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The development of Saudisation practices in the Saudi supermarket industry : an institutional perspective

This thesis examines the development of Saudisation practices in the Saudi private sector. The focus of the empirical research is five supermarket firms operating in Saudi Arabia. The thesis investigates the development of Saudisation practices over time with a particular focus on the period between 2003 and 2007. Methodologically, this research adopts the mixed methods approach to data collection by using both quantitative and qualitative data. The study applies explanation-building and pattern-matching techniques to analyse the data collected. Theoretically, the study draws on analytical models from institutional theory, in particular from the work of Greenwood, Paauwe, Scott, Oliver and others. The thesis makes a further contribution to existing work by scholars of contextual human resources management and the Dutch HR network. The research findings show that Saudisation practices are an institutional field. The field has prime actors such as the Ministry of Labour, leading supermarket chains and young Saudis. Those primary actors and other secondary ones apply regulative, normative and culture-cognitive pressures. The result of these pressures is the isomorphism of Saudisation practices, in which practices are diffused in the industry. This study shows that under limited and contradictory institutional pressure, practices are not diffused. However, Saudisation practices are diffused under extensive pressure or where there is potential return for the business. This research also suggests that the leading firms tend to have a common demographic composition, both as entire organisations and also, in part, in their senior management teams.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:655754
Date January 2015
CreatorsNasief, Yassir Abdulaziz
PublisherBirkbeck (University of London)
Source SetsEthos UK
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation
Sourcehttp://bbktheses.da.ulcc.ac.uk/127/

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