Inter-organisational knowledge sharing between airport security organisations has become increasingly vital to maintain the highest standards of security and public safety. Social networks are considered a significant space for knowledge sharing within and across organisations. The purpose of this research is to investigate inter-organisational knowledge sharing in social media between key organisations in policing and airport security. A cross-sectional case study strategy combining qualitative and quantitative methods was employed to investigate the use of social media in inter-organisational knowledge sharing in the context of airport security in the UAE. Findings showed that the structural characteristics within knowledge sharing were highly centralised and polarised with low intensity in knowledge sharing. Social capital was constrained at a relational level due to cultural factors of trust, risk aversion and power distance that influenced a closed culture and reduced the scope for tacit knowledge sharing practices as well as low level cognitive capital. Analysis of dimensions of the SECI model for knowledge creation revealed that knowledge and the process of knowing was impacted by cultural distinctions that constrained socialisation, externalisation, combination and internalisation processes. The key barriers to knowledge sharing were identified and associated with trust, risk aversion, organisational culture, resource constraints and interoperability factors. This study makes a contribution to theory and practice in terms of the relationship between social capital dimensions and knowledge creation processes and the characteristics of knowledge-sharing within social media. The study further adds to knowledge on the antecedents of inter-organisational knowledge sharing, particularly in the Arabic context. / UAE Government and Ministry of Interior

This thesis aims at investigating the importance of effective implementation of health safety and hygiene legislations and practices in Health Care delivery systems. A new System Based Approach for Strategic Implementation of Occupational Health & Safety Practices is proposed in this thesis. The underlying principle of the approach is based on involvement and inputs from staff and management rather than by pre-specified requirements and objectives. Furthermore, the development process is a closed loop process that provides a mechanism for continuously evaluating system performance and monitoring activities that have considerable impact on health and safety practices. A case study was conducted in the medical laboratories of five major hospitals in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Data were collected through questionnaires, staff interviews, and reviewing laboratory safety reports compiled over a three years period. The main conclusions from this study are: 1. The proposed approach has proven to be useful in analyzing existing health and safety systems. The methodology and tools proved to be instrumental in defining inefficiencies and determining the status of the Health & Safety policies & practices in the selected medical laboratories. 2. Effective implementation of the proposed approach has shown improvements in productivity, operational cost, service quality, staff and management satisfaction. 3. The case study has demonstrated that a developing country such the UAE, with no previously existing Health & Safety legislation and little risk prevention culture, can rapidly and effectively introduce effective industry specific H&S by adopting an integrated systems based approach. 4. UAE has highly advanced and economically developing base, there is a general willingness at senior level within the UAE to achieve high levels of competence and standards in all industrial sectors. 5. CAP is a system based management tool which has been implemented globally, but only limited in the gulf region; CAP has been implemented by the author and colleges within Zayed Military Hospital between 2003-2007.

The objective of the current study is to explore and identify the Critical Success Factors (CSFs), which impact upon the effective implementation of Human Resource Development (HRD) initiatives in support of nationalisation, and to recommend a model for practical application and future research. Accordingly the study focused on identifying and analysing the various factors in the localisation of a workforce with regard to five broad categories, namely: national level factors, organisational (policies and practices related) factors, organisational (HR related) factors, individual level (expatriate and experienced staff related) factors and individual level (UAE national related) factors. The data for the study was collected using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative methods were used to develop an in-depth case study of the Emiratisation process in an oil and gas organisation, as well as for identifying the critical success factors to be included in the survey questionnaire for collecting the quantitative data. The results of the study indicated that the critical success factors identified in the study are part of a complicated reality and need to be managed to ensure success of the localisation of a workforce. The mean scores obtained on the various factors differed significantly across the organisations or sub groups of respondents used in the study. This indicates that the impact of various factors that facilitate or constrain the localisation efforts are highly contextual and organisation specific. The findings of the study revealed valuable insights that could enrich not only future research in the area, but also the practical application of HR tools and methods to support the localisation process. The current study also developed a model for practical application and future research in the area. The model identified the role of HR strategies and tools as critical for managing the CSFs and ensuring the success of the process of localisation. The model developed in the current study also emphasises the need to define the 'success' of localisation in much broader terms, by addressing complex issues such as, employee morale and motivation, expectations of all employees, including expatriates and so forth, rather than just focusing on the number of UAE nationals employed and their competencies. The current study also identified some of the limitations of the study and highlighted suggestions for future research.

This thesis aims at investigating the importance of effective implementation of health safety and hygiene legislations and practices in Health Care delivery systems. A new System Based Approach for Strategic Implementation of Occupational Health & Safety Practices is proposed in this thesis. The underlying principle of the approach is based on involvement and inputs from staff and management rather than by pre-specified requirements and objectives. Furthermore, the development process is a closed loop process that provides a mechanism for continuously evaluating system performance and monitoring activities that have considerable impact on health and safety practices. A case study was conducted in the medical laboratories of five major hospitals in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Data were collected through questionnaires, staff interviews, and reviewing laboratory safety reports compiled over a three years period. The main conclusions from this study are: 1. The proposed approach has proven to be useful in analyzing existing health and safety systems. The methodology and tools proved to be instrumental in defining inefficiencies and determining the status of the Health & Safety policies & practices in the selected medical laboratories. 2. Effective implementation of the proposed approach has shown improvements in productivity, operational cost, service quality, staff and management satisfaction. 3. The case study has demonstrated that a developing country such the UAE, with no previously existing Health & Safety legislation and little risk prevention culture, can rapidly and effectively introduce effective industry specific H&S by adopting an integrated systems based approach. 4. UAE has highly advanced and economically developing base, there is a general willingness at senior level within the UAE to achieve high levels of competence and standards in all industrial sectors. 5. CAP is a system based management tool which has been implemented globally, but only limited in the gulf region; CAP has been implemented by the author and colleges within Zayed Military Hospital between 2003-2007.

The objective of the current study is to explore and identify the Critical Success Factors (CSFs), which impact upon the effective implementation of Human Resource Development (HRD) initiatives in support of nationalisation, and to recommend a model for practical application and future research. Accordingly the study focused on identifying and analysing the various factors in the localisation of a workforce with regard to five broad categories, namely: national level factors, organisational (policies and practices related) factors, organisational (HR related) factors, individual level (expatriate and experienced staff related) factors and individual level (UAE national related) factors. The data for the study was collected using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative methods were used to develop an in-depth case study of the Emiratisation process in an oil and gas organisation, as well as for identifying the critical success factors to be included in the survey questionnaire for collecting the quantitative data. The results of the study indicated that the critical success factors identified in the study are part of a complicated reality and need to be managed to ensure success of the localisation of a workforce. The mean scores obtained on the various factors differed significantly across the organisations or sub groups of respondents used in the study. This indicates that the impact of various factors that facilitate or constrain the localisation efforts are highly contextual and organisation specific. The findings of the study revealed valuable insights that could enrich not only future research in the area, but also the practical application of HR tools and methods to support the localisation process. The current study also developed a model for practical application and future research in the area. The model identified the role of HR strategies and tools as critical for managing the CSFs and ensuring the success of the process of localisation. The model developed in the current study also emphasises the need to define the 'success' of localisation in much broader terms, by addressing complex issues such as, employee morale and motivation, expectations of all employees, including expatriates and so forth, rather than just focusing on the number of UAE nationals employed and their competencies. The current study also identified some of the limitations of the study and highlighted suggestions for future research.