Saudization as a solution for unemployment: the case of Jeddah Western region

Abstract Saudi Arabia is a young wealthy nation with multiple social and economic problems. While the country is extremely wealthy, it has a young population, many of whom are unemployed. The country is highly dependent on a single resource (oil), and relies heavily on imported labour to meet the requirements of economic growth and contribute to the development of the country. In recognition of these systemic problems, the Government has developed a policy of ‘Saudization’ as a way of replacing expatriate with Saudi workers as a way of solving the problem of unemployment. This thesis is an attempt to understand the roots of this paradox of high wealth and high unemployment. How did Saudi Arabia arrive at a situation where it became dependent on the labour of expatriates and why did the government not use the countries’ wealth to create a vibrant high-skill economy? What strategies is the government using to deal with alarming rates of high unemployment, and how successful are their endeavours. Is Saudization the answer to the current labour market situation and, if not, what are the shortcomings of the policy? These are questions addressed in this thesis. With Saudi Arabia having developed relatively recently, the thesis begins by providing an historical overview of the establishment of the Kingdom and at the impact of the 1970s oil boom. It focuses on the labour market, the role of religion and on government attempts to stem rising unemployment through the policy of Saudization. The thesis draws on documentary evidence as well as on interviews with representatives of the key stakeholder groups: policy makers, employers and employees. It is argued that the roots of the problem in the Saudi labour market can be traced back to the process of transformation from an agricultural to an industrial society. Reliance on oil wealth and the establishment of a rentier economy led to a situation where citizens had a low level of involvement in the economy or the political process and labour needs were met through the recruitment of expatriate employees rather than through education and training. III The thesis argues that the policy of Saudization falls short in several key areas. First, Saudization as a policy is targeting the symptom (unemployment) instead of focusing on the problem employability. In many respects, the education system and labour market situations are poorly aligned; strict religious controls over the content of the curriculum and a lack of forward planning means that young Saudis are not being equipped with the hard or soft skills necessary to meet economic demands. Second, the policy is not tuned into the needs of the private sector and has failed to meet the concerns of employers or employees. Third, the policy has failed to respect the varying situations of employers in different sectors of the labour market and should recognise the need to set industry specific targets for Saudization. In sum, the research lends weight to the idea that Saudization is deficient as a policy and that, without targeted logistics and application, provides little more than a short-term solution to unemployment

Low Diversity of Alkhurma Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Saudi Arabia, 1994–1999

Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus (genus Flavivirus, AHFV) was recently identified as the agent of a viral hemorrhagic fever in Saudi Arabia and characterized serologically and genetically as a variant genotype of Kyasanur Forest disease virus (KFDV). Since viral diagnosis and vaccine development may be hindered by genetic diversity, this study was intended to address AHFV genetic heterogeneity. Eleven strains isolated from hospitalized patients from 1994 to 1999 in Saudi Arabia were sequenced in the envelope, NS3, and NS5 genes. Homologous sequences were compared and used to look for patterns reflecting specific evolution associated with spatiality, temporality, infection pathway, and disease prognosis. Genetic analyses showed low diversity, which suggests a slow microevolution. Evaluation of divergence times showed that AHFV and KFDV ancestral lineage diverged 66–177 years ago, and the diversity observed within the studied AHFV strains reflected a 4- to 72-year period of evolution

An educational program about premarital screening for unmarried female students in King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah

SummaryThe present study was conducted to assess knowledge and attitude of unmarried female students in King Abdul-Aziz University (KAU) towards premarital screening (PMS) program, to determine predictors of high students’ knowledge scores and to improve their knowledge about PMS through conduction of an educational campaign. Multi-stage stratified random sample method was used with recruitment of 1563 students from all faculties of KAU, during the educational year 2008–2009. The Pre-test included 30 knowledge items and 14 attitude statements with student's response through a 5-point Likert scale. Health education was conducted using audiovisual aids through pre-designed educational materials. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS version 16. Results: Students’ knowledge about the program was generally low before the educational campaign. The predictors of high knowledge scores were being a health science student (aOR=4.15; 95% CI: 2.97–5.81), age ≥20 years (aOR=2.78; 95% CI: 2.01–3.85), family history of hereditary diseases and income ≥10,000 SR/month. Regarding attitude, almost all students (99.0%) agreed on the importance of PMS. After the educational program, students’ knowledge about PMS was markedly improved. The mean students’ knowledge score was 9.85±5.36 in Pre-test and improved to 18.45±4.96 in Post-test, with a highly statistical significant difference (paired t=25.40, p<0.000). Conclusion and recommendations: The educational program was successful in improving students’ knowledge about the PMS. Conduction of similar educational programs and adding PMS in the curriculum of secondary and university education are recommended

The Saudi experiment with career guidance

Saudi Arabia has recently embarked on an ambitious experiment with career guidance. The country has identified that career guidance offers a range of potential cultural, educational and economic benefits. These include supporting the Saudisation of the workforce, the development of the vocational education system and the engagement of the Saudi ‘youth bulge’ in the labour market and wider society. However, the country has a weak tradition of career guidance and a need to develop new policies and systems rapidly. The Saudi Ministry of Labour has driven the development of the country’s new career guidance system and has sought to learn from global best practice. However, Saudi Arabia offers a very different context from those where career guidance has flourished. Particularly distinctive features of Saudi society include its limited civil society, the central role that religion plays, the place of women, the role of oil within the economy and the high level of migrant workers in the labour market. Taken together these issues offer challenges of culture, theory, policy and practice. Negotiating these challenges and building an organic body of theory and practice will be critical to the success or otherwise of the Saudi experiment with career guidance.N/

Knowledge management related training strategies in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia construction industry: An empirical study

The growing popularity of knowledge management (KM) in the construction industry has, unfortunately, not been matched by parallel empirical research in training and benefits of KM for construction industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This paper discusses the KM related training strategies implemented in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia construction industry. Given the relatively new and unexplored nature of the research problem, qualitative research method was adopted to collect and analyse data. Results are based on the analysis of data from 46 professionals from KSA construction organisations. This paper concludes that training interventions are a complex and context-embedded activity. The current study results suggests that for effective implementation of KM strategies, there is an urgent need for KSA construction industry to develop and deploy appropriate KM related management training programmes. Leadership plays an important role in breaking down barriers in achieving KM strategies. The practical implication of this research is that the KM should not only focus on the specific knowledge to be captured, shared, mapped and transferred between individuals but should also address strategic concerns at group and organisational levels

Extreme intrafamilial variability of Saudi brothers with primary hyperoxaluria type 1

Majid Alfadhel,1 Khalid A Alhasan,2 Mohammed Alotaibi,3 Khalid Al Fakeeh41Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Division of Nephrology Department of Pediatrics, King Saud University King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Radiology, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaBackground: Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) is characterized by progressive renal insufficiency culminating in end-stage renal disease, and a wide range of clinical features related to systemic oxalosis in different organs. It is caused by autosomal recessive deficiency of alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase due to a defect in AGXT gene.Case report: Two brothers (one 6 months old; the other 2 years old) presented with acute renal failure and urinary tract infection respectively. PH1 was confirmed by high urinary oxalate level, demonstration of oxalate crystals in bone biopsy, and pathogenic homozygous known AGXT gene mutation. Despite the same genetic background, same sex, and shared environment, the outcome of the two siblings differs widely. While one of them died earlier with end-stage renal disease and multiorgan failure caused by systemic oxalosis, the older brother is pyridoxine responsive with normal development and renal function.Conclusion: Clinicians should be aware of extreme intrafamilial variability of PH1 and international registries are needed to characterize the genotype-phenotype correlation in such disorder.Keywords: primary hyperoxaluria, oxalosis, PH1, intrafamilial variabilit

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to Dengue fever among females in Jeddah high schools

Summary: Dengue is increasingly recognized as one of the world's major infectious diseases. Dengue vectors, human knowledge and human behavior have each been reported to play an important role in the transmission of the disease. A cross-sectional approach was conducted to assess knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) of high school female students, teachers and supervisors towards Dengue fever (DF), and to determine scoring predictors of high school students’ knowledge and practice scores. A multistage, stratified, random sample method was applied. A total of 2693 students, 356 teachers and 115 supervisors completed confidential self-administered questionnaires. Results: Students obtained the lowest mean knowledge score compared to the other two groups (F = 51.5, P < 0.001). A positive family history of DF (a OR = 2.05; 95% CI = 1.15–3.64), having literate mothers (≥secondary education), and students’ age ≥17 were the predictors of high students’ knowledge score. The only predictor of high practice score was obtaining high knowledge score (a OR = 2.06; 95% CI = 1.73–2.44). Conclusion: KAP towards DF was deficient among target populations, especially among students. School-based educational campaigns and social mobilization for raising knowledge and changing it into sound practice is urgently needed for controlling dengue epidemics in Jeddah. Keywords: Knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP), Dengue fever, Schools, Jedda