Banking services are perhaps the largest industry that caters to -the needs of various segments of the population reflecting the diverse Diasporas of the society. Moreover, perceived service quality tends to play a significant role in high involvement (high interaction between customers and service providers) industries like banks. Also, banks often have long-term business relationships with customers. In addition, the banking sector is large enough to capture and represent almost all the critical features of the customer-perceived service quality and the critical dimensions of excellence that the management may have to encounter, in order to effectively manage a service organisation. . However, there is considerable lack of literature with respect to service industry management, especially in the banking industry of developing economies. Therefore an analysis of banks in the UAE from a 'service-quality perspective' may sound interesting at this juncture. Such an investigation is vital for the bankers in order to enhance their business performance. The main objective of this research is to develop a theoretical framework to understand and explore CSFs for banks that succeed in the field of TQM and to identify marketoriented activities that are affected by the use of this approach. This research adapts an interdisciplinary approach that makes use of TQM, service quality, IT, and information systems literature. It takes a holistic view of TQM in the banking sector and considers the different stages of implementation and implications of the TQM. The research design involves a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies to incorporate: (1) TQM development; (2) the identification of key TQMsuccess factors commonly cited in the literature, and endorsed by practitioners and experts as important to effective TQM implementation; (3) an in-depth case studies. approach to understand how TQM processes, and critical success factors identified are addressed and implemented; and (4) the possible impact of TQM practices on efficiency. Furthermore, the research framework, which emerged from the literature search, is tested and validated by rigorous quantitative analysis using SPSS. The statistical analysis using Factor Analysis, Regression Analysis, One-Sample Test and Ranking Analysis to test a series of relationships and research constructs to provide solid support for the resulting relationships. i The study has identified twelve CSFs for the successful implementation of TQM: (1) Top Management Support, (2) Strategy, (3) Continuous Improvement, (4) Benchmarking, (5) Customer Focus, (6) Quality Department, (7) Human Resource Management, (8) Quality Technology,. (9) Service Design, (10) Employees, (11) Servicescapes, (12) Quality Systems. Furthermore, it *has been found that the organisational experiences of TQM implementation in-the service- sector in UAE are far from being mature. There is a lot of evidence with reference to the survey results and case studies presented in this study that TQM is still a new management concept, and is widely unknown. In many cases, there is some reluctance to introduce it. . The study has pointed out the CSFs for successful TQM implementation because it is vital for organisations to capture the minds of everybody, starting at the top and permeating throughout the whole organisation and beyond. The philosophy maintains that an organisation's primary objective is to enhance its ability to meet customer requirements by improving the quality of its services. People are the most important management resource and ultimate goal of business. TQM generally means a quest for excellence, creating the right attitudes and controls to make prevention of any possible errors, and optimise customer satisfaction by increased efficiency and effectiveness. Further, this study points out TQM as being an organisation-wide activity which has to reach every employee. Therefore, TQM has been an. approach for continuously improving the quality of services delivered through the participation at all levels and functions of the organisation. From this study, it is evident that the effectivetransformation to TQM has been linked to the extent to which firms implement certain CSFs. This study contributes to the emerging literature on TQM in banking sector in a number of specific ways: (1) It provides new theoretical grounds for studying TQM in banking sector in the context of CSFs that affect competition in the dynamic marketplace; (2) It computes and analyses the total quality management indices with respect to the 16 factors which have been developed from the literature for the banking industry as a whole; (3) It ascertains the level of TQM implementation in the UAE banking scene; (4) It Offers key insights on the criticality of the different TQM dimensions with respect to the banking sector in UAE and (5) It provides a foundation and proposals for future research and investigation.

Being a rapidly developing country the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has realised the need for highly qualified and properly skilled manpower to cope with the country‟s ambitious development plans. This has resulted in high investments in education and training in the UAE. The government facilitated high technological tools for education. These tools suffered from underutilisation and a failure to be properly integrated in the curricula. The literature review indicates that today‟s knowledge-driven economy demands a workforce equipped with complex skills such as creativity and collaboration. Universities must not only teach the necessary technical skills and knowledge, but also the culture of creativity and teamwork. The learning theories emphasise the importance of learning by doing and collaboration processes to achieve effective learning. Learning theories also emphasise the importance of teaching creative skills to the students. These approaches are congruent with use of technologies, such as visual design studio (VDS), for the purpose of architecture education in design courses, but such use is lacking in the UAE. The present research focuses on implementing and evaluating technologies such as the VDS in architecture education in an attempt to formulate a framework for implementing technologies combined by creative and collaborative skills in the UAE. Since implementing a new technology into education practice is complex task, this work will formulate a framework that will help in shifting from the traditional learning to learning with technology. This work will take into consideration factors such as pedagogical issues, collaboration creative work and architecture practice and industrial needs in the UAE. The aim of the current research is to formulate a framework for implementing VDS at the conceptual end of the architecture design education in the UAE. This research will apply an action research method framework. The action research will be generated into three phases. Each phase will consist of three stages, the descriptive stage which will analyse the need and criteria of the method, the constructive stage which will include the process involved in constructing the framework and the evaluative stage which will include the testing and evaluation. The resulting framework should satisfy the UAE‟s needof advanced technological tools for enhancing design education taking in consideration the socio-cultural dimension of the UAE. As technology is changing rapidly; future research should concentrate on adding further technological tools such as mobile learning. Also as this work provided a framework for integrating technology in architecture design education, yet it is not limited to this discipline only. Other disciplines could benefit from this emerging model and further research could be conducted.

This thesis investigates the interaction of student learning approaches and course design at a tertiary institution in the United Arab Emirates. The students involved in the study were mostly male students attending an English for academic purposes program. This study employed a mixed methods design utilizing questionnaires and interviews. The students completed the Revised Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) to assess their learning orientation along the deep and surface approach dimensions. The questionnaire results on the deep and surface dimensions were inconclusive. However, the results of a factor analysis suggest a disposition among the students towards attainment of satisfaction from learning. The evidence from the interviews indicates that the students were highly disposed towards practical learning outcomes, especially when these were linked to career skills. Interview evidence also points to the role of social relations amongst the students and with teachers as important learning factors. Finally, the interview analysis suggests the importance of affective factors. The results of separate questionnaires administered to a small group of faculty and the students at large, along with the interview data, indicate that the English for academic purposes courses broadly supported deep learning approaches. However, contextual factors at the college led to a highly structured and outcome based approach to the course curricula. Although the courses may have been supportive of deep learning approaches for most of the students, the courses’ prescriptive and structured approach may not have been optimal for high achievers. The implications of the findings of this study for EAP courses in the Gulf context are discussed as well as their implications for learning theory.

This study researches a rapidly growing area of interest in the financial services industry, that is,operational hsk management, with special focus on the mitigation phase. Operational risk management has accelerated in importance in the financial services over the last two decades for many reasons, not least of which is the well-known catastrophic failure of large banks such as BCCI, Barings and Indymac, as well as the recent Global Financial Crisis. One of the main drivers behind such bank failures was the failure of the banks' managements to manage effectively and efficiently their operational risk exposure. The focus of this study is operational risk mitigation in the United Arab Emirates Commercial banking industry. A controversial issue with operational risk was deciding on an agreed and accepted definition within the financial services industry. It has been defined by Basel Committee on Banking Supervision as "the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems or from external events. This definition includes legal risk, but excludes strategic and reputational risk." This definition captures a wide spectrum of risk categories such as fraud risks, people risks, legal risks and compliance risks, to name a few. Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, a Committee of banking supervisory authorities established by the central bank Governors of the Group often countries in 1974, published in June 2006 a document called the "International Convergence of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards - A Revised Framework Comprehensive Version" known as Basel II Accord, which requires banks, among many other things, to sustain capital adequacy to cover their operational risk exposures. This Accord was the result of a number of consultative documents issued by the same Committee which focused increasing attention on the need for operational risk adequate and efficient management. Bank managements are facing increasing pressure to ensure that operational risk exposures are being managed effectively and efficiently. This extended the main momentum for the study, being the first independently sponsored study of how the UAE commercial banks have developed their operational risk management frameworks as a basis for mitigating the range of operational risk exposures they encounter. The operational risks that prompted the current Financial Crisis and how they were mitigated in the context of the UAE commercial banks gave further momentum to the research. The study addresses the various key players in operational risk management and is, therefore, interdisciplinary. The foundations from which the field work was undertaken were based on theoretical propositions in the area of decision making since the process of mitigating an operational risk is rooted in making a decision. Multiple case studies were used in the design for the research to answer the research question and establish the practices in operational risk mitigation in the UAE commercial banking industry. Leading UAE commercial banks were carefully chosen as representatives of this industry. The findings of the research are in line with the conclusions of Basel Commiltee on Banking Supervision that the main responsibility for operational risk management, and therefore mitigation, is vested in operational managers. The analysis demonstrates that (hey do not do this independently, but are supported by other experienced people in this field. A model and check-lists of operational risk management, and therefore mitigation, is proposed demonstrating the complexity of the whole process due to the nature and the scale of operational risks. The thesis concludes by discussing some further potential research suggestions in this ever-growing area of interest.

The Objectives of this research is to raise the awareness of the leaders and executives, from both the Business/Management and IT, to the role of ICT in organizational e-transformation, specifically in UAE, to enable them better facilitate their roles and responsibilities. Global Information and Communication Technology (ICT) changes and their Business/Management consequences have their regional reflections, shades, and effects. During the last few years, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) federal government in general, and Dubai government in particular, initiated and deployed progressive and ambitious steps towards the implementation of E-government. The main objectives being to better serve all government stakeholders, by enabling reductions in cost, time and effort. Each department/directorate formed its own leading teams, to achieve the Etransformation projects. These teams, supported by International consulting firms, and starting with targeted attainable objectives developed solutions that achieved fast and encouraging results. These results encouraged additional steps to be taken. The process continued, and many departments/directorates - having their Information Systems (IS) and Information Technology (IT) related solutions in place - believed that their goals had been achieved or almost achieved. Upon execution of the next phase, which required connecting departments/directorates together (Government to Government: G2G stage), many serious technical problems were raised. Problems arose with respect to information exchange, database structures, file formats, uniformity and integrity of applications, hardware scalability and interoperability, and integration, accompanied with related management and financial problems. This produced IT islands of information that had to be managed and shared more efficiently. This highlighted the following issues: 1) The absence of an enterprise detailed and integrated plan to: A) Harmonically harnessing the best of Business and IT strategies, infrastructures, and processes (business-IT alignment) B) Perfect Integration, Coordination and Cooperation inside and outside the organization, supported and facilitated by new Governance structure (business-IT alignment) C) The need for Integrated Enterprise Architecture Framework (IEAF): characterized by Wholeness, Intel-connectedness, in addition to Multidimensional solution, maintaining Alignment, Standards, Scalability, Interoperability, and Integration characteristics 2) The absence of "conscious transformation" leadership, to transform leader and employee mindset and behavior, to develop supportive to change culture. This influenced the determination and support for self and organizational transformation. This required revealing the implementation of E-transformation drivers in the UAE organizational E-transformation, and classifying them into two categories: Major ICT based drivers Technology Business-IT alignment, Enterprise Architecture Project management Minor ICT based drivers Leadership Vision and Strategy Stakeholders Continuity This research focuses on the Major ICT based drivers, mainly, the business-IT alignment, and the need for an Integrated Enterprise Architecture Framework. In order to prove the above, the researcher integrated the utilization of the "case study analysis" methodology, augmented by an "interview/questionnaire" The research revealed that most of the UAE government organizations are in the second stage - with some traits of the third stage - on the level of five stages (levels of maturity) with respect to the Business/IT alignment. Meanwhile, the IEAF is either not formulated yet, or in its initial stages. Additionally, the research revealed the following: Critical Success Factors, Identification of deficiencies, Areas for improvement, identified problem areas, and proposes a "Framework milestones for sustained E-Transformation".

Desde a formação do Sistema Árabe de Estados, na esteira do processo de descolonização, a retórica do nacionalismo árabe tem sido o pano de fundo sobre o qual as relações políticas intra-árabes se desenvolveram. Contudo, as relações que se estabelecem entre os Estados árabes estão muito aquém da unidade, tendo se caracterizado mais pela desintegração. A literatura sobre a integração política no Mundo Árabe aponta diversos fatores envolvidos no aparente contra-senso representado pelo discurso unificador nacionalista árabe e a ausência de integração na região, dentre eles a ingerência externa, a dependência econômica externa, os problemas relacionados ao equilíbrio de poder intra-árabe, as tensões entre soberania estatal e o discurso pan-arabista e a ausência de complementaridade econômica regional. Esses fatores foram analisados nesse trabalho, em diferentes períodos selecionados para estudo, a saber: 1954-1973; 1973-1990; e 1991-2004; tendo como referencial teórico o Realismo Estrutural, conforme proposto pela Escola Inglesa de Relações Internacionais. Na tentativa de responder ao questionamento que guiou essa pesquisa – o que condiciona o Mundo Árabe a viver uma permanente fragmentação, a despeito de todo o discurso unificador do arabismo? – buscou-se identificar quais desses fatores apontados pela literatura sobre integração no Mundo Árabe tiveram um peso relativo maior para o fenômeno não integrativo intra-árabe, no que concluiu-se que apenas a falta de complementaridade econômica regional não teve um papel relevante para a ausência de integração política intra-árabe entre os anos de 1954 e 2004.

Desde a formação do Sistema Árabe de Estados, na esteira do processo de descolonização, a retórica do nacionalismo árabe tem sido o pano de fundo sobre o qual as relações políticas intra-árabes se desenvolveram. Contudo, as relações que se estabelecem entre os Estados árabes estão muito aquém da unidade, tendo se caracterizado mais pela desintegração. A literatura sobre a integração política no Mundo Árabe aponta diversos fatores envolvidos no aparente contra-senso representado pelo discurso unificador nacionalista árabe e a ausência de integração na região, dentre eles a ingerência externa, a dependência econômica externa, os problemas relacionados ao equilíbrio de poder intra-árabe, as tensões entre soberania estatal e o discurso pan-arabista e a ausência de complementaridade econômica regional. Esses fatores foram analisados nesse trabalho, em diferentes períodos selecionados para estudo, a saber: 1954-1973; 1973-1990; e 1991-2004; tendo como referencial teórico o Realismo Estrutural, conforme proposto pela Escola Inglesa de Relações Internacionais. Na tentativa de responder ao questionamento que guiou essa pesquisa – o que condiciona o Mundo Árabe a viver uma permanente fragmentação, a despeito de todo o discurso unificador do arabismo? – buscou-se identificar quais desses fatores apontados pela literatura sobre integração no Mundo Árabe tiveram um peso relativo maior para o fenômeno não integrativo intra-árabe, no que concluiu-se que apenas a falta de complementaridade econômica regional não teve um papel relevante para a ausência de integração política intra-árabe entre os anos de 1954 e 2004.

Desde a formação do Sistema Árabe de Estados, na esteira do processo de descolonização, a retórica do nacionalismo árabe tem sido o pano de fundo sobre o qual as relações políticas intra-árabes se desenvolveram. Contudo, as relações que se estabelecem entre os Estados árabes estão muito aquém da unidade, tendo se caracterizado mais pela desintegração. A literatura sobre a integração política no Mundo Árabe aponta diversos fatores envolvidos no aparente contra-senso representado pelo discurso unificador nacionalista árabe e a ausência de integração na região, dentre eles a ingerência externa, a dependência econômica externa, os problemas relacionados ao equilíbrio de poder intra-árabe, as tensões entre soberania estatal e o discurso pan-arabista e a ausência de complementaridade econômica regional. Esses fatores foram analisados nesse trabalho, em diferentes períodos selecionados para estudo, a saber: 1954-1973; 1973-1990; e 1991-2004; tendo como referencial teórico o Realismo Estrutural, conforme proposto pela Escola Inglesa de Relações Internacionais. Na tentativa de responder ao questionamento que guiou essa pesquisa – o que condiciona o Mundo Árabe a viver uma permanente fragmentação, a despeito de todo o discurso unificador do arabismo? – buscou-se identificar quais desses fatores apontados pela literatura sobre integração no Mundo Árabe tiveram um peso relativo maior para o fenômeno não integrativo intra-árabe, no que concluiu-se que apenas a falta de complementaridade econômica regional não teve um papel relevante para a ausência de integração política intra-árabe entre os anos de 1954 e 2004.

This thesis explores the role and impact of leadership as a socially constructed and aesthetic phenomenon in tribal-dominated Bedouin Arabia. The concept of leadership is investigated in terms of its discursive and aesthetic dimensions across different geographical, historical, and intellectual settings by adopting and applying a Foucauldian perspective of interconnected concepts of power/knowledge, discourse, subjectivity, body symbolism and the power of gaze. The thesis draws on three related types of data: First, images to understand the leaders’ perspective. Second, interviews with artists to gain insights into the visual message and the creative process. Third, through semi-structured interviews with the audience to garner an understanding of how it perceives the message leaders send. This thesis contributes theoretically to ongoing research into the visual representation of leadership and to critical debates concerning Foucauldian perspectives on discourse, power, discipline and the body. This thesis concludes by recommending practical implications for rethinking leadership as something both aesthetic and mythical to consider the role of followership in the consumption of leadership-themed visual artworks and communication, and the growing global role and influence of social media in shaping leader-follower relations.

Scholars in the international business field have presented various findings on international entry mode strategies, yet few were conducted on the Middle East. However, a recent study has presented a new form of entry mode used among multinational corporations (MNCs) in the Middle East where foreign companies tend to form partnership with individuals (local sponsor) rather than corporations when entering the market. The entry mode is presented as “sponsorship” entry mode, which is a new form of entry used by MNCs. It allows MNCs to enter the market in a similar way of joint venture, however, instead of finding a partner to penetrate the market MNCs are required to find a local sponsor. The thesis purpose is to examine the case of United Arab Emirates (UAE) as one of the most attractive countries for foreign investors in the Middle East. In addition, the thesis will provide a deeper understanding of the “Sponsorship” entry mode and the different criteria needed to select a local sponsor. To get a deeper understanding of the subject, a qualitative approach has been followed. Additionally, the data was collected through semi-structured interviews with senior managers and CEOs, which were based on the literature review to get rich findings. The literature review presents several theories and models that helped to analyse the data collected from the interviewees. Moreover, a conceptualize framework was added in the literature review chapter to summarise and illustrate a primary framework that provides an idea on the “sponsorship” entry mode.  By analysing the data that were collected, the outcome of the research reviled various forms of local sponsors that could be chosen based on the criteria needed to guarantee a successful entry. The findings have also provided insightful examples of different challenges that could be faced when establishing a sponsorship through a local sponsor and the different strategies used to cope with such challenges. The outcome of this study has provided a deeper understanding of the “sponsorship” entry mode and the different selection criteria needed to select a local sponsor. Finally, the thesis concluded the study by providing answers to the research questions and summarizing the answers into the revised conceptual framework.