Analysis of Electricity and Water Consumption in Existing Mosque Buildings in the UAE

According to the World Economic Forum, the building sector is responsible for 40% of global energy consumption and 33% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and this is expected to increase due to population growth and the subsequent impact on the environment, economy and health. To tackle the problem, countries have set new construction codes, policies and regulations for the construction of new buildings in an effort to make them greener. However, there is a need to enhance the status of the existing buildings, especially mosques, as they are the main contributors to energy usage and water consumption in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Therefore, this research seeks to fill this gap, aiming to evaluate the energy usage and water consumption practices employed in the existing mosque buildings within the UAE and to provide recommendations for improving the sustainability of mosques, with a focus on the environmental and economic pillars. The methodology relies mainly on data collected from 146 existing mosque buildings that have undergone energy saving audits across the UAE. Descriptive statistical analysis is performed to analyze the data from the period of 2018–2019 in order to determine the most significant factors related to energy inefficiency in existing mosque buildings in the UAE and to determine the most cost-effective and energy-saving corrective measures for energy and water conservation. The findings further enhance the standard of experience for mosque visitors (social aspect);reduce energy bill expenses, providing an acceptable return on investment from the proposed energy conservation measures for stakeholders (economic);and reduce the overall energy consumption, which can reduce the total CO2 emissions from mosque buildings (environmental).

Exploring the challenges for medical tourism in the United Arab Emirates during the Covid-19 pandemic era: a stakeholder perspective

PurposeThis paper explores medical tourism development challenges in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) pre- and during Covid-19. Medical tourism is becoming a dynamic, rapid growth area and an engine of economic development.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth interviews were conducted with medical tourism professionals. Fourteen medical tourism stakeholders were interviewed from 1 January to 31 January 2020. Qualitative thematic analysis was applied on medical tourism challenges before and during the pandemic.FindingsThe major themes indicated concerns for medical tourism in the UAE and they included higher medical services costs and a shortage of highly qualified medical expertise. The emerging themes related to the challenges of coping with Covid-19 and strategies to attract medical tourists.Originality/valueThis study contributes towards (1) the theory of medical tourism, (2) the related limited prior published work on this topic relating to the UAE and (3) the importance of medical tourism in today's tourism industry. Additionally, there are theoretical and practical implications for medical tourism stakeholders in terms of attracting inbound medical tourists to the UAE from other countries during the Covid-19 crisis and in the post-pandemic situation.

Multi-method simulation approach: multiple restaurants to multiple customers on-demand food delivery services in Dubai. (Special Issue: The impact of the covid-19 pandemic and the foodservice industries.)

Since early 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted various supply chains including the on-demand food delivery sector. As a result, this service industry has witnessed a tremendous spike in demand that is affecting its delivery operations at the downstream level. Previous research studies have explored one-to-one and many-to-one solutions to the virtual food court delivery problem (VFCDP) to optimize on-demand food delivery services in different cities. However, research efforts have been limited to multiple restaurant orders from only one customer which does not apply to traditional systems where multiple customers request on-demand food delivery from multiple restaurants. This study rigorously analyses multiple restaurants to multiple customers (Many-to-many) food delivery simulation models in ideal weather conditions that are constrained with multiple key performance indicators (KPIs) such as delivery fleet utilization (the number of couriers utilized over the fleet size), average order delivery time, and fuel costs. This research also benchmarks the on-demand food delivery queueing methodologies using system dynamics and agent-based simulation modeling where three on-demand food delivery routing methodologies are simulated including First-in-First-Out (FIFO), Nearest, and Simulated Annealing using AnyLogic. The results suggest that the Many-to-many (Nearest) method outperforms other delivery routing methods which would have positive implications on optimizing existing food delivery systems and managerial decisions.

What are tourism's growth drivers and challenges in the Middle East?

PurposeTourism in the Middle East is distinct and diverse, as are its associated challenges. The purpose of this paper is to examine the various opportunities and constraints facing the Middle East region in developing and promoting its tourism.Design/methodology/approachContent analysis of the current literature was conducted, and industry white papers and government portals were consulted to identify the historical relevance, current proceedings and future scope of tourism in the Middle East.FindingsGiven the diverse attractions, history, heritage and cuisine, the scope and potential to develop tourism in the Middle East region is enormous. However, political turmoil in the past and its stereotypical image emerged as the major constraints. Acknowledging the significance of the tourism sector, the governments of the region are trying hard to improve international arrivals and revenues.Originality/valueDespite a steep growth in international arrivals, tourism in the Middle East has not been adequately addressed in academia. This paper highlights the region's tourism-related background, issues and constraints, thus, addressing a critical gap in the literature.

Middle East tourism – Opportunities and solutions

PurposeThis paper aims to review the contribution made by the theme issue to the body of knowledge on tourism growth drivers and challenges in the Middle East and the subsequent impact of tourism growth drivers in the region in developing and promoting tourism.Design/methodology/approachA content analysis of the contributing articles featured in this theme issue was undertaken. Additionally, industry white papers and government portals were consulted to identify the historical relevance, current proceedings and future scope of tourism in the Middle East.FindingsThis summary article highlights the key outcomes relating to the tourism growth drivers and challenges in the Middle East that will assist in policy and decision-making by the pertinent stakeholders, especially in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Originality/valueDespite steep growth in international arrivals, tourism development in the Middle East has not been adequately addressed in academia. This theme issue highlights the region's tourism-related background, problems and constraints, thereby addressing a critical gap in the literature.

The transformational leadership role in achieving organizational resilience through adaptive cultures: the case of Dubai service sector

Purpose>This empirical research draws on the existing theory of transformational leadership, adaptive culture and organizational resilience, and investigates the effect of the elected TQM leadership style "transformational leadership” through the mediating effect of adaptive culture on organizational resilience, that is the key of survival during crises like the recent COVID-19 pandemic, which has severely impacted the business globally.Design/methodology/approach>This study exploited a cross-sectional online questionnaire of a random sample of Dubai service firms, with the unit of analysis being at the firm level. In total, 379 usable responses were received. Regression analysis was conducted to test hypotheses.Findings>The overall findings of this study supported that transformational leadership is positively associated with both adaptive culture and firm's resilience and significantly impacts them. Adaptive culture was found partially mediating the effect of transformational leadership on organizational resilience.Practical implications>The research findings provide important insights to practitioners (managers and leaders) to better improve their transformational qualities, as these qualities are expected to improve the organizational adaptive cultures and capacity of resilience.Originality/value>To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is one of the first studies to examine the transformational leadership effect on organizational adaptive culture and firm's resilience. This investigation expands the boundaries of leadership style theory into new arenas, attempting to partially address the identified knowledge gap in this vein.

Investigating the Impact of Remote Working on Employee Productivity and Work-life Balance: A Study on the Business Consultancy Industry in Dubai, UAE

The advancements in digitalization have sparked the way traditional work takes place. COVID-19 pandemic has also prompted a drastic change for modification of the usual work setting. These give rise to remote working, also known as telework, hot desking, work from home, hoteling, and a flexible work plan through which a worker achieves his/her tasks in a place remote from the customary office. Studies have found that remote working brings several challenges and benefits to workers. People who practiced remote working have shown an increase in their job performance and job satisfaction. However, other workers have expressed concerns on other aspects such as pressures in time management, loneliness due to less or absence of interaction among workers, and the feeling of being left out. This study aims to examine remote working and its impact on the productivity and work-life balance of the employees in the business consultancy industry in Dubai, UAE. This is quantitative research wherein descriptive and correlation research designs employing regression analysis were utilized. 96 employees working in the administration and office from different organizations in the business setup division were sampled using purposive sampling. Analysis of the responses demonstrated that remote working has a strong positive relation to employees’ productivity. However, results also showed that remote working has no significant impact on the employees’ work-life balance. On these bases, employers should take responsibility for the health and safety of the workers under their care whether or not the work is being done remotely. Similarly, employees should also take responsibility for themselves by carefully following the guidelines and procedures enforced by their employers. Further research is needed to identify other factors or variables that could bring fresh perspectives to elucidate the impact of remote working further.

Globalizing the DPRK? Domestic Developments and Cultural Globalization in North Korean Cuisine

Article Type: Research Paper Purpose-This paper aims to shed light on North Korean food culture, explore the ways in which North Korean cuisine has changed since the 1990s and the extent to which such changes are influenced by global food trends. Design, Methodology, Approach-Methodologically, this paper relies on secondary sources and prior analyses of North Korean society and culture in combination with autobiographical works, journalistic pieces, travel guides, and cookbooks. Findings-Domestic conditions, primarily social class and geography, determine the exposure to and enjoyment of global foodstuffs. Elites and Pyongyangites experience what the regime allows and puts forth;the rising dongu may consume more foreign products and be more aware of global consumer trends, but their access to such goods is geographically limited. Consumption patterns of the poorest North Koreans are shaped by survival mechanisms rather than global forces. The regime and North Korean diasporas are globalizing North Korean culture abroad. No country or culture exists in isolation, so elements of cultural globalization can be readily observed, even if fragmented and uneven. Practical Implications- This paper provides a useful synthesis and analysis for scholars, students, or anyone else interested in or researching cultural globalization, cuisine, or North Korean culture and society. Originality, value- North Korean culture is under-researched and systematically left out of discussions regarding food culture, cultural analyses, and globalization. This paper aims to remedy this neglect by including North Korea in these academic realms.

The Covid-19 Pandemic: As An Enabler Of Filipino Entrepreneurs In The Uae

The Covid-19 virus that has now turned into a much-maligned pandemic of epic proportions has not only cost the lives of millions everywhere but has also ushered an era of new normal. Battered economies are now slowly picking up and fighting hard to recover lost ground. Though emerging variants of the virus are thwarting attempts at full recovery, governments are on double-time to open up their respective economies to revitalize their business sectors and recoup lost revenue. Dubai authorities for example, are busy gearing up for the upcoming Expo 2020 that has been postponed for a year. Even the private schools in the country have announced a return to face-to-face classes in October this year - a much-needed show of normalcy. Other businesses are slowly coming to life again, thanks to the massive inoculation program of the government. Surprisingly though, a number of businesses not only survived the pandemic but were even started because of it, contrary to popular belief that all trading activities froze to a halt. This research focused on those businesses and the five brave entrepreneurs who started them as well as their reasons for venturing at the height of the crisis. The results showed familiar entrepreneurial themes like economic opportunity and innovation and creativity as primary motivators. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the themes list was topped by the Social Groups theme. This reflects the strong ties between the Filipino entrepreneurs and their social groups - who at the time of the Pandemic were all at once their beneficiaries, their benefactors, as well as their marketing tool.

Change Induced Factors On Small And Medium Sized Enterprises' Performance As A Consequence Of COVID 19 Disruption The Case Of United Arab Emirates

COVID 19 pandemic has become one of the biggest disruptor of progressive business operations in this century. The term, 'business un-usual is no longer a fad but a reality. This current era has come to be known as the 'COVID 19 pandemic times'. It has come to be typified with reduced business operations, business closures, restructuring, refocusing and downright activation of business plans and protocols which are rarely employed, like business continuity plans, risk management plans and strategic contingency plans. The phenomenon has been experienced all over the world, however this paper is based on the United Arab Emirates, more specifically the small and medium sized enterprises in its two northern emirates, the emirates of Sharjah and Dubai. With a review of oil based economy, the two emirates have been on an economic diversification model and hence the growth impetus of service industry like tourism and hospitality and manufacturing. These have seen the springing up of many SMEs competing to fill up the emerging opportunities as a result of the economic diversification. The role of SMEs in the entire UAE cannot be underscored since they critically have become one of the pillars of the economy. This paper tested whether the combination of an organisational processes, its manpower and industry relevant government policy has any significant effect on the firm's sustainable financial performance. For the purposes of the research, 400 hundred units were chosen randomly, which are within the stipulated sample criterion, since as at the end of the last quarter of 2019, there were 400,000 SMEs registered and actively doing business in the UAE. The response rate was 95.75 percent. This high response rate may be attributed to that fact that the questionnaire was online and in both English and Arabic. Piloting of the questionnaire had been done earlier in different emirate called Ajman and the results showed high reliabilityand consistency of the instrument. The findings indicated that the variable under study have a significant effect on the firm's sustainable financial performance. The regression model adopted indicated that the predictor variables could explain 15 percent of the outcome. The research therefore concludes that, for a positive impact on an organisations' sustainable financial performance, the three dependent variables, which were organisational processes, the manpower of the organisation and governmental interventions through appropriate policy framework are necessary. The researchers further recommend that other factors which contribute to the sustainability of the financial performance, non-financial performance or the overall performance, within all the seven emirates of the UAE may also be studied.

Blockchain for Governments: The Case of the Dubai Government

Blockchain technology is an innovative technology with the potential of transforming cities by augmenting the building of resilient societies and enabling the emergence of more transparent and accountable governments. To understand the capabilities of blockchain, as well as its impact on the public sector, this study conducted a review of blockchain technology and its implementations by various governments around the globe. E-government evolution is analyzed, based on empirical evidence from a Dubai government entity in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has utilized blockchain technology for developing end-user services, relevant to the public sector. Benefits achieved and challenges to overcome in such blockchain-based pilot deployments are discussed. The findings of this study offer new insights for practitioners involved in bringing in innovations for the benefit of society, using blockchain technology. Furthermore, it provides insights into policy actions to be developed to address the future challenges and to improve already existing e-government policies. The results of this research will benefit all blockchain-based pilot deployments by providing guidance and knowledge on this immature yet developing technology.

Marketing strategies in communicating CSR in the Muslim market of the United Arab Emirates: insights from the banking sector

Purpose>This paper aims to explore the online corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication by domestic and global banks operating in the United Arab Emirates.Design/methodology/approach>Through a qualitative content analysis, the study examines the strategies banks use to market their CSR initiatives on their corporate websites. CSR marketing strategies are classified with reference to Kotler and Lee’s (2005) categorization.Findings>The analysis indicates that overall, all CSR marketing strategies, as proposed by Kotler and Lee (2005), are used by the domestic UAE banks with the most frequently used being cause-promotion, philanthropy and socially responsible business practices. Government owned and conventional banks display patterns congruent to the communications observed in the global sample. Islamic banks have a less diversified approach relying mostly on philanthropy with only one Islamic bank using four of the six strategies.Originality/value>The present study provides insight into how CSR is communicated within one of the largest industries in the fast-growing economy of the UAE. The observations reported here could help corporate communication practitioners and managers in domestic corporations that contribute to the Islamic economy to understand how to benchmark better and to communicate more effectively about their CSR.

The Future of Medical Tourism for Individuals’ Health and Well-Being: A Case Study of the Relationship Improvement between the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and South Korea

The medical tourism industry has been growing rapidly in recent years as governments seek new sectors for sustainable growth. The increase in medical tourism and cooperation in the health and medical sector may be a path to improving relationships between countries. As a result of globalization, international tourism has been growing faster than any other time in the past. The growth of international tourism is being regarded as a contributor to the development of the economy, social cooperation, politics, and cultural relations. This paper suggests that developing medical tourism may act as a basis for increasing tourism in general, thereby enhancing cultural exchanges and improving the relationship between South Korea (Republic of Korea) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), especially by establishing a new cooperative relationship in the health and medical field. This paper focuses on the functions of medical tourism in the past and its potential in the future, which may play a significant role in the relationship between South Korea and the UAE, particularly its influence on South Korea’s policies of cooperation with the UAE in the field of health and medical services.

Dubai Expo Pavilions Put Public Diplomacy Front and Center

[...]the expo attracted one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse audiences in the more than 150-year history of such international expositions. At the Lithuania Pavilion, the laser industry was the prime focus, while Estonia highlighted its educated populace as a contributing factor to the global economy, with upper secondary and tertiary education attainment levels among the highest of the OECD countries. Public diplomacy works best in person;Expo's ability to open its gates during the pandemic served well towards its mission of connecting minds. [...]what became clear is that the pavilions we found most appealing were those with local representatives, like our Youth Ambassadors.

The Role of Emirati Women in Confronting Social Media Misconceptions on the Covid Vaccine

As disagreements rage about the source of the Covid-19 virus, one universal consensus has been established. It is that humanitys surest guarantee to curbing and mitigating the deadly pandemic is the discovery and wide administration of a vaccine to prevent infection, serious illnesses, and hospitalizations etc. As different countries grapple to roll out the covid vaccine, the world is confronted by another virus that could prove to undermine efforts at curbing Covid-19. Vaccine misinformation is playing into the hands of anti-vaccine groups who are taking advantage of social media platforms that are easily accessible and devoid of editorial gatekeeping to propagate often unfounded rumors about vaccine efficacy and safety. As a result, today, vaccine hesitancy is undermining the efforts put in place to fight the virus. Despite this, today the UAE is among the top three countries in the world with the highest vaccinated population. This paper attempts to provide insight into the uptake of Covid vaccine among Emirati women. The paper assumes that the decision to take covid vaccine or not is, among others, a product of information and perception. Given the centrality of social media as a source of information to most people in the UAE, we inquire into its role in shaping perceptions and attitudes on the covid vaccine among Emirati women. Our findings reveal that over 84% of respondents are vaccinated and factors that account for such vaccine uptake among Emirati women are both general and specific and center around communication and government policy. The paper concludes that contrary to established stereotypical images of Middle Eastern, Arab, Muslim women as passive and laid back, the attitude of Emirati women towards the vaccine brings to fore the role of women in social change thereby challenging established stereotypes.

Pandemic Recalibrates Rules of Engagement for Gulf Expatriates

Unlike migration in many parts of the world, foreign workers in the Gulf region were subject to the 'Conditional Migrant Integration Model' to avoid granting of certain rights that would alter the prevalent socio-economic-political fabric. This ensured that expatriates remain in a state of "permanent impermanence". However, amid a combination of factors-transition from oil to post-oil economy, economic slowdown, and intra-regional economic competition-Covid19 has served as a disruptor of the rules of engagement between the regional governments and the expatriate population, including women. Recognizing the benefits of retaining talented and wealthy expatriates, some of the Gulf countries have rolled out multiple strategies, including reforming the Kafala system, offering longer durations of residence, and even potential citizenship, which is viewed as "conditional inclusion". Using a combination of empirical data from secondary sources, laced with anecdotal evidence, this research paper delves into these changes, analyzes their impact on the future of Gulf expatriates and their contracts with their governments, assesses the impact on the delicate citizen-expatriate alignment, as well as the contradictions in some of these measures, especially nationalization of the workforce.

Online Customer Reviews and Satisfaction with an Upscale Hotel: A Case Study of Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai

The main purpose of this study is to explore the insights of customers’ reviews from the upscale hotel Atlantis, The Palm in the Dubai area. The data was collected from the SCTM 3.0 (smart crawling and text mining) platform developed by the Wellness & Tourism Big Data Institute at Kyungsung University. A total of 2051 online reviews were collected from the period from 29 October 2018 to 29 October 2021. The following steps were conducted by RStudio and UCINET 6.0 to analyze the collected data and to visualize the results. The results showed the top 50 keywords customers used in the reviews, such as ‘great’, ‘amazing’, or ‘service’. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and linear regression analysis were applied for an in-depth understanding of customer satisfaction. The analysis results demonstrated that the ‘value’ and ‘dining’ factors had a negative influence on overall customer satisfaction. These findings could provide managerial and marketing insights for upscale hotel managers when formulating and implementing strategies and tactics to improve customer satisfaction.

Deciphering Tourist Shoppers' U-commerce Readiness: Current Challenges and Post-pandemic Concerns

Increased reliance and advancements in technology and a change of behavior amongst tourist shoppers due to the pandemic indicate the need to reconsider U-commerce technologies and applications, ensuring that the retailing industry is sustainable. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic it was not uncommon for shopping activities to be mediated by technology applications. However, the pandemic arguably improved consumers' comprehension and confidence of technological functionalities as shopping technology applications were increasingly embedded into individual lifestyles, especially as national populations have been under periodic lockdowns and restricted mobility. Few inquiries have focused on U-commerce implications as a consequence of COVID-19 and seriously contemplated potential implications for the post-pandemic era, particularly in the field of tourism retail. Accordingly, key conceptual U-commerce technology applications and industry practices are presented, especially those based on four U-tourism marketing strategies: nexus marketing;transformation marketing;sync marketing;and immersive marketing. The discussion also involves U-tourism marketing strategies which could be applied to tourism retailing in the post-COVID-19 era, further evaluating U-commerce challenges for tourist shoppers in adapting to the digital economy. The work finally indicates the implications concerning the need for practitioners to operationalize U-commerce technologies to cater to the "new wave" of tourist shoppers.

Assessment of Palm Jumeirah Island’s Construction Effects on the Surrounding Water Quality and Surface Temperatures during 2001–2020

Climate change stressors like rising and warmer seas, increased storms and droughts, and acidifying oceans are rapidly threatening coastal zones, which are the world’s most densely inhabited places. This research assesses the effects of Palm Jumeirah Island (PJI) construction on its surrounding water quality and temperature, using Landsat-7 and 8 spectral and thermal bands for the years 2001, 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2020. To aid in this goal, the changes in water spectral reflectance was observed and interpreted, based on previous research and measurements, to discover the correlation between water quality and its spectral reflectance. Then, the sea surface temperature (SST) was calculated for the years under review and changes in water temperature were evaluated. Finally, the Green Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI) and the Normalized Difference Turbidity Index (NDTI) were calculated to estimate water chlorophyll levels and water turbidity, respectively, and changes were observed and interpreted for the time period under review. The present study showed that the PJI construction not only increased the water reflectance in the 0.5–0.8 µm of wavelength, which can be considered to be the increase of suspended sediments and chlorophyll but the water temperature also increased by 7.5 °C during the 19 years. In addition, a gradual increase in the values of GNDVI (by 0.097–0.129) and NDTI (by 0.118~0.172) were observed. A drop in chlorophyll and suspended sediment spectral reflectance and GNDVI and NDTI values were also observed in 2020 compared to 2019 which can be attributed to the 63 to 82% decrease in tourists in Dubai in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to draw attention to environmental issues by clarifying the effect of creating artificial islands in the sea and our analysis and results are a suitable reference for specialized hydrological and environmental studies based on spectral information and distance measurements, as presented in this paper.

Matrix of Affordable Housing Assessment: A Development Process

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a multiracial society with diverse housing and a potential real estate market. This study focused on users’ perceptions of the designs of available and affordable private housing stock in Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman, which are the most populated states (emirates) of the UAE. A literature review and case studies of low- to medium-rise residential buildings were used to determine the parameters defining affordable housing design, and a model was developed of 7 design segments (independent variables) with 39 dependent variables. The model consists of a matrix of 39 design variables, in which each variable is set in a survey tool with a Likert scale to evaluate user satisfaction levels with the designs of their respective buildings. Questionnaires were distributed among the inhabitants of several buildings at different locations in the emirates. This study found that 16 anomalous design factors failed to satisfy users. It is likely that the results of this study will provide a blueprint for dialogue between regional building designers and end users to improve the designs of new buildings. The resulting design assessment matrix can be used for the analysis of residential buildings in other parts of the Gulf Cooperation Council region.