IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jadmsc/v14y2024i10p236-d1485939.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Emic and Etic Perspectives on HR Practice for Managing Human Resource Issues Affected by the Prevalence of Informal Networks in Arab Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Sa’ad Ali

    (Derby Business School, University of Derby, Derby DE22 1GB, UK)

  • David Weir

    (York Business School, York St John’s University, York YO31 7EL, UK)

  • Munirah Sarhan AlQahtani

    (Business School, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia)

  • Mansour Mrabet

    (Business School, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

Whilst research on Wasta has been improving in quantity and quality, there is still much more to know about the interactions between the different parties in Wasta transactions, the role of power in this process and how it impacts HR functions. As such, this research aims to address this gap by exploring the use of Wasta in human resources (HR) functions, drawing on 17 semi-structured interviews with HR, recruitment and line managers working in the Jordanian banking sector. This paper focuses on the roles of trust and power in the organizational transactions in which Wasta is positioned and identifies recruitment and selection (R&S) as one of the main human resource (HR) practices and procedures that are affected by Wasta. The findings shed light on the impact of Wasta on HRM practice on the micro and macro levels, highlighting the complex socio-economic needs for this practice which, whilst they might be beneficial on the micro level in terms of securing employment for job seekers and benefits for organizations in the Wasta exchange process, can also have some substantive negative outcomes in the forms of social and economic exclusion of others outside the Wasta network. By doing so, it develops the conceptualization beyond the often-simplistic view of Wasta as a negative (and sometimes positive) practice as viewed by previous research extending it to a practice that could have either impact on different stakeholders.

Suggested Citation

  • Sa’ad Ali & David Weir & Munirah Sarhan AlQahtani & Mansour Mrabet, 2024. "Emic and Etic Perspectives on HR Practice for Managing Human Resource Issues Affected by the Prevalence of Informal Networks in Arab Countries," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-13, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:14:y:2024:i:10:p:236-:d:1485939
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/14/10/236/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/14/10/236/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Khakhar, Priyan & Rammal, Hussain Gulzar, 2013. "Culture and business networks: International business negotiations with Arab managers," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 578-590.
    2. Loewe, Markus & Blume, Jonas & Schönleber, Verena & Seibert, Stella & Speer, Johanna & Voss, Christian, 2007. "The impact of favouritism on the business climate: a study on wasta in Jordan," IDOS Studies, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), volume 30, number 30, July.
    3. Ibrahim A. Elsaher, 2024. "WASTA in Arab Societies: Optimizing or Worsening Quality of Life? The Role of Religiosity," Societies, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shaikha Khalfan, 2024. "Wasta in business management: a critical review of recent developments and future trends in the tourism sector," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Zhang, Man & Hartley, Janet L. & AL-Husan, Faten Baddar & ALHussan, Fawaz Baddar, 2021. "Informal interorganizational business relationships and customer loyalty: Comparing Guanxi, Yongo, and Wasta," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(3).
    3. Obeidat, Zaid Mohammad & Xiao, Sarah Hong & Qasem, Zainah al & dweeri, Rami al & Obeidat, Ahmad, 2018. "Social media revenge: A typology of online consumer revenge," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 239-255.
    4. Tilman Altenburg, 2011. "Can Industrial Policy Work under Neopatrimonial Rule?," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2011-041, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    5. Sabrina Artinger & Nir Vulkan & Yotam Shem-Tov, 2015. "Entrepreneurs’ negotiation behavior," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 44(4), pages 737-757, April.
    6. Maria Elo, 2016. "Typology of diaspora entrepreneurship: Case studies in Uzbekistan," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 121-155, March.
    7. Srivastava, Saurabh & Singh, Shiwangi & Dhir, Sanjay, 2020. "Culture and International business research: A review and research agenda," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(4).
    8. Berger, Ron & Silbiger, Avi & Herstein, Ram & Barnes, Bradley R., 2015. "Analyzing business-to-business relationships in an Arab context," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(3), pages 454-464.
    9. Guo, Ying & Rammal, Hussain Gulzar & Pereira, Vijay, 2021. "Am I ‘In or Out’? A social identity approach to studying expatriates’ social networks and adjustment in a host country context," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 558-566.
    10. Elsahn, Ziad & Earl, Anna, 2022. "Alternative ways of studying time in qualitative international business research: A review and future agenda," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(3).
    11. Naeem A. Albihany & Abdullah M. Aljarodi, 2024. "The role of personal connections Wasta on early-stage entrepreneurial orientations: empirical evidence from Saudi Arabia," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    12. Mahmoud Abubaker & Chris Adam-Bagley, 2024. "Arab Culture and Organisational Context in Work-Life Balance Practice for Men and Women: A Case Study from Gaza, Palestine," Societies, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-18, December.
    13. Annamaria Sasne Grosz & Laszlo Jozsa & Sandi Maung, 2023. "Cross-cultural Negotiation Conflicts: The Myanmar Case," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 13(3), pages 1-8, May.
    14. Mohammad Anhier Al-Froukh, 2021. "Developing in Investment Environment in Jordan from the Perspective of Jordan Investments Commission," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 14(10), pages 116-116, July.
    15. Dinkevych, Elena & Wilken, Robert & Aykac, Tayfun & Jacob, Frank & Prime, Nathalie, 2017. "Can outnumbered negotiators succeed? The case of intercultural business negotiations," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 592-603.
    16. Brach Juliane, 2010. "Technology, Political Economy, and Economic Development in the Middle East and North Africa," Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, De Gruyter, vol. 5(3), pages 1-23, February.
    17. Fregidou-Malama, Maria & Hyder, Akmal S., 2021. "Multilevel trust in international marketing of healthcare services: A five-country comparative study," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(6).
    18. Loewe, Markus & Zintl, Tina & Fritzenkötter, Jörn & Gantner, Verena & Kaltenbach, Regina & Pohl, Lena, 2020. "Community effects of cash-for-work programmes in Jordan: Supporting social cohesion, more equitable gender roles and local economic development in contexts of flight and migration," IDOS Studies, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), volume 103, number 103, July.
    19. Junfan Yu & Saskia Klerk & Michael Hess, 2023. "The influence of cronyism on entrepreneurial resource acquisition," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 121-150, March.
    20. Ibrahim A. Elsaher, 2024. "WASTA in Arab Societies: Optimizing or Worsening Quality of Life? The Role of Religiosity," Societies, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:14:y:2024:i:10:p:236-:d:1485939. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.