Title: Cultural training impact on non-Arab leaders' network performance in Arab markets

Authors: Rami H. Aljbour; Robert J. Hanson; Maha M. El-Shalkamy

Addresses: College of Business Administration, Lynn University, 854 Quince Orchard Blvd. 201, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA ' Department of Science Management, Yanbu University College, Jabriah 2, Royal Commission, Yanbu Industrial City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ' College of Economics, American University in Cairo, AUC Avenue, P.O. Box 74, New Cairo 11835, Egypt

Abstract: One of the many cultural challenges faced by non-Arab leaders' when doing business in Arab market is how to build social networks with Arab partners. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationships between networks, so called in Arabic wasta, and the cultural training provided to non-Arab leaders prior and after their post in Arab markets. A quantitative non-experimental survey design was used to collect and statistically test data. Simple regression, coefficient alphas and factor analyses were conducted on all scales used in the study to examine their reliability and validity. A simple random sample of 325 non-Arab expatriates currently working in the UAE were invited to participate in the study, resulting in final sample of 175 non-Arab leaders who are holding managerial positions or higher. Findings indicated no significant influence of non-Arab leaders' cultural training on non-Arab leaders' ability to build network with Arab managers. Future research may expand to testing the impact of different methods of cultural training of non-Arab leaders' on wasta performance in Arab markets.

Keywords: social networks; wasta; cross-cultural training; CCT; global leadership; global training; Arab markets; international business; non-Arab leaders; cultural training.

DOI: 10.1504/MEJM.2013.054063

Middle East Journal of Management, 2013 Vol.1 No.1, pp.3 - 27

Received: 29 Jun 2012
Accepted: 29 Sep 2012

Published online: 05 Jul 2014 *

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