Yes / The adoption and diffusion of electronic government is often impeded by many social and individual factors relating to citizens. In this respect, intermediaries have emerged as a new model for delivering e-government services to overcome such obstacles. This study aims to examine the role of intermediaries in facilitating e-government adoption and diffusion using a survey based empirical study of 502 participants in Madinah City in Saudi Arabia. An extended UTAUT model is used as the theoretical basis utlising trust in the Internet and Intermediaries. The results of this study show that there are significant relationships among the factors that influence intention to use e-government, namely, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and trust of intermediary. In addition, the findings show that there is a significant relationship between facilitating conditions and usage behaviour proving that intermediaries can influence adoption of e-government services.

This philosophical-descriptive dissertation makes a detailed analysis of the background and problems of the adult literacy program in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and proposes recommendations for improvement of this program. The purpose of the study is to describe and critically analyze the Islamic religious tradition, Saudi Arabian social structure, the roles of Saudi Arabian men and women, the role of nomads in Saudi society, usage of Classical and modern Arabian dialects, current instructional materials and media used in adult literacy education and current educational resources, finance and personnel.

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the relationship of formal elementary education to the social, cultural, economic and physical environment of the Bedouin in Hail Province, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has modernized rapidly, but the Bedouin have remained isolated from the urban changes. A total of 240 Bedouin elders were interviewed in group meetings in the Bedouin camps. Eight teachers who taught hygiene, history, geography, mathematics, and reading and forty students selected by the use of random tables were interviewed at Al Zahra elementary school in Mawqiq village which was near the Bedouin camps. The researcher designed a set of questions to find cultural characteristics of the tribe as well as attitudes toward education and the value of formal education to the Bedouin either in their nomadic existence or in the village. A cultural ecology approach was used in analyzing the data. Much of the information obtained through fieldwork was not available from other sources at this time. The researcher observed the social environment, analyzed school textbooks, and reviewed current literature on the subject of Bedouin education. The Bedouin environment was found to be a harsh desert setting, but the Bedouin had a long and proud history. Neither local geography nor history of the Bedouin was included in the school curriculum. Textbooks did not include Bedouin culture, and teachers did not encourage discussion or applications of learning to the Bedouin students. It was discovered that the Bedouin had not changed as much as the rest of the country, and were in need of special educational programs in order to enable them to fit into the modern world of Saudi Arabia whether they stayed in the desert or went to find jobs in the city. Using a cultural ecological perspective, it was found that the school was not integrated into other features of Bedouin society. The information developed by this study can be used by other researchers to enable them to plan programs especially for the Bedouin children in school, to write new textbooks, to train teachers to work with Bedouin students, and, in general, to understand and appreciate the Bedouin culture as it exists today and has existed for many centuries.

Review of the literature on the currently available services for special needs children and early intervention programs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, supports the fact that early intervention services for young special needs children and their families are very limited. The present study aims at determining the importance of early intervention services for children with special needs and their families. The study also aims to firstly identify the need for establishing more early intervention programs across the country as well as to give suggestions for effective utilization of the presently available services. Secondly, the study focuses on determining the needs o mothers of children with intellectual and physical impairments. Thirdly, the study aims to assess the extent to which the available services are benefiting the special needs children and their families. A descriptive research study was conducted on a sample of 27 mothers of young children with intellectual and physical impairments. Three questionnaires were designed and distributed to obtain information about the following issues: 1) the current early intervention services available for young. special needs children in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries. 2) the background information of the families of the sample. 3) the needs of the mothers in the sample. The data was qualitatively analyzed and interpreted by comparing frequencies and their corresponding percentage values. Results of this study indicated that the majority of the mothers expressed severe and moderate need for more information about their child's impairment; and needed more services and intervention programs for their child. Results from the study also established a relationship between some of the socio-economic background variables and the different categories of needs. Finally, some of the needs of the mothers were met with the early intervention services provided by the centre where the study was conducted. / Inclusive Education / D.Ed.(Special Education)

In 2001 when this research commenced, there was little understanding in Saudi Arabia of the opportunities digital art could provide for artists, how it could be integrated with or used instead of painting, and the effects the enlarged vocabulary could have in communicating difficult social issues. As a result, this study aimed at filling a gap in knowledge through reviewing contemporary Saudi art. This, in turn, helped me to understand the position of my practice. The study also aimed at developing a means of expression in which traditional art can be combined with digital media and showing how this combination provides a new direction for Saudi art by raising awareness in Saudi Arabia about complex issues. In addition, the study aimed at determining the acceptability of this new form of art to artistically literate Saudi artists through gathering audience’s reactions to the developed artefacts. This study comprised of several stages: discovering the state of art in Saudi Arabia and where it fits into the global stage; documenting my journey as an artist and understanding my practice; the creation of the installation and its reception, all of which was documented in a reflective journal. Through reflecting on my practice, I transformed my work from simple traditional pieces of art to more complex installations concerning everyday gender politics. I interviewed 20 practicing artists, noting that the majority of their work used traditional forms of art rather than digital art. A week-long exhibition on gender differences in Saudi Arabia was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The feedback from the exhibition showed that, although there is not a strong appreciation of digital art in Saudi Arabia, the audience was able to understand the different components of the installations and the underlying issues being portrayed. They were able to bring their own experiences to the situation and reflected on the installations accordingly. The study contributes to knowledge by providing a review of contemporary Saudi Artists as there is no significant literature that documents this in Saudi Arabia. It also contributes to knowledge by exploring and developing artefacts that incorporate different technologies and by showing that digital media and traditional art can be used together to articulate complex social issues arising in everyday Saudi life. Finally, it fills a gap in knowledge of how Saudi audiences engage with works that use a combination of traditional and new art to express such issues.

Thesis (MCur (Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Nursing documentation is the written evidence of nursing practice and reflects the accountability of nurses to patients. Accurate documentation is an important prerequisite for individual and safe nursing care. It is a severe threat for the individuality and safety of patient care if important aspects of nursing care remain undocumented. Nursing staff cannot rely on information that is not documented. Every patient is important and unique hence every patient’s care is individualised and different according to his/her needs. This is why important aspects of his/her care need to be documented. Ultimately, the documentation practices reflect the values of the nursing personnel (Isola, Muurinen and Voutilainen, 2004:79-80). The goal of this study was to investigate documentation of nursing care with reference to current practices and perceptions of nurses in a teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia Specific objectives of the study were:  to identify whether the hospital policies are being carried out  to identify whether the procedures regarding current documentation are being carried out and  to explore the perceptions of the nurses regarding the current documentation practices. Research Methodology For the purpose of this study, a non-experimental descriptive design with a quantitative approach was used. The study was carried out at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The total population of 90 registered nurses were used in this study. Questionnaires were distributed to the participants and they were answered with no identities written on the questionnaires. After the questionnaires were completed, it was posted in a box and was collected by the researcher. The questions are straightforward, easily understood, unambiguous, non-leading, objectively set and aimed at obtaining views, experiences and perceptions of documentation of nursing care. . Involvement of participants was voluntary and non-coercive. Data analysis were carried out with the support of a statistician, expressed in tables, frequencies and statistical associations were done between various variables based on a 95% confidence interval. The study revealed that:  Hospital policies are being carried out N=76 (95%)  Procedures pertaining to documentation of nursing care are being carried out N=67(83,7%).  Nurses N=45(56,3%) indicated that paper documentation included a lot of paperwork.  The Cerner (computer system) is regarded as the best system ever used for documentation of nursing care N=44(55%)  The Mycare system (medication ordering system) is regarded as the most reliable, user-friendly system and nurses are happy with it N=68(85%) Recommendations are:  Nurses still need to be taught about the hospital policies  Nurses should be taught the correct procedure on documenting the patient data  Nurse clinicians and managers should check the Cerner for compliance with regard to documentation of physical assessment when conducting audits  Use of paper for nursing documentation should be minimized by shifting some of the nursing documentation procedures from paperwork to electronic version  Continuous updating, in-service training and monitoring to keep nurses abreast with the dynamic nature of computer usage  Reviewing of the system, troubleshooting and suggestions from users need to be attended to on a continuous basis  It is recommended that a backup system (generator) is in place to ensure continuity of documentation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die dokumentering van verpleegsorg is die skriftelike bewys van die verpleegpraktyk en weerspieël die toerekenbaarheid van verpleegsters teenoor pasiënte. Noukeurige dokumentering is ’n belangrike voorvereiste vir individuele en veilige verpleegsorg. Dit is ’n ernstige bedreiging vir die individualiteit en veiligheid van pasiënte-sorg, indien belangrike aspekte van verpleegsorg nie gedokumenteer word nie. ’n Mens kan nie inligting vertrou wat nie gedokumenteer is nie. Die versorging van elke pasiënt is belangrik en uniek. Dit is waarom belangrike aspekte aangaande haar/sy versorging gedokumenteer behoort te word. Uiteindelik weerspieël die dokumenteringspraktyke, die waardes van die verpleegpersoneel (Isola, Muurinen en Voutilainen, 2004: 79-80). Die doel van die studie was om dokumentasie van verpleegsorg met verwysing na huidige praktyke en persepsies van verpleegkundiges in ‘n opleidingshospitaal in Saudi Arabia te ondersopek. Spesifieke doelwitte was  om vas te stel of die hospitaal se beleidsrigtings toegepas word  om vas te stel of die prosedure t.o.v die huidige dokumentering uitgevoer is  en’n ondersoek na die persepsies van verpleegsters aangaande die huidige dokumenteringspraktyke Vir die doel van hierdie studie is ’n nie-eksperimentele beskrywingsontwerp met ’n kwantitatiewe benadering gevolg. Hierdie studie was in King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Jeddah, in Saudia Arabia gedoen. ’n Totale bevolking van 90 geregistreerde verpleegsters was betrokke. Vraelyste was versprei na die deelnemers en is naamloos beantwoord, sonder dat hulle identiteite op die vraelys aangebring is. Na voltooiing van die vraelyste, is dit in ’n houer geplaas en deur die navorser afgehaal. Die vrae is direk, eenvoudig, maklik verstaanbaar, ondubbelsinnig, nie-afleibaar, objektief opgestel en is daarop gemik om gesigspunte, ervaringe en persepsies oor dokumentering van verpleegsters te verkry. Betrokkenheid van deelnemers was vrywillig en nie afdwingbaar nie. Data is getabuleer en in histogramme en frekwensies voorgestel. Deur die Chi-square- toets te gebruik, is statisties betekenisvolle assosiasies tussen veranderlikes bepaal. Bevindinge sluit die volgende in:  Die hospitaalbeleid word toegepas N= 76(95%)  Prosedure t.o.v. dokumentering aangaande verpleegsorg word uitgedra N=67(83,7%)  Verpleegsters het aangedui dat dokumentering op papier, baie papierwerk behels N=45(56,3%)  Die Cerner (rekenaarstelsel) word beskou as die beste stelsel ooit in gebruik vir die dokumentering van verpleegsorg N==44(55%)  Die Mycare stelsel (medisyne bestellingstelsel) word beskou as betroubaar en gebruikersvriendelik, en een waarmee verpleegsters gelukkig is N=68(85%). Aanbevelings is gemaak, gebaseer op die volgende bevindinge:  Dit is steeds nodig dat verpleegsters die hospitaal se beleidsrigtinge geleer moet word  Verpleegsters moet die korrekte prosedure aangaande die dokumentering van die pasiënt se data geleer word  Verpleegklinici en bestuurders moet die Cerner nagaan ter voldoening van die dokumentering van fisiese waardebepalinge tydens ouditeringe  Die gebruik van papier vir verpleegdokumentering behoort afgeskaal te word deur van die praktyk van papierwerk na elektroniese dokumentering te skuif  Voortdurende bywerking van data, indiensopleiding en monitering van verpleegsters om hulle op die hoogte te hou van die dinamiese aard van rekenaargebruik  Hersiening van die stelsel, foutspeurdery en voorstelle van gebruikers moet op ’n voortdurende basis aandag geniet.

Thesis (MCurr)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Saudi Arabia has experienced a number of changes due to revolutionary new findings and technologies, discoveries and new research in the health care arena, which has proven and contradicted a new approach to health care delivery. Demands by patients who have become more educated, the emergence of new or modern disease profiles which demand a new way of approach and a quickening in the pace of change, hurled unfamiliar and often demanding and challenging conditions at management One such change, as addressed in this study, is the change from a paper-based patient record system to a computer based patient information system to which all healthcare professionals in the multidisciplinary team had access to. However, not all change is welcomed, accepted or viewed as necessary by those who have to carry out or use new technologies. Change is harsh, and part of the problem is identifying factors that influence change initiatives. This study addresses the perceptions of nursing personnel of the process of change from a paper-based to a computer based (Quadramed) patient record system. The study design used a quantitative and descriptive approach in which a structured, self-designed questionnaire was used to obtain data from 117 professional nurses at a selected healthcare facility in the Eastern province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The theoretical framework used for this study was the Model for Change Management as designed by the Prosci Institute for Research, also referred to as the ADKAR Model of Change Management (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement). The major findings of this study revealed that 97.44% of the respondents were non-Saudi individuals, and were mainly from the Philippines (69.24%), with (95.65% being female with an average age of 37-42 years. Most (47%) were in possession of specialty qualifications in medical, surgical nursing and experience between 8-10 years, of which 2-3 years had been in Saudi Arabia. In regard to 61.3% of the respondents it was found that they had no prior knowledge of computerised patient records. The nurse managers played a vital role in providing the most information and support to adjust to the system. With reference to the aspect of patient safety, positive feedback about the QCPR was provided by the majority of respondents. Most of the respondents experienced change positively, and 70% indicated that being involved played a major role in their positive attitude. Recommendations include that reasons for change should be more clearly communicated, suggestions for change should be valued more by managers and rumours and uncertainties about change should be addressed as and when appropriate. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Saoedi-Arabië het 'n aantal veranderinge ondervind as gevolg van revolusionêre nuwe bevindings en tegnologie, ontdekkings en nuwe navorsing in die gesondheidsorg arena, wat 'n nuwe benadering tot die lewering van gesondheidsorg bewys en weerspreek. Eise deur pasiënte wat meer geletterd is, en nuwe en moderne siekte profiele eis 'n nuwe benadering tot verandering. Die versnelling in die tempo van verandering is dikwels onbekend, veeleisend en uitdagende vir die bestuur van gesondheidsinstellings. Een so 'n verandering, soos dit in hierdie studie aangespreek word, is die verandering van 'n papier-gebaseerde na 'n rekenaar-gebaseerde pasiënt inligting stelsel wat aan alle lede van die multidissiplinêre gesondheidsorg span toegang verleen. Nogtans word nie alle verandering verwelkom, aanvaar of as nodig beskou deur diegene wat die dienste uitvoer of die nuwe tegnologie moet gebruik nie. Verandering is gekompliseerde proses, en deel van die probleem is die identifisering van faktore wat 'n invloed op die veranderings inisiatiewe het. Hierdie studie fokus op die persepsies van die verpleegpersoneel tydens die proses van verandering van 'n papier-gebaseerde tot 'n rekenaar gebaseerde (Quadramed) pasiënt rekord stelsel. Die studie-ontwerp gebruik 'n kwantitatiewe, beskrywende benadering wat 'n gestruktureerde, self-ontwerpte vraelys gebruik om data te verkry van 117 professionele verpleegsters by 'n geselekteerde gesondheidsorg fasiliteit in die Oostelike Provinsie van die Koninkryk van Saoedi-Arabië. Die teoretiese raamwerk wat gebruik word vir hierdie studie was die model vir veranderingsbestuur soos ontwerp deur die Prosci Instituut vir Navorsing, waarna ook verwys word as die “ADKAR Model of Change Management” (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement). Die belangrikste bevindings van hierdie studie het aan die lig gebring dat 97,44% van die respondente was nie-Saoedi-individue nie, en was hoofsaaklik van die Filippyne (69,24%), met (95,65%) vroue met 'n gemiddelde ouderdom van 37-42 jaar. Die meeste (47%) was in besit van gespesialiseerde kwalifikasies in mediese, chirurgiese verpleeging. Die meeste van die respondente het tussen 8-10 jaar ervaring in verpleegkunde gehad, waarvan 2-3 jaar in Saoedi-Arabië was. Met betrekking tot 61,3% van die respondente dit is gevind dat hulle geen vorige kennis van die gerekenariseerde pasiënt rekords gehad het nie. Die saal bestuurder het 'n belangrike rol gespeel in die verskaffing van die meeste inligting en ondersteuning om aan te pas tot die nuwe stelsel. Met verwysing na die aspek van die veiligheid van pasiënte, is positiewe terugvoer oor die QCPR voorsien deur die meerderheid van die respondente. Die meeste van die respondente het ook die verandering positief ervaar, en 70% het aangedui dat hul betrokkenheid 'n belangrike rol gespeel het in hul positiewe gesindheid. Aanbevelings sluit in dat die redes vir verandering duidelik gekommunikeer behoort te word, voorstelle vir verandering moet erkenning kry deur bestuurders en gerugte en onsekerhede oor verandering moet aangespreek word soos en wanneer toepaslik.

Thesis (MCurr)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Literature suggests that job satisfaction and retention of nurses can be improved by empowering nurses in decision making (Mark, Lindley & Jones, 2009:120; Mangold, Pearson, Schmitz, Scherb, Specht & Loes, 2006:266; Manojlovich, 2007; and Scherb, Specht, Loes & Reed, 2010:2). Positive work environments such as those found in Magnet® accredited hospitals and those where management models have flat hierarchical structures, support the decisional involvement of registered nurses. Decisional involvement is described as “the pattern of distribution of authority for decisions and activities that govern nursing practice policy and the practice environment” (Havens & Vasey, 2005:377). The purpose of this study was to explore the decisional involvement of registered nurses in a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia. It is hypothesized that an empowering shared governance structure will result in a high level of decisional involvement of registered nurses who provide direct patient care. A quantitative study with a descriptive exploratory design was chosen to answer the research objectives. Through simple random sampling, n=140 registered nurses who provide direct patient care (target population N=672) and through non-probability purposive sampling n=18 nurse managers (target population N=21), participated in the study. A self-administered questionnaire was designed which included a validated tool, namely the Decisional Involvement Scale (Havens & Vasey, 2003:333). A pilot study was completed to test the validity of the self-designed sections of the questionnaire. Numerical data was analysed using STATISTICA v. 11.5 while the open-ended questions were analysed and placed into themes. It was found that registered nurses who provide direct patient care have low levels of actual and preferred decisional involvement, implying that the authority for decisional involvement lies with managers. The hypothesis that empowering shared governance structures will result in a high level of decisional involvement is not supported. There was no statistical difference identified between bedside Registered Nurses (bedside RNs) and nurse managers in the overall perception of decisional involvement. Factors that were identified to impact on decisional involvement included educational level, experience, leadership styles, the work environment and a culture of shared decision making. It is recommended that the focus to improve the decisional involvement of registered nurses who provide direct patient care should be on addressing those activities where more decisional involvement is preferred, while concurrently addressing those factors that were identified which would impact on the decisional involvement of all registered nurses. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Literatuurstudies dui aan dat bemagtiging van verpleegkundiges in die proses van besluitneming tot meer werksbevrediging en retensie sal lei. Positiewe werksomgewings soos die by Magnet geakkrediteerde hospitale en die met plat hiërargiese bestuursmodelle dra by tot betrokkenheid van geregistreerde verpleegkundiges in besluitneming. Betrokkenheid by besluitneming word beskryf as ‘die wyse waarop outoriteit versprei is sodat besluite en akwiteite wat verpleegpraktykbeleid en die praktykomgewing bepaal, uitgevoer kan word’ (Havens & Vasey, 2005:377). Die doel van die studie was om die betrokkenheid te bepaal van geregistreerde verpleegkundiges by besluitneming in ‘n tersiêre hospitaal in Saoedi-Arabië. Die hipotese is dat ‘n bemagtigende, gedeelde bestuurstruktuur sal lei tot ‘n hoë vlak van deelnemende besluitneming by geregistreerde verpleegkundiges verantwoordelik vir direkte verpleegsorg. Die navorsingsdoelwitte is beantwoord deur middel van ‘n kwantitatiewe studie met ‘n beskrywende, ondersoekende ontwerp. Geregistreerde verpleegkundiges (n=140) wat direkte verpleegsorg lewer (teikengroeppopulasie N=672) is gebruik as deelnemers in die studie. Verpleegdiensbestuurders (n=18) is ook gebruik as deelnemers en gekies deur nie-waarskynlike, doelbewuste steekproefneming (teikenpopulasie N=21). ’n Self-toegepasde vraelys is ontwerp, met insluiting van ‘n geldig verklaarde Besluitnemende Betrokkenheidskaal (Havens & Vasey, 2003:333). ‘n Loodsstudie om die geldigheid van die selfontwerpte deel te bepaal, is voltooi Numeriese data is ontleed deur middel van STATISTICA v. 11.5. Oop-einde vrae is ontleed en in kategorieë georganiseer. Daar is gevind dat geregistreerde verpleegkundiges wat direkte pasiëntsorg lewer, laer vlakke van werklike en verkose betrokkenheid het in besluitneming, wat aandui dat die outoriteit vir besluitnemende betrokkenheid by bestuurders lê. Die hipotese dat bemagtigende gedeelde bestuurstrukture tot ‘n hoë vlak van deelneming in besluitneming sal lei, word nie ondersteun nie. Daar was nie ‘n beduidende statistiese verskil tussen geregistreerde verpleegkundiges wat by die bed betrokke is en verpleegdiensbestuurders met algehele waarnemingsbetrokkenheid by besluitneming nie. Geïdentifiseerde faktore wat ‘n rol speel by betrokkenheid by besluitneming behels opvoedkundige vlak, ondervinding, leierskapstyle, die werkomgewing en ‘n kultuur van gedeelde besluitneming. Daar word aanbeveel dat aktiwiteite waarby geregistreerde verpleegkundiges wat direkte pasiëntsorg lewer, verkies om meer betrokke by te wees tydens besluitneming, aangespreek word. Terselfdertyd moet geïdentifiseerde faktore wat ‘n rol speel in die betrokkenheid van besluitneming van alle geregistreerde verpleegkundiges ook aangeroer word.

The coastal plain called Tihama forms the principal agricultural zone which makes Jizan one of the main agricultural regions in the Arabian Peninsula. The Saudi government has keenly appreciated this wealth of Jizan and explored developing its potential in the mid-1940's. However, the pace of agricultural development in Jizan has been very slow, and an actual decline has been registered in traditional agriculture. This stagnation is caused by constraints imposed by unfavorable "institutional arrangements," i.e., those incentives and disincentives which are the product of the political economy of the country. Problems facing agricultural development in Jizan are explained within the context of the country's institutional arrangements. The contribution of the spatial structure of Jizan and the lack of sufficient impact by the urban/industrial complex of this region are detailed as causes for this problem. To its credit, the Saudi government imposes neither taxes nor restrictive economic policies on agriculturalists. Moreover, general financial support for farmers and investment in public projects are benefiting the agricultural sector of Jizan. These factors led to the evolution of the modern tubewell farming system in Jizan which began in 1961/62. Existing incentives are overshadowed by disincentives which are hampering agricultural and general regional development in Jizan. Unfavorable farm policy, such as subsidization of foodstuff imports, and out-migration due to unequal regional growth in the country, accelerated a process of agricultural decline in Jizan. Until 1962 this decline was not arrested by government investment due to the lack of funding. Ironically, the rise in revenue from oil exports seems to have undermined the need for agricultural development in Jizan. Recent government efforts to develop the country's agricultural sector yielded a farm policy which is unfavorable to Jizan. Projects which are vital for this region's agriculture have been implemented only recently, or as in the case of many irrigation projects, have not yet been built. In the 1980's Jizan, which had 14% of the country's agricultural land, received only about 1% of the value of loans provided by the government to farmers. As a result, Jizan remains a region with substantial, but still unrealized potential.

No description available.