E-mail use by the faculty members, students and staff of Saudi Arabian and Gulf states Universities

Electronic mail systems (Email) constitute one of the most important communication and business tools that people employ. Email in the workplace can help a business improve its productivity. Many organisations now rely on email to manage internal communications as well as other communication and business processes and procedures. This paper compares email use by university stakeholders (i.e. faculty members, staff and students) between Saudi Arabia on one hand, and the Gulf States - Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain – on the other. A questionnaire that was expertreviewed and pilot-tested, was used to collect data from ten universities in Saudi Arabia and five universities in the Gulf States. Slight differences emerged in the Saudi Arabia and Gulf States universities’ stakeholders’ use of email in terms of having email, frequency of checking email, and skills in using email. The Saudi Arabian universities must improve their IT infrastructure, including the provision of suitable connection networks and formal training of staff in utilising IT resources. This study’s findings aim to advise the Saudi Arabian and Gulf States’ universities on their plans and programmes for e-learning and the consolidation of required resources.