Beyond Arab Spring: Societal Context and Prospects for a New Paradigm of Arab Management

Hala Abdulqader Sabri

doi:10.22610/jsds.v2i5.671

Abstract

This study investigates the defining characteristics of Arab management and takes into account the impact of societal and cultural factors on Arab managerial practices that provoked different opinions in the field of management thought. The proposition merits investigation because it takes place in the wake of the Arab Spring that emphasizes democratic change in Arab leadership styles and political systems. Hence, any evaluation of the underlying causes of this turmoil would recognize that a fundamental transformation in Arab management and leadership styles is also required; a transformation that creates an acceptance and eagerness to do things differently, and to keep pace with the rapidly developing societal and cultural environment. To achieve its objective, the study adopts a qualitative content analysis that incorporates the review and analysis of different studies that highlight features of Arab societal culture and the varied perspectives of Arab management styles. The study also considers some of the underlying causes and possible outcomes of the current Arab uprising as a possible basis for re-positioning Arab management in a new paradigm of management.

Highlights

Research (Ali, 2009; and Sabri, 2004) indicates that Arab societies have a distinct cultural profile that surface in certain models of management
Authors illustrated a model of Arab management that mostly originates in the tribal culture and provided a 'Bedou-cracy' (Abdel-Khaleq, 1984) and 'Sheikho-cracy' (Al-Kubaisy, 1985) models that manifest in traditional bureaucratic design and prevailing power culture
The study takes into account the recent Arab Spring that calls for reform in the leadership and political systems, as a possible basis for re-positioning and transforming Arab managerial styles into a new paradigm of management

Summary

Introduction

Research (Ali, 2009; and Sabri, 2004) indicates that Arab societies have a distinct cultural profile that surface in certain models of management In this context, authors illustrated a model of Arab management that mostly originates in the tribal culture and provided a 'Bedou-cracy' (Abdel-Khaleq, 1984) and 'Sheikho-cracy' (Al-Kubaisy, 1985) models that manifest in traditional bureaucratic design and prevailing power culture. Much of the research (House et al, 2004; Hofstede, 2010; Hickson & Pugh, 2002; Sabri, 2007) employed a cross-cultural comparative perspective in examining Arab managerial and leadership styles, and observed that Arab executives face many organizational and managerial problems, which represent critical challenges in their quest to enhance their competitive advantage in the global work environment. As the development prospects of Arab countries are increasingly linked to their leadership capabilities and the quality of their work forces, addressing the issue becomes a critical challenge for Arab organizations to enhance their competitive advantage in the global work environment

Methodology

Arab Management in Perspective

Arab Management Approaches

Conclusion