Lifecycle-Based Regional Development Strategies for Long-Term Value Creation in Saudi Mega Projects

References

[1] Almatar, K. M. (2023). Regional inequality, urban transformation and spatial development in Saudi Arabia. Cities, 137, 104312.

[2] Al-Saidi, M., & Saliba, S. (2022). Water, energy and food security in the Gulf Cooperation Council: Sustainability transitions and policy integration. Environmental Development, 42, 100711.

[3] Bibri, S. E. (2021). Data-driven smart sustainable cities of the future: An evidence synthesis. Sustainable Cities and Society, 68, 102812.

[4] Brookes, N., Sage, D., Dainty, A., Locatelli, G., & Whyte, J. (2021). An island of constancy in a sea of change: Rethinking project temporalities with long-term infrastructure programmes. International Journal of Project Management, 39(5), 521-531.

[5] Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. (2025). Vision 2030 in the home stretch: Clear achievements yet limited accountability. Carnegie Middle East Center.

[6] Flyvbjerg, B. (2021). Top ten behavioral biases in project management: An overview. Project Management Journal, 52(6), 531-546.

[7] Ghaffarianhoseini, A., Tookey, J., Ghaffarianhoseini, A., Naismith, N., Azhar, S., Efimova, O., & Raahemifar, K. (2021). Building information modelling for sustainable construction and asset management: A review. Automation in Construction, 127, 103724.

[8] International Organization for Standardization. (2024). ISO 55001:2024 Asset management - Management systems - Requirements. ISO.

[9] Leber, A. (2025). Vision 2030 in the home stretch: Progress, accountability and distributional challenges. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

[10] Locatelli, G., Ika, L., Drouin, N., Müller, R., Huemann, M., Söderlund, J., Geraldi, J., & Clegg, S. (2022). A manifesto for project management research. European Management Review, 19(1), 3-17.

[11] National Transformation Program. (2025). National Transformation Program annual report 2024. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

[12] OECD. (2021). Building resilient infrastructure through whole-life asset management. OECD Publishing.

[13] Oxford Business Group. (2025). Digital foundations: Government mandates and mega projects accelerate digital transformation in Saudi construction. OBG Saudi Arabia Report.

[14] PIF. (2025). Public Investment Fund annual report 2024. Public Investment Fund, Riyadh.

[15] Pike, A., Rodríguez-Pose, A., & Tomaney, J. (2023). Local and regional development: Theories and practice in an age of transition. Regional Studies, 57(4), 613-625.

[16] Quality of Life Program. (2024). Quality of Life Program annual report 2024. Vision 2030, Riyadh.

[17] Reuters. (2025). Saudi gigaprojects take writedown as diversification efforts face implementation pressures. Reuters Middle East.

[18] Rodríguez-Pose, A. (2020). Institutions and the fortunes of territories. Regional Science Policy & Practice, 12(3), 371-386.

[19] Sepasgozar, S. M. E. (2021). Digital twin and web-based virtual gaming technologies for online education and construction management. Applied Sciences, 11(9), 3778.

[20] Snyder, H. (2020). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333-339.

[21] Sodiq, A., Baloch, A. A. B., Khan, S. A., Sezer, N., Mahmoud, S., Jama, M., & Abdelaal, A. (2021). Towards modern sustainable cities: Review of sustainability principles and trends. Journal of Cleaner Production, 278, 123452.

[22] Tranfield, D., Denyer, D., & Smart, P. (2021). Towards a methodology for developing evidence-informed management knowledge by means of systematic review. British Journal of Management, 32(S1), 1-16.

[23] UN-Habitat. (2022). World cities report 2022: Envisaging the future of cities. United Nations Human Settlements Programme.

[24] Vision 2030. (2025). Vision 2030 annual report 2024. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

[25] World Bank. (2020). Global infrastructure hub: InfraCompass 2020 and infrastructure governance indicators. World Bank Group.

[26] Yigitcanlar, T., Kankanamge, N., Regona, M., Ruiz Maldonado, A., Rowan, B., Ryu, A., Desouza, K. C., Corchado, J. M., Mehmood, R., & Li, R. Y. M. (2021). Artificial intelligence technologies and related urban planning and development concepts. Journal of Open Innovation, 7(2), 122.

[27] Zhang, X., Wu, Y., Shen, L., & Skitmore, M. (2020). A prototype system dynamic model for assessing the sustainability of construction projects. International Journal of Project Management, 38(2), 69-82.

[28] Zhao, Z., & Hwang, B. G. (2023). Megaproject governance and stakeholder value co-creation: A systematic review. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 30(8), 3351-3373.

[29] Saudi Data and AI Authority. (2024). National data governance policies and AI strategy update. SDAIA, Riyadh.

[30] Ministry of Economy and Planning. (2024). Regional and sectoral development performance under Vision 2030. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

@article{1722170,
      author = {Shahzad Jahangeer},
      title = {Lifecycle-Based Regional Development Strategies for Long-Term Value Creation in Saudi Mega Projects},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2026},
      volume = {10},
      number = {2},
      pages = {239-250},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1722170.pdf},
      abstract = {Saudi Arabia’s giga and mega projects are no longer just standalone construction programmes: they are territorial transformation platforms that are expected to generate durable regional value through public investment, private participation, infrastructure systems, tourism assets, housing districts, logistics corridors and cultural destinations. This review develops a lifecycle-based framework for developing regional development strategies in Saudi mega projects. The paper synthesises recent literature and policy evidence from 2020 to 2025, focusing on the creation, protection and renewal of value from project origination to long-term operation. It argues that the alignment of six lifecycle phases is critical for sustainable value creation: strategic selection, regional integration, design and procurement, delivery governance, operational activation and adaptive renewal. A systematic review methodology was applied to screen peer-reviewed and policy sources, extract recurring themes and translate them into a governance model suitable for Vision 2030 projects. The results indicate that Saudi mega projects can produce lasting value if the delivery metrics are broadened to include economic diversification, local capability formation, environmental performance, social inclusion, digital continuity and post-handover asset productivity, in addition to cost, schedule and output completion. The review closes with strategic recommendations for policymakers, developers and regional authorities to enhance whole life governance, reduce fragmentation and turn capital projects into resilient regional ecosystems.},
      keywords = {Lifecycle Governance, Regional Development, Saudi Arabia, Giga Projects, Vision 2030, Long-Term Value, Infrastructure Strategy, Sustainable Megaprojects.},
      month = {August},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I2-1722170}
  }