient studies that are related to enhance the new generation of EFL students vocabulary attainment through the use of educational videos outside the classroom settin

Public value creation using social media applications for the local government context: a pilot case study

The use of social media applications is receiving a growing attention from the local government agencies. This is because social media applications have the potential to offer many public values to those agencies as well as benefit citizens through enhancing public engagement and public services innovation. Despite the growth in the literature on social media, there is still limited understanding on how public value created through using various social media applications for local government context. To address this concern, we report on the development of a model to investigate public value creation using social media applications. The model is evaluated using a pilot case study at a large Saudi Arabian municipality. The model and empirical evidence together contribute towards establishing a theoretical foundation for research into the impact of social media applications for public value creation. In addition, council managers can learn useful lessons drawing on our findings

Properties of A Model Self-Healing Microcapsule-Based Dental Composite Reinforced with Silica Nanoparticles

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mechanical properties of an experimental self-healing dental composite model (SHDC) composed of SiO(2) nanoparticles with varying percentages of triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) monomer and N,N-dihydroxyethyl-p-toluidine (DHEPT) amine microcapsules. Materials and methods: Microcapsules were prepared by in-situ polymerisation of PUF shells, as explained in our previous work. The model SHDC included bisphenol A glycidyl dimethacrylate (Bis-GMA:TEGDMA) (1:1), 1 wt% phenyl bis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl) phosphine oxide (BAPO), 0.5 wt% benzoyl peroxide (BPO) catalyst, 20 wt% silanised silica dioxide (SiO(2)) (15 nm) and (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 wt%) of microcapsules (120 ± 45 μm). Light transmission, hardness, degree of conversion (DC), flexural strength and elastic modulus of the SHDC model were measured. Results: The degree of conversion of the SHDC ranged from 73 to 76% 24 h after polymerisation. Hardness measurements ranged from 22 to 26 VHN (p > 0.05); however, the flexural strength was adversely affected from 80 to 55 MPa with increasing microcapsules of up to 10 wt% in the composites (p 10 wt%) in the composites. All other measured properties were not significantly affected. Accordingly, we recommend a stronger composite material that could be created by increasing the filler content distribution in order to achieve a hybrid self-healing composite with enhanced mechanical properties

Perceptions of pioneer female Saudi higher education EFL teachers: a qualitative study of their experiences in English language Teaching

This study argues for EFL teacher autonomy and empowerment in Saudi higher education institutions based on the assumption that participating in school decision-making would help to enhance teachers’ perceptions, expertise, and commitment towards their own practices. This research is teacher-centred in the sense that it is written from the teacher’s point of view, at a time of multiple changes in Saudi Arabia, where teachers’ views are not always taken into consideration. The research focus is on teachers’ perceptions of current EFL practices and the role they play in curriculum development and planning, and considers what barriers are hindering them from working towards student-centred and active inquiry-oriented learning environments. The data used to examine teachers’ perceptions and experiences of current English language teaching (ELT) practices are drawn from a sample of 12 female Saudi EFL teachers, who have been awarded international degrees and who are practising ELT in a university in Saudi Arabia. Data sources include semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, focus group discussions and a drawing activity. The findings revealed: (1) Overall, bureaucracy and a top down approach adopted by the higher education institution affects teachers’ perceptions and pedagogical quality; (2) Empowerment appears to be an essential, but not sufficient condition to achieve real changes and successful educational outcomes as it depends on teachers’ expertise and their own methods of instructional practice; (3) The need for more continuous professional development (CPD) programmes is an emergent aspect that requires further attention. Three significant issues were raised for further research and comment, relating to the mismatch between current policy aspirations for professional development and the reality of teachers’ experience. At the end of this thesis, implications for in-service training of teachers in a mono-cultural society such as Saudi Arabia were discussed

Synthesis and characterisation of microcapsules for self-healing dental resin composites

Aim: The purpose of this study was to i) synthesise TEGDMA-DHEPT microcapsules in a laboratory setting; ii) characterise the resultant microcapsules for quality measures. Materials &amp; methods: Microcapsules were prepared by in situ polymerization of PUF shells. Microcapsules characterisation include size analysis, optical and SEM microscopy to measure the diameter and analyse the morphology of PUF microcapsules. FT-IR spectrometer evaluated microcapsules and benzyl peroxide catalyst polymerization independently. Result: Average diameter of TEGDMA-DHEPT microcapsules was 120 ± 45 μm (n: 100). SEM imaging of the capsular shell revealed a smooth outer surface with deposits of PUF nanoparticles that facilitate resin matrix retention to the microcapsules upon composite fracture. FT-IR spectra showed that microcapsules crushed with BPO catalyst had degree of conversion reached to 60.3%. Conclusion: TEGDMA-DHEPT microcapsules were synthesised according to the selected parameters. The synthesised microcapsules have a self-healing potential when embedded into dental resin composite as will be demonstrated in our future work. Graphical Abstract: Graphical abstract showing the microcapsule components. The shell contains poly(urea-formaldehyde), and the core consists of TEGDMA-DHEPT healing agents.[Figure not available: see fulltext.].</p

A Study of Airlines Customer Satisfaction in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The quality of service plays a major role in service industry especially when it comes to customer satisfaction level. This paper focuses on investigating the customer’s satisfaction levels towards services provided by Saudi Airlines. For this purpose, a questionnaire was developed and distributed among 165 domestic as well as international passengers at the airport. After scrutiny, it was found that only 159 questionnaires were completed in all respects and were included in the study. The data collected afterwards were analysed in order to measure the actual satisfaction level of customers. It was found that the domestic as well as the international passengers of Saudi Arabia airlines were not happy and satisfied with the services provided by the airlines. Thus, the major problem area includes baggage handling, treatment of passengers at airport in case of any grievances, food quality, and entertainment on board. Based on the outcome of the research, certain strategies to overcome such issues were recommended by the authors

Steady improvement of infection control services in six community hospitals in Makkah following annual audits during Hajj for four consecutive years

BACKGROUND: the objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of annual review of the infection control practice in all Ministry of Health hospitals in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, during the Hajj period of four lunar Islamic years, 1423 to 1426 corresponding to 2003 to 2006. METHODS: audit of infection control service was conducted annually over a 10-day period in six community hospitals with bed capacities ranging from 140 to 557 beds. Data were collected on standardized checklists on various infection control service items during surprise visits to the medical, pediatric, surgical, and critical care units, and the kitchens. Percentage scores were calculated for audited items. The results of the audit for hospitals were confidentially sent to them within four weeks after the end of Hajj. RESULTS: deficiencies observed in the first audit included lack of infection control committees, infection control units, infection control educational activities, and surveillance system and shortage of staff. These deficiencies were resolved in the subsequent audits. The average (range) scores of hospitals in 11 infection control items increased from 43% (20–67%) in the first audit to 78% (61–93%) in the fourth audit. CONCLUSION: regular hospital infection control audits lead to significant improvement of infection control practice. There is a need to build a rigorous infection control audit into hospitals' ongoing monitoring and reporting to the Ministry of Health and to provide these hospitals with feed back on such audits to continuously strengthen the safety standards for patients, visitors, and employees