PhD Degree Awarded to Researcher Yasser Al-Hammadi in Business Administration
Sana’a – Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Researcher Yasser Mohammed Mohammed Ahmed Al-Hammadi was awarded a PhD degree in Business Administration by the Center of Business Administration at Sana’a University for his dissertation titled: “The Impact of Implementing the Trade in Services Liberalization Agreement on the Competitiveness of Yemeni Banks Through the Development of Banking Service Quality: An Applied Study on a Sample of Banks Operating in the Republic of Yemen.”
The PhD Viva-Voce Committee consisted of Prof. Dr. Mohammed Mohammed Hizam Al-Qutaybi, Amran University, as External Examiner and Chair; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdulrazzaq Mohammed Qaed Al-Marani, Sana’a University, as Internal Examiner and Member; and Prof. Dr. Mohammed Ali Saleh Al-Mukardi, Dhamar University, as Supervisor and Member.
The study aimed to determine the impact of implementing the Trade in Services Liberalization Agreement on the competitiveness of Yemeni banks through the development of banking service quality. The study was applied to a sample of nine commercial and Islamic banks operating in the Republic of Yemen.
The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach. For data collection, a questionnaire was designed and administered to employees of Yemeni banks in the capital, Sana’a. The study population consisted of 1,537 employees, while the study sample comprised 350 respondents, selected using simple random sampling.
A number of statistical methods were employed to analyze the data, test the study hypotheses, and examine the relationships among the study variables using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and AMOS.
The findings revealed that the level of implementation of the Trade in Services Liberalization Agreement was high, as was the level of banking service quality and the level of competitiveness achieved by Yemeni banks. The findings also demonstrated a statistically significant effect of implementing the Trade in Services Liberalization Agreement on the competitiveness of Yemeni banks, as well as a statistically significant effect of the agreement on banking service quality.
Furthermore, the study found a statistically significant effect of banking service quality on the competitiveness of Yemeni banks. It also demonstrated a significant effect of implementing the Trade in Services Liberalization Agreement on the competitiveness of Yemeni banks through the development of banking service quality, highlighting the important role of service quality in strengthening competitiveness.
Based on the findings, the study recommended increasing attention to the implementation of the Trade in Services Liberalization Agreement across its dimensions, including cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy, focus strategy, human resources, and technological requirements. It also recommended strengthening efforts to improve banking service quality through its dimensions of tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, empathy, and assurance, given their role in achieving competitive advantage in Yemeni banks.
The study further recommended enhancing human resource development in Yemeni banks by encouraging employees to improve their professional skills and increasing their job satisfaction. It also called for greater attention to the quality of banking services provided to customers so that service quality becomes a key criterion in customers’ choice of banks and contributes to maintaining their long-term relationships with them.
The study also emphasized the importance of developing information technology systems, adopting the latest digital technologies, and expanding electronic banking applications by transforming banks’ websites into interactive platforms that respond to customers’ needs and preferences. In addition, it recommended improving the physical and tangible aspects of banks, including buildings and waiting areas, to make them more attractive and suitable for customers.
The dissertation defense was attended by a number of academics, researchers, postgraduate students, and other interested individuals, in addition to the researcher’s colleagues and family members.
