The Impact of Culture in Performance Evaluation Procedure in the UAE Public Sector Ali Al Mulla A

366 Pages·2014·4.33 MB·English

The Impact of Culture in Performance Evaluation Procedure in the UAE Public
Sector

Ali Al Mulla

A Thesis Submitted to
The University of Gloucestershire
in accordance with the requirements of the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
in the Faculty of Business and Management

December 2012

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The Impact of Culture in Performance Evaluation Procedure in UAE Public Sector

Table of Contents

Acknowledgement ................................................................................................................VII
Abstract ................................................................................................................................VIII
Declaration...............................................................................................................................X
Chapter One: Introduction….................................................................................................1
1.1 Background of the Research ..................................................................................1

1.2 Research Methodology……………………………………………………………3
1.3 Research Objectives ................................................................................................3
1.4 Contribution to knowledge .....................................................................................5
1.5 Structure of the thesis .............................................................................................6
Chapter Tow: Literature Review………………………………………................................7
2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................7
2.2 Background .............................................................................................................8
2.3 Performance Management ....................................................................................10
2.4 Performance Appraisal .........................................................................................15
2.5 Performance Evaluation ........................................................................................17
2.5.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................17
2.5.2 Performance Evaluation Procedures .....................................................20
2.5.2.1 Performance Evaluation Procedures: Objectives and Goal setting.................21
2.5.2.2 Monitoring Performance.....................................................................23
2.5.2.3 Feedback.............................................................................................25
2.5.2.4 Performance Evaluation Results ........................................................28
2.6 Performance Measurement ...................................................................................30
2.7 Measurement unit and scale ..................................................................................32
2.8 Performance Measurement Factors ......................................................................35
2.9 Conclusion ............................................................................................................38
Chapter Three: UAE Culture ...............................................................................................45
3.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................45
3.2 UAE ......................................................................................................................46
3.2.1 Economy ...............................................................................................47
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The Impact of Culture in Performance Evaluation Procedure in UAE Public Sector

3.2.2 Population .............................................................................................48
3.2.3 History...................................................................................................49
3.3 Impact of National Culture on Performance Evaluation ......................................51
3.4 National Culture Dimensions ................................................................................55
3.5 National Cultures and Organisational Culture ......................................................67
3.6 Conclusion ............................................................................................................71
Chapter Four: Research Methodology ................................................................................76
4.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................76
4.2 Section 1: Research Approach...............................................................................77
4.2.1 Purpose of the Research.........................................................................77
4.2.2 UAE choice of study .............................................................................78
4.2.3 Research Philosophy .............................................................................79
4.3 Section 2: Research Design ..................................................................................81
4.3.1 Description of the Study........................................................................81
4.3.2 Access ...................................................................................................82
4.3.2.1 Public Organisations..............................................................83
4.3.2.2 Private Organisations ...........................................................86
4.3.3 Instrument: Methods ...........................................................................88
4.3.3.1 In-depth interview .................................................................88
4.3.3.1.1 Introduction ..........................................................88
4.3.3.1.2 Interviews Arrangements ....................................89
4.3.3.1.3 Instrument of In-depth Interview .........................91
4.3.3.1.4 Question Design ...................................................91
4.3.3.2 Survey ...................................................................................93
4.3.3.2.1 Introduction ..........................................................93
4.3.3.2.2 Question Design ...................................................95
4.3.3.2.3 Scaling .................................................................99
4.3.3.2.4 Sampling .............................................................100
4.3.3.2.5 Piloting ...............................................................101
4.3.3.2.6 Question Design .................................................106
4.3.3.2.7 Ethical Consideration .........................................108
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The Impact of Culture in Performance Evaluation Procedure in UAE Public Sector

4.4 Section 3: Data Analysis .....................................................................................109
4.4.1 Analysing Quantitative Data ............................................................109
4.4.2 Qualitative Data Analysis ...................................................................111
4.5 Summary .............................................................................................................114
Chapter Five: In-depth interview Findings and Analysis ................................................118
5.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................118
5.2 Demographic Data ..............................................................................................119
5.3 Data Presenting ...................................................................................................120
5.3.1 Performance Evaluation Procedure in UAE Public sector..................121
5.3.2 Culture impact on Performance Evaluation ........................................145
5.3.3 Conduct a cross-comparison of Performance Evaluation between
Private and Public sector..............................................................................163
5.4 Summary of Interview Findings .........................................................................167
Chapter Six: Survey Findings .............................................................................................174
6.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................174
6.2 Participant’s Characteristics ...............................................................................176
6.3 Reporting Statistical Findings .............................................................................178
6.3.1 Performance Evaluation in UAE ........................................................178
6.3.1.1 Employee Involvement .......................................................180
6.3.1.2 Existing Performance Evaluation effect .............................183
6.3.1.3 Expected Performance Evaluation ......................................186
6.3.2 Culture Impact on Performance Evaluation .......................................188
6.3.2.1 Culture Diversity ................................................................189
6.3.2.2 Gender variable ...................................................................193
6.3.2.3 Wasta ..................................................................................197
6.3.2.4 Religion ..............................................................................200
6.3.3 Public vs. Private ...................................................................202
6.4 Summary of Survey Findings ...........................................................................202
Chapter Seven: Discussion ..................................................................................................207
7.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................207
7.2 Performance Evaluation Procedures in UAE Public Organisations ...................209
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The Impact of Culture in Performance Evaluation Procedure in UAE Public Sector

7.3 Culture Impact on Performance Evaluation ........................................................218
7.3.1 Culture Diversity and Ernirataisation .................................................218
7.3.2 Hofstede Dimensions Gender Variable ..............................................221
7.3.3 Power Distance and Open Door Policy ..............................................224
7.3.4 Wasta ..................................................................................................226
7.3.5 National Culture and Corporate Culture .............................................230
7.4 Different Perspectives of Performance Evaluation between Managers and
Employees .................................................................................................................232
7.5 The differences of Performance Evaluation Procedure in Public and Private
Sectors .......................................................................................................................233
7.6 Conclusion ..........................................................................................................237
Chapter Eight: Conclusion ..................................................................................................243
8.1 Aim of the Study .................................................................................................243
8.2 Contributions to Knowledge ...............................................................................243
8.3 Limitations of the study ......................................................................................246
8.4 Recommendation for Further Research ..............................................................247
Bibliography .........................................................................................................................248
Appendix 1..............................................................................................................................264
Appendix 2..............................................................................................................................265
Appendix 3..............................................................................................................................267
Appendix 4..............................................................................................................................269
Appendix 5..............................................................................................................................273
Appendix 6 .............................................................................................................................286
Appendix 7 .............................................................................................................................294
Appendix 8 .............................................................................................................................295
Appendix 9 .............................................................................................................................299
Appendix 10 ...........................................................................................................................302
Appendix 11............................................................................................................................304
Appendix 12............................................................................................................................310
Appendix13.............................................................................................................................315
Appendix 14............................................................................................................................318
Appendix 15............................................................................................................................324
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The Impact of Culture in Performance Evaluation Procedure in UAE Public Sector

Appendix 16............................................................................................................................329
Appendix 17............................................................................................................................333
Appendix 18............................................................................................................................338
Appendix 19............................................................................................................................341
Appendix 20............................................................................................................................343
Appendix 21............................................................................................................................349
Appendix 22............................................................................................................................353

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The Impact of Culture in Performance Evaluation Procedure in UAE Public Sector

Acknowledgment

I am grateful for the guidance and patience of my academic supervisors, Tony
Agathangelou, Sue Williams and Tico Romao for their motivating meetings, sage
advice, warm encouragement, constructive feedback and patience.
Completing this degree would not have been possible without financial assistance
from UAE Government, The Ministry of Higher Education and the Cultural Affairs
Department, Embassy of United Arab Emirates - London.
I am truly thankful for the understanding and support given by the light of my life, my
wife Hessa and for looking after my beautiful kids Mohamed, Sougah and Meera
while I am away conducting this research.
My father, his inspiring words fuelled my motivation.
Finally, I thank all the people participated in the investigation through interview and
survey, for their precious time as well as the rich data obtained during the interview.
Without their co-operation this research would not have been possible.

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The Impact of Culture in Performance Evaluation Procedure in UAE Public Sector

Abstract
There is currently little research or literature on performance evaluation in the Arabic
and United Arab Emirates (UAE) cultural context. The rapid changes and
development of the UAE economy has lead to a growing interest in performance
management in the public sector in the UAE. This current research explores
performance evaluation in the UAE public sector, its practices, processes and the
linkage between performance evaluation, and the impact of the UAE national culture
on those processes. This work examines and compares private and public sector
practices of performance evaluation. This comparison enables a broader assessment of
approaches to performance evaluation, and therefore, the understanding of the impact
of national culture on such processes.
The research aimed to understand the social context of phenomena through
participants’ thoughts, opinions and beliefs. The research combined a mixed research
method of qualitative and quantitative approaches. For the mixed methods,
pragmatism opens the door to multiple methods, different worldviews, and different
assumptions, as well as to different forms of data collection and analysis.
Data was collected through surveys to provide a larger amount of data from a wider
population, therefore the questionnaire survey was sent to mid-level employees who
have experienced performance evaluation from both private and public sectors.
Interviews gathered more in depth insights on participants’ attitudes, thoughts and
actions.
The original contribution of the research was to provide a deep understanding of the
performance evaluation process in UAE’s public sector. This study is one of a few to
be carried out in the UAE, so it provides new findings for cultural influences on the
performance evaluation procedure research and literature in the Arabic and Islamic
contexts. Cultural values and practices affect the performance evaluation procedure,
cultural values such as gender, Wasta, power distance, cultural diversity, and Arabic
and Islamic values.
The findings indicated that since the announcement of the UAE government strategy
of 2008, some public organisations have developed and improved their performance
evaluation practices considering factors, such as the employees’ involvement in the
process. On the other hand, other public organisations conduct the evaluation as a
routine job and do not evaluate the actual employee’s contribution. Furthermore, the
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The Impact of Culture in Performance Evaluation Procedure in UAE Public Sector

evaluation does not affect the employees’ careers. The investigated private
organisations have an evaluation system that is improved constantly and is linked to
the employee’s careers and frequent and constructive feedback is obtained that
enables the employees to make improvements to their performance on a regular basis.
UAE culture is shaped and influenced by Arabic culture and Islamic values as well as
national policy such as Emiritisation. UAE national culture has an impact the process
of performance evaluation in the public and private sectors. For instance Wasta, part
of the Arabic and UAE culture, influences the process. Wasta starts with recruiting
candidates regardless of their qualification and is based on relationships; therefore,
these employees are evaluated and treated differently, affecting both the
organisation’s and employee’s performances. In addition, Wasta led to a UAE process
for performance evaluation that built discrimination among employees. Addressing
and managing the inappropriate elements of Wasta increases the effectiveness of the
performance evaluation processes.
The view of the role of women in society and the segregation between genders
impacts the performance evaluation process; it affects communication in terms of
providing feedback and guidance to enhance performance. However, there have been
slight changes in the view of women’s roles in the UAE and the communication
between genders is improving. As a result of these findings this study contributes a
UAE culturally focused conceptual framework for performance evaluation.

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The Impact of Culture in Performance Evaluation Procedure in UAE Public Sector

Declaration

I declare that the work in this thesis was carried out in accordance with the regulations
of the University of Gloucestershire and is original except where indicated by specific
reference in the text. No part of the thesis has been submitted as part of any other
academic award. The thesis has not been presented to any other education institution
in the United Kingdom or overseas.
Any views expressed in the thesis are those of the author and in no way represent
those of the University.

Signed ……………………………………………..
Date………….......................……………
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