Leveraging Cloud Services & Digital Transformation for Sustainability: Insights from Cases of Qatar

Authors

  • Ahmed Elidrisy Qatar Free Zone, Qatar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54536/jir.v2i1.2398

Keywords:

Cloud Services, Digital Transformation, Qatar Free Zone (QFZ), Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV2030), Qatar Smart Program “TASMU”, Sustainability

Abstract

The current research aimed to present an in-depth analysis of how Qatar Free Zone (QFZ), Qatar Smart Program (TASMU), Qatar National Broadband Network (Qnbn), and Msheireb Downtown Doha are Leveraging Cloud Services and digital transformation for sustainability under Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV2030). The researcher used a qualitative case study research approach to analyse the aim gathering data using semi-structured interviews from 21 sustainability experts, government officials, and IT professionals. The findings highlighted that QFZ and Qnbn projects of Qatar meet the principles of SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. Results showed that Qnbn offers multiple benefits for the economic development of multiple sectors. All four cases align with two SDGs, including SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, to meet the requirements of the QNV2030 and sustainability for building Smart Qatar. Also, these projects like Msheireb Downtown Doha and QFZ in Qatar are founded on four key pillars, including social, human, economic and environmental developments meeting QNV2030 objectives. Cloud services also offer climate-related innovations facilitating environmental monitoring, resource optimisation, etc., in QFZ and Google Cloud partnership aligned with SDG 13: Climate Action.

References

About Qnbn. (2023). Qatar National Broadband Network (Qnbn).

Al-Hammadi, M. I. (2022). Toward Sustainable Tourism in Qatar: Msheireb Downtown Doha as a Case Study. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 3, 799208.

Al-Hammadi, M. I. (2023). Deterritorialization in the context of cultural heritage and globalizing Msheireb downtown Doha. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 5, 1186781.

Al-Musalmani, F., & Maalouf, S. (2022). Qatar Foundation: A Sustainability Innovator. In Sustainable Qatar: Social, Political and Environmental Perspectives (pp. 73-92). Springer Nature Singapore Singapore.

Al-Thani, S. K., Skelhorn, C. P., Amato, A., Koc, M., & Al-Ghamdi, S. G. (2018). Smart technology impact on neighborhood form for a sustainable Doha. Sustainability, 10(12), 4764.

AL Fadala, E. S., & Furlan, R. (2018). Sustainable neighborhoods in the state of Qatar: Msheireb Downtown Doha. Saudi Journal of Engineering and Technology (SJEAT). https://doi.org/10.21276/sjeat.2018.3.7.2

Al Sulaiti, S., Schneider, J., & Agus, M. (2023). Immersive omnidirectional imaging for the development of Doha Design District at MSheireb Downtown. Proceedings of the 28th International ACM Conference on 3D Web Technology,

Amine, R. (2023). Smart Cities: Development and Benefits. In Smart Cities: Social and Environmental Challenges and Opportunities for Local Authorities (pp. 45-53). Springer International Publishing Cham.

Badran, A. (2023). Developing smart cities: Regulatory and policy implications for the State of Qatar. International Journal of Public Administration, 46(7), 519-532.

Ben Hassen, T. (2022). A Transformative State in the Wake of COVID-19: What Is Needed to Enable Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Education in Qatar? Sustainability, 14(13), 7953.

Chowdhury, A., & Shil, N. C. (2021). Thinking ‘qualitative’through a case study: Homework for a researcher. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 5(2), 190-210.

Dahdal, A., & Walker, G. (2023). Foundations of the Digital Economy in Small States. Law and Development Review, 16(1), 79-105.

De Jong, M., Hoppe, T., & Noori, N. (2019). City branding, sustainable urban development and the rentier state. How do Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai present themselves in the age of post oil and global warming? Energies, 12(9), 1657.

Effendi, M. R. (2016). Regulatory incentives in Indonesia. 2016 10th International Conference on Telecommunication Systems Services and Applications (TSSA),

First Google Cloud region in the GCC and North Africa launched in QFZ. (2023). QFZ Authority.

Furlan, R., & Al-Mohannadi, A. (2020). An urban regeneration planning scheme for the Souq Waqif Heritage Site of Doha. Sustainability, 12(19), 7927.

Furlan, R., Petruccioli, A., & Jamaleddin, M. (2019). The authenticity of place-making: space and character of the regenerated historic district in Msheireb, Downtown Doha (State of Qatar). Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, 13(1), 151-168.

Hasan, M., & Fadli, F. (2023). Street re-design for the adoption of autonomous vehicles: case of the city of Doha, Qatar. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment.

Labra, O., Castro, C., Wright, R., & Chamblas, I. (2020). Thematic analysis in social work: A case study. Global social work-cutting edge issues and critical reflections, 10(6), 1-20.

Lane, L. J., Jones, D., & Penny, G. R. (2019). Qualitative Case Study of Teachers’ Morale in a Turnaround School. Research in Higher Education Journal, 37.

Mahmoud Ali, W. K., & Meyerhoff Nielsen, M. (2022). Governing and Monitoring the Digital Transformation: Assessing the Qatari Experience since 2003. 14th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV 2021),

Meyerhoff Nielsen, M., & Mahmoud Ali, W. K. (2021). Governing and Monitoring the Digital Transformation: Assessing the Qatari Experience since 2003. Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance,

Mishra, S., & Dey, A. K. (2022). Understanding and identifying ‘themes’ in qualitative case study research. In (Vol. 11, pp. 187-192): SAGE Publications Sage India: New Delhi, India.

Mogielnicki, R. (2021). A political economy of free zones in Gulf Arab states. Springer.

Mohamed, B. H., Disli, M., Al-Sada, M. b. S., & Koç, M. (2022). Investigation on human development needs, challenges, and drivers for transition to sustainable development: the case of qatar. Sustainability, 14(6), 3705.

Msheireb Downtown Doha-Sustainability. (2023). Msheireb Downtown Doha

Nawaz, W., & Koç, M. (2020). Industry, university and government partnerships for the sustainable development of knowledge-based society. Springer.

Naz, N., Gulab, F., & Aslam, M. (2022). Development of qualitative semi-structured interview guide for case study research. Competitive Social Science Research Journal, 3(2), 42-52.

Qatar Free Zones to Host Google Cloud Region in Doha. (2020). QFZ Authority.

Rizzo, A. (2017). Sustainable urban development and green megaprojects in the Arab states of the Gulf Region: Limitations, covert aims, and unintended outcomes in Doha, Qatar. International Planning Studies, 22(2), 85-98.

Sonia, C., & Hania, C. (2023). Digital Business Incubators and Digital Entrepreneurship: The case of Digital Incubation Center in Qatar. Croatian Review of Economic, Business and Social Statistics, 9(1), 33-50.

TASMU (2023). TASMU Gov Qatar.

Venkatesh, R., Singhal, T. K., & Mathew, L. (2017). Emergence of digital services innovation as a path to business transformation: case of communication services providers in GCC region. Int. J. Eng. Technol.

Villegas-Mateos, A. (2022). Toward a Sustainable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Qatar. Sustainability, 15(1), 127.

Winter, T. (2016). Urban sustainability in the Arabian Gulf: Air conditioning and its alternatives. Urban Studies, 53(15), 3264-3278.

Downloads

Published

2024-01-18

How to Cite

Elidrisy, A. (2024). Leveraging Cloud Services & Digital Transformation for Sustainability: Insights from Cases of Qatar. Journal of Innovative Research, 2(1), 20–28. https://doi.org/10.54536/jir.v2i1.2398