The Study of Demanded Online Services in Saudi Arabia

Introduction

The use of the Internet is rapidly increasing in Saudi Arabia. Yet, there are not enough reliable online services where a person can do his/her needs without physical involvement. Nowadays, almost everything can be done online without the need of leaving the house. This research investigates what kind of online services provided in Saudi Arabia in the comparison with the number of those which are necessary and in great demand.

Motivation

The research devoted to the online services in Saudi Arabia is important as it may be considered as the basis for the changes in the life of women in the country, making it easier. He demand for online services comes most from women as they have restricted rights and have to do many things accompanied by men. It is offered that Saudi women suffer from having to deal with lack of organization that government offices have. To do something, people have to attend the place, office, shop, etc., not forgetting about mentioning the lack of convenience due to the fact that every woman needs a male guardian to accompany her and consent everything before she does it.

Moreover, the transportation issues are the most important in Saudi Arabia. Women cannot drive and the poor public transportation system that people have in Saudi Arabia makes it problematic for many women to reach the place of destination. Finally, an increasing percentage of Saudi Internet users in the past ten years is one of the biggest reasons that made me choose this topic. It is useful to consider the opportunities women would have if they worked at home via the Internet or used other services helpful in household.

The following table and chart indicate Internet Growth and Population Statistics in Saudi Arabia:

Problem description/statement

Internet usage is growing rapidly in Saudi Arabia, however, there aren’t enough online services citizens can rely on. This research paper investigates what online services are available in the world, which of them exist in Saudi Arabia, and which are in high are in demanded among the population of the country. It also discusses which of these online services can actually be done.

Formulation of a hypothesis

Nowadays things are changed since almost anything can be done online and a lot of new services can be offered on the Internet, but Saudi Arabia does not use the opportunities the Internet offers in the volume it should do due to the availability of many services and the increase of the Internet users in the country.

Research methodology

The methods of data collection in this research will be both quantitative and qualitative (a mixed methodology is used). The techniques for data collection that we are going to use in this research may help reach the desired goals and confirm the hypothesis. The methods are as follows:

1. A literature review on what online services Saudi Arabia already has and what the world offers in the relation to the Internet resources
2. Questionnaires aimed at collecting both quantitative and qualitative data devoted to the demanded services in the country conducted in the form of the interview of one hundred Saudi citizens. Information is going to be interpreted with the help of the Internet and the Excel program where it is appropriate. The interview should be provided with people of different ages and sex. This may allow us check the relation to the necessity of the Internet services by different layers of population.

First, the questionnaire is going to be conducted and the results are going to be evaluated. The second step in the research is the analysis of the literature sources devoted to the spread of the online services in the world and in Saudi Arabia. The literature review is aimed at supporting the information considered from the interviews.

Clarification of concepts and terms

Within the research which is going to be conducted the following terms are going to be focused, e-government and e-commerce. The meanings of these terms are as follows, e-government is a digital interaction between a government and citizens, and e-commerce is a notion which comprises the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet (Ramady, 2010; Kalathil & Boas, 2003).

Framework

This research paper discusses the need of online services in Saudi Arabia. Using questionnaires, the investigation of how Saudi citizens are in need of online services. Through comparison and contrast analysis, we will see which of these services are going to be easily done and which of them are going to be challenging and inconvenient to be done in Saudi Arabia. The main chapters of the future research paper are going o b as follows,

1. Introduction (hypothesis and the research purposes should be stated)
2. Literature review (the part of the research devoted to the identification of the online services used in the world and demanded in Saudi Arabia)
3. Methodology (description of the steps taken to complete a literature review and the questionnaires)
4. Results (the presentation of the research results)
5. Discussion (the discussion of the results and statement whether the hypothesis is supported or not)
6. Conclusions and recommendations for the further research

Time table.

Qualifications and experience

The research is going to be provided by the Senior Business Administration student in PMU who is able to carry out this study due to the knowledge of how statistical data should be analyzed, how the research and the interviews should be conducted. The researcher also has experience of 8 weeks internship in the Saudi Investment Bank.

Reference List

Kalathil, S. & Boas, T.C. (2003). Open networks, closed regimes: the impact of the Internet on authoritarian rule. Washington, DC: Carnegie Endowment.

Ramady, M. A. (2010). The Saudi Arabian economy: Policies, achievements, and challenges. New York: Springer.