Antecedents of trust in corporate banking in the United Arab Emirates

How does an understanding of the antecedents of trust and trust building contribute to our knowledge of relationships in the corporate banking sector in the United Arab Emirates? How is trust operationalised? This thesis has 1) identified the interaction between bankers and their clients; 2) empirically studied both sides of this dyad; 3) investigated the extent to which the antecedents of trust are contextually dependent; and 4) drawn out the implications for relationship managers. This work fills a gap in the financial services marketing literature: it provides an understanding of the antecedents of trust and insights into corporate banking in an Arab/Muslim context. It has implications for other Gulf States and Arab cultures, and finds a significant relationship between emotions and trust. The literature on trust is vast; many surveys analyse the meanings of trust and provide typologies. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of research on the antecedents of trust. This work devises a typology of trust, classified into six antecedents: competence, reliability, integrity, benevolence, openness of communication and “antecedent” satisfaction – all with particular reference to Emirati religion, culture and shared values. Thematic qualitative analysis was deployed here through the use of semi-structured interviews with 170 respondents. Key informants in the Central Bank of Abu Dhabi and in a multi-national oil company provided triangulation. The antecedents of trust in the banking sector in an Arab/Muslim context fall into three clusters: “Cognitive”, “Affective” and “Religion, culture and shared values”. All were investigated in an Arab/Muslim context. It is shown here that the antecedents of trust for Emiratis are controlled by the key mediating variables of religion, culture and shared values. For non-Emiratis, antecedents of trust are predominantly cognitive, focusing on knowledge, skills and profit. This research reveals that additional antecedents of trust, beyond those in the literature, influence the building of trust

The impact of foreignness on the compliance with the international standards for the professional practice of internal auditing

The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) was established to organise the profession. The IIA provides members with an International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF) to lead their professional practice and confirm the highest-quality internal audit effects in various environments. One of the IPPF components is the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing (the Standards). The goals of the Standards are to describe essential principles that characterise the practice of internal auditing, to deliver a framework for performing and promoting a wide range of value-added internal auditing, to create the basis for the assessment of internal audit performance, and to foster development of organizational processes and operations. However, some researchers have reported many factors related to the lack of compliance with the Standards, related directly to the fieldwork of the profession, which can be controlled by the board of directors, executives or audit committee either in the short or long term. This study however, is premised on the assumption that solving the internal factors (for instance, internal auditors’ educational level (college degree), professional certificates, Certificate of Internal Auditors (CIA), membership of organisation and age of internal audit staff) related directly to the organization or its resources is not the ultimate solution to compliance with the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing Standards. This is because, if a particular organisation tries to adopt a certain strategy to eliminate negative effects associated with internal factors, there are complicated external environmental factors that may not be controllable. For this reason, this study examines foreignness (social capital) as a major factor that affects internal auditors’ compliance with the Standards from an environmental perspective, which is one of the main significant contributions of this study. The study examines compliance with International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing in relation to various cultural factors, such as personal, friendship, and family relationships, which are especially salient in developing, Arab, and Gulf countries. Moreover, another contribution of this study is to examine compliance with the standards from a linguistic prospective. Many countries may recognize and use English as an official language and have no trouble in the basic comprehension of the standards, but meaning may not be completely and accurately conveyed in the nuances of the language, which are unique to different cultural settings. For this reason, the study assumes that language will play a critical role with regard to understanding and consequently complying with the standards. In non-English speaking countries, the IIA has tried to solve this issue by translating the standards into the host country language. Therefore, the study also examines compliance with the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing in terms of two main linguistic factors, Understanding and Translation. A questionnaire strategy was used to collect quantitative data. The companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange Market, selected from different sectors in order to have a diversity of responses from many industries. The results showed that there is an influence of social capital (personal social capital, friendship social capital, and family social capital) on the compliance with the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing (Independence and Objectivity, Individual Objectivity, and Governance). The findings also showed that there is an effect of Linguistic Social Capital (Understanding, and Translation) on compliance with the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing with regard to professional terms such as Add Value and Residual Risk

Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationThis dissertation is about men's guestrooms (sing. diwaniyya; pl. diwaniyyat or dawawin) in Kuwait and their place in the nation's unique welfare compact with its citizens. The central question guiding this research is unambiguous: Why do Kuwaiti men visit the dawawin? The answer, it is argued, lies in the nature of the distributive rentier arrangement in contemporary Kuwait that has allowed for the unprecedented expansion and utilization of these guestrooms. It is the position of this study that the creation of an inflated, underperforming bureaucracy tied to an intricate system of patronage and brokerage extending downward throughout the state from the ruling Al Sabah dynasty has created the conditions wherein actors must provide their own inroads if they are to tap into the government's vast resources. However, given the opaqueness of the Kuwait state system, the personalization of offices and institutions, and the imbalanced distribution of oil rents throughout the community, knowledge of precisely who to contact for what ends has become a regular nightly activity. Coupled with the benefits of luxury employment and subsidies that have bolstered discretionary incomes, hosting and visiting to foster and reinforce ties to governmental largess has become institutionalized in ways that have transformed these customary male guestrooms into indispensible marketplaces for facilitatory support

The impact of Islamic culture on business ethics:Saudi Arabia and the practice of Wasta

The following PhD study contributes to the business ethics field in Islamic context by developing a critical approach to studying the influence of Islam and Saudi traditions in real-life contexts from managerial and organisational perspectives. Bourdieu’s theory of practice is applied to deliver insight into the cultural contexts in which managerial values and daily practices are constituted, introducing the issue of wasta within Saudi culture. Despite wasta being a sensitive topic, few studies have been implemented to effectively discuss it. Four case studies were conducted in culturally diverse private Saudi organisations located in the Kingdom’s eastern region. The data analysis delivers effective evaluation of workplace relationships and networks; extending understanding of the broader social and cultural influences within private Saudi organisations. The empirical data gathered reveals that Saudi managers’ styles include several modifications to existing contemporary managerial styles, largely to adhere to ethical codes of conduct and Islamic values. In this research, the process of improving business ethics in Saudi organisations has been shown to be challenging. This research suggests applying on-going strategies and structures to support an ethical culture in the workplace. Adopting Bourdieu’s theory of practice allowed the study to bring together a wide range of humanistic disciplines to deliver theoretical and empirical implications with which to understand the everyday lives of Saudi employees and their social networks. The theoretical connections between Bourdieu’s theory and the various dimensions of Islamic business ethics within Saudi private sector informed the overall success of this research. The results reveal that managerial power in Saudi society differs from traditional understandings, as constituted in the Western context. Ethics, identity and the strong religious belief are the fundamental components of spiritual observance and influencing interactions in the workplace

The Influence of Culture on Senior Leaders as They Seek to Resolve Ethical Dilemmas at Work

This dissertation explores some of the difficulties that arise when using the cognitive development model to explain ethical behaviour in the world of work. An alternative theoretical position is explored, one that was originally developed in anthropology by Richard Shweder and Jonathan Haidt. This position asserts that ethical behaviour is not universal, it is instead highly contextual and may be influenced by both organisational and ethnic/national culture. The influence of culture on ethical behaviour is explored using narrative research techniques. The research is based on thirty in depth interviews with senior executives who frequently faced ethical dilemmas at work. Interviewees represented a number of diverse cultural backgrounds (including British, Dutch, US, Indian, Saudi, Colombian and Brazilian) and a number of strong organisation cultures. The conclusions emphasize the importance of personal networks as a resource for resolving ethical dilemmas and the importance of different cultural approaches to managing power relations within personal networks. The conclusions question both the current and future role of compliance functions in global corporations and the effectiveness of leadership development and staff training in the field of values and ethic

The influence of Wasta on employees and organisations in Kuwait: exploring the impact on human resource management, knowledge sharing, innovation and organisational commitment

This thesis examines the influence of wasta on employees and organisations in Kuwait. Wasta is a set of personal networks based on family or connections in which power and influence is used to accomplish things. As wasta evolved, it became deeply rooted in Kuwait. For instance, it became a tool which people use to get recruited in any position, regardless of their qualification. It is considered as a family obligation, a technique for doing business, and a practice which people use to maintain one s status. To date, there has been little research on the influence of wasta within organisations in terms of human resource management (HRM) practices, knowledge sharing, innovation, and organisational commitment in Kuwait. Consequently, the aim of this thesis is to address the research question: does wasta influence human resource management practices, knowledge sharing, innovation, and organisational commitment in Kuwait? A mixed method sequential exploratory research design is utilised to examine the specified research question. The justification behind this approach is that both qualitative and quantitative strategies supplement each other by giving a more in-depth and complete picture of the topic. Based on a total of 343 individual responses, the outcomes identified with wasta in businesses are considerable, as it does not only impact employees performance, but also the entire organisation s performance. The findings revealed that wasta influences HRM practices, knowledge sharing, innovation, and organisational commitment in Kuwait. In addition, the results of this study developed new models that fit within the context of this research and suggests several recommendations that could be developed to reduce the unwanted effects of wasta and improve employees as well as organisations performance. Consequently, this thesis provides a conceptual framework of what wasta is, how it is being executed, and ways in which it impacts employees and organisations in terms of the measured variables. It aims to deliver insight for citizens, employees, local and multi-national organisations, and the government in Kuwait about how the practice of wasta impacts performance, either positively or negatively. This thesis contributes to new knowledge within the field of business in the Middle East and provides a basis on which further research could be carried out. Therefore, this research will support and provide additional value to the minimum research that is available on wasta in Kuwait and worldwide

Management research in the Arab World: What is now and what is next?

Given the significant political and socio-economic transformations occurring in the challenging yet under-researched Arab world nowadays, this study seeks to (1) systematically review the literature in the leading mainstream management journals; and (2) develop a future research agenda that would enhance our understanding of the region. To do this, we conducted a systematic review of 176 published management studies (2000–2016). Our thematic analysis revealed three overarching themes. These were (1) avenues for economic development and improved performance, (2) leveraging and adapting to changing local institutional contexts and (3) overcoming legitimacy concerns/barriers in the Arab world. Our recommendations on the future research agenda of these themes were intended to provide key insights for researchers and managers interested in proactively contributing to the development of a timely research agenda for these promising markets

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IN THE SAUDI TELECOMMUNICATION SECTOR: By Focusing on the role of wasta.

The phenomenon of wasta is a controversial topic because of its cultural and social contexts. It is considered as an important indigenous form of informal influence in Saudi society. Recently, the use of wasta has become more common in human resource practices (recruitment, promotion, and training) in Saudi organizations. As a result of such practices, wasta is the primary factor in deciding who obtains a job, promotion, and training. However, studies analysing the impact of wasta on management practices remain limited and most them do not address it systematically. Therefore, this research seeks to fill the gap in the literature pertaining to the various forms of wasta as practiced in Saudi Arabia in order to build a better understanding of its process, practices and impacts. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 30 male Saudi employees and managers employed by two telecommunication companies in Saudi Arabia. This is the first study in this respect; no other study to date has discussed what forms wasta takes in Saudi society and the importance of the waseet (middleman) on the outcome of gaining jobs, promotion and training. This study suggests three models relating to the wasta practices: wasta based on one middleman, wasta based on multi-middlemen, and wasta based on the blood connection. The study also shows that wasta inside the company is more effective than when the waseet is operating outside the company and the position and power of the middleman are important factors on the outcome of wasta. Furthermore, this study reveals that wasta negatively impacts on human resource procedures by undermining policies in three ways: bias of implementation; intervention; and ambiguity in policies. The findings of this study could help the authorities eliminate or at least reduce the influence of wasta on human resource management decision

The role of informal institutions in early-stage entrepreneurship

This thesis contributes to the literature that has sought to understand the Arabic socio-cultural phenomenon of ‘wasta’ in different aspects of business life. Until now, the relationship between using personal connections (“wasta”) to achieve goals and early-stage entrepreneurship has been neglected. The aim of thesis is to evaluate the role of “wasta” in early stage entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia. To do so, the thesis examines how wasta, as an informal institution, affects four entrepreneurial domains: liabilities of newness; entrepreneurial orientations; tax morality and the level of start-ups’ formality. Wasta is here measured on both supply and demand sides including the institutions, activities, rewards and people participating in exchanging wasta with entrepreneurs. An exploratory sequential mixed methods approach has been adopted to achieve this. In the first phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 Saudi entrepreneurs, and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings of this phase helped to gain better and deeper understanding of the phenomenon, and design the quantitative questionnaire. The second phase, a web-based questionnaire was collected from 236 early-stage entrepreneurs in three main regions of Saudi Arabia. The data gathered in this stage was statistically tested using descriptive, correlation and regression analysis. The findings reveal a variety of positive and negative significant relationships between wasta practices on the both demand and supply sides and internal and external liabilities of newness, the four dimensions of entrepreneurial orientations, tax morality and the degree of start-ups’ formality. The practical and theoretical implications are then discussed. Recommendations for future research are then outlined