This study investigates the associations between gender diversity (GD) within the board of directors (BD) and financial performance (FP) in Saudi Arabia. It aims to provide empirical evidence on how the inclusion of women in top corporate governance structures impacts firms’ economic outcomes in the context of a conservative and emerging market. By focusing on the Saudi corporate landscape, where recent reforms under Vision 2030 have encouraged female participation in leadership roles, this research addresses a timely and socially relevant issue. Specifically, the study examines whether the representation of women on the board of directors influences key financial indicators, including Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE), and Tobin's Q ratio. These indicators were chosen to capture both accounting-based and market-based measures of performance, providing a comprehensive view of financial outcomes. The presence of gender diversity is hypothesized to enhance board deliberations and decision-making quality, which could, in turn, improve financial results. To test this hypothesis, the static panel data approach is employed, using a dataset that includes 78 publicly listed Saudi companies across various sectors over the period 2018–2024. This method allows for controlling firm-specific effects and provides robust estimates of the relationship between GD and FP. The period selected encompasses years of notable regulatory and social change in the Kingdom, making it particularly suitable for evaluating the effects of gender reforms on corporate governance. The findings of the study reveal that gender diversity on boards has a positive and statistically significant effect on financial performance when measured by ROA and ROE. These results suggest that companies with more gender-diverse boards tend to utilize their assets more efficiently and generate higher equity returns. However, when financial performance is measured using Tobin’s Q ratio; a market-based indicator reflecting investor expectations the relationship with gender diversity is found to be statistically insignificant. This divergence may imply that while internal efficiency improves with gender-diverse governance, external perceptions by investors are slower to reflect these improvements or are influenced by additional market variables. These discoveries contribute to the growing body of literature that explores the intersection of board composition and firm performance. In the specific context of Saudi Arabia, they offer valuable insights for shareholders, regulators, and policymakers striving to enhance corporate governance and promote gender inclusivity. The study underscores the importance of fostering diversity at the top levels of organizational leadership, not only as a matter of equity but also as a strategic asset that can improve firm performance. Future research could further investigate the moderating effects of industry type, firm size, or the proportion of independent directors on the GD–FP relationship.

The integration of blockchain technology and emerging digital innovations is reshaping the financial landscape in Saudi Arabia, offering both opportunities and challenges in the context of Vision 2030. This study aimed to assess the adoption readiness, regulatory environment, and stakeholder perceptions regarding blockchain in the Saudi financial sector. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining stakeholder interviews, SWOT and regulatory framework analyses, and international benchmarking. The findings reveal a significant disparity in adoption between fintech startups more agile and innovation-driven and traditional banks, constrained by regulatory ambiguity and infrastructural limitations. Notable opportunities include enhancing financial inclusion, improving cross-border transactions, and reducing fraud through transparency. Quantitative analysis indicated that fintech startups show a 75% readiness rate, compared to 45% among traditional banks. The study also modeled scalability constraints and identified a legal gap in blockchain regulation. The research underscores the need for clear policies, technological investment, and institutional collaboration to enable large-scale blockchain deployment. These insights contribute to policy recommendations for financial transformation in Saudi Arabia and provide a comparative outlook to guide similar economies.

The purpose of this paper is to test the Kuznets Environmental Curve (KEC) hypothesis for 10 MENA (Middle East and North Africa) countries during the period 1987-2017. To do this, the translogical functional form has been adopted to estimate the relationship between Toxic Gases (TG) emissions, energy consumption and GDP per capita. The results confirm the presence of KEC, GDP per capita and energy consumption have a positive influence on TG emissions, and the presence of a feedback relationship between GDP per capita and energy consumption. As a result, the environmental framework of the selected countries improves as their level of growth has become more advanced. In addition, to reduce TG emissions, MENA countries are expected to significantly increase the use of renewable energy and a more efficient energy policy.

This research presents an integrated geotechnical investigation and slope stability assessment in the Riyad region of Saudi Arabia, a semi-arid area undergoing rapid urban development. The study combines field data, laboratory testing, and advanced geotechnical modeling to evaluate the mechanical behavior of local soils and their susceptibility to slope failure. Topographic and geological maps were analyzed alongside spatial data to identify critical zones, while numerical simulations produced safety factor curves under varying slope angles and soil parameters. Historical records of slope instability events were examined and statistically correlated with precipitation patterns, land use, and geological structures. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to visualize hazard-prone areas, providing a clear geospatial context for decision-makers and engineers. The findings reveal key zones of vulnerability that require urgent mitigation efforts, such as slope reinforcement and improved drainage systems. This multidisciplinary approach, which integrates geotechnical analysis, statistical evaluation, and visual mapping, offers a comprehensive framework for managing slope stability risks in arid urban environments like Riyad.

This study investigates the role of hybrid tourism, which combines voluntourism and alternative tourism, in fostering territorial development in Saudi Arabia within the framework of Vision 2030. By integrating social participation and sustainable tourism principles, hybrid tourism is examined as a multidimensional tool for economic diversification and community empowerment. Using panel data from Saudi provinces and municipalities spanning 2014 to 2025, the analysis evaluates the impact of hybrid tourism intensity (HTI) on key development indicators, including local tourism employment, entrepreneurship, and social economy dynamics. A robust econometric strategy is employed, incorporating Fixed Effects (FE) to account for unobserved heterogeneity, a Difference-in-Differences (DiD) approach to capture the effects of tourism policy reforms, and Instrumental Variables (IV) estimation to mitigate endogeneity concerns. Additional robustness checks, such as alternative HTI specifications, placebo tests, and clustered standard errors, reinforce the reliability of the findings. Results demonstrate that regions exhibiting higher HTI achieve notable improvements in employment (18–24%), entrepreneurship (15–20%), and social economy development (around 22%), particularly in areas characterized by strong infrastructure, education, and institutional support. The study contributes to existing literature by conceptualizing hybrid tourism as a strategic lever for inclusive and sustainable territorial development in the Gulf region. It also provides actionable insights for policymakers aiming to balance economic growth with social inclusion and environmental sustainability.

This study investigates the acceptance of ChatGPT as an educational tool through the lens of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), a widely recognized theoretical framework for understanding technology adoption. The primary objective is to examine how primary school teachers perceive ChatGPT in terms of its usefulness and ease of use within educational settings. The TAM framework emphasizes two core dimensions: Perceived Usefulness (PU) and Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU). Additional factors, including attitude, behavioral intention, perceived credibility, and social influence, were incorporated to provide a comprehensive analysis. A survey was conducted among a sample of teachers to capture their perceptions regarding the integration of ChatGPT into teaching practices. The findings indicate that both PU and PEOU significantly influence teachers’ attitudes and their intention to use the tool. This research highlights the pedagogical potential of ChatGPT and offers practical recommendations for its effective integration into classroom instruction. By applying the TAM framework, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors shaping the adoption of generative AI in education.