David Marshall Hunt and Mohammed I. At‐Twaijri
Stafford & Waifs (1985) research focused on delineating what constitutes a social problem. ‘Issues managers’ will benefit greatly from an improved understanding of the…
Abstract
Stafford & Waifs (1985) research focused on delineating what constitutes a social problem. ‘Issues managers’ will benefit greatly from an improved understanding of the characteristics which delineate issues as social problems in the eyes of the public, the public being only one of their stakeholders (e.g. public, customers, suppliers, government, shareholders and employees) Greening & Gray (1994). This research is an international or cultural extension of the Stafford & Warr research on a U.S.A. sample to a Saudi Arabian sample. Saudi Arabia is a distinctly different culture in values and language from the U.S.A. and therefore offers some interesting cross‐cultural contrasts and comparisons with regard to perceptions of social issues. As many organizations go global, they must develop an understanding of what constitutes a social problem within each of the cultures they operate in. The results of this study show significant differences between what Saudi's and U.S.A. citizen's perceive to be social problems/issues. These findings strongly support Stafford & Warr's three part scheme for delineating social issues.
Mohammed I. At‐Twaijri, Abdelaziz A. Al‐Dukhayyil and Ibrahim A. Al‐Muhaiza
This article reports the results of a field study that aims to investigate the differences, if any, that exist between Saudi Arabian and U.S. supervisors, as perceived by their…
Abstract
This article reports the results of a field study that aims to investigate the differences, if any, that exist between Saudi Arabian and U.S. supervisors, as perceived by their subordinates. It is assumed that any differences that exist are culturally bound and have a positive or negative effect on subordinates by making the work environment pleasant or unpleasant. The findings point to the existence of differences between Saudi Arabian and U.S. supervisors with regard to the subordinates' welfare, claiming subordinates' original ideas, performance evaluation, control, knowledge of the job, willingness to explain job duties to subordinates and motivation. Suggestions have been provided to reduce these differences in the work climate.
Mohammed I. At‐Twaijri, Sami A. Al‐Khursani and Faisal A. Abdulwahed
This study was based on Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) results conducted in Saudi Arabia. The objective of this study was to evaluate motivating factors to determine whether employee…
Abstract
This study was based on Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) results conducted in Saudi Arabia. The objective of this study was to evaluate motivating factors to determine whether employee productivity could be enhanced by a job redesign.
A study is described involving the use of questionnaires toinvestigate the situational factors (economy, government, technology,competition, culture, demography) that affect the…
Abstract
A study is described involving the use of questionnaires to investigate the situational factors (economy, government, technology, competition, culture, demography) that affect the banking industry in Saudi Arabia. The results reveal that culture and technology are viewed as less important than the government and the economy. It is advisable for banking strategists to start thinking about the importance of culture, demography, and technology in Saudi Arabia. Considering the rise in Islamic awareness, bankers should in some way create an atmosphere to benefit from this trend and change it to a positive factor. More attention should be directed towards integrating technology, culture and demography.
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Mohammed I. At‐Twaijri, Bruce M. Woodworth, Nasser S. Al‐Mudarra’ and Fahed I. Al‐Subai’i
In developing economies state‐controlled primary organizations have an implicit responsibility to assist secondary organ‐izations in their development. Using an exploratory study…
Abstract
In developing economies state‐controlled primary organizations have an implicit responsibility to assist secondary organ‐izations in their development. Using an exploratory study, examines the interaction of these two groups in Saudi Arabia and seeks to identify significant indicators which can evaluate the mentoring function. General managers of second‐tier organizations evaluated four primary organizations on several independent variables thought to be indicative of mentoring. Three of the variables are statistically significant and perceived support is quite low. Concludes that an information network, on a national level, is needed to improve co‐ordination and co‐operation between these two groups.
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Sami Alanzi, Vanessa Ratten, Clare D'Souza and Marthin Nanere
Culture and economic settings are often perceived as key influential elements in formulating the entrepreneurial ecosystem, either on the organizations level or the entire social…
Abstract
Culture and economic settings are often perceived as key influential elements in formulating the entrepreneurial ecosystem, either on the organizations level or the entire social system. In their different forms, culture and economic conditions have always been critical drivers for innovation and entrepreneurship. Understanding the community's cultural traits and economic status helps entrepreneurs map their entrepreneurial objectives and define enablers and deterrents. This chapter investigated the cultural and economic environment within the Gulf Council Countries (GCC), mapped their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices and entrepreneurial performance. It was evident that some cultural traits, such as tribalism, could play an adverse role in supporting entrepreneurship. However, the economic system, which mainly relies on oil and gas production, could be the best enabler for entrepreneurship, which has a unique nature in the GCC and receives high government reinforcement through massive capital surpluses generated from the oil revenue. The latest statistics ranking the global entrepreneurship performance indicated that the GCC lay in the middle area among other countries worldwide. Qatar came on the top of the GCC with a global rank of 22, while Saudi Arabia came last, at position 45 globally. The government legislative and economic support for entrepreneurship activities contributes to preparing a proper authoritative climate that promotes entrepreneurship and could be a golden opportunity for entrepreneurs in the GCC.
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Tariq Elyas and Abdullah Ahmed Al-Ghamdi
This chapter briefly explores selected English and general education policy documents, curricula, and textbooks within the context of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) from a Critical…
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This chapter briefly explores selected English and general education policy documents, curricula, and textbooks within the context of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) from a Critical Discourse Analysis perspective and examines how they have changed pre- and post-21st century. First, a policy document related to education in KSA in general (pre-21st century) is analyzed along with an English language teaching (ELT) policy document of the same period. Next, two general policy documents post-21st century are explored, followed by one related to ELT policy. Finally, one post-21st century document related to higher education is discussed. The “network of practices” within which these documents are situated are first detailed, as well as the structural order of the discourse, and some linguistic analysis of the choice of vocabulary and grammatical structures (Meyer, 2001). Issues which might be problematic to the learning and teaching identities of the students and teachers interpreting these documents are also highlighted. Finally, we consider whether the network of practices at this institution and KSA in general “needs” the problems identified in the analysis and critically reflect on the analysis.
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Linzi J. Kemp, Megan Mathias and Maryam Raji
The purpose of this paper is to apply the lens of representative bureaucracy (RB) to women’s representation at management level in governments and government-owned companies in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to apply the lens of representative bureaucracy (RB) to women’s representation at management level in governments and government-owned companies in Arab Gulf states (AGS), and to consider the implications for government stability, legitimacy and performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were analysed of the numbers of men and women in management positions (8,936), of government and government-owned companies (846), for the six countries of the AGS. Analyses were conducted on the presence/absence of women in management for ten industry types.
Findings
Governments and government-owned companies in the AGS were identified as hybrid (public/private) institutions. Women were found to be underrepresented at management levels in public sector bureaucracy; women clustered in a narrow range of industries; all countries returned a high result of zero female managers in these industries.
Research limitations/implications
This research is limited by data collected from a single source, “Eikon”, which is a commercial database. The implication of these results is a benchmark for future studies on women’s representation at management level in governments and government-owned companies of Arab Gulf countries.
Practical implications
The practical implication of this study is for concerted government intervention to address gender inequality in management of governments and government-owned companies across the AGS.
Originality/value
This is the first study of RB in AGS and extends the theory of RB to a new geographical and cultural context. There is value in application of RB to government and government-owned companies as a regional form of hybrid public–private organisation.
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Geok Theng Lau, Mohammed A. Razzaque and Angeline Ong
Owing to the complexity of the task and the risks inherent in it, the effectiveness of any organizational buying decision largely depends on the information available for the…
Abstract
Owing to the complexity of the task and the risks inherent in it, the effectiveness of any organizational buying decision largely depends on the information available for the decision‐makers’ use. Within any typical organization, flow of the information needed in the decision‐making process is influenced by the gatekeepers – the people who link the organization with the outside environment. However, despite the important role played by these people, not much is known about their behavior. This research makes an attempt to study gatekeeping behavior and examine factors which may influence this behavior.
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In countries where disclosing and reporting matters on sustainability are optional, what are the drivers promoting voluntarily disclosing information related to social…
Abstract
Purpose
In countries where disclosing and reporting matters on sustainability are optional, what are the drivers promoting voluntarily disclosing information related to social responsibility and environmental sustainability corporate environmental and social responsibility? Exploring drivers promoting the demand for voluntarily disclosing information related to social responsibility and environmental sustainability in Saudi Arabia, where regulatory and professional bodies have not mandated information on corporate environmental and social responsibility, motivates this study.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 48 individuals voluntarily participated in the survey.
Findings
Findings reveal that creating a better social, ethical and mental image, building a public relations image for the company, improving stakeholder trust in the company, signaling to investors the company’s care for the earth to meet the ethical motivation of stakeholders, enhancing corporate social responsibility awareness and exhibiting surpasses the mere generation of profits, all derive such disclosure. Such disclosure also signifies the firm’s value as well as improves the overall firm’s economic performance.
Practical implications
Regulatory and professional bodies must issue and adopt reporting models for entities, principally private companies, whether publicly traded or not, of the content. Their reports should aim to inform users and stakeholders about fulfilling the social and environmental responsibilities of entities toward society and its members.
Social implications
Out of the drivers for the demand, perceptions of elders toward meeting ethical motivation of senior management significantly differ from that of younger.
Originality/value
Few studies have been attempted on drivers of the demand for reporting environmental sustainability and social responsibility in an environment where such reporting is not mandated. This study offers insight from Saudi Arabian corporate reports.