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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how leadership aspiration mediates the effect of career self-efficacy on employees' engagement in career self-management (CSM; i.e. deployment of career advancement strategies concerning access to power, psychological boundaryless and self-promotion), whether self-efficacy directly influences CSM, and whether these relations are conditional upon nationality (which is a proxy for domestic and international careers in Kuwait).Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was completed by 615 highly educated young Kuwaitis and self-initiated expatriates (SIEs; Arab and South Asian nationals) working in Kuwait.FindingsThe results demonstrate that self-efficacy, directly and indirectly (mediated by leadership aspiration), influences the three types of career advancement strategies. Moderated-mediation analyses suggest that SIEs and Kuwaitis engage in similar CSM behaviors when it is motivated by self-efficacy, which is mediated by leadership aspiration. Also, self-efficacy has greater direct effect on SIEs' CSM than Kuwaitis', but Kuwaitis have higher tendency for CSM behavior.Practical implicationsInterventions aiming to improve employees' engagement in CSM may focus on enhancing their psychological capital and contexts, while minding the differential effects of nationality and self-efficacy on CSM of Kuwaitis and SIEs.Originality/valueThe study provides unique information about CSM utilizing understudied populations namely, Middle-Eastern and self-initiated expatriate employees. It confirms the effects of self-efficacy and leadership aspiration on CSM and reveals different effects of nationality depending on the motivators at play.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how leadership aspiration mediates the effect of career self-efficacy on employees’ engagement in career self-management (CSM; i.e., deployment of career adv...

Contributing to emerging efforts to integrate the understudied career self-management (CSM) with person- environment fit research, this study aims to assess the unique effects of person-organization, person-coworkers and needs-supplies fits on employees’ deployment of career advancement strategies. A questionnaire was completed by 548 highly educated young Kuwaitis and self-initiated expatriates (Arab and South Asian) working in medium and large Kuwaiti organizations. The simultaneous effects of the three types of fits is assessed and the findings demonstrate that an increase in person-coworkers fit and decrease in person-organization and needs-supplies fits consistently encourage the deployment of career advancement strategies concerning accessing influential networks, self-promotion, competence building and psychological boundaryless. A relatively more robust effect of person-coworker fit has been detected. It is attributed to the Arab collectivistic culture and to the construct being a career competency and a contextual factor as per the “intelligent career” theory. Interventions should be mindful of the differential effects of different types of fit on CSM. Developing organizational ‘standards of fit’ and CSM skills are essential for individual career development and organizational success. The study provides unique information about the understudied constructs of CSM and person-environment fit in a traditional and high inequality Arab Middle Eastern country, and infers the causes of the inconsistent effects of contextual factors reported by previous studies.&nbsp

The protean career concept is dominating recent career research. Demographic groups are postulated to differ on protean career behavior with implications for career development, social equity and management of an increasingly diversified workforce. The purpose of this paper is to explore the unique contributions of employees’ gender, nationality, sector and age in the deployment of career advancement strategies in the high demographic inequality labor market of Kuwait. This is one of the few studies with an exclusive focus on demographic differences in protean behavior. Most protean career research treats demographic difference as an ancillary focus, even though demographic differences are part of the foundation of psychological sciences. The study utilized a set of questionnaires on a sample of 908 highly educated young employees working in Kuwait. Primary findings are that there are greater demographic differences in protean career in Kuwait than in the West. Men, Kuwaitis, private sector and younger employees deploy significantly more career advancement strategies and have stronger strategy orientations than women, self-initiated expatriates (SIEs), civil servants and older employees. The results are attributed to contextual inequalities in opportunities because they echo the Kuwaiti segmented labor market by gender, nationality and sector. They also reveal that women’s and SIEs’ proactive career histories have not been sustained in the Kuwaiti workplace. These demographic differences in protean behavior suggest that the potential benefits of this behavior are limited to members of particular groups, and any intervention strategies to support career development may, therefore, benefit a large portion of the workforce that is impacted by the inequalities. The originality and value of this study stems from addressing four literature gaps. Specifically, it examines the understudied protean behavior as most studies have focused on attitudes. It centers on demographic differences in protean career behavior, utilizes native and SIE samples working in high inequality non-Western context.

This study aims to assess the perceived facilitators and barriers of high profile Arab women executives throughout their careers. A questionnaire was administered to 99 women executives from Kuwait, Tunisia and Sudan. These countries capture some of the diversity of women’s opportunities and challenges in the Arab region. The findings of the three samples were essentially similar and generally support Western findings barring the impact of patriarchy. The main career facilitators were self-efficacy, hard work and social support. The main barriers were lack of culture-fit and exclusion from networks. Compared to Western findings, the present sample assigned more importance to lack of culture-fit and less importance to work/family conflict and lack of mentoring as barriers. The findings were discussed within the Arab sociopolitical context. Given the scarcity of research on the careers of Arab women and paucity of Arab research with regional perspective, the value added of this research is addressing the literature gap.

This study examines the challenges and opportunities of Kuwaiti, Emirati and Qatari female managers at themajor milestones of their career paths, and also explores their perceptions of Arab women leadership competencies. Questionnaires responses of 84 Kuwaiti, 47 Emirati and 43 Qatari female lower/middle managers were used, and 63 of them were interviewed. The findings of the three samples were similar, and they indicated that the main barriers were formal and informal gender-discrimination practices, trivialization of female skills and scholarship, difficulty in accessing certain professions and cross-gender social network and support. Lack of ‘formal’ mentoring systems and female role-models were considered of a lesser value compared to the difficulty in accessing significant social network at work. Balancing work and life responsibilities was not as a major problem as in the West. Male relatives were often perceived as either major hindrances or great help. The respondents perceived themselves as high-potential employees who were as assertive and competitive as their male counterparts, and relatively more cooperative and androgynous leaders. They also saw themselves as more cooperative, competitive, assertive and career-oriented than the average Arabian Gulf working woman. The respondents did not see the average working woman in a stereotypical way, except for the notion that ‘women lack workplace political savviness’. Mostly, the findings were consistent with regional and international literature, however patriarchy, gender-biased legal and organizational systems and dictated traditional gender-roles augmented the career challenges of Arabian Gulf women. The findings were discussed within the region’s socio-political context.

A partir de donnees GLOBE Grees de questionnaires administres a des cadres moyens du Qatar (N = 101) et du Koweit (N = 78) et d'entretiens approfondis aupres de onze cadres moyens du Qatar et dix du Koweit, cette etude analyse les traits du leadership efficace dans les Etats du Golfe. On s'interesse aussi a la theorie du leadership implicite dans une approche culturelle. Les resultats montrent que le Qatar et le Koweit sont tres proches pour ce qui est des profils globaux des leaders efficaces ou exceptionnels. Le leader efficace est competent sur le plan administratif, diplomate, visionnaire, integre, centre sur la performance et il suscite des idees. Une analyse factorielle de second ordre confirme la proximite des deux pays pour ce qui est des caracteristiques du leadership efficace. Les variables demographiques ont un impact tres faible sur la representation que les repondants se font du leadership efficace. Cette recherche decrit la double serie de valeurs que representent la tradition et le modernisme dans les deux societes.

This study focuses on culturally endorsed implicit theories of leadership (CLTs). Although cross-cultural research emphasizes that different cultural groups likely have different conceptions of what leadership should entail, a controversial position is argued here: namely that attributes associated with charismatic/transformational leadership will be universally endorsed as contributing to outstanding leadership. This hypothesis was tested in 62 cultures as part of the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) Research Program. Universally endorsed leader attributes, as well as attributes that are universally seen as impediments to outstanding leadership and culturally contingent attributes are presented here. The results support the hypothesis that specific aspects of charismatic/transformational leadership are strongly and universally endorsed across cultures.

For 236 college students hierarchical structures of socially and personally desirable work values and subjective beliefs were studied and hierarchical structure of socially desirable values of a group of 96 public employees was also examined. Buchholz's 1978 Beliefs About Work Inventory was used to measure the socially desirable values of both students and employees. Measures based on the guidelines set by Ajzen and Fishbein in 1980 were used to measure the personally desirable values and subjective beliefs of the students only. The results showed that the relative importance assigned to the various socially desirable values by both students and employees were similar. The relative importance assigned by the students to the three belief systems, i.e., the socially and personally desirable values and the subjective beliefs were also similar with the exception of one belief system—Hard Work. Specifically, Hard Work was strongly endorsed as a socially desirable value but weakly endorsed as a personally desirable one. In general, the groups assigned more importance to Humanistic and Group-oriented values while the least importance was assigned to Leisure Ethic. Participative, Advancement, Independence, Earning, and Social Status were assigned moderate importance. The results were discussed in the context of the Arab culture and the present practices of Arabian Gulf organizations.

Discusses the data analysed in the present study which was collected from 284 Qatari men and women college students. Examines the internal reliability estimates, construct and concurrent validity of the Protestant ethic scale. Internal consistency estimates of reliability and the pattern of relationships among the scales yielded similar results to those reported in the Western culture. Shows that, the factor analysis yielded four interpretable factors for the Protestant ethic scale, two factors for the work ethic scale, two factors for the Protestant ethic attitudes and five factors for the total items of the three Protestant work ethic scales and the leisure ethic scale. Posits that, these results are generally consistent with previous research findings, and, similar to previous research findings, the mean scores of the three Protestant ethic scales were relatively higher than those generally reported in developed countries. Suggests that, the results show that the three Protestant work ethic scales are moderately valid and reliable instruments to use for studying Arabian Gulf students.

Investigates the attitudes towards women held by 5,974 Kuwaiti and 7,382 Qatari professional men and women respectively, 53 men and 67 women Qatari college students, 26 Qatari college men student‐father pairs, and 36 Qatari women student‐mother pairs. Explains the predictive utility of sex, nationality, age, education, marital and parental status, and sex‐role self‐concepts (i.e. androgynous, masculine, feminine and undifferentiated self‐concepts) in attitudes towards women of the professional groups. The subjects completed the short version of the Attitude toward Women Scale (AWS), Bem’s Sex Role Inventory and a demographic questionnaire. Analysis indicated that the AWS scores of the various groups were very low, suggesting very traditional attitudes towards women in both Kuwait and Qatar. Compares the findings with those reported in Western and Asian cultures, and discusses the results and implications in the context of the Arabian Gulf environment.

Explores the direct effects of internal orientation, self‐esteem, instrumentality, expressiveness and the interactive effects of internality, instrumentality and self‐esteem on the variance of career decision‐making self‐efficacy expectation. A set of questionnaires was administered to a group of Kuwaiti college students (Bachelor of Business Administration programme) which consisted of 84 men and 150 women. Results indicated that among men and women instrumental attributes had a considerably stronger positive relationship with career decision making self‐efficacy than the other independent variables and that while the interactive effect of internality and instrumentality on career decision making was significant, the interactions of internality and self‐esteem and instrumentality and self‐esteem were not. Discusses results and implications in the context of Arab sociopolitics.

Conducts a survey of management training and development practices in large Kuwaiti organizations. Covers areas such as needs assessment, programmes and participants′ selection, programme evaluation and future trends. Indicates that systematic needs assessements and programme evaluation are sorely lacking in these organizations. Practices related to programme and participants′ selection and training content areas are, generally, consistent with previous findings in the West. Contrary to the situation in the West, the private and joint sectors are less active in management development areas than the government sector. Executive educational programmes, an approach that is most successful in the West, are rarely used. Discusses results and implications of the study in the context of the Arabian Gulf region social and economic environments.

The present study was done to explore the relationships of sex and sex-role self-concepts with career decision-making self-efficacy expectations (CDMSE). A set of questionnaires was administered to three samples of Arab college students, which consisted of 95 Qatari men, 145 Qatari women and 89 Kuwaiti women. Results indicated that sex had a negligible effect on career decision-making self-efficacy, and instrumental (masculine) attributes had a considerably stronger positive relationship with career decision-making self-efficacy than expressive (feminine) attributes. In the three samples under study, androgynous and masculine self-concepts scored higher on career decision-making self-efficacy than undifferentiated self-concepts. Among Qatari men and Kuwaiti women, but not Qatari women, androgynous and masculine self-concepts were superior to feminine self-concepts. Results and implications are discussed in the context of Arab sociopolitical environment.

The study aims to shed light on the challenges of human capital utilization in Kuwait and the labor marketreform approaches used to address them. Using secondary data and interviews with 28 subject matter experts, thefindings revealed that the most salient challenges were the acute underutilization of the scarce native workforceaccruing from absence of coherent and consistent workforce policies particularly impaired by overgenerouswages and working conditions. These policies led to concentration and underemployment of nationals in thepublic sector and heavy reliance on non-nationals in the private sector, deficit in the labor budget and a risk ofun-sustainability of the present extravagant approach. Among the more effective labor market reform approachesare strict restriction of employment in the public sector and establishment of an agency to oversee several reforminitiatives such as, enforcing quotas of natives in the private sector and directing natives - through incentives,training and employment support - towards the private sector. However, the approaches are still piecemeal and amore comprehensive reform system in which, among other things, the private sector transformation from rentseeking to economic leader is yet to be seen. The findings are discussed within the economic and socio-politicalcontexts.

The present study was done to explore the predictive utility of self-efficacy expectations in career decision-making, vocational indecision, occupational preference and self-efficacy expectations, external orientation and instrumentality in the status of academic and career choice. A set of questionnaires was administered to 95 Qatari men, 145 Qatari women, and 89 Kuwaiti women and each sample was examined separately. Analysis indicated that, compared with women, men had higher mean preference and self-efficacy expectations regarding nontraditional occupations and they had lower preference and self-efficacy expectations regarding traditional occupations. Also, students who had decided on an academic major or career, compared with those who had made tentative decisions and the undecided, had higher scores on self-efficacy expectations in career decision-making, occupational self-efficacy expectations, and instrumentality, and lower scores on vocational indecision and external orientation. Results and implications are discussed in the context of the Arabian environment.

There is now a well-established body of theoretical and empirical literature that suggests that human resource management (HRM) plays an important role in enhancing the prospects for success in international markets. Qatar, being aware of this fact, made huge investment and achieved a moderate progress in this domain. However, the progress, in terms of the quality of output, is considered to be less than anticipated. The shortcomings of the quality of HRM practices have recently gained special attention, given their significance for survival in the global markets. Now, they are considered one of the pillars of Qatar’s new strategic reorientation. Qatar’s economy is becoming more open, new-investment oriented and dependent on the market to direct production, trade and distribution of national incomes. Within this context it is vital to have quality HRM that is capable of appropriately developing and utilizing a skilled and productive labor force. Needless to say that effective HRM has to be an instrument for both economic and social change and it should coincide with Qatar’s macroeconomic stability and new economic orientation. A skilled workforce and modern HRM systems in a dysfunctional economic environment will produce high unemployment not high production and returns. On the other hand, traditional HRM systems that regenerate old modes of thinking would ultimately lead to the semi-isolation of Qatar in a world that is decisively globalized and futuristic.

The objectives of this research are: (1) to examine the relative importance of ten superior's, subordinate's, and situational attributes as determinants of the effectiveness of six supervisory bases of social power in the Arabian Gulf region, and (2) to extend the validity of previous research findings regarding the determinants of supervisory social power. Data were collected from 255 middle management Arab personnel from a wide variety of organizations in the State of Kuwait. Results obtainedfrom factor analysis indicate that three processes of influence are available to the superiors of middle managers: reward-punishment, position-organization, and expert-referent processes of influence. The internalization-influence process identified by Kelman (1958) was not obtained largely due to cultural influences. In addition, multiple regression results indicate that the educational level of the subordinate has dominating negative effect on the three influence processes. Most of the other determinants have significant relationships with one or two influence processes, but several of these relationships are not in the expected direction. Implications of the findings for the exercise of power in the Arabian Gulf region's organizations are discussed.

Part of Heller's contingency model of leadership and decision making [11] has been modified. The basic components of the modified part of the model are influence, skill use, job performance and job satisfaction. Data from a study of 97 British and Sudanese managers are used to test the modified model. Positive relationships have been found between the four components. The major findings of this research are that while the strength of the relationship between ‘influence and satisfaction’ on the one hand and ‘skill use and satisfaction’ on the other differs only slightly, the relationship between ‘skill use and performance’ is much stronger and much more established than the relationship between ‘influence and performance’. These results have been established in both the Sudan and Britain.