Aspects of management attitudes, beliefs, and business culture on the West Bank

This study is designed to explore and examine the various aspects of management attitudes, beliefs, and business culture on the West Bank. It investigates top managers personal, organisational and societal background. Within this general framework, the study aims to investigate the various aspects such as: managers characteristics, exogenous and endogenous pressures facing managers, attributes expected of managers, managers way of obtaining their present jobs. Their decision making styles, ways of handling functional problems, managers view of an ideal employee, managers nervousness, managers attitudes towards time, life insurance, mediation, nepotism, bribes, the employment of women, customs and traditions, an increase in business automation and technology, and attitudes towards jobs and various managerial functions and themes. Moreover, this study aims to explore the role of women as managers in the West Bank as well as to examine respondents needs and need satisfaction. A comparison of the major findings with other findings of relevant research will also be drawn in this study. It is believed that in order to understand managers attitudes, beliefs and behaviour, one should first understand the background which created such attitudes and beliefs. As a result the researcher opened this study with a general overview of the West Bank environment. The opening includes a discussion of the population and the geographical, historical, political, social, educational and economic environment in that region. The data for the research were gathered by interviewing a sample of l77 top Arab managers from 177 organisations in the West Bank. The average interviewing time was 40 minutes. All statistical analysis were perfonned using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSSx). The Chi-square test of association (X2)was perfonned so as to search for association between the various variables and questions. The Multivariate Discriminant Analysis (MDA) was also used for the attitudes and beliefs sections. Some of the outcomes emerging from the analysis include: 1. West Bank managers on average are highly educated 2. West Bank managers are working under enormous pressures and as a result over half of them sometimes feel nervous at work. 3. The majority of West Bank managers obtained their jobs through normal job placement methods. 4. The consultative style of decision making is the most pervasive style in the West Bank. S. Although the vast majority of West Bank managers believe that mediation, nepotism, and bribes are widely used in the West Bank, the vast majority of managers are against the use of such practices. 6. West Bank managers have a high appreciation of time and they also put a great deal of emphasis on communication and the importance of good relationships with employees. Yet the findings indicate that West Bank managers are not pro planning and forecasting. 7. As for women managers surveyed it was found that their major role in society is national and patriotic. 8. The majority of West Bank managers are pro change. They would like to see an increase in the number of working women, an increase in freedom from cultural customs and traditions and in increase in business automation and technology. 9. Although social need was considered the managers most important need, it was also found to be their most satisfied one. Finally, the study includes fruitful suggestions and recommendations for future research. All suggestions are aimed at enhancing the knowledge of West Bank management in particular and of human behaviour in the Arab and the business world in general

Managing a Family Business in a Complex Environment: The Case of Palestine

Abstract Family businesses are so predominant worldwide. The

Stand Your Ground Laws: International Human Rights Law Implications

Since the February 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin and other recent high-profile criminal cases, “Stand Your Ground” (“SYG”) laws in the United States have come under intense scrutiny. Florida is ground zero for the controversy. SYG laws expand the “Castle Doctrine” — a common law doctrine by which deadly force may be used in self-defense or to prevent a forcible felony when one is in the safety of one’s home — to include public places outside the home. Thus, SYG laws remove the classic common law duty to retreat in public spaces, while extending immunity from prosecution or civil suit for the use of deadly force in self-defense beyond the home. Florida’s SYG law is especially broad in this respect

Business Lures Employed by Malay Kelantanese Entrepreneurs

The foundation of a successful business is essentially the level of consumer response to a product or service offered. Entrepreneurs’ abilitities to cater to their consumers’ needs are one of their secrets to success. Hence, the objective of this study is to uncover the secrets of business success, particularly the business lures that have helped Kelantan entrepreneurs to popularise products or services they offer. A qualitative approach was used to analyse the interview data according to themes. The study found five factors which determined the business success of the selected Malay Kelantanese entrepreneurs. These factors were: they were persistent in asking for help from Allah, they strived to be approachable entrepreneurs, and they cultivated positive entrepreneurial virtues such as having an honourable personality, being creative, and innovative, as well as being bold in their marketing strategy. Although the findings are not representative of all Malay entrepreneurs in Malaysia, this study can, however, serve as a source of reference to encourage other entrepreneurs to emulate the business success of the selected entrepreneurs. Apart from that, it can encourage awareness among the Muslim entrepreneurs, about the importance of managing a business in accordance with the Islamic law