Saudi Arabia Matters: Studies and Cases from a Transforming Knowledge Economy

This book is inspired by the far-reaching transformation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as it advances toward a diversified, knowledge-based economy. At the heart of this transition are key priorities such as local content development, industrial diversification, SME empowerment, fiscal sustainability, and greater integration into global markets. Together, these shifts provide the context and foundation for this volume.

Saudi Arabia Matters: Studies and Cases from a Transforming Knowledge Economy brings together a collection of work that explores this transformation from multiple perspectives. The volume presents a blend of academic research, case analyses, and experience-based insights that collectively illustrate how change is unfolding across sectors and layers of society. Particular attention is given to key areas shaping the Kingdom's trajectory, including entrepreneurship, emerging trends in education, evolving business practices, and the role of digitalization in driving innovation and competitiveness. The contributions are shaped through sustained academic engagement, cross-disciplinary dialogue, and active scholarly exchange. The final chapters extend this perspective by presenting selected cases from other countries, offering a broader comparative lens on transformation and development.

In this sense, the book reflects a collaborative academic environment that fosters knowledge creation, intellectual diversity, and meaningful engagement with real-world challenges. It offers valuable insights for scholars, policymakers, business leaders, and investors seeking to understand one of the most dynamic economic transitions of our time, while also highlighting lessons that extend beyond Saudi Arabia.

Bassem Nasri is Chair of the Departments of Business Administration & Human Resources Management, and Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship & International Business at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al-Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He is an entrepreneur with international business management, strategy and franchising experience at leadership roles across Europe and the Middle East.

Sotirios Zygiaris is serving as the Dean of The College of Business Administration and Associate Professor of Business Analytics at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al-Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. His field of expertise is ICT, innovation management and business modeling for smart ecosystems.

Ghadeer Kayal is Associate Professor and Dean of Quality & Accreditation at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al-Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Her expertise lies in marketing, consumer behavior, and academic accreditation.

Pablo Collazzo is Professor and Senior Researcher at Danube University Krems, and Affiliate Faculty and Council Chair of the MOC Network at Harvard Business School. He is Managing Partner of Sequoia, a consulting firm with a global portfolio of corporate and public sector clients and has extensive professional and academic experience at the interplay of sustainability, finance and strategy.