Search Results (159)

Due to globalization, companies are exposed to a culturally diversified workforce; therefore, great emphasis is placed on identifying the most effective leadership style that would be able to manage such a workforce. Although numerous studies have attempted to identify successful leadership styles in different cultural settings, none have focused on the perceptions of top managers who work in multinational corporations (MNCs) in culturally diversified surroundings. Thus, our research attempts to identify the most preferred leadership style and characteristics from the perspective of top managers in MNCs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The 13 leadership characteristics analyzed in this study were generated from the 21 characteristics found by Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) research. The participants, top managers in MNCs, needed to evaluate leadership styles by considering leadership characteristics. To ensure the objectiveness of the study, we analyzed their answers by applying the Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method. The results indicated that the most preferred leadership characteristics were visionary, inspirational, collaborative team-oriented, and performance-oriented. Moreover, the transformational leadership style emerged as the most preferred leadership style. The study’s findings show that top managers believe that employees in MNCs in the UAE seek a leader with a vision who will inspire, motivate, and help them fulfill their true potential. Full article

This study investigates the key factors enabling the transition from distributor-based models to direct operations among companies in Saudi Arabia, in alignment with Vision 2030’s goals of economic diversification and operational efficiency. The study is based on quantitative data collected from 528 questionnaire responses representing diverse industries and professional roles. The results highlight that technological integration and regulatory negotiation are essential for a smooth transition to direct operations. Furthermore, environmental sustainability practices and stakeholder involvement significantly affect the adoption of this transition, often acting as moderators and mediators. The findings emphasize the importance of aligning operational strategies with national development goals to enhance efficiency and resilience. This study also examines how transitioning to direct operations impacts financial efficiency and contributes to improved financial performance and sustainability. This study provides practical recommendations for policymakers and business leaders to address operational challenges and improve their financial and operational performance. Full article

In 3D virtual environments, effective information presentation relies on clear label layouts to annotate complex objects. As label density increases, structured and adaptive layouts become critical to prevent visual clutter and maintain clarity. However, existing label layout methods often overlook the issue of double vision between labels caused by binocular disparity. Additionally, discrete update strategies in 3D label layouts struggle to maintain layout quality during viewpoint changes due to their limited real-time adaptability. To address these issues, this paper presents a binocular 3D dynamic label layout method based on a continuous updating strategy within a force-based framework, generating real-time binocular layouts to minimize visual confusion. Computational evaluation and a user study demonstrate that the proposed method significantly reduces double vision, as quantified by a reduction in double vision degree of up to 15.74%, along with label overlap and leader line crossings. The results further indicate that our approach surpasses existing methods in clarity, aesthetics, adaptability, and user satisfaction, while reducing label reading time and alleviating users’ physical and effort demands, particularly in high-density label environments. Full article

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), characterized by the integration of advanced digital technologies, is transforming industries globally and significantly impacting leadership practices, particularly in the healthcare sector. As organizations adapt to this digital evolution, the demand for effective leadership becomes increasingly critical. This paper explores Leadership 4.0, a framework that identifies the skills and competencies required for successful leadership in the digital age. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) with qualitative insights gathered through case studies and the Delphi method, involving healthcare leaders, to investigate leadership practices in organizations undergoing digital transformation. Through case studies and literature reviews, the research seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the changing leadership landscape, addressing the unique challenges and opportunities presented by digital transformation in healthcare. The findings indicate that effective Leadership 4.0 requires a combination of digital literacy, strategic foresight, and emotional intelligence. Leaders must exhibit adaptability, drive innovation, and foster a culture of continuous learning to navigate the complexities of digital transformation successfully. The study also emphasizes the importance of internal branding as a critical strategy for aligning employees with the organization’s mission and digital vision, thereby fostering collective commitment to transformation objectives. Key challenges include resistance to change and the ongoing need for upskilling, while opportunities lie in leveraging digital innovations to enhance organizational performance. Full article

Societies need to develop more sustainable ways of living, working, and doing business. Education for sustainable development (ESD) plays a pivotal role in this endeavor. The aim is to provide people with the necessary knowledge, values, and skills for the needed transformation. Therefore, organizations of adult and continuing education must address issues of climate protection and sustainability in their programs and act accordingly in the way the organization is managed. This article reports on a qualitative study that involves leaders of adult education institutions in China, Germany, and the USA. This study seeks to investigate what these leaders do and how they act to implement ESD in their organizations. It specifically looks at current challenges, management strategies, beliefs, and values of the leaders. The results of this study show that leaders of adult and continuing education organizations recognize the need to address sustainability in adult education. However, they face many challenges in implementing ESD, including a lack of resources (e.g., finances and staff), structural barriers, and difficulties in reaching new target groups. Despite these challenges, many participants strive to develop their organizations in a more sustainable way, such as through curriculum design and campus management. Some leaders take a comprehensive approach, guided by the Whole Institution Approach, by integrating ESD into their institution’s vision and mission, establishing dedicated working groups, and forming new partnerships with external stakeholders. Overall, this study highlights the crucial role of leadership in advancing sustainability efforts. Full article

The circular economy has emerged as a pivotal strategy for cities to reconcile economic growth with environmental sustainability. However, its implementation in resource-dependent Gulf Cooperation Council contexts remains underexplored. This study is among the first to empirically assess circular economy readiness in a Gulf Cooperation Council industrial hub through a mixed-method approach, bridging the gap between expert perceptions and localized policy implementation. Focusing on the Dammam Metropolitan Area, Saudi Arabia, a critical industrial anchor for Saudi Vision 2030, this study combines a cross-sectional survey of 230 policymakers, industry leaders, and academics with descriptive/inferential statistics (SPSS) and qualitative thematic coding (NVivo). The findings identify renewable energy (mean = 4.10) and municipal waste management (mean = 3.78) as top sectoral priorities, aligning with national sustainability goals. Yet systemic challenges, including fragmented governance, limited public awareness (mean = 3.65), and funding gaps (mean = 3.52), underscore disparities between Vision 2030’s ambitions and localized capacities. Statistical analyses reveal strong associations between institutional fragmentation and financial inefficiencies (χ² = 23.45, * p = 0.010), while mid-career workforce dominance (54.8%) and underrepresentation of policymakers (6.5%) highlight governance gaps. The current study advocates hybrid strategies: stricter waste regulations (40.0% stakeholder priority), circular economy training programs, and public–private partnerships to scale waste-to-energy infrastructure and industrial symbiosis. Despite pragmatic optimism (48.7% foresee 21–40% recycling by 2030), limitations such as reliance on expert perspectives and exclusion of citizen voices necessitate future interdisciplinary and longitudinal research. By aligning regulatory rigor with inclusive governance, the Dammam Metropolitan Area can model a Gulf-centric circular economy transition, advancing regional sustainability while contributing actionable insights for resource-dependent economies globally. Full article

As Saudi Arabia accelerates its Vision 2030 agenda, sustainable urban development has emerged as a critical pillar for economic diversification and climate resilience. This study investigates the role of green municipal bonds (GMBs) as a catalytic financing tool to address funding gaps in low-carbon infrastructure and renewable energy projects within the Kingdom’s arid, fossil-fuel-dependent context. Employing a mixed-methods approach—combining qualitative case studies of global best practices (e.g., Gothenburg, Cape Town) and quantitative analysis of Saudi municipal financial data—we evaluate the feasibility of GMBs in bridging fiscal shortfalls while aligning with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. The research introduces a novel conceptual framework that integrates regulatory harmonization, stakeholder coordination, and Shariah-compliant financial mechanisms, tailored to Saudi Arabia’s socio-economic and climatic realities. Key findings reveal that GMBs could cover 40% of municipal revenue gaps, attract global ESG investors, and reduce carbon emissions by 30% through projects such as NEOM’s renewable grids and Riyadh’s urban greening initiatives. By addressing underexplored intersections of fossil-fuel transitions, arid-climate governance, and Islamic finance, this study advances sustainable urban scholarship and offers actionable policy recommendations, including a phased roadmap for GMB adoption and the establishment of a Saudi Green Bond Taskforce. The results position Saudi Arabia as a regional leader in climate-resilient finance, providing replicable insights for resource-dependent economies pursuing carbon neutrality. Full article

Healthcare professionals require comparable knowledge and abilities in hospital financial administration. In addition, many physicians are not equipped to manage the leadership roles that healthcare systems require, namely the capacity to express a vision, convey it to others, garner willing support for it, and enable others to be leaders in return. Previous studies have demonstrated that physicians often lack financial literacy, while a recent systematic review and meta-analysis showed that healthcare professionals lack adequate financial literacy, although top healthcare practitioners and executive nurse leaders are encouraged to develop knowledge and abilities outside of their clinical specialty. The need for medical practitioners to receive training and experience in medical leadership has also been discussed in earlier studies. In Greece, evidence regarding the financial literacy levels and leadership skills among healthcare professionals is lacking, although physicians and nurses are required to obtain managerial and administrative roles as they progress in their positions. Our objective was to assess healthcare professionals’ levels of financial literacy and investigate the relationship between financial literacy and leadership skills in Greece. We conducted a prospective, multi-centered, question-based survey among healthcare professionals in several institutions in Northern Greece. Participants were asked to fill out basic demographic questions, the OECD/INFE Toolkit for Measuring Financial Literacy and Financial Inclusion 2022, and the Leadership Skills questionnaire, translated into Greek. The factorability of the questionnaires was examined with factor analysis, while the internal consistency was examined with Cronbach’s alpha. A linear correlation of leadership scores with financial literacy scores was performed with the Spearman rho, and multivariate regression analysis examined the correlation of the leadership score with financial literacy scores, adjusted for the type of task, education, status, gender, and age. The overall financial literacy score for all healthcare professionals was 69.14 ± 13.25%, which was higher compared to the average for the Greek population. Male healthcare professionals with administrative tasks had significantly higher overall financial literacy and digital financial literacy scores than females, or professionals without administrative tasks, as well as higher scores in all areas of leadership. Physicians had significantly higher overall financial literacy scores than nurses and significantly lower digital financial behavior and digital finance trend scores. Still, physicians scored significantly lower than nurses in all areas of leadership skills. There was a strong correlation between overall financial and digital financial literacy scores with leadership skills scores. Future research is warranted to explore how formal financial and leadership education included in the training programs of healthcare professionals would empower physicians by enabling them to make proactive decisions regarding their financial and managerial destiny. Full article

The health and social care needs of children and adults with disabilities are often neglected in many low- and middle-income countries. International opinion favours the creation of community-based supports rather than the institutional and clinic-based care that has dominated to date. However, models of care that are reliant on community leadership have been slow to develop within and across less affluent countries. Moreover, the managerial models inherent in institutional-based care are likely to be inadequate in such settings. This descriptive study aimed to explore the leadership qualities required in initiating and sustaining community-based supports. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 16 leaders of projects in Africa, Asia, and South America. They included people with sensorial, physical, and intellectual disabilities as well as non-disabled leaders of local and national projects plus others whose leadership was at a regional or international level. Two main questions were addressed: what are the qualities required to function as a community leader and how can these qualities be nurtured in low resourced settings? The insights gained would inform the preparation and training of community leaders. Thematic content analysis identified three core themes: first, personal qualities such as empathy with an understanding of the personal circumstances of persons in need of support; second, communicating clearly the vision and values informing their work; and thirdly, building and mobilising community support from families and neighbours. The nurturing of leadership comes through mentoring and coaching, the empowerment of others, networking opportunities, and the development of inter-personal and communication skills. These themes were commonly expressed across the 16 leaders from all the participating nations and at all levels of responsibility, which suggests a universality of approach in relation to people with disabilities. The findings are in marked contrast to current practices in health and social care that have valued professional expertise over lived experience, knowledge, and technical skills over compassion and empathy, and the provision of person-centred “treatments” over developing community and personal self-reliance. Nonetheless, the challenges involved in establishing and sustaining new styles of leadership are many and will not be quickly resolved. Full article

The integration of sustainability in education has gained global attention as a critical component of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Within the United Arab Emirates (UAE), significant efforts have been made to incorporate sustainability into national policies, reflecting the country’s vision for sustainable economic, social and environmental development. Within the context of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), this research aims to investigate the alignment between national sustainability policies and their practical implementation in secondary schools, with a focus on identifying barriers and proposing actionable recommendations to enhance the integration of sustainability into education. This study employs a qualitative case study design with content analysis of data gathered from interviews and focus groups collected from a total of 21 teachers, school leaders, heads of departments and government officials, alongside the review of 14 relevant key policy documents. Key findings include a gap between policy and implementation, lack of a unified framework, resource disparities, and several barriers and strengths. This research concludes with recommendations to address these challenges, so that the UAE can strengthen its position as a leader in sustainability education, further aligning its national vision with global SDGs. Full article

This study investigates the influence of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure on the profitability of Saudi-listed non-financial firms in the context of Saudi Vision 2030. The study uses a sample of 100 non-financial organizations from 2019 to 2023 (500 firm-year observations). This study uses panel data analysis and a random-effects regression model to examine the relationship between ESG disclosure and firm profitability as assessed by return on assets (ROA). To assess ESG disclosure, this study developed a comprehensive ESG disclosure index based on worldwide ESG guidelines and Saudi-related regulations. The regression results show a significantly positive relationship between ESG disclosure and firm profitability, emphasizing the financial benefits of corporate transparency and sustainability. This finding is consistent with the stakeholder theory, implying that firms with strong ESG commitments boost investor trust, improve risk management, and increase operational efficiency. Thus, this study adds to the ESG literature by presenting empirical evidence from Saudi Arabia, a growing country that is undergoing regulatory transition. Additionally, this study’s notable contribution is the development of a comprehensive ESG disclosure index tailored for the Saudi corporate landscape, integrating global reporting standards with local regulatory requirements. This index enhances the assessment of ESG transparency and offers a thorough tool for examining business sustainability strategies. The results offer substantial insights for policymakers, investors, and corporate leaders, emphasizing the significance of ESG in sustainable financial performance. Full article

This study examines the effect of female representation in boardrooms on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure in listed firms in Saudi Arabia. The study examined 200 highly polluting firms from 2019 to 2023 and constructed a robust ESG disclosure index with 62 items benchmarked against international and Saudi ESG disclosure-related guidelines, as well as well-grounded literature. The findings show that female representation on firm boards is positively and significantly associated with ESG disclosure, suggesting that Saudi-listed firms that ensure and promote female representation on their boards are more likely to provide more comprehensive ESG disclosures than others. The results highlight the role of board diversity in governance reforms and its alignment with Saudi Vision 2030’s gender inclusion goals. This study contributes to the corporate governance (CG) and sustainability literature by emphasizing how board gender diversity strengthens ESG reporting, regulatory compliance, and corporate resilience. The introduced findings are relevant for policymakers, investors, and corporate leaders seeking to foster sustainable business practices and improve ESG performance in emerging markets. Full article

Rapid urbanization in Saudi Arabia, fueled by economic growth and population expansion, has created substantial challenges for urban planning, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability. In response, smart cities have emerged as a transformative solution, integrating technological innovation with sustainable urban development. While the concept of smart cities has gained global traction, its practical application in Saudi Arabia remains in its early stages. This study investigates the potential of smart cities to tackle Saudi Arabia’s urban challenges, aligning with the objectives of Vision 2030. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines a theoretical analysis of global smart city frameworks with applied research, including field observations and policy analysis of Saudi initiatives. It explores the dynamic relationship between technology, governance, and sustainability, providing a comparative perspective that benchmarks Saudi efforts against international best practices. A central contribution of the study is the development of a multi-dimensional framework designed to advance sustainable smart cities in Saudi Arabia. This framework highlights key pillars such as data-driven governance, environmental resilience, social inclusivity, and economic innovation. By contributing to the broader discourse on sustainable urban development, this research positions Saudi Arabia as a potential regional leader in smart city implementation. Ultimately, the study highlights the transformative potential of smart cities to address global urbanization challenges, fostering resilient, equitable, and sustainable urban environments for future generations. Full article

Research has consistently shown that the instructional skills, or competencies, that teachers bring to the table influence the opportunities students have to learn. Teachers build those competencies over time, often through professional development (PD); however, they often cite PD as insufficient, in part because it can focus on the wrong competencies. In a series of focus groups, we systematically examined which teaching competencies teachers, teacher leaders, school administrators, and professional learning leaders identified as most critical for future PD efforts supporting K-8 mathematics and science teachers. In addition, we explored their stated rationales and their vision for how digital performance-based PD might support development of those competencies. Participants identified four competencies as most critical: (1) collaborative problem-based learning; (2) differentiation; (3) promoting engagement; and (4) eliciting student ideas. Rationales included ways in which they are essential for students, difficult to implement, and have insufficient support at present. Participants preferred the idea of digital and interactive role-playing PD over more traditional approaches, also citing the need for some agency in controlling the PD parameters and for the availability of rich feedback. Implications include the need for future research to incorporate stakeholder voice to close the gap between what is needed and what is provided and for follow-up studies to target a larger and more representative sample. Full article

Leading multidisciplinary teams requires not only strong leadership skills, but also a supportive organizational environment. This study examines the key characteristics necessary for adaptive leadership and identifies the main organizational factors that facilitate its development. A systematic literature review, following the PRISMA-P protocol, was conducted, analyzing 33 studies on the traits of adaptive leaders and relevant organizational factors. Based on these findings, we propose a conceptual framework representing the feedback cycle of the adaptive leadership process within organizations and present three propositions associated with this model. The results indicate that the primary characteristics of adaptive leaders include flexibility, empathy, innovation, and long-term vision. Conversely, organizations possess factors that can either facilitate or hinder the development of adaptive leadership, such as organizational culture, structure, innovation history, and strategy. The findings emphasize that orchestrating adaptive teams during times of crisis is especially challenging, requiring additional competencies in resilience and adaptability. This study contributes to the literature by identifying the essential capabilities of adaptive leaders and discussing key considerations for leaders and practitioners seeking to transition from traditional to adaptive leadership. Full article