Public Library in Saudi Arabia

Public Library in Saudi Arabia

Name:

A Capstone Research Project

Submitted in partial fulfillment of

ASSE III Business Policy and Strategy

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Date:

Table of Contents

Public Library in Saudi Arabia. 3

Economics of the Business. 3

Managing Strategy. 4

Sustainability and Impact 4

Public Library in Saudi Arabia

Economics of the Business

The Arwa al-Sulayhi Public Library will be built in the Eastern Province in Saudi Arabia to help increase the literacy levels and knowledge of women living in the area. The institution will be open to all women in the province, with most of the access being free of charge. The library will provide additional access to other sources of knowledge such as databases for scholarly journals, online news websites and other educational sites. The library will generate revenue by charging clients fees for additional services that include borrowing books, accessing subscription websites that include, using the libraries computers, and reading e-books. Subscription websites that clients shall access will include databases with academic journals such as JSTOR and EBSCOHost, news sites like New York Times and magazines.

The library will have different pricing structures depending on the services for which the client is applying. All subscription-based services will feature variable costs. As members subscribe for more services, the price of their subscription will decrease. The same principle will apply to the length of the subscription. Fixed costs will apply in the borrowing of books and single usage of electronic facilities. By charging for the additional services, the library will generate revenue that will allow it to break even after twenty-three months. The library will then operate at break-even status for six months before becoming fully profitable.

The Arwa al-Sulayhi Public Library will use several strategies to stay ahead of any potential competition. One key strategy will be the formulation of a strong brand. By building a strong brand around itself, the library will make it difficult for competitors to mirror the business. The establishment will create the strong brand by focusing on customer service and by providing the women in the community with a vital service that few other entities have provided. The library will also use competitive pricing to maintain the clients’ loyalty.

Managing Strategy

The management of the Arwa al-Sulayhi Public Library will be a key aspect of the institution’s operations. Since brand loyalty is the focal point of the library’s strategy, the management operations will focus on making the customers enjoy their experiences. The management will focus on making sure that customer service is perfected at the institution. The library will achieve this in two ways. The first method will involve the installation of self-checkout stations that will enable customers to serve themselves as a way of making service faster. The support and assistance of the library staff will also help clients have an easier time in the library. The management of the library will also focus on making sure that the institution has a large variety of books. The management will make sure that most relevant genres and subjects are covered such as history, Islamic literature, religious texts and readings on Arab culture. The management will also stock the library with additional readings of a leisurely nature such as fictional novels and non-educational magazines.

Sustainability and Impact

Two key issues of concern for the management of the Arwa al-Sulayhi Public Library will be the sustainability of the library and its impact on the community. Due to concerns on the global climate and the effects of human activity, the management of the library will take certain measures to ensure that the building and business are environmentally friendly and sustainable in nature. Firstly, the construction of the building will incorporate a lot of open spaces and large windows to allow light to permeate the structure. This will help make sure that the library does not use a lot of energy lighting up the interior during the day. The management will also install solar panels on the building’s roof. With these panels, the Arwa al-Sulayhi Public Library will fully utilize the desert sun when powering some electrical devices during the day and lighting the structure during the night.

The sustainability of the library will also come through the books and stationery that the management will be using. The management plans to ensure that a large percentage of the books that it acquires for the library are good quality, second-hand copies. This will reduce the wastage that would have resulted from the acquisition of brand new books when some parties are willing to sell their used copies. The library will also cut down on wastage by avoiding the use of paper for its internal operations. Any memos, notices and messages that the library staff will send to each other will be electronic so that the institution can reduce its environmental footprint. Lastly, the introduction of electronic books will help the library reduce the usage of paper. The management plans to purchase several e-book readers that will allow the clients to read e-books instead of regular books. The e-books will have the advantage of being cheaper for the library to purchase and they will consume less physical space.

The Arwa al-Sulayhi Public Library will have a massive impact on its community. Firstly, the education of the women in the eastern province will reflect positively on their community and country. By providing easy access to knowledge and information, the library will make it easier for the women to pursue their studies and eventually seek employment in the formal sector. The library will also make a cultural contribution to the community by providing the members of the community with information concerning their heritage and history. This will help the young people develop a better understand of their cultures. Lastly, the Arwa al-Sulayhi Public Library will have an economic impact on the community in several ways. The construction of the library and its management after completion will both provide employment opportunities for people in the community. Additionally, the resources in the library will provide business owners in the area with information and knowledge that can help them grow their ventures and expand their businesses.