Kingdom University

This study presents a localized sustainability assessment of autonomous battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in Saudi Arabian urban environments using a monetized external cost framework that covers accidents, congestion, emissions, urban land use, and noise exposure. The study contributes theoretically by extending AV externality modeling to a Gulf-specific context and practically by providing a policy-ready framework aligned with Saudi Vision 2030. Using 2023-2024 national datasets from the Ministry of Transport, the General Authority for Statistics, and the Saudi Energy Efficiency Center within a three-pillar evaluation model (environmental, economic, and social), we find that autonomous BEVs reduce total external costs by 1.138 SAR per vehicle-kilometer (39.4%) compared with human-driven BEVs, with reductions of 55% in accident costs, 40% in land-use costs, and 25% in congestion costs. In the baseline BEV-to-BEV comparison, fuel-combustion emissions are zero and grid-electricity emissions are held constant, so emissions show no change; environmental gains increase under cleaner-grid scenarios. A dynamic microscopic simulation on Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Road in Riyadh corroborates the reductions through lower delays and more stable flow. The framework is parameterized by automation levels and market penetration and supports policy recommendations including data-sharing frameworks and parking and curb management reforms for high-density Saudi cities.

Autonomous battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have the potential to reshape urban mobility systems, yet their sustainability impacts remain underexplored in Gulf-region cities where traffic dynamics, land-use structures, and environmental conditions differ substantially from Western contexts. This study introduces a Saudi-specific assessment framework that integrates monetised externalities with empirically calibrated traffic dynamics to evaluate how automation influences safety, congestion, land use, emissions, and noise. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first Riyadh-calibrated monetised external-cost evaluation of autonomous BEVs that couples externality valuation with simulation-validated time-varying traffic dynamics (SAR per vkm and SAR per pkm), enabling realistic peak-period sustainability assessment. The framework's key contribution is linking external-cost modelling with spatiotemporal traffic behaviour derived from Riyadh's 2023 mobility patterns, providing a more realistic basis for sustainability evaluation. Using national datasets from transport, energy, and statistical authorities, the model estimates substantial reductions in external costs when transitioning from human-driven to autonomous BEVs, driven primarily by lower crash exposure and smoother traffic flow. To validate these findings under real operating conditions, a dynamic analysis incorporating hourly and seasonal traffic variability was developed, revealing that automation delivers its strongest improvements during peak-demand periods where congestion externalities are highest. The integrated results demonstrate the relevance of autonomous BEVs for dense rapidly growing Saudi cities and provide actionable insights for future mobility planning. The study highlights the policy importance of coordinated transport, land-use, and energy strategies to ensure that automation contributes meaningfully to national sustainability goals under Vision 2030.

This study utilizes self-consistency theory to investigate the relationships between wellbeing-oriented human resource management and innovative work behavior and service-oriented organizational citizenship behavior. The mediating role of organizational-based self-esteem is also examined. The data were collected from the hospitality sector in Dubai, UAE. The findings from the Middle Eastern context indicate that wellbeing-oriented human resource management has a strong and meaningful impact on employees’ innovative work behavior and service-oriented organizational citizenship behavior. In addition, the findings indicate that organizational-based self-esteem does not act as a mediator in the connection between wellbeing-oriented human resource management and employees’ innovative work behavior. Nevertheless, the role of organizational-based self-esteem in mediating the relationship between wellbeing-oriented human resource management and service-oriented organizational citizenship behavior is of great importance, as it emphasizes the enhancement of service-oriented behaviors through HR practices that prioritize employee wellbeing.

This chapter develops a durability-informed lifecycle assessment perspective for aluminium composite panel (ACP) façades in tropical and temperate climates. It argues that ACP sustainability cannot be judged by initial embodied carbon alone, because climatic exposure influences coating degradation, corrosion risk, sealant ageing, moisture ingress, maintenance frequency, service life, and end-of-life recovery. Tropical climates tend to intensify humidity-, rainfall-, UV-, and corrosion-related deterioration, while temperate climates present challenges associated with thermal movement, freeze-thaw exposure, sealant fatigue, and seasonal moisture management. The chapter integrates lifecycle assessment, façade durability science, and green building certification implications to show that ACP façade sustainability is a dynamic whole-life performance outcome. It concludes that more reliable assessment requires climate-sensitive durability assumptions, preventive maintenance planning, realistic recycling pathways, and transparent environmental documentation.

Type of the article: Research Article AbstractDirect-to-consumer brands bypass the traditional distribution channel and directly market their products to their target consumers through the internet. In recent years, direct-to-consumer brands have become the preferred choice for Gen Y and Gen Z consumers during online shopping. This study aims to investigate the impact of online ratings and reviews, recommendations, and brand awareness on customer attitudes and brand trust towards direct-to-consumer brands, as well as the roles of brand trust and brand attitude in influencing the purchase intentions of Gen Z and Gen Y in India. This study employed a cross-sectional and quantitative research design, and primary data were collected from Indian Gen Z and Gen Y consumers who frequently purchase food from DTC brands online, providing relevant insights into the buying behavior of DTC brands. Self-administered questionnaire was designed and circulated online via email and LinkedIn platform. Data were collected from 8 December 2024 to 8 January 2025 in Bhubaneswar, a smart city in India. Furthermore, out of the 300 distributed questionnaires, 214 correctly filled questionnaires are considered for further data analysis. This study adopted Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling for data analysis. The study’s findings suggest that review and ratings (β = 0.124, p < 0.05), recommendations (β = 0.276, p < 0.001), and brand awareness (β = 0.475, p < 0.001) all contribute to building brand trust. Further recommendations (β = 0.298, p < 0.001), brand awareness (β = 0.475, p < 0.001), and review and ratings (β = 0.115, p < 0.05) all have a positive influence on brand attitude. Furthermore, attitude (β = 0.710, p < 0.001) and brand trust (β = 0.178, p < 0.05) significantly influenced purchase intention. The findings of this study contribute to the existing body of knowledge on DTC brand buying behavior of Gen Z and Gen Y. This study also offers valuable insights for direct-to-consumer brand managers seeking to enhance the engagement and conversion rates of Gen Z and Gen Y consumers.