Leading with humour and its effect on resilience in the workplace: The perspectives of principals in Kuwaiti secondary schools

This study aimed to explore the extent to which the principals of secondary schools in the State of Kuwait said they practiced leadership with humour and if it impacts on their level of resilience in the workplace. The study sample consisted of 121 male and female secondary school principals from six educational districts in Kuwait who were selected using the random stratified method. The study findings showed that the perceptions of school principals regarding the extent to which they practice leadership with a sense of humour were moderate in all fields. The study also found that school principals enjoy high resilience in their workplace, especially when solving a problem. Finally, the results showed that the more a school principal used humour the more resilient he/she would be in the workplace. The study concluded that humour should be considered as one factor in effective leadership and that leadership training programmes should include this dimension. The level of resilience can be clearly predicted by identifying the extent to which school principals claim to practice leading with humour.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity among Kuwaiti adolescents and the perception of body weight by parents or friends

Objective Recently, the State of Kuwait has witnessed a steady rise in the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents. The present study aims to provide an update on the rate of overweight or obesity among Kuwaiti adolescents and examines the associations between adolescents’ overweight/obesity levels and their perception of body weight as seen by parents or friends. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kuwaiti secondary schools and included adolescents between the ages of 15 and 18 years, using a multistage stratified random sampling method. Body weight and height were measured. A specifically designed self-report questionnaire was used to assess parents’ and friends’ perceptions of an adolescent’s body weight. Results A total of 706 adolescents were included the study. The prevalence of overweight or obesity among Kuwaiti adolescents reached nearly 50%, with males (54.3%) having a significantly higher overweight or obesity percentage than females (44.6%). No significant difference in the prevalence of obesity relative to age, from 15 to 18 years, was found. In addition, logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age and gender, revealed that adolescents perceived their parents (p = 0.011 and p < 0.001) or friends (p = 0.002 and p < 0.001) as more likely to classify their weight as overweight or obese, respectively. Conclusion Overweight or obesity levels appear to be high among Kuwaiti adolescents, and appears to have reached a plateau recently. Efforts to combat obesity and promote physical activity and healthy nutrition are needed. Future studies should seek to identify important moderators of parental and social underestimation/overestimation of children’s overweight or obesity.

Local marketing elements and their role in achieving customer satisfaction – A field study on some local banks in the State of Kuwait –: عناصر التسويق الداخلي ودورها في تحقيق رضا العملاء – دراسة ميدانية عن بعض البنوك المحلية في دولة الكويت –

The Study aimed to identify the extent of commitment of local banks in the State of Kuwait to work with the concept of marketing internally and externally, and interest in it, and the relationship between training and development of employees in these banks and the extent of customer satisfaction in these banks, and the level of the relationship between employee motivation and the level of customer satisfaction for these banks, and the relationship between delegation of powers to employees And to increase their satisfaction and customer satisfaction. The Study sample consisted of (51) bank references in the State of Kuwait. The study used the questionnaire as a tool for collecting study data. The study applied the descriptive analytical approach. The results of the study reached: The Banks are committed to activating the elements of internal marketing, whether the bank's services or the promotion of services, the efficiency and motivation of workers, and the satisfaction of workers, but the promotion of services came in a lagging position from the point of view of the study sample. The High level of customer satisfaction with banks' services, whether from the good availability of branches for those banks or the speed and simplicity of completing transactions, flexibility in working hours, and following an accurate system in completing transactions. The Elements of internal marketing affect and are significantly related to customer satisfaction and contribute to the level of customer satisfaction. The Bank's services, employee satisfaction, and employee efficiency and motivation are what contribute significantly to customer satisfaction, while promoting services does not affect or contribute to customer satisfaction. There are no statistically significant differences in the averages of each of the marketing elements and customer satisfaction due to the differences in gender, age, educational level and occupation among Kuwaiti bank customers. The study recommended paying attention to the human cadre, relying on electronic methods to provide banking services, and establishing partnerships and alliances between local and foreign banks to benefit from the expertise to develop the elements of banking services.

Reforming Energy Subsidy in Kuwait: Maximizing Net Benefits and Equity Complying

The net benefits and public acceptance for a proposed reform to the current subsidization of energy in the State of Kuwait was investigated in this study. The proposed subsidization suggests that the government pays the consumers the subsidization cost in advance and in exchange for raising the subsidized tariffs to full price. The consumption will likely be reduced by a rate equals the over consumption due to the current subsidized tariffs in relative to the income. The net benefits is expected to be maximized and shifted to a pseudo-equilibrium point where both the governments and the consumers will be better off financially. The public acceptance toward the proposed strategy was examined using 274 voluntarily one-to-one interviews for gasoline and 121 for electricity and water. Also, a utilities meters reading program was conducted on 90 houses out of the 121 interviews for utilities. The interviews for gasoline and utilities indicated 57% and 66% of the respondents see no equity in the current subsidization, 55% and 80% admitted to overuse, and 11% and 21% averages of the over consumptions, and 67% and 66% of the respondents were willing to adopt the new strategy. The consumer is expected to save 912 USD/year from gasoline, and 8,198 USD/year from utilities. The estimated net benefits is 5,841 million USD annually with 62% attributed to utilities benefits and 38% to gasoline benefits.

ELT & Social Media in Covid-19 Era: A Case Study

In March 2020, with the increasing confirmed cases of COVID-19 pandemic in the State of Kuwait, the Kuwaiti Cabinet decided to suspend face-to-face teaching in all schools and universities. The following month the Ministry of Education and Higher Education adopted Online instruction in both public and private educational institutions. The current quantitive research aims at examining the implementation of social media by Kuwait University students and potential implementation of high-tech facilities in language learning. About 400 male and female students from the English Department were surveyed. The researcher used SPSS to analyze students’ responses of the questionnaire. The findings demonstrated a substantial increase in the use of SM because of COVID-19. Questionnaire respondents illustrated positive attitude towards the implementation of SM. The future of SM in Kuwait is promising. The study recommends that education institutions, public and private, adopt various SM platforms to sustain and develop the teaching process.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Work-Related Lower Back Pain among Radiographers in the State of Kuwait

Background. Work-related lower back pain (WrLBP) is a global health issue and a rising concern in the State of Kuwait. The prevalence and the risk factors of WrLBP among radiographers are not well documented. Objective. The purpose of the study was to determine the one-year prevalence, characteristics, impact, and physical risk factors of WrLBP among radiographers in the State of Kuwait. Methods. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 200 radiographers. The questionnaire collected data on demographics, physical risk factors, and the occurrence of WrLBP in the previous 12 months. Descriptive statistics, frequency calculations, and chi-square analyses were performed. Results. One hundred forty-six radiographers completed and returned the questionnaires with a response rate of 73% (146/200). The one-year prevalence of WrLBP was 16%. The prevalence of WrLBP was not significantly associated with the participants’ demographics. Although WrLBP was significantly associated with work demands, the overall impact of WrLBP on work duties was minimal. Conclusions. The occurrence of WrLBP among radiographers in Kuwait was low, particularly when compared to healthcare providers involved in more patient handling and direct contact. However, various physical risk factors were identified. Further research is needed to investigate the effect of a treatment and prevention program on the prevalence of WrLBP.

Requirements of the Small and Medium Enterprises Sector in the State of Kuwait - Challenges and Prospects: متطلبات قطاع المشروعات الصغيرة والمتوسطة في دولة الكويت – التحديات والآفاق

Small and medium companies represent great importance in creating new job opportunities, and the current and potential high growth rates of these projects have proven their superior ability to influence the future of any country. However, there remain many barriers that impede the development and growth of these projects and limit their development, for example; difficulties in financing, difficulties in marketing, lack of specialized workers, etc. Therefore, this research focuses on the most important difficulties and challenges facing small and medium enterprises in Kuwait, and the factors that help their success and continuity, as we presented through this study some success factors through laws legislation, or financial support, in addition to mentioning the most important factors that help the success of small and medium enterprises in Kuwait. At the end of the research, a set of recommendations and proposals were mentioned that contribute significantly to the viability of small and medium-sized companies

Potential for Food Self-Sufficiency Improvements through Indoor and Vertical Farming in the Gulf Cooperation Council: Challenges and Opportunities from the Case of Kuwait

The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are considered food secure due to their ability to import sufficient food to meet their populations’ demand, despite considerable environmental limitations to conventional agriculture. However, over-reliance on externally produced food leaves these countries vulnerable to food shortages during crises that disrupt international production and shipping. Advanced Controlled Environment Agriculture technology has the potential to improve food self-sufficiency by multiplying vegetable crop yields while optimizing efficiency of agricultural inputs and minimizing land requirements. This paper demonstrates how approximately 15 km2 of indoor farms or less than 0.1 km2 of vertical farms could reduce or eliminate the need to import six important vegetable crops in the State of Kuwait. If properly contextualized and supported by clear legislation and well-managed regulatory bodies, indoor agriculture initiatives may provide a pathway for GCC countries to reduce their dependence on imported foods and increase resilience to food supply disruption during disasters or conflict. This case study contextualizes the need for improved food self-sufficiency in light of vulnerabilities from regional and global threats, illuminates unique challenges faced by GCC countries considering adoption of the proposed technologies, and summarizes opportunities inherent in the current legal and policy framework.