Employees' perceptions of fairness in practice of performance appraisal

Employees’ performance appraisal (PA) is an essential tool used by organisations to develop and improve employees’ competencies and skills, and so assure organisations’ survival. In recent years research has moved from a psychometric approach, such as rater accuracy and rating error studies, to the qualitative aspect of PA where employees’ reactions and perceptions of performance appraisal are seen as indicators of success and effectiveness. Employees’ satisfaction with the system is indicated by scholars as the major indicator of employee perception of fairness (Cardy and Dobbins, 1994; Cawley et al., 1998; Keeping and Levy, 2000; Murphy and Cleveland, 1995). The focus of this research is on the employees’ perceptions of fairness in performance appraisal in Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC). A conceptual framework is developed based on three dimensions of organisational justice theory (the terms ‘justice’ and ‘fairness’ are used interchangeably): distributive, procedural (using the due process model), and interactional, which involves interpersonal and informational justice, to explore employees’ perceptions of justice in their appraisal. A qualitative approach was applied through an interpretivist paradigm; semi-structured interviews were used for collecting primary data from 44 respondents.The findings reveal the practice of performance appraisal is strongly influenced by cultural factors, which are divided into two dimensions. First, social factors, which include relationship, friendship, family relations, regionalism, tribe, personal interest and emotion. Second, managerial factors or characteristics of the manager (the terms supervisor, manager, direct manager, or rater are used interchangeably to refer to the person who evaluates or assesses employees’ performance) which includes expectations of managers that their subordinates obey them, managers’ tendency to threaten subordinates, and unwillingness to accept criticism. In relation to the process and procedures of appraisal the findings reveal a feeling that appraisal ratings did not reflect employees’ actual contributions or input, absence of standards for allocating salaries, and unequal training course distribution.The findings also reveal that goals and objectives are not set at the beginning of each appraisal period, and the appraisal standards used by supervisors are unclear, there is no clear feedback, and employees cannot participate in their appraisal process, meaning that appraisal decisions are only taken by managers. When employees receive their result, if they are dissatisfied with their grades they cannot appeal as the decision process is not explained to them. Employees were dissatisfied for three reasons: first, raters’ bias and subjectivity; second, evaluation depends on the department budget, and on forced distribution; third, involvement of top management in the rating and their changing the result without contacting the direct manager or supervisor who conducted the evaluation. These findings strongly support the organisational justice theory, and have important implications for practice

ADHD is like a bat – it is neither a bird nor an animal

ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed neurobehavioral disorder among children. While ADHD in Western countries has long been recognized and increasingly diagnosed in recent years, there is a growing recognition of this disorder as a significant cross-cultural phenomenon. Saudi studies to date vary in their estimation of prevalence of ADHD, with overall prevalence estimated to be between 3.5% and 6.5%, while the worldwide prevalence of ADHD is 5.29%. This study uncovers the lived experience of parents with a child who has had an ADHD diagnosis in Saudi Arabia, and examines how their experiences can be recognized in relation to the multiple and competing discourses of ADHD that frame their daily lives. Which discourses do parents draw upon – and reinforce – as they describe their experiences of ADHD, and which discourses do they resist? This study carried out in-depth interviews with seven Saudi parents who have at least one child diagnosed with ADHD, or any of its subtypes, between the ages of two and 11. Foucauldian discourse analysis (FDA) is applied in analyzing parental ADHD discourses, uncovering how these parents made sense of ADHD pre-and post-diagnosis. Four main discourses emerged in the process: normal behavior (pre-diagnosis), supernatural/religious, medical, and social environment (post-diagnosis). This paper also emphasises that the causes of ADHD must be considered in the wider context of misconceptions and uncertainty among Saudi parents. All the participants in this research were influenced by a combination of discourses in their attempts to make sense of their children’s symptoms

An investigation into the academic writing: Difficulties of Saudi Postgraduate Students

This interpretive study aims to investigate the difficulties in English academic writing as perceived by Saudi postgraduate students and their English supervisors in an English-speaking country. In accordance with the exploratory nature of the methodological approach adopted in this study, the research design of the current study employs a sequential mixed-methods design. The quantitative phase is represented by the questionnaire whereas semi-structured interviews and document analysis constitute the qualitative phase. From the sample, 275 students were asked to fill in the prepared questionnaire whilst 15 students, of both genders, and 9 supervisors were asked to participate in an interview. Ten samples of students’ written feedback from their supervisors were provided. Data were analysed quantitatively using SPSS descriptive statistics and qualitatively using MAXQDA software. The findings of the current study revealed that Saudi postgraduate students face the following difficulties in their English academic writing: not having sufficient academic vocabulary, avoiding plagiarism, using cohesive devices properly, constructing logical arguments, making coherent links between ideas, and demonstrating critical thinking in their academic writing. Furthermore, the current study highlighted that the difficulties could be attributed to a number of factors, including those related to learners, context, and instruction. Several strategies were proposed that could assist Saudi students in improving their academic writing. Additionally, the lack of academic preparation in the KSA had a negative influence on the proficiency of Saudi postgraduate students in their English academic writing, resulting in disparities between the expectations placed on students in their postgraduate studies in the UK and the actual results achieved by Saudi students. The findings also revealed that EAP courses in the UK often aided students in learning writing techniques; however, these courses have certain limitations. According to the findings of the current study, a theoretical model is suggested to help Saudi postgraduate students in their English academic writing. Based on the study findings, implications are drawn for policy makers and for practice in the education system in Saudi Arabia. Finally, suggestions for further research are provided

MAM14 Immunotherapy New Modality Treat Autoimmune Disorder

There is no safe single treatment for autoimmune disorders until this writing. This new modality is challenging this notion with safe no toxic method named MAM14 immunotherapy. This new method have been tried on several types of autoimmune disorders in the last 25 years in our lab at Kuwait University Faculty of Medicine. In this article we demonstrate the difference of MAM14 on four out of the 14 autoimmune disorder studied compared to control who received conventional chemotherapy.  Data accumulated of 1400 patients compared to 1400 controls. For the present article the sample we chose 10 patients treated with MAM14 for each disease studied compared to 10 control- patients from the same sickness but treated by conventional immunosuppressant chemotherapy, Cyclosporine, Methotrexate ,Tacrolimus or steroid.  MAM14 immunotherapy In brief is vaccination of patients by allogeneic stressed peripheral blood lymphocytes.   Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes isolated from venous whole blood on Ficoll-Paque centrifugation.Cultured for 24 hours in sterile physiological enriched media. Vaccinated subcutaneously into forearm of patients. Vaccination given every 4 weeks for four visits.  4 autoimmune disorder included in this study namely insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and anterior uveitis. Total 40 patients-  treated by MAM14 method 10 patients of each disease compared to 10 control patients of the same disorder but on conventional chemotherapy. Prism Graph pad biostatistical package was used for data analysis.  Data accumulated showed significant improvement in signs and symptoms of the present autoimmune disorders studied. Namely insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and anterior uveitis.  MAM14 immunotherapy showed superior improvement and safety on the long run compared to control patients who receive conventional immunosuppressant.Mechanism postulated that culturing cells in vitro cause shedding of antigens, these antigens direct autoreactive pathogenic T cells convert to regulatory protective T cells in the presence of peripheral stem cells leading to restoring tolerance and switching off autoimmunity reaction.

Measuring Services Quality: Tabuk Municipal

This study evaluates service quality in Tabuk Municipality and tries to identify employee constraints of providing better service. The study used SERVPERF presented by Cronin and Taylor [2] (1992) to explore client perceptions of the service quality provided by municipal Tabuk. Interviews with Tabuk Municipality employees were then conducted, which focused on issues raised in the questionnaire analysis. Statistical analyses revealed a positive relationship between the tangible dimension and quality of service. Interviewees indicated that municipal employees require additional training to improve their skills in working with the public. Moreover, employees viewed incentives as an important avenue for improving the quality of services provided

IgA Nephropathy Improved by a New Modality: MAM14 Immunotherapy: A Case Report in Kuwait

A 45 Year-old- Kuwaiti female with a case of IgA nephropathy (IgA N) was studied from 2002 to 2014 at Mubarak Hospital. The chief complaint was hematuria. In the first year she was given a conventional corticosteroid regimen. Her parameters at this stage are used as controls for the remainder of the study. She was treated with FK506 immunosuppressant capsules in the second year and vaccinated with allogeneic peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in the third year. This study includes the following parameters: serum creatinine, serum albumin, IgA level, and 24-hour urine protein. In the first year the patient was only on corticosteroid, in the second year only FK506, and in the third year was treated only with PBL vaccination. A booster dose of vaccine was administered after approximately 5 years. The patient’s significant improvements after PBL vaccination have persisted for 9 years. The mechanism postulated for this kind of immunotherapy is induction of novel therapeutic antigens, including heat shock protein (HSP), that interact with autoreactive T or B cells in the recipient. The result is T regulatory cells (T-reg) claimed to be responsible for shifting T-cell detrimental function to regulatory function, hence preventing the pathological production and deposition of IgA in the kidney. Data accumulated from our lab, but not yet published, demonstrates that MAM14 immunotherapy ameliorates symptoms and signs of certain autoimmune disorders

The Image of the West in Saudi poetry 1920-1990

This thesis investigates the image of the West as portrayed in Saudi poetry since the beginning of the new Saudi state in 1920 to 1990, while tackling the concept of ‘’the West’’ as it is used in Saudi poetry, and defining the special characteristics of the Saudi society. By dividing the selected period into three parts, 1920-1945, 1946-1967 and 1968-1990, and investigating more than 250 Saudi poems addressing the West, this research will uncover the image of the West in Saudi poetry as well as the transformations that this image went through, both positively and negatively, under each historical period. This research will also define a series of real factors, which played a main role in drawing this representation about the West in Saudi poetry. Islam, as it practised in Saudi Arabia, and the desert in its social and cultural concept, were examined in this research to find out their role in drawing the image of the West in Saudi poetry. This research also highlights the other historical factors, which played a main role in developing an image of the West throughout these periods of Saudi history across various topics.Saudi embass

Evaluation of a Participant Co-designed Lifestyle Change Program for Youth

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)Introduction: Increasing obesity in children leads to an increase in the risk of Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Therefore, it is important to promote healthier lifestyles in youths and encourage their caregivers(s) to provide a healthy lifestyle environment. The PowerHouse program focuses on improving food choices, increasing physical activity, and adopting behavior changes for the reduction of obesity and the prevention of T2D. Method: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of implementing the PowerHouse program on both clinical and quality of life outcomes in high-risk, low-income youth and their caregivers. Primary outcomes were BMI standard deviation and BMI percentile in youths. Secondary outcomes included physical activity of youths and quality of life for both youths and their caregivers. Attendance rates were also calculated. Linear effect mixed models were used to test for time effects for all outcomes. Results: Clinical outcomes did not improve over time, except for youth HbA1c (p-value = 0.0447). Some improvements in youth quality-of-life outcomes were noted: specifically, the Sports Index score of the Fels Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (adjusted p-value = 0.0213) and the Physical Summary (p-value = 0.0407), Psychosocial Summary (p-value = 0.0167), and Total score (p-value = 0.0094) for the youth-reported Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Quality of life did not change over time for caregivers. For attendance, there was an improvement after the intervention was modified to improve access to fresh produce (p-value = 0.0002). Conclusion: HbA1c and quality of life improved over time for youth; however, there was not an improvement in caregiver outcomes over time. The data suggest that more time may be needed to see the full effects of the intervention, and/or that a booster intervention may be needed

STRESS REACTIONS AND COPING STRATEGY AMONG HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS DURING COVID-19 OUTBREAK

Background: Psychological impacts among healthcare professionals have increased significantly due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases. This study aimed to identify stress and coping strategies among healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 outbreak. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study online survey was conducted for health care professionals during a peak of COVID-19 from March to June 2020 at different healthcare institutions at KSA (n=342). Results: Sixty-five percent of responders often and always feel fears about infection and subsequent effects on themselves, the patient, and the family. 57% of them stated that they felt sometimes depressed mode and 47% anxiety during the outbreak. Eightyfour percent of the respondent always focusing on prevention as the first biosecurity measures such as hand-washing habits and using hand sanitizer, and 38.3% of them make sometimes relax and rest. While half of the responses (50%) sometimes had physical exercise. Also, thirty-eight percent joined sometimes community and/or group online chat groups, and 56.1% always keep contact with family and friends through social messaging or phone calls. Conclusion: Understanding this topic is important for healthcare organizations, effective strategies, and programs is needed to provide holistic staff care and wellbeing during outbreaks that focus on the value of mental and emotional support

STRESS REACTIONS AND COPING STRATEGY AMONG HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS DURING COVID-19 OUTBREAK

Background: Psychological impacts among healthcare professionals have increased significantly due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases. This study aimed to identify stress and coping strategies among healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 outbreak. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study online survey was conducted for health care professionals during a peak of COVID-19 from March to June 2020 at different healthcare institutions at KSA (n=342). Results: Sixty-five percent of responders often and always feel fears about infection and subsequent effects on themselves, the patient, and the family. 57% of them stated that they felt sometimes depressed mode and 47% anxiety during the outbreak. Eightyfour percent of the respondent always focusing on prevention as the first biosecurity measures such as hand-washing habits and using hand sanitizer, and 38.3% of them make sometimes relax and rest. While half of the responses (50%) sometimes had physical exercise. Also, thirty-eight percent joined sometimes community and/or group online chat groups, and 56.1% always keep contact with family and friends through social messaging or phone calls. Conclusion: Understanding this topic is important for healthcare organizations, effective strategies, and programs is needed to provide holistic staff care and wellbeing during outbreaks that focus on the value of mental and emotional support