Title: Explaining the success of UAE companies globally: the benefits of possessing a 'can-do' culture

Authors: Stephen Wilkins; Serap Emik

Addresses: Faculty of Business and Law, The British University in Dubai, Dubai International Academic City, P.O. Box 345015, Dubai, United Arab Emirates ' Faculty of Business and Law, The British University in Dubai, Dubai International Academic City, P.O. Box 345015, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Abstract: In numerous markets, companies from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are among the global market leaders and are therefore arguably 'punching well above their weight'. This research aims to uncover some of the key factors that explain the success of UAE multinational companies. The study adopted an inductive, exploratory qualitative research methodology involving interviews with elite informants who held positions at, or near, the top of their organisational hierarchies. An iterative process of thematic analysis led to the conclusion that UAE firms tend to possess a can-do culture. Although some firms have previously been described as having a can-do culture, researchers have not attempted to identify the underlying components of this culture. We conceptualise a can-do culture as a bundle of firm attributes that together generate firm competitive advantages. The five dimensions of a can-do culture are transformational leadership, market and entrepreneurial orientations, support for innovation, and possession of dynamic capabilities.

Keywords: institutional environment; state-owned enterprises; entrepreneurial orientation; innovation; transformational leadership; dynamic capabilities; UAE.

DOI: 10.1504/MEJM.2021.116442

Middle East Journal of Management, 2021 Vol.8 No.4, pp.319 - 343

Received: 20 Apr 2020
Accepted: 23 May 2020
Published online: 26 Jul 2021 *

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