Expatriates in the UAE

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 47-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanan AlMazrouei ◽  
Richard J. Pech

Purpose – Sending staff to international locations can be costly for employers as well as employees if the expatriate staff members fail in their ability to assimilate themselves or are unable to work within the construct of the foreign culture. From a strategic perspective, failed overseas deployments can have serious implications in both the firm’s reputation and unnecessary costs. We examine this issue within the context of deployments to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaires are used to examine the factors relating to expatriate leader adjustment in the UAE. The experiences of expatriate managers in the UAE are discussed. Findings – Our study found that well-structured pre-departure training had a positive effect on expatriate managers’ adjustment to working in the UAE. Mentoring was also considered to be highly effective as a means of preparing employees for an overseas deployment. A number of useful guidelines have been developed from the experiences of the expatriate managers surveyed in our research. Research limitations/implications – Practical implications The results provide notable implications for organizational leaders facing a posting to the UAE and human resource management specialists preparing people for work in the UAE. It also provides a practical model to be used by expatriate leaders to facilitate their adjustment to the UAE culture. Originality/value – Although there has been much research on cross-cultural adaptation, relatively little has been written on practical managerial adaptation, specifically in the UAE. This article helps address this imbalance.

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanan Al Mazrouei ◽  
Richard J. Pech

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to explore the impact of organizational culture, adaptation, political environment and leadership for expatriate managers working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Expatriate leaders on overseas assignment often attempt to transfer their home organization culture to their new location. The subsequent cultural clash can have a destructive impact on both the leader and the organization. Design/methodology/approach – Expatriate leaders’ experiences in the UAE were collected through interviews, with a specific focus on cultural adaptation and most effective leadership styles for implementing strategic organizational change. Findings – Our research revealed that a consultative style was found to be most effective by expatriate leaders in the UAE. Communication with local staff, team building, motivating staff and involving staff in decision-making were highly effective approaches in assisting expatriate leaders to succeed within their organizational cultures. Several strategies have been identified based on the experiences of the expatriate leaders interviewed in our study. Practical implications – The findings offer practical advice for organizational leaders anticipating an assignment in the UAE and human resource management practitioners preparing expatriate leaders for their duties there. The authors also provide suggestions for expatriate leaders to enhance their adjustment to the organizational and political culture. Originality/value – Numerous studies have been done on organizational cultural adaptation; however, comparatively little research has been offered on practical organizational adaptation and leadership specific to the UAE.


2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Upton-McLaughlin

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to explore the Chinese concept of suzhi and how it relates to behavioral standards within mainland Chinese society and the workplace. The article provides a general discussion of suzhi and its inherent elements to act as a foundation for the education of expatriate managers and executives and for future research by Chinese human resource management (HRM) scholars. Design/methodology/approach – This paper draws on the author's first-hand experience and observations from five years of living and working abroad in mainland China with Chinese companies and executives. Findings – The concept of suzhi in China is a reflection of multiple behavioral standards throughout China. And while suzhi's roots are in ancient Chinese culture and Confucianism, it is also subject to influence and change. Practical implications – The paper may serve as a foundation both for expatriate managers seeking to improve HRM practices in foreign companies in China and future scholars who wish to conduct further research on suzhi and Chinese behavioral standards as they can be applied to the workplace. Originality/value – This is an attempt to enlighten expatriate managers and executives in China on the concept of suzhi and its implication for HRM in China.


2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bahadur Ali Soomro ◽  
Naimatullah Shah ◽  
Nadia A. Abdelmegeed Abdelwahed

PurposeAt present, the adoption of cryptocurrency investment has brought consideration to the globe. The present paper attempts to investigate the intention to adopt cryptocurrency (IACR) among the potential investors of Pakistan.Design/methodology/approachThe theory of planned behavior (TPB) is applied to underpin the conceptual framework. The study uses a quantitative approach. The study collects cross-sectional data through an online survey questionnaire. In the last, the authors utilized 334 samples for outcomes.FindingsFindings of the SEM reveal a significant positive effect of attitude, subjective norms (SNs), perceived behavioral control (PBC) and trust on IACR.Practical implicationsThe outcomes of an investigation would develop further intention and trust towards cryptocurrency adoption. The results would support developing favorable policies regarding the reduction of the ban on cryptocurrency in Pakistan to make easier transactions of the investors further. Possibly, it brings several opportunities in all segments of society in making the digital transaction modes through cryptocurrency. Finally, the findings would further validate the TPB in the context of cryptocurrency.Originality/valueThe study provides a better understanding of cryptocurrency and investors IACR. The empirical evidence further develops the other individuals' intentions towards cryptocurrency usage.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaojiao Qu ◽  
Shuming Zhao ◽  
Yixuan Zhao

Purpose This study aims to identify profiles of inclusion in the workplace to provide evidence-based guidance to build an inclusive organization. Design/methodology/approach Latent profile analysis (LPA), a person-centred classification analytical tool, was applied to determine the subtypes of inclusion with Mplus 7.4, using two-wave data collected from 368 employees in 8 Chinese companies. Findings Three subgroups were identified: identity inclusion group (the highest level of inclusion, 34.0%), value inclusion group (the moderate level of inclusion, 47.5%) and low inclusion group (the lowest level of inclusion, 18.5%). The findings indicate that groups with male, aged and highly educated members, as well as members from developed areas generally tend to feel more included and greater inclusion relates to more favourable outcomes and fewer detrimental consequences. Research limitations/implications As this study was conducted only in China, the results may not be generalizable to non-Chinese contexts. Practical implications The results may help organizational leaders develop a deeper understanding of the significance and the crux of inclusion. To address the duality of workforce diversity, managers can take initiatives to create an inclusive organization. To achieve inclusion, managers should pay attention to ways of improving the perceptions of inclusion among all employees. Originality/value This is among the first studies to identify the variants in inclusion in China using LPA. It reveals the subtypes and characteristics of inclusion and can serve as a starting point to explore how to realize organizational inclusion in theory and practice.


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 748-772
Author(s):  
Tolu Olarewaju

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the occupational status and entrepreneurship research in developing countries by proposing that there are implications for household consumption depending on the occupational status proportion of households. When the occupational proportion of the household changes, household consumption is affected. This effect also changes depending on what quantile level the household is in terms of household consumption. Design/methodology/approach The paper makes use of OLS and quantile regressions to examine 6,919 households comprising 40,294 individuals from the 2009 Nigerian Living standards measurement survey. Findings The paper finds that there are implications for household consumption based on the proportion of individuals in each occupational category. The contributions of each employment proportion changes at different quantiles with self-employed individuals increasing household consumption at the lower quantiles but reducing household consumption at the upper quantiles. Crucially, having a higher proportion of unemployed individuals in the household is oftentimes better than having a higher proportion of own account self-employed individuals. Research limitations/implications This paper offers new insights into how occupation proportion influences household consumption in developing countries. As a result, the household could seek to organise its members in such a way as to maximise combined household consumption, as diverse occupational statuses contribute differently to the household consumption at different quantile levels. The nature of the data used in this study however does not allow for causality tests. Practical implications The proportion of employment statuses in the household has implications for household consumption and so the mix of employment in the household is important. The self-employed could also be involved in activities to enhance household consumption that are not captured by labour income. However, self-employment does not seem to always have a positive effect on household consumption and sometimes unemployment might be better. Originality/value The paper provides a new way to view the household as an organising entity in terms of how it can allocate employment proportions to maximise household consumption.


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-237
Author(s):  
Timothy Ewest

Purpose This paper aims to outline the prosocial leadership development process for guiding pedagogical and social justice course goals as a means to foster prosocial leadership values within the millennial generation. Design/methodology/approach The paper is guided by a social justice framework and proven classroom pedagogies as a means to align millennial characteristics within the four stages of the prosocial leadership development process. Findings An educational rubric is provided as a means to guide classroom pedagogies, course goals and millennial characteristics through a prosocial leadership development process. Research limitations/implications The paper is conceptual in nature, and therefore, theoretical correspondence remains speculative. Practical implications The research in this paper provided guidelines for educators to use pedagogical practices as a means to develop prosocial values as a basis for organizational leadership behaviors. Social implications This leadership development process when facilitated through proven pedagogical techniques (guided by established social justice curriculum goals) and is within the context of millennial characteristics (those born between the years 1982 and 2005) becomes catalytic in empowering leaders to be a remedy for the world’s environmental and social challenges. Originality/value This paper connects characteristics of millennials to a prosocial leadership development model.


2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 305-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sihem Dekhili ◽  
Mohamed Akli Achabou

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore consumers’ preference for responsible labels in the specific case of well-known brands. The research examines the propensity of consumers to consider self-declarations carried out by the company itself in comparison with independent certifications organised by an external third party. Design/methodology/approach – An empirical study involving 134 French consumers by means of a conjoint analysis method was conducted, and the case of Nespresso coffee was tested. Findings – The results show that self-declaration (Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality) positively influences consumer preference. Moreover, this positive effect is equivalent to that of independent certification (Fair Trade Max Havelaar). Research limitations/implications – This study’s contribution gives a better insight into the consumers’ response to eco-labelling. It suggests the existence of an interaction effect between the brand and the responsible label. But, a future research needs to be conducted to gain better understanding of this interaction effect. Practical implications – The results suggest that a strategy of promoting a well-known branded product based on self-declaration would be effective. They offer additional insights to managers on the eco-labels’ efficiency. Originality/value – Contrary to the literature which suggests the superiority of the effect of certifications organised by a third party, this research shows that this finding is not valuable in the case of a well-known brand. Self-declaration may be preferred by consumers in the same way as independent certification. This research is one of the rare research to stress the need to consider brand when exploring eco-labelling issue.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 401-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rizwan Tahir

Purpose Expatriate management is a popular theme in the field of international human resource management in light of the fact that expatriates play a crucial role in a MNC’s global operations. The purpose of this paper is to explore how MNCs select, train, deploy and support expatriate managers during and after their international assignment in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study is based on in-depth interviews with 22 Western expatriate managers who are presently based in the UAE. However, in order the ensure a diverse sample among the participants with regards to their age, professional experience, gender and nationality, purposeful sampling was utilized while selecting the participants. Findings The results of the present study cast light on many shortcomings of the overall expatriation process as they are implemented by MNCs in the UAE. Accordingly, there is a pressing need for MNCs in the UAE to develop strategic expatriation processes, involving the following critical factors: the selection of the right person for the right job; specific and relevant pre-departure and post-arrival cross-cultural training (CCT); practical support for the expatriate employees and their trailing spouses in the host country; and lastly, a clear repatriation strategy to mark a successful conclusion of foreign assignments in the UAE. Research limitations/implications It is acknowledged that the results of this purely qualitative study, based on a relatively small sample size, cannot claim to represent the management theories, practices and realities of all the Western MNCs in the UAE. Moreover, these findings narrate the views and perceptions of this particular cohort of expatriate executives with relation to their selection, pre-departure CCT, adjustment in the UAE and the support and repatriation policies utilized by their companies for doing business in the UAE. Practical implications This study points to the fact that technical skills are mostly considered to be the predominant selection criteria for the expatriate selections in the MNCs. Other abilities, such as language skills and relational and perceptual adjustability are considered to be less important and do not feature overtly in the selection criteria for expatriate positions. The results demonstrate that distinctive features of adjustability, which include expatriates’ willingness to communicate, their social orientation, dynamic anxiety resistance and openness ability are all critical to the adjustment in the host country and should be given more emphasis. Originality/value Regardless of the presence of numerous MNCs in the UAE, it is indeed surprising to see that the topic of the expatriation management process in MNCs in the UAE has received little research attention. The objective of this study is to address this deficiency. Additionally, it is hoped that these findings may also be valuable to MNCs and consultants who are preparing expatriates for international assignments, especially in the Middle East and in particular in the UAE.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Astrid Rudyanto ◽  
Sidharta Utama ◽  
Dwi Martani ◽  
Desi Adhariani

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the roles of corruption and tax allocation inefficiency in moderating the effect of tax aggressiveness on sustainable welfare. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a fixed-effect multiple regression analysis for 55,438 firm-year observations covering 22 countries from 2007 to 2017. Findings For less (more) tax-aggressive observations, corruption and tax allocation inefficiency strengthen the negative (positive) effect of tax aggressiveness on sustainable welfare. The results are in line with public choice and functionalism theories that suggest that private investments can increase welfare when governments are dysfunctional. Practical implications This paper shows that the effect of tax aggressiveness on sustainable welfare depends on tax aggressiveness, corruption and tax allocation inefficiency. Social implications This paper implies that governments should reduce their corruption levels and increase tax allocation efficiency because private investments are ineffective in the long run. Originality/value Because of increasing awareness of sustainability issue, sustainable welfare is considered more relevant than traditional welfare. Hence, empirical studies on the effect of tax aggressiveness on sustainable welfare are crucial. This paper adds the literature by combining public choice and functionalism theories to investigate the moderating roles of corruption and tax allocation inefficiency in this issue.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (12) ◽  
pp. 9-10

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings This research paper clarifies that a coopetition-oriented mindset does drive coopetition-oriented behaviors. The results reveal that industry experience has a negative impact on the manifestation of coopetition-oriented behaviors, due a risk-related reticence in choosing suitable coopetition partners. Engaging in internationalization – for example, by partnering with a competitor to enter a foreign export market – with a coopetition-oriented mindset, has the positive effect of yielding further coopetition-oriented behaviors. Organizations involved in international business models are therefore more likely to partake in coopetition strategies. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.


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