HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN SAUDI ARABIA

This research examines the effects on human resource management in Saudi Arabian organizations of the Saudi government's policy to Saudi-ize the country's work force. Saudization of the work force refers to efforts to replace alien labor in Saudi Arabia with Saudi citizens (Euromoney, 1985, p. 31). The findings of this research are presented in the following discussions: (1) development and character of the problem; (2) the Saudization policy; and (3) the effects of the Saudization policy on human resource management within organizations in Saudi Arabia.

Development and Character of the Problem

Gaining control from the international oil companies of its crude oil resources provided Saudi Arabia with the funds which enabled to country to embark on a massive program of economic and social development. Prior to the time this development began, the foreign workers who had been in the country were few in number, were employed in highly skilled or managerial positions, and were effectively isolated from most of the Saudi population.

These earlier foreign workers were representatives of foreign governments or of foreign private sector organizations, advisers to the Saudi government, highly placed public administrators in the Saudi bureaucracy, or skilled workers in the oil fields. None of these workers either enjoyed or expected any political rights. Neither did they live among or mingle with ordina

. . .
trust between the communicating parties. It is only when such trust is established that meaningful progress may occur. In an intercultural environment, the greatest barriers to the development of trust, and, therefore, the development of effective communications are ethnocentric attitudes and attempts to impose a cultural imperialism. Ethnocentrism is a tendency to judge other people or groups by the standards and practices of one's own culture or ethnic group, and, as a consequence, to view people from outside one's own culture with disfavor, and to regard one's own culture, race, or ethnic group as inherently superior to all others. The practice of ethnocentrism creates an environment of cultural imperialism. The mechanics of cultural imperialism involve attempts to assimilate foreigners into local society. Such assimilation was the last thing sought by the Saudi government. Thus, Saudi organizations went out of their way to avoid human resources management based on ethnocentrism. Problems arise for the management seeking to establish an effective framework of intercultural communications. Guest worker attitudes may reflect values which conflict with local values. Such differing attitudes and values must be accommod
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Saudi Arabia, Liverpool Wilson, Noe Kirsch, Angle Perry, Rossant Reed, Ministry Planning, Chrunden Sherman, Saudi Arabia's, Arabia Saudi, Mageneau Peterson, foreign workers, saudi arabia, human resource, organizational commitment, human resources, saudi government, performance evaluation, instrument process, saudization policy, performance appraisal, economist 1988 34, human resource development, evaluation instrument process, human resources management, human resource management,
Approximate Word count = 8179
Approximate Pages = 33 (250 words per page)

More Essays on HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN SAUDI ARABIA