A Comparison of Gulf Arab And Western Women's Attitudes Towards Leadership in the Workplace

Authors

  • Mark Neal Sultan Qaboos University
  • Jim Finlay Lebanese American University
  • Nouri Beyrouti Lebanese American University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34120/ajas.v11i3.569

Keywords:

Arab management, leadership, Arab women, UAE, United Arab Emirates, women managers

Abstract

This article discusses the results obtained from developing an instrument to measure differences in women's attitudes towards leadership in Arab and Western societies. In this study, student subjects in the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom were used as test subjects for the development of an instrument to be administered to full-time employees. Doing so reveals important differences along recognized dimensions such as 'traditional' and 'participative'. Such differences between the different groups of women are explained in terms of their different historical and cultural contexts. While the results of this study are preliminary in nature, they do point to some important differences among the student subjects, who will soon be entering the job market. In particular, the findings demonstrate the strong influence tribe, family and religion exert on Emirati women, resulting in attitudes that are more comfortable with paternalistic styles of leadership. In such a way, the paper aims to contribute to the debate about women's attitudes towards leadership, and broaden the debate to include women in developing economies.

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Author Biographies

Mark Neal, Sultan Qaboos University

is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman. Specializing in International Management and Business Strategy. He previously held Academic Positions at Aston University and the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. He has published books and Journal Articles in the areas of Comparative and International Management, and in the Field of Risk Analysis.

Jim Finlay, Lebanese American University

is serving as a Visiting Professor at the Lebanese American University, and Specializing in International Marketing and Consumer Behavior. His prior activities include service as a Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Marketing at Western Illinois University and as a Fulbright recipient. He holds a Doctorate in Marketing from Louisiana Tech University and his articles have appeared in a variety of American and International Journals.

Nouri Beyrouti, Lebanese American University

is a Professor of Marketing, Management, and Advertising. He holds a Ph.D. in Management and Technology from New York University and previously served as a Chairman of the LAU School of Business. He has published a variety of papers on Marketing, Management, Advertising, MIS, TQM, and Internet Marketing in both American and International Journals.

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Published

2004

How to Cite

Neal, M., Finlay, J., & Beyrouti, N. (2004). A Comparison of Gulf Arab And Western Women’s Attitudes Towards Leadership in the Workplace. Arab Journal of Administrative Sciences, 11(3), 377–394. https://doi.org/10.34120/ajas.v11i3.569

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 3 (2004)

Section

Management