...The Arab world is so varied in culture, leadership and follows different strains of Islam or have greater of fewer mixes of religion. Changes are inevitable. One of the most influential changes witnessed by the Arab world is the change in role of women. There was a time in the past when the women were suppressed and treated like a different species. They were confined to their homes, especially the walls of the kitchen. Later on, waves of feminism were seen in workplaces and outside. The percentage of women in workforce has quadrupled in 4 decades. The number of Arab women attending schools and universities have increased from 13% to 70% in 3 decades. The tremendous economic development over time has had an enormous impact on women. In UAE, the discovery of oil has contributed in women's role in workplace. We find Arab women not only behind the curtains of their houses but also as entrepreneurs, designers, in the field of science, IT, commerce, media, cinema, law and even in the army. Improved health care, education, jobs, facilities have made Arab women independent and self confident. Interlaq project in UAE encourages women to take up jobs in government departments. Most of the Arab nations have recognized and appreciated women although there are places even now where they do not enjoy full freedom. Even in leadership , women are at par with men. The Arab parliaments approved constitutional amendments to give women full potential rights, starting from Syria in 1949, Lebanon...
Words: 338 - Pages: 2
...Shamisi 1012981 Najla Al Otaibi 1038068 LEADERSHIP AND WOMEN CAREER SUCCESS: THE GLASS CEILING EFFECT WITHIN THE UAE CEDARS - Jebel Ali International Hospital TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 3 Problem statement 3 Significance of the study 3 STUDY ORGANZIATION: CEDARS - Jebel Ali International Hospital 5 LITERATURE REVIEW 5 An introduction to Leadership: 5 DIFFERENT STYLES OF LEADERSHIP 6 Authoritarian Type of Leadership: 6 Democratic Leadership style: 7 Laissez-Faire Leadership : 8 The underlying concept of Glass Ceiling Effect : 9 Women Leadership Styles and Female Career Advancement 12 Relationship between Leadership Style and Glass Ceiling Effect in connection with women career 14 RESEARCH METHODOLGY AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE 16 ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS OF THE RESEARCH: 17 Section 1: Leadership Style 17 Section 2: Perceived Glass Ceiling Effect in context of CEDARS 20 Section3: Women Career Pathways 24 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 29 REFERENCES 31 TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1: Authoritarian Leadership style 16 Figure 2: Democratic Leadership style questionnaire 17 Figure 3: Laissez - Faire Leadership style questionnaire 18 Figure 4: Perceived glass ceiling effect 19 Figure 5: Women career pathways survey 1 23 Figure 6:Women career pathways survey 2 23 INTRODUCTION Problem statement The increasing role of women in management couldn’t be denied as obvious the leadership traits they exhibit worldwide are exemplary...
Words: 3840 - Pages: 16
...It is no secret that females in developing countries are often unable to receive a proper education. With a lack of education comes unexpected risks, including reduced health, a decline in family income, and even a higher risk of trafficking and exploitation ("Girls' and Women's Education - Expertise - International - World Education, Inc."). For many women in underdeveloped countries such as Arab and Afghanistan, attempting to achieve an education could put their lives at risk. Two women, Laura Boushnak, and Shabana Basij-Rasikh discuss this issue in two different TED talk videos. In the first, Basij-Rasikh discusses how Afghan women should be able to earn a proper education, and tells the story of how her father fought for her to have that....
Words: 1761 - Pages: 8
...Gender and Social Change in the Middle East: The Islam and Women Phenomenon Written By: Amelia Ramraj Arguably the most heated, widely discussed and controversial topic in gender and social change with respect to a cultural context is the state of women in the Middle East and the role that religion plays as a primary source for further derived influences of politics, economics, legal and family affairs to the social situation as a whole. This social stratosphere of revolving and intricate subjects of change and progression represent a multitude of conflicting ideologies, theories and realities. The media serves as an informational anchor, particularly in its portrayal of social situations and change, primarily divided into Western and Eastern media. The broader subject at hand is gender and social change in the Middle East, but specifically, how women, as the primary subject of the gender discussion, and Islam, as the foremost engine to drive the social scene across the Middle Eastern peninsula co-exist to create an unprecedented dynamic in the Middle East. This research paper will attempt to progressively reveal and discuss related subjects in order to create a transitional framework for a relevant understanding of the gender and social dynamic of the Middle East. As an outline, this paper will begin by briefly discussing the global role of women from a gender and sexuality perspective. It will then analyze how such roles are portrayed and what movements exist in order...
Words: 3335 - Pages: 14
...Arabic language First, it is important to define what actually makes an Arab. The answer is quite simple – The Arabic language! An Arab is a member of a linguistic group—and therefore, the Arab World can best be defined as the region in which people predominantly speak Arabic. Yet throughout what would be considered the Arab World, tens of thousands of people speak languages other than Arabic, ranging from the numerous dialects of Berber on the African coast of the Mediterranean to Kurdish and Armenian in southwest Asia, and so on. Arabic is a Semitic language and the sixth most common language in the world. It is a language of religious importance since it is the holy language of the world's approximately 1 billion followers of Islam. It is used as a first language by approximately 200 million people and as a second language by about 246 million speakers. It does also belong to the six official languages of the United Nations. It is characterized by diglossia, a linguistic situation in which two varieties of the same language have a functional distribution, with the spoken variety used in informal and intimate contexts and the written variety, the Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), acquired through literacy and used in written and formal discourse. For those wanting to do business in Arabic-speaking markets, the Modern Standard Arabic is important, because it is common to all the countries in the Arab world, and is used in newspapers, magazines, books, and government documents...
Words: 1544 - Pages: 7
...Assess the view that women are no longer oppressed by religion There are some aspects that show that women are no longer oppressed by religion as they are given more roles and responsibilities for example The Church of England has allowed women to be become priest since 1992. But in everyday life female followers of world religious leaders are often significantly more limited than males with regards to where they can go with whom they may associate. In this essay I am going to examine both views and examine whether women are no longer oppressed by religion. Everybody focuses to Muslim women worldwide as oppressed, more specifically the Muslim women in Afghanistan. People often fail to distinguish between culture and religion, two things that are completely different, In fact, Islam condemns oppression of any kind where it is towards a women or in general. Sometimes, people see covered Muslim women and they think oppression. This is wrong. Muslim woman are not oppressed, but they are liberated. This is because they are no longer valued for something material such as their good looks or she shape of her body. They compel others to judge her for her intelligence, kindness, honesty and personality. Therefore, people judge her for who she actually is. Women cover their hair to be modest. When they wear loose clothes, they are trying to be modest. In fact, nuns cover their hair out of modesty. Also, when we see the frequent pictures of the Virgin Mary, she is covering her hair...
Words: 704 - Pages: 3
...WOMEN Women in the UAE have been encouraged and empowered since the foundation of the state. This policy is spearheaded by the country's leadership and backed by the UAE Constitution, which guarantees equal rights for men and women in accordance with the precepts of Islam. As a result, the role of women in society has evolved considerably over the years. Today, the economic and social benefits of diversity are universally recognised and embraced and women are viewed as partners in achieving sustainable development. In the twenty-first century, Emirati women are well represented in all echelons of society, including the political arena, diplomatic corps, judiciary and the commercial sector. Four women hold ministerial position in the Cabinet and women form 17.5 per cent of the UAE's partially elected representative body, the Federal National Council. Three of the UAE's ambassadors, one consul general and the UAE's representative to the United Nations in New York are women. Four women have been appointed as judges, two as public prosecutors and 17 as assistant public prosecutors and marriage officials. Women also serve in the armed forces, customs and police. Prestigious government entities, such as twofour54 media free zone, Tecom Business Park and Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority, are headed by women. In fact, women constitute 66 per cent of the public sector workforce (the average globally is 48 per cent), with 30 per cent in senior and decision-making positions, close to the...
Words: 2197 - Pages: 9
...Women in the Middle East 1. Introduction 2. Before Islam 3. After Islam 4. Marriage 5. Education 6. Modern Day -Examples from different Arab countries -Arab Spring 7. What’s next? 8. Citations 1. Introduction Over the course of history, women in the Middle East, not so much different than around the world, haven’t been attaining all their full rights and haven’t been quite satisfied with the status of gender equality that the world continues to lack. The Middle East has its more than enough share with this ever-continuing phenomenon. The situation changes with every passing day, as it is affected by our effervescently changing political and social status. Religion has played an enormous role in the matter, as did politics, economy, and social standards. Women’s rights have increased and decreased soon before it was satisfactory enough. This continues and will continue to happen until women find themselves satisfied in our men-driven society. In order for one to judge the current and possible future status, we must understand the past and how women’s rights evolved to become where it is right now. 2. Before Islam Women before the dawn of Islam had practically no legal status in opposition to the traditional and standard tribal laws. Their own fathers sold them to their husbands or legal guardians; they had no choice in the matter and could be left at anytime according to the spouse’s will. They had no private property or...
Words: 2859 - Pages: 12
...Lessons in Leadership from the Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Arabic Knowledge@Wharton ( http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/arabic/article.cfm?articleid=2540) Lessons in Leadership from the Life of the Prophet Muhammad Published October 05, 2010 in Arabic Knowledge@Wharton The Leadership of Muhammad is a new book by British management scholar John Adair that mines the life of the Prophet Muhammad to highlight his extraordinary qualities as a leader. According to Adair, success is a function of leadership, and his short work provides anyone interested in learning how to lead and motivate with a wealth of insight, according to this review by Muqtedar Khan, an associate professor of political science and international relations at the University of Delaware. Over the years, Muslim and non-Muslim historians have written many books about Prophet Muhammad as a leader, highlighting the divinely guided qualities of his personality as the final messenger of God, according to Islamic beliefs. But in the past century or so, a modernist, rationalist school of Islamic thought has emerged, which focuses on examining Prophet Muhammad as a charismatic leader as well as being the messenger of God. Developed by thinkers like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Shibli Nomani in India and Sheikh Muhammad Abduh and Rashid Rida in the Arab world, this school seeks to minimize the miraculous nature of the Prophet's biography to explore the rationalist and humanist dimensions of his personality. Their interpretations...
Words: 1293 - Pages: 6
...tremendous transformation. From a tiny country with a nomadic society to building the most modern city in the world. The city being Dubai of course. Dubai is the crown jewel of the UAE and the arab world as a whole. Now one of the most sought-after tourist destinations and business hubs for citizens of the world, Dubai’s success story has made many other Middle Eastern nations take notice. In a survey done by the Arab Youth organization, young arabs chose the UAE as “the country they would most like to move to… and the country they would most like their country to emulate” (Badam). The UAE was ahead of 20 other countries, including the United States, Germany and Britain, as young people’s top country to live in. What led to the UAE’s astronomical rise? What policies led to the resources from oil revenues being spent in the most efficient fashion in comparison to other nations? These are the questions I will tackle in this paper. The UAE was established in 1971 when the rulers of the seven independent emirates agreed to instill a unifying constitution. The ruler of Abu Dhabi at the time , Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, was chosen to lead the country. Since then, the ruler of Abu Dhabi is President of the United Arab Emirates, the head of state, and the ruler of Dubai is the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, the head of government. This historic peaceful union of neighboring states is an inspiration to nations around the world. By bypassing a time of war and power struggles, the...
Words: 2622 - Pages: 11
...THE UAE LIFESTYLE 1. INTRODUCTION The full meaning of U.A.E. is United Arab Emirates. The U.A.E’s form of government consists of a federation of seven emirates along the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, with one advisory body. Its head of state is Sheikh Khaleefah ibn Zayid Al Nahyan, and it’s head of government is known as his excellency, Sheikh Muhammad ibn Rashid al-Makhtoum. The capital of UAE is Abu-Dhabi, which is the largest of these emirates and it covers more than three-fourths of the federations’ total land area. Abu-Dhabi is the centre of the UAE’s oil industry. UAE’s official languageand religion is Arabic and Islam. Dubai, which is also part of the seven emirates is the centre of commerce and finance, and it houses hundreds and hundreds of multinational corporations in a pool of skyscrapers. The other emirates of the UAE which are smaller than Abu-Dhabi and Dubai, are Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwayn, Ras al-khaimah and Al-Fujairah. The population of the UAE is almost 90% filled with expatriates from Asia; constituting the largest of these groups, Africa, and Europe and other Arabians. 2.1. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE It didn’t take long to find out why expatriates did not want to leave this amazing country, called the United Arab Emirates. The reason for this research is to: * Explore on the country’s lifestyle, its way of living, why people from other countries find it very comfortable here, despite its high standard of living. The main reason...
Words: 3423 - Pages: 14
...by the protestors or collecting signatures are some of the peaceful strategies that protest take in consideration. Aside from persuasive speeches, and collecting signatures and hunger strikes, the refusal to obey certain laws and the passive resistance, that is, resisting to incoming violence usually from the government, are some other ways to morally protest without any physical violence. Sometimes due to the refusal to abide to certain laws and regulations the protestors may find abusive, the moral force protest supporters might find themselves confronting the law, and in some cases act illegally. In recent years, certain countries that had not previously granted women the right to vote, changed their decision by receiving strong moral force protest. This right was gained, and nowadays in those countries women possess the right to vote without utilizing any trace of violence or...
Words: 1769 - Pages: 8
...Global Business Cultural Analysis: United Arab Emirates XXXXXXXXXXXX Liberty University Abstract In order to be successful in international business, one must have a certain degree of understanding about the country in which one wishes to conduct business. The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates in the Gulf region that has a culture vastly different than that in the United States, yet a business atmosphere that is very open to foreign investors. This paper evaluates the elements and dimensions of culture that affect the business relationship between the United States and United Arab Emirates, the differences between the two nations, and the implications for doing business in the United Arab Emirates for businesses from the United States. Global Business Cultural Analysis: United Arab Emirates Conducting business internationally requires a certain understanding of cultures that may differ greatly from one’s own. Though the world is growing ever more interconnected through globalization, cultural differences still persist and must be recognized if one is to be successful in international business. From the perspective of a businessperson in the United States, the United Arab Emirates presents a unique opportunity to conduct business with a nation with great cultural differences, yet an increasingly open mind in relation to Western culture. While the United Arab Emirates appears at first glance to be highly westernized in its culture, one would...
Words: 8717 - Pages: 35
...Marital status and gender as predictors of undergraduate academic performance: a United Arab Emirates context Justin Thomas, Monique Raynor, Amal Al-Marzooqi Zayed University, UAE Introduction There is a considerable international body of literature exploring the predictors and determinants of undergraduate academic performance (Barrow et al., 2009; Betts & Morell, 1999; Cohn et al., 2004; Smith & Naylor, 2001). The predictor variables explored encompass a full biopsychosocial spectrum, from familial socio-economic status, to institutional class sizes. Two of the most immediately accessible factors for exploration are gender and marital status. While these proposed predictors of academic performance have been widely explored across many nations, relatively little work has been undertaken within the Gulf region (Harb & El-Shaarawi, 2007). It is likely that region-specific socio-cultural factors will affect how, and to what extent, gender and marital status influence academic performance. Given that many of the Gulf nations are presently attempting to develop knowledge based economies, such research may inform the development of undergraduate educational strategy and policy. The small body of research within the Gulf region focusing on gender and marital status is fairly unequivocal. Using either cumulative grade point averages (CGPA), or specific course grades as indicators of performance, virtually all of the published studies report females as outperforming males. Hedjazi and...
Words: 4438 - Pages: 18
...bid for the contract and our flight to the initial meeting onsite. This raised a number of interesting questions regarding how we should conduct ourselves to minimise misunderstandings. If the negotiating team does not account for cultural differences in conducting business in the region the firm runs the risk of losing the contract to a competitor. Considerations must be given to the host’s religious sensibilities. Islam has implications for the systemic treatment of the business process, including what operational activities are permissible. The delegates must also be prepared for the following main differences to Australian culture as illustrated in the diagram below (Hofstede, 2012): context sensitivity in communication, autocratic leadership, the prevalence of collectivism and ‘face’, long term orientation compared to western cultures at circa 50 (Baron, 2008), and high levels of uncertainty avoidance, yet curiously a relatively elastic treatment of time and highly flexible meetings. 1 Firstly, the region’s treatment of time is foreign to our business world. The Middle East’s conception of time is polychronic as opposed to Western society’s view of time as monochronic. Polychronic cultures value traditions and relationships rather than tasks (Cohen, 2004). Punctuality is the main concern and whilst we may be...
Words: 1319 - Pages: 6
