Introduction:
It is pretty clear to see that the world has surely been mesmerized with the presence of technology! It led the world to a new phase of modernization and helped the people to live a life of more comfort and luxury by providing various modern amenities.
The ratio of technology implied in different countries is obviously different! Yet, you will definitely mark its presence somehow or the other. Like tech savvy places – Japan and United States, every part of the world must join their hands together to create impeccable innovations by using the masterminds, technocrats, experts and last but not the least – technology!
Earlier, people used to undergo lots of problems regarding transactions wherein they need to personally visit each and every place to resolve the issues like monthly payment bills! But now, with the advent of internet, the world is definitely turning to be an e-world as government is trying their best to successfully implement the electronic ways of carrying out various procedures, functions and formalities!
It is really amazing to carry out all the important work by sitting at home! Government has been quite successful in creating the channel of communication and a proper defined electronic system for the people to stay and work in their comfort zone.
It should be noted that apart from the public, the emergence of internet has even swayed the politicians, public administration as well as academics largely. Hence, by making the optimum use of this wonder, they are all set to provide with a modernized and a better electronic method in their entire system.
Problem or Purpose of statement
The purpose of this research is to find out whether the introduction and implementation of Safeer – the modern electronic services created by Ministry of Higher Education in Saudi Arabia, has led to an improved SACM (Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission) or not.
The other point that needs to be discussed is to find out whether the students of Saudi Arabia who have opted USA for further studies are easily able to access this service, and has this service proved them to be a helping hand for overcoming their needs and requirements arising in USA!
Significance of the research
As stated earlier, the ministry of higher education in Saudi Arabia has initiated its efforts by creating Safeer – an electronic system that can help the students abroad in making the government transactions. By making use of the latest technology, Safeer came into existence in management of global portals with a motive of providing a helping hand to all the students of Saudi Arabia in USA.
The SACM – Saudi Arabian cultural mission in USA is actually a specialized agency created by Saudi government to administer, manage and carry out the programs in order to meet the educational as well as the cultural needs of the Saudis studying in United States. In short, SACM is a bridge between Saudi Arabia and United States to foster the culture, education and science, and other related activities that kindle a hope of providing better facilities to the Saudis studying in United States.
The main purpose or significance of the research is to find out whether the introduction of Safeer brought a positive change in the SACM and whether it helped SACM in its mission to provide better electronic services to all the students over there.
Limitations
As we all know that to accept a change or a new thing takes time. Humans are not user friendly to change! Similarly, the advent of Safeer was new for all the Saudis. Naturally, it would take time for them to adjust and understand the entire concept and working of Safeer.
The best way to educate the Saudis about Safeer was to promote it widely and to make them understand about the actual working of this electronic system.
As per the data, more than 85,000 students from Saudi Arabia opted USA for shaping their career. Hence, it is vital to make them aware about the concept of Safeer so that they can carry out the electronic transactions easily without any efforts.
If the entire plan is not propagated in a proper way, it will automatically limit the working of the same – leading to a failure! Thus, reaching to each and every Saudi and making them aware about the latest introduction of Safeer became a limitation to the entire plan of supporting SACM in its mission!
Assumptions
There are certain points that can be assumed from the research:
Safeer – a movement initiated in the interest of the students can really help them with better communication facilities by avoiding regular visits to SACM’s office and carrying out all the transactions electronically.
A better and advanced way to help the students in removing the unnecessary hindrances in their studies.
As the concept of Safeer was new, people felt reluctant to welcome it whole heartedly
Moreover, the lack of awareness of the same led the people with a confused look!
It needed time for people to stop the one-on-one approach and deal directly without personally visiting the SACM for various applications.
Safeer is something that can really curb the problems of the Saudis studying in United States – all they need is proper training, management, implementation and awareness of the same among the Saudis in order to work down the entire project skillfully and successfully.
The e-services started by Safeer were not active and vibrant as it had to be!
Hypothesis
With the above assumption, it can be derived that the Saudis studying in United States required more approach and training for Safeer. As the students were spread across different corners of United States, they experienced difficulty with the working of Safeer. Moreover, an adequate learning of the same was intensely required by the students.
One more thing that can be derived is that the procedures involved with Safeer took longer time which seemed to be a drawback for the students. In addition, the entire communication set-up between the Safeer and the students in United States was found to be too weak.
Thus, a better standardized way needs to be implemented either by Safeer or by SACM in order to have prolonged benefits for the Saudis studying in United States.
Definition of terms
Review of literature
SACM – Saudi Arabian cultural mission was basically set up in the interest of the Saudi students who went to United States for further studies. The Ministry of Saudi Arabia is known to have worked very well with full efforts with the whole and sole aim of serving the students by providing many systems that can fulfill their needs anywhere and at any time.
Safeer – a new electronic system was introduced for the very purpose of providing ease in carrying out various transactions on day to day basis by the Saudi students in United States. For this, the ministry even allocated a number of information systems to facilitate such students with their transactions without taking any sort of trouble of visiting the SACM’s offices and other premises in person.
But, whether the presence of Safeer helped SACM to provide better enhanced facilities to the students in US?
Safeer was something new for everyone. It required high level propaganda as well as a deep understanding. Students were not able to use this system optimally because of the lack of certain issues like proper training, communication system and drawback of inefficient facilities.
No doubt, Safeer can become a successful part of SACM if the line of difference can be sorted out from both ends – the Saudi students in United States and the entire SACM team! The best way that can be undertaken to curb this problem is framing a questionnaire that gives the opportunity to all the students to voice their reviews, problems, suggestions as well as opinions. This is the best way to bridge the communication gap between them to share a strong rapport and to overcome with all the drawbacks that were predicted and perceived by them.
Methodology
In order to curb this problem from roots, the best method that can be applied is taking out a survey through questionnaire to all the students and giving them an opportunity to speak out their views and opinions regarding the drawbacks of the system as well as the problems and difficulties that they face in United States.
A proper close ended questionnaire can very well help to fight with the problem successfully as it will definitely result into a correct outcome – especially by knowing the views of the students! This will enable the system to make necessary changes that are required to fulfill the aim of introducing Safeer.
The research methodology is classified into four categories:
Critical and action oriented
Here, a mixed approach should be used wherein a specific number of students must be selected and then a qualitative approach should be imposed on the students in order to derive the required information.
A proper systematic data collection will definitely enable with an exact solution – a clear idea as to where the problem is, can surely be found out through questionnaire!
Thesis design
For carrying out the thesis of the above case, the best research tool that has been applied over here is questionnaire.
For better close ended result, a mixed approach has been undertaken that includes both qualitative as well as quantitative analysis.
A proper method must be followed:
Planning
A specific destined road map including the target audience – the number, the type, the area etc must be decided beforehand.
Implementation
After proper planning, the next step is of implementing it. Proper care needs to be taken to execute the plan as and when decided!
Comparison and analysis
After carrying out both, the qualitative as well as the quantitative research through questionnaire, it is very essential to compare and take a note of the views and opinions of each and every student surveyed. Through this, a definite solution can be obtained!
Results
After a proper evaluation and comparison from all the angles, a conclusion will surely be derived clearly stating the problem.
Hence, undertaking the research in a proper planned way will surely enable to come out with a solution through which a problem can be solved from the core.
Even here, same procedure should be followed – to ensure with the best solution. Once, the problem faced by the students in United States related to Safeer is detected, the ways to solve it will definitely be found out!
The entire project of Safeer can then surely be a helping hand to SACM in providing top class facilities for the Saudi students studying in United States, once the problem is detected and cured. Thus, with the questionnaire - the survey, analysis and results, the government can detect the problem and can find the best solution for the same!
Participants, resources, data
The participants of this survey are mainly the Saudi students who have opted to study in United States. As Safeer is especially designed for them, reviews from them will help best to find a problem lying in the system. The number of participants to be included in the survey should be decided beforehand.
Resources – that is the questionnaire is used in the research to carry out a survey from among the selected students. The criteria for selecting a specific class of people must also be decided earlier. As a mixed – quantitative as well as qualitative approach needs to be applied over here, selection of the students for survey becomes a prime concern in order to obtain the correct observation of the research.
The data, then derived from the survey must be well examined from all parameters, by comparing question-wise as well as student-wise. A proper detailed thesis – if followed in this way, will provide with accurate results and the government will surely be able to modify changes in the system by making the Safeer, a successful plan!
Data collection, instruments and procedures
A simple and straight approach to the students should be made in which they must be provided with the insights of the behaviour of the questionnaire. Once they are able to understand the gravity of the situation, they would definitely tend to react on this issue as it is obviously in their interest.
After filing up the questionnaires properly, the data must be allocated as per the parameters that were already decided earlier. Through data collection instruments like interview, one-on-one approach, the response must be sorted out properly to find out the main problem that the students are facing with Safeer.
Analysis is the key point over here, as it will only help in figuring out the most common problems faced by the Saudi students in dealing electronically with Safeer.
Data/ Project Analysis
After the entire chain of the procedure, the last thing that is required to bring an end to the survey is nothing but a rigorous and accurate analysis of the data collected from that lot of students. As per the decided parameters, the analysis should be carried out with a fair approach of actually finding out the problem lying with the working of Safeer.
An experiment never comes to an end before observation and analysis. Rather, a conclusion can only be attained if the analysis of the surveyed material is undertaken. Thus, a proper enhanced data analysis of the case will definitely help you in hitting up with the conclusion.
References
Programs and communities (2012). 3 November 2012. Retrieved from www.sacm.org
Ministry of higher education (2012). 3 November 2012. Retrieved from http://www.mohe.gov.sa/en/default.aspx"
Student E- services (2012). 3 November 2012. Retrieved from http://www.mohe.gov.sa/en/E-SERVICES/STUDENTSERVICES/Pages/default.aspx"
E-services for students abroad (2012). 3 November 2012. Retrieved from http://www.mohe.gov.sa/en/E-Services/StudentServices/Pages/ExStudent.aspx"
