Next generation skyscrapers to drive 'vertical living'

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Tall Buildings ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
African Cities ◽  
Working Environments ◽  
Space Saving ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
Formal Construction

Subject Trends in skyscraper construction. Significance Tall buildings, defined as over 200 metres high, are being built in record numbers and to record heights -- over one kilometre in the case of the Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Government ambition for trophy projects, land scarcity in major cities and demand for housing and other living spaces (caused by rapid urbanisation, particularly in Asia) are driving this trend. Impacts Housing scarcity will be severe where stringent height restrictions combine with rules constraining outward development, eg, greenbelts. Competition between Gulf states will encourage development of 'iconic' towers, but risks overinvestment and oversupply. Singapore will lead space-saving construction innovations, including new underground living and working environments. Disincentives to formal construction in many African cities will drive informal sprawl, undermining service delivery.

The role of transformative healthcare technology on quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Asif Salam ◽  
Saleh Bajaba
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Service System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care System

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of the COVID-19 health-care system quality (HSQ) and its impact on the individual (satisfaction) and social (quality of life [QOL]) outcomes in the context of a transformative health-care delivery system using service-dominant logic (SDL). Design/methodology/approach A sample consisting of 1,008 individuals who have experienced the COVID-19 health-care system was drawn from four different regions of Saudi Arabia using the simple random sampling technique. The survey was conducted using an online survey and 1,008 respondents answered, based on their experience and knowledge of the COVID-19 health-care system. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was applied to test the proposed research model. Findings The study findings suggest that service system satisfaction (SAT) significantly mediates the role of the HSQ in delivering and enhancing the QOL. HSQ also has a significant role to play on the SAT as well as the QOL. These findings contribute to the body of knowledge on SDL in the context of HSQ in understanding the significant role of technologies can play in enhancing service satisfaction and better QOL during a crisis such as COVID-19. This study also improves the understanding of the importance of customer-centricity, real-time visibility through tracking and tracing of service flow, agile decision-making, fewer but better-defined service objectives, and finally shaping mindsets and behaviors of all the relevant parties involved in the HSQ service delivery process. Research limitations/implications One of the major limitations of this study is that, although COVID-19 is an ongoing global pandemic, cross-sectional data were collected in only one country. The findings may not be generalizable across subsequent waves of the pandemic. The best practices of HSQ could be studied around the globe and the results used to support continuous improvement. Originality/value This study advances the understanding of the SDL in the context of a transformative health-care system for a transitional economy by focusing on individual and social well-being during an unexpected crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study also contributes toward the understanding of the roles of enabling technologies to improve the service delivery system which results in an improved SAT, as well as better QOL for the society at large. Based on SDL this research validates the HSQ model, relevant measures and its overall impact on SAT and QOL in the context of a transformative health-care service system in Saudi Arabia.

Prospects for the Gulf states to end-2017

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Gulf Cooperation Council ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gcc Countries ◽  
Oil Revenue ◽  
Gulf States

Subject Prospects for the Gulf states to end-2017. Significance Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries agree on the need to check Iran’s regional aspirations, but differ radically on how to achieve this goal -- pushing Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to open confrontation with Qatar and leaving Kuwait and Oman caught uncomfortably in the middle. At the same time, they face the major challenge of adjusting their economies to long-term expectations of lower oil revenue.

Gulf states' offensive cyber tools have regional focus

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Critical Infrastructure ◽  
Gulf Cooperation Council ◽  
Digital Networks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technological Tools ◽  
Cyber Espionage ◽  
The Face ◽  
Gulf States

Subject The Gulf 's cybersecurity agenda. Significance Offensive cyber capabilities are technological tools for intruding into external digital networks to delete, steal or manipulate data. All six states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar -- are developing these capabilities in the face of multiple threats. Impacts There is currently no indication that the GCC states are preparing cyberattacks against critical infrastructure. GCC states will continue relying on Western and Israel private firms for advanced surveillance tools. Efforts to nationalise the cybersecurity sector will advance slowly. Cyber espionage is almost certainly a fourth, covert GCC goal.

Prospects for the Gulf states in 2022

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Gulf Cooperation Council ◽  
Energy Market ◽  
Global Energy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Economic ◽  
Natural Gas Prices ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
Oil And Natural Gas

Subject Prospects for the Gulf states in 2022. Significance The six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), especially Saudi Arabia, are enjoying the windfall from a tight global energy market that has pushed up oil and natural gas prices. They have also coped effectively with the healthcare challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, laying the groundwork for positive economic prospects in 2022.

Yemen intervention carries major risks for Egypt

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Naval Blockade ◽  
Core Member ◽  
Gulf States

Significance As a key ally of Saudi Arabia and the owner of the Arab world's largest armed forces, Egypt is a core member of the coalition campaign fighting the Huthi rebels and loyalists to former Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh. Egyptian planes and naval vessels have already played a key role in the aerial campaign and naval blockade. However, the conflict appears likely to drag on, raising the risk of deeper -- and higher-risk -- Egyptian involvement. Impacts Ground involvement in Yemen would stir popular sensitivities about Egypt being regarded as a client of Gulf states. Egypt's foreign policy will become increasingly aligned with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Intervention in Libya would be more acceptable to the Egyptian public, who view the conflict there as a more immediate threat. Extended deployment would degrade the capabilities of the Egyptian military. Egyptian participation provides vital pan-Arab legitimacy to the Saudi intervention in Yemen.

Gulf states will struggle to meet domestic gas demand

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Associated Gas ◽  
Domestic Markets ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
The Cost

Significance Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are pursuing ambitious natural gas plans that depend on relatively high-cost non-associated gas developments. Impacts The cost of gas in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE will rise, creating further pressure to reform domestic markets. Hoped-for LNG export opportunities are unlikely to be realised in the short-to-medium term. Initial phases of assessment will determine whether the targeted prospects are genuinely commercial. Gas production will be intimately linked with refinery and petrochemical expansion plans.

Gulf states’ quarrels may damage Israel in Gaza

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Intelligence Sharing ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
Security Affairs ◽  
Gulf Arab ◽  
Palestinian Issue

Significance Informal ties between Israel and some of the Gulf Arab monarchies in economic, intelligence, and security affairs are growing, encouraged by the prospect of a US-mediated rapprochement on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Impacts Iranian and salafi-jihadi threats could boost Israel’s mutual intelligence-sharing with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Any dramatic deterioration in relations with Iran could encourage Gulf Arab monarchies to reach out to Israel as a deterrent signal. Closer cooperation with Arab countries may reduce pressure on Israel to agree to an independent Palestinian state.

Oman-Iran relations will survive pressures

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
Gulf Crisis ◽  
Formal Relations ◽  
The One

Subject Oman-Iran relations Significance Oman is the only Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member that maintains formal relations with all states in the region, including Iran, which has fallen out with the two most powerful GCC states, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Oman’s diplomatic channel to Tehran enables it to play the role of mediator between the United States and its Arab allies on the one side and Iran on the other. Indeed, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Sultan Qaboos on May 16 to discuss alleged Iranian threats. Impacts An outbreak of hostilities between the United States and Iran would leave Oman isolated from other GCC states. Oman would reap economic benefits as a transshipment centre for Gulf states if Saudi Arabia and the UAE fight with Iran. A worsening Gulf crisis would increase smuggling between Iran and Oman, with Tehran eager to keep supplying Huthi rebels in Yemen.

Mauritania’s Gulf ties will survive local rebalancing

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Financial Support ◽  
Abu Dhabi ◽  
Apparent Contradiction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
Return Home ◽  
Liberal Approach

Subject Outlook for Mauritania's ties with the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Significance President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani has recently sought to reaffirm the strong partnerships with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that were cultivated by his predecessor, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, even as he pursues a markedly more liberal approach to domestic political affairs. Prominent exiles were allowed to return home earlier this month. This raises an apparent contradiction, given the two Gulf states’ endorsement of Ould Abdel Aziz and his repressive internal policies. Impacts Riyadh and Abu Dhabi will remain key sources of financial support for Nouakchott. A 2-billion-dollar aid package from the UAE will likely be disbursed over many months or perhaps several years. As the new chair of the G5 Sahel, Ould Ghazouani will seek to sustain hitherto inconsistent Emirati and Saudi support for the bloc.

Prospects for the Gulf states in 2018

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Gulf Cooperation Council ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
Crown Prince

Subject Prospects for the Gulf states in 2018. Significance The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) saw dramatic political changes in 2017. Mohammed bin Salman advanced to become Saudi crown prince. The GCC also split in a way not seen since its foundation in 1981, after three members -- Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain -- launched a boycott of Qatar in June.

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