The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia faces an unemployment crisis among its nationals. The country has many unemployed nationals; historically, nationals have mainly worked in the public sector. Moreover, the rise of unemployment has forced a lot of nationals to enter the private sector. SMEs comprise a large proportion of the private sector and can reduce unemployment. Also, the 2030 vision could create investment and employment opportunities to grow the private sector. However, the 2030 vision harms SMEs due to intruding on many new fees and fines and SMEs dealing with various governmental entities. The main aims of the research were to explore the impact of SMEs in reducing unemployment by implementing the three theories: HCT, CSR and R&D. Furthermore, it's essential to understand the current challenges and opportunities by the impact of the recent public changes. Data collections were collected via semi-structured interviews with SME owners, managers, and employees, leading to thematic data to find the impact of the 2030 vision on national employment. The main themes were seen as a result of the 2030 vision, which included increasing levels of taxation, fees, fines, unclear policies, and no differentiation between SMEs and MNEs. Positively, opportunities were made for women due to the reforms but left men with fewer opportunities. There are some financial aids for SMEs, such as microcredit and investment opportunities. The three theories got the interest of SME owners and managers as they see the positive impact they can make; however, the country's rapid changes make it hard for them to implement them. The main reasons are the fees, fines, and dealing with various governmental entities. CSR was the theory that SMEs adopted the most. R & D only interests SMEs as they see it only for MNEs. The HCT concept interests a lot of SME owners and managers, but it could be a win for them as their staff may leave at any time due to better opportunities elsewhere. The policies' implications for SMEs have some positive outcomes; on the other hand, there are a lot of negative consequences. Overall, the 2030 Vision, alongside the recent public policy reforms in KSA, has initiated drastic changes within a very traditional country in a short time. With time, the chronological investigation will fully depict the long-term impact of these changes; however, currently, both positives and negatives have been conveyed. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia faces an unemployment crisis among its nationals. The country has many unemployed nationals; historically, nationals have mainly worked in the public sector. Moreover, the rise of unemployment has forced a lot of nationals to enter the private sector. SMEs comprise a large proportion of the private sector and can reduce unemployment. Also, the 2030 vision could create investment and employment opportunities to grow the private sector. However, the 2030 vision harms SMEs due to intruding on many new fees and fines and SMEs dealing with various governmental entities. The main aims of the research were to explore the impact of SMEs in reducing unemployment by implementing the three theories: HCT, CSR and R&D. Furthermore, it's essential to understand the current challenges and opportunities by the impact of the recent public changes. Data collections were collected via semi-structured interviews with SME owners, managers, and employees, leading to thematic data to find the impact of the 2030 vision on national employment. The main themes were seen as a result of the 2030 vision, which included increasing levels of taxation, fees, fines, unclear policies, and no differentiation between SMEs and MNEs. Positively, opportunities were made for women due to the reforms but left men with fewer opportunities. There are some financial aids for SMEs, such as microcredit and investment opportunities. The three theories got the interest of SME owners and managers as they see the positive impact they can make; however, the coun
SMEs and their Impact on Job Creations: Employment Perspectives from Saudi Arabia
Almalki, A. (Author). 1 Aug 2024
Student thesis: Phd