Doing Business in the Middle East: A Research-Based Practitioners' Guide

Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Table of Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
Contributors
Preface
Part I: The Middle East Business Context
	Chapter 1: The Middle East Context: An Introduction
		The Middle East Context
		Topics Covered in the Book
			Useful Websites
		References
	Chapter 2: Economic Environment in the Middle East: Facts and Initiatives
		Introduction
		GDP per Capita
		GDP Across Sectors of the Economy
		Unemployment
		Progress Toward Economic Diversification and Ease of Doing Business in the GCC Region
		Conclusions
		Notes
		References
	Chapter 3: The Political Environment in the Middle East: A Comparative Analysis of the UAE, Egypt, and Iraq
		Introduction
		Political and Economic Environment
			The UAE
				Advantages and Benefits of the UAE’s Political and Economic Environment
				Constraints and Disadvantages of the UAE’s Political and Economic Environment
			Egypt
				Advantages and Benefits of Egypt’s Political and Economic Environment
				Constraints and Disadvantages of Egypt’s Political and Economic Environment
			Iraq
				Advantages and Benefits of Iraq’s Political and Economic Environment
				Constraints and Disadvantages of Iraq’s Political and Economic Environment
		Regulations
			The UAE
				Advantages and Benefits of UAE’s Regulations
				Constraints and Disadvantages of UAE’s Regulations
			Egypt
				Advantages and Benefits of Egypt’s Regulations
				Constraints and Disadvantages of Egypt’s Regulations
			Iraq
				Advantages and Benefits of Iraq’s Regulations
				Constraints and Disadvantages of Iraq’s Regulations
		Conclusion
			Useful Websites
		References
	Chapter 4: Changing Legal Framework of the GCC Countries
		Introduction
		Economic Diversification, Ease of Doing Business and FDI Flows to GCC
		Liberalization of FDI Law in GCC Allowing 100% FDI Participation
			UAE Changes Nominee Shareholder Arrangement
		Changing Commercial Company Law Structure to Host 100% FDI
			Improving Governance in Public Joint Stock Companies and Protecting Composition Scheme
			Extending Reform to Ownership Structure of Public Joint Stock Companies
		Concluding Remarks
		Challenges for Investment in the GCC and Broadly in the Middle East
		Key Takeaway
			Useful Websites
		Appendix I: Reform in the Legal Framework in GCC – at a Glance
		Appendix II
		Appendix III
		References
	Chapter 5: Wasta in the Middle East: A Corruption or an Opportunity
		Introduction
			Wasta and Business
				Scale Development (with 14 Items) – Phase 1 of Study
				Wasta Legitimacy
					Pragmatic legitimacy of Wasta
						Item 1: Wasta is offered to companies' clients to keep and enhance their relationships with them
						Item 2: Wasta is used to speed up certain processes especially when dealing with governmental institutions that suffer from ineffective bureaucracy
						Item 3: Wasta is used because it leads to recruit and hire well-connected employees in the market who bring business to the employing companies
						Item 4: Wasta is used in doing business and getting best offers and deals such as getting tenders
						Item 5: Wasta is used to hire family's members because their competences and experiences are well known by the recruiters
						Item 6: Wasta is used to hire family's members because they are more likely to be committed to their family business and give it a maximum effort
					Normative Legitimacy
						Item 1: Wasta is used to show the commitment and obligation to the families and their members
						Item 2: Wasta is used to meeting friendship expectations of supports
						Item 3: Wasta is used to practices Islamic principle “shafa'a”
						Item 4: Wasta is used as an act of charity
					Cultural-Cognitive Legitimacy of Wasta
						Item 1: Wasta is exercised because it gives status and feeling of satisfaction to the Wasta person
						Item 2: People who have strong Wasta (supplicant) feel powerful and protected in the society
						Item 3: People use Wasta as a result of absence of the social justice
						Item 4: People use Wasta because they believe that nothing can be achieved or reached without Wasta in the labor market
				Discussion
			Phase 2: Scale Validation
				Expert Opinion
				Scale Testing
				Data Analysis
			Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)
		Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)
		Takeaway
		Case Study
		References
Part II: Conducting Business in the Middle East
	Chapter 6: Entry Modes to Middle East-GCC Markets: The Case of the UAE
		Introduction
		Legal Frameworks Governing Market Entry in the GCC
		Investment Promotion Policies in GCC Markets
			Free Trade Zones
			Foreign Direct Investment
			Trade Routes
			Human Capital
		Theoretical Lens
		Risk Mitigation in GCC Market Entry
		Promoting Responsible Conduct in GCC Markets
		Sector-Related Concerns for Investors
			Renewable Energy Sources
			Development of Smart Cities
			Outward Foreign Direct Investment (OFDI)
			Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWF)
			Property Ownership
		Conclusions
		References
	Chapter 7: Employment Relations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
		Introduction
		Countries and Clusters
		Labour Markets and Regulation
		Management in Practice
		Collective Employee Relations
		Legislative Frameworks
		Freedom to Associate
		Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue
		Right to Strike
		Labour Protection
		TU Membership
		Conclusions
			Websites
		References
	Chapter 8: Banking and Financial Institutions in the Gulf Cooperation Council Region
		Introduction
		Source of the Asymmetric Difference in Knowledge
		Banking Regulatory Framework Is Universal and Not Unique to the GCC
		Different National Legal System Is Not Necessarily a Deal Breaker
			Example of the Usage of English Law in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
			Implications of the Difference in the Legal Systems
		Can History Provide the Strategic Advantage of Doing Business in the Middle East?
		The Role of Central Banks in the GCC Are Like Any Other Country Except for Islamic Banking and Possibly Fintech
		Types of Financial Institutions Supervised by the Central Banks in the GCC
		GCC Has the Characteristics of an Emerging Equity Market
		Like the Developed Countries the GCC Is Vulnerable to Crises
		Conclusions
		Note
		References
	Chapter 9: Accounting and Taxation Systems in the Middle East
		Introduction
		Taxation
			The Middle East and MENA Countries
		History of Taxes and Types of Taxation
		An Overview of the Current Taxes in the Middle East
		Challenges for Foreign Investors and MNCs
		Accounting
			Accounting Systems in Middle Eastern Countries
			Challenges Facing Governments and MNCs
		Conclusion
			Useful Websites
		References
	Chapter 10: Managing Human Resources in the Middle East
		Introduction
		Developments in HRM in the Middle East
		Case Study: UAE and Technology in HRM
		Challenges for HRM in the Middle East – Key Takeaway
		References
	Chapter 11: Conflict Management and Negotiation in the Middle Eastern Workplace
		Introduction
		Interests and Aspirations
		Sources of Power and Influence
		Informational Sources of Power
			Power Based on Position in an Organization
		Personality and Individual Differences
		Networks and Referent Power
			Contextual Sources of Power
		Conflict Resolution Styles
		Trust and Relationship in Negotiations
		Conclusion
		Recommendations: Way Forward
			Useful Links
		Note
		References
	Chapter 12: Performance Management in the Middle East
		Introduction
		Factors and Sub-factors Affecting PM in the Middle East
		Impact of External Factors on PM in the Middle East
			Collectivism
			Wasta/Nepotism
			Power Distance
		Impact of Institutional Factors on PM in the Middle East
			State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs)
			Family-Owned Enterprises (FOEs)
			Foreign Invested Enterprises (FIEs)
		Impact of Internal Factors on PM in Middle East
			Technology
			Leadership
		Uses of Performance Appraisal
			Legal Uses of Performance Management in the Middle East
		Features of Performance Appraisal in the Middle East
		Conclusion
		Case Study
			FAHR
				Relevant Websites
		References
	Chapter 13: Expatriate Management in the Middle East
		Introduction
		Key Contextual Considerations for People Managers and Expats
			Sociocultural Context of Host Country
			Economic Context of Host Country
			Political Context of Host Country
		Recommendations for Excellence in the ME
			Recommendations for Human Resource Professionals
			Recommendations for Expats
		Conclusion
		References
Part III: Emerging Themes
	Chapter 14: Gender Issues at the Workforce in the Middle East
		Introduction
		Women’s Employment in the Middle East
		Social-institutional Challenges
		Visible and Invisible Inequalities within the Workplaces
		Country Context: Saudi Arabia’s Structural and Institutional Changes
		Recommendations to Promote Gender Equality in Middle Eastern Workplaces
		Case Study – Saudi Aramco and the Gender Gap
		References
	Chapter 15: Innovation: The Unconventional Gateway to the Middle East
		Introduction
		Technology Transfer
			Technology Transfer Reality
			Indigenous Technological Capability
		Innovation
		Background
			The Global Innovation Index (GII)
			Egypt
			Saudi Arabia
			UAE
		Conclusion
		References
	Chapter 16: Government e-Services and Reputation: Case of UAE
		Introduction
		Reputation: A Case of UAE e-Government
			Citizen-Centric or Customer-Centric Approach
			E-service Satisfaction
			E-service Loyalty
		Conclusions: Business in an e-Government Context
		References
Index