PhD student profile - Salem Abdulrahman Alomairi
Thesis title: Exploring the impact of social media information on investment decision-making in carbon-intensive industries within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Research summary
Salem’s research investigates the usefulness of social media information for investment decision-making among individual investors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), with a focus on carbon-intensive companies listed on Tadawul. The study is set within a rapidly evolving information environment in which investors encounter market commentary, company news, peer interpretations, influencer content, and unverified claims via social media alongside, or prior to, formal disclosures. This creates tension between acting on emerging signals and avoiding decisions based on unreliable information.
The research examines how Saudi individual investors use social media as an information source, including which platforms they rely on, their motivations for use, and the extent to which social media shapes their investment judgements. It also explores how investors assess credibility and verify social media content against authoritative sources such as Tadawul announcements, corporate disclosures, Argaam, Bloomberg, professional advisers, and trusted personal networks.
Carbon-intensive firms provide a relevant context due to their economic significance in Saudi Arabia and their exposure to policy, sustainability, and transition-related uncertainties.
Salem adopted a mixed-methods approach, combining 41 semi-structured interviews with survey data from 472 Tadawul investors. Drawing on Social Cognitive Theory and Signalling Theory, the study explains how investors interpret information, evaluate credibility, and act on social media signals.
Conference papers
- Research presented at the British Accounting and Finance Association (BAFA) Annual Conference 2024 and 2025
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