LSC 2533 Research
Methods
Journal Article Reviews
(CLO 5)
Components
Three articles are described with the following for sections
each:
·
Section 1 – Library research description
·
Section 2 – Article abstracts and references
·
Section 3 – Research descriptions
·
Section 4 – Article evaluation
The full evaluation is provided under the top ranked article
– Article 1
Article 1
Section 1
Source: HCT Libraries page >Discover>Electronic Resources
Search terms: Emiratization
Section 2
Title: Barriers to Emiratization: the role
of policy design and institutional environment in determining the effectiveness
of Emiratization.
Abstract
The severe shortage in local workforce, in the face of an escalating demand
for workers over the past several decades, induced the United Arab Emirates to
adopt a liberal immigration policy which allowed an influx of large numbers of
foreign workers into the country. However, the continued reliance on foreign
workers created a distortion and segmentation of the labour market whereby the
national workers became concentrated in the public sector, while close to 99%
of the jobs in the private sector is staffed by expatriate workers. An
unemployment problem among nationals started to appear despite the workforce
Emiratization policy which has been implemented since the late 1990s. The
current study assesses the effectiveness of the Emiratization policy as
practised over the past two decades along with major challenges encountered.
Data for the study were collected through interviews with a sample of 32 senior
managers and human resource professionals from various sectors of the economy.
Findings of the study reveal several weaknesses of the Emiratization programme
over the past two decades related to the policy tools and regulations, as well
as implementation mechanisms adopted. Based on assessment of weaknesses and
challenges faced, recommendations are provided with regard to the needed
changes in regulations, policy tools and mechanisms, and parameters of
compliance to ensure effective implementation of an Emiratization programme
that can significantly contribute to alleviating the unemployment problem among
citizens and ensuring their effective integration into the labour market in both
the public and private sectors.
Reference
Al-Waqfi, M. A., & Forstenlechner, I. (2014). Barriers to
Emiratization: the role of policy design and institutional environment in
determining the effectiveness of Emiratization. The International Journal of
Human Resource Management, 25(2), 167-189.
Section 3
Population
The population of the study involved Emirati and
expatriates managers and HR professionals from different organizations with
various economic sectors of United Arab Emirates.
Research Approach
The
collection of data and analysis process was a mixed qualitative and
quantitative approach. As the nature of the study was exploratory, hence it
involved also interviews along with questionnaires for a broader understanding
of the subject.
Participant
selection
The sample size of the research who participated in
the study was 32 interviewees which included 20 males and 12 females. The
selection process mentioned was based on the representativeness of key
industries. However the exact selection method of the respondents is not
mentioned in the research.
Main results
According
to the results of the research, one of the strongest barrier to Emiratization are
“high reservation wage of nationals compared to foreign workers”, and ‘foreign workers are more attractive to
employers as they are easier to control’. According to the respondents, employers will
continue to hire more expatriates if they have same human capital
characteristics especially in the private sector, who are looking for profit maximization,
because of the high salaries of Emirati employees. Another unexpected result found was that
‘unrestricted influx of foreign workers into the UAE labour market’ is thought
to be a least barrier to Emiratization.
To suggest the policy makers and government initiative
to tackle the issue of barriers to Emiratization, 72% of the research
respondents suggested that government needed to maintain reliable data about
Emirati job applicants and should not issue work permits to expat workers where
qualified Emirati applicants are available.
Section 4
Ranking: Best
Authors’ selection
of sample from different industries is a useful effort for the validity of the
research. The interview approach used in this study helps us to understand the
situation from the point of view of respondents from different economic sectors
and country backgrounds working in UAE. The study indicates that the
educational attainment and skill levels of Emirati workers is still inadequate
in the GCC region. Authors are also of the view that among the major factors,
the failure of Emiratization belongs to the absence of setting reasonable
targets for achieving the desired policy goals and the lack of effective means
for the achievements of these objectives.
It seems that the
authors have fully grasped the subject matter in this article through analyzing
objectively the research literature deeply as it has also mentioned the
government’s initiatives for the Emiratization, which leads us to think that
the study is reliable. The
categorization and putting the responses into different themes according to the
context and specific needs of the research has made the topic more
understandable and useful for further researches. There are multiple insights
in the study for the policy makers, which includes in order to decrease the
barriers to Emiratization, they should focus on the productivity which is one
of the major concerns for both public and private organizations.
Improvements
may have been taken place in the article if the response rate could be
increased.
a
Article 2
Section 1
Source: HCT Libraries page >Discover>Electronic Resources
Search
terms: Emiratization
Section 2
Title: Quality of Work Life in the Postnationalization of
Human Resources: Empirical Examination of Workforce Emiratization in the United
Arab Emirates
Abstract
In response to the challenge of human resource imbalance in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE), the government enacted a nationalization policy (Emiratization)
which compelled organizations to hire national job seekers. The present study
aimed at assessing the quality of working life (QWL) of 450 national employees
in the public and private sectors. Univariate and multivariate analyses
revealed that employees indicated an above average level of perceived QWL. Four
factors were important to adding quality to the work life, namely managerial
approach, prestige, pay and benefits, and professional development
opportunities. These results and their implications were discussed in detail.
Reference
Yaghi, I., & Yaghi, A. (2014). Quality of Work Life in the
Postnationalization of Human Resources: Empirical Examination of Workforce
Emiratization in the United Arab Emirates. International Journal of Public
Administration, 37(4), 224-236.
Section 3
Population
The study population included all Emirati employees
who were working in public and private sector organizations of United Arab
Emirates.
Research
Approach
A
quantitative approach is used as data collected was through questionnaires and
outcomes are presented numerically. The
respondents are assessed by 5-point Likert scale used to collect the responses
form the Emirati employees about the different dimensions of QWL.
Participant
selection
Method for selection of the sample from the major
population was convenience sampling of the 450 Emirati national employees who
were working in public and private sectors. With this, drop off and pickup
technique was used, which is in authors’ point of view, a popular way of
sampling in GCC countries and used widely by researchers.
Main results
The study provides that a major portion of the Emirati
workforce in the sample has gained a college degree or higher education, which
represents that the educational development is rising. More than 50 % of the
sample were females, which might say that women workforce is increasing. According to the findings, organizational
commitment of the Emirati employees is low. The results also shows that the
perceptions of Emirati employees regarding the quality of work is made other
than the factor of sector preference.
The authors’ assumption that the education development
is increasing among UAE national workforce from the research samples is
doubtful and not valid as this is not a genuine criteria for knowing the
education development in the country.
Section 4
Ranking: Middle
Article 3
Section 1
Source: HCT Libraries page >Discover>Electronic Resources
Search
terms: Emiratization
Section 2
Title: Emiratization as a strategic HRM change initiative:
case study evidence from a UAE petroleum company
Abstract
Nationalization programmes that
are designed to encourage and support the employment of nationals in preference
to expatriates have become a key feature of HRM throughout the Middle East,
with countries such as Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates adopting
politically led nationalization initiatives. A literature review is presented
that identifies a dearth of academic research relating to these initiatives
within the context of the Middle East. The paper argues that this weakness in
international HRM literature has implications both within the Middle East and
in terms of more general international theory building in relation to issues
such as the transferability of HRM systems and practices. In later sections of
the paper, a case study of Emiratization in practice is presented with a view
to identifying and exploring issues surrounding the implementation and
evaluation of organizationally based Emiratization programmes. The case study
findings demonstrate some of the complexities surrounding issues such as
management commitment, quantitative evaluation methods, resistance to change
and the role of expatriates in implementing Emiratization programmes. A number
of implications and subjects for future research into Emiratization are
identified. These implications relate to: the reasons underlying the scarcity
of HRM literature on nationalization initiatives; emotional perspectives on
nationalization methodologies; strategies for dealing with resistance to
nationalization within organizations; issues surrounding the design of
Emiratization programmes; and the role of expatriates as key stakeholders in
nationalization programmes.
Reference
Rees, C. J., Mamman, A., &
Braik, A. B. (2007). Emiratization as a strategic HRM change initiative: case
study evidence from a UAE petroleum company. The International Journal of Human
Resource Management, 18(1), 33-53.
Section 3
Population
This article
describes population which involved 12 senior level personnel at the highest
managerial level of a petroleum company based in UAE. The exact name of the
company is not mentioned in the research for anonymity.
Research
Approach
The article takes a mixed approach and is a
meta-analysis about the Emiratization as a strategic HRM change initiative. It
is a case study evidence from a UAE petroleum company. Both primary data and
secondary data were collected and analyzed and interviews were conducted to
explore and analyze intangible factors to gain a holistic view of the situation
and subject studied.
Participant selection
The data
comes from other studies and secondary sources and primary data through
interviews. The interviewees were drawn from a range of departments across the
company including various production departments, the Nationals' Development
department and the HR department. Of all the interviewees, ten were male. Among
all, four were UAE nationals.
Main
results
The results indicate from the study some findings which
have complexities surrounding the issues such as quantitative evaluation
methods, management commitment,
resistance to change and role of the expatriates in the implementation of
Emiratization programs. The research also identified that there is a lack of
HRM literature related to the nationalization initiatives and emotional
perception on nationalization methodologies.
The respondents were of the view that the
Emiratization process could be strengthened if the top management included the
UAE nationals. They can enhance the nationalization process through training
the local workforce and facilitating recruitment policies for Emiratis.
The
discussion revolves around the validity of the data. There is one organization
included in the research and the number of participants is also very small. And
there is also a lack of full analysis in terms of the respondents’ background
and characteristics.
Section 4
Ranking: Bottom
