This paper presents a framework for studying the concepts of fit and flexibility in the field of Strategic Human Resource Management (Strategic HRM) focusing on HRM practices, employee skills, and employee behaviors and reviews past conceptual and empirical work within that framework. A model of Strategic HRM is presented and this model is used to explore the concepts of fit and flexibility as they apply to Strategic HRM. The concepts of resource and coordination flexibility are applied to Strategic HRM, and the implications of the framework for both the practice of and research on Strategic HRM are discussed.

Toward a Unifying Framework for Exploring Fit and Flexibility in Strategic Human Resource Management

The overworked american

Given the rising interest in corporate social responsibility (CSR) globally, its local expressions are as varied as they are increasingly visible in both developed and developing countries. This paper presents a multilevel review of the literature on CSR in developing countries and highlights the key differentiators and nuanced CSR-related considerations that qualify it as a distinctive field of study. This review entails a content analysis of 452 articles spanning two-and-a-half decades (1990–2015). Based on this comprehensive review, the authors identify the key differentiating attributes of the literature on CSR in developing countries in relation to depictions of how CSR is conceived or ‘CSR Thinking’ and depictions of how CSR is practiced and implemented or ‘CSR Doing’. The authors synthesize from there five key themes that capture the main aspects of variation in this literature, namely: (1) complex institutional antecedents within the national business system (NBS); (2) complex macro-level antecedents outside the NBS; (3) the salience of multiple actors involved in formal and informal governance; (4) hybridized and other nuanced forms of CSR expressions; and (5) varied scope of developmental and detrimental CSR consequences. The paper concludes by accentuating how the nuanced forms of CSR in the developing world are invariably contextualized and locally shaped by multi-level factors and actors embedded within wider formal and informal governance systems.

Corporate Social Responsibility in Developing Countries as an Emerging Field of Study

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Developments in the Management of Human Resources

HRM and performance: Achieving long term viability

Purpose




Few studies have explored the work challenges and career barriers faced by women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Drawing on Institutional Theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of employed Saudi women through in-depth interviews.




Design/methodology/approach




The paper employs a phenomenological qualitative approach drawing on 12 in-depth semi-structured interviews with Saudi women.




Findings




The findings reveal a significant number of prominent societal and organizational structural and attitudinal barriers to the advancement of Saudi women in paid employment. Among others, these barriers include a lack of mobility; the salience of gender stereotypes; gender discrimination in the workplace; limited opportunities for growth, development, and career advancement; excessive workload caused by a lack of family-work balance; and gender-based challenges related to dealing with pregnancy.




Research limitations/implications




Despite the contributions of this study, it also has limitations, particularly the convenience sampling approach and the focus on the KSA. The small sample size means that the findings cannot be generalized to all women employed in Saudi Arabia and should be generalized within Saudi Arabia and other Arab societies only with caution.




Originality/value




The paper contributes to the understanding of work challenges and barriers of Saudi women in the workforce. It provides fresh insights to the issues surrounding women in Saudi Arabia and the need to address them in order to provide support for their career advancement.

Saudi women’s work challenges and barriers to career advancement

This paper provides an overview and analysis of the ‘localization’ of human resource capital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia referred to as the ‘Saudization’. It attempts to critically review the key initiatives undertaken by the government and its stakeholders for the workforce localization in the Kingdom. It examines the Saudization process initiated in the Saudi public and private sectors and its efficacy in dealing with the challenges of replacement of the expatriate workforce and the skill development strategy. There is a strong need to adopt a comprehensive human resource development (HRD) framework to develop local employees and aligning it with the demands of the job market. A holistic Saudization policy is needed which can bridge the gap of talent and skills required after the removal of the expatriate workers. A multi-pronged approach involving all stakeholders can help Saudi firms in dealing with the emergent business challenges in the present global scenario.

Workforce localization in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: issues and challenges

The purpose of this study is to understand how one of the most non-renewable countries is acting concerning the global challenge of energy supply vs. resources for energy generation. Saudi Arabia i...

Transition towards sustainable energy production – A review of the progress for solar energy in Saudi Arabia:

Saudi Arabia is currently passing through a transformational phase. There is a huge demand on the Saudi healthcare system to provide better healthcare facilities to the rapidly increasing Saudi population, as well as the growing elderly population. Lack of trained healthcare professionals and heavy reliance on foreign workers are significant aspects for policymakers to consider and deal with. It is also important to re-examine the healthcare Human Resource Development (HRD) initiatives so as to provide a huge reserve of healthcare professionals with appropriate learning and competence. This paper is a critical review based on secondary data collected from various sources including databases, reports, articles, books, government documents and earlier research undertaken in this regard. The paper is an attempt to document and evaluate the various steps suggested and undertaken by the new strategic plan, Vision 2030, and consequently documented in the National Transformation Program (NTP) adopted in April 2016 in the healthcare HRD sphere in Saudi Arabia. It has been shown that appropriate HRD capacity building needs to be adopted along with the aggressive policy regulation. It is also important to ensure that future health sector investment meets the needs of local healthcare HRD. Saudization and the adoption of the ‘Nitaqat’ program have played an effective role in pushing the Saudization targets in the private sector, and there is a huge scope for the absorption of young trained Saudi boys and girls in the healthcare sector. Vision 2030 adopted in 2016 is a testimony to a revolutionary step undertaken by the government and that the healthcare sector is also passing through a major shift in its approach and execution. Vision 2030 has come out with a very clear sense of direction to the healthcare sector, and the projected shift from the existing one-third to two-third Saudi-to-foreigner workforce ratio by the year 2030 needs to be adopted carefully to turn the healthcare HRD challenges into opportunities.

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Healthcare human resource development in Saudi Arabia: emerging challenges and opportunities—a critical review

Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) has been accepted as a business idea worldwide and is no longer seen as a pure philanthropy. It has become part of the corporate values, policies and practices which looks beyond narrow defined business and economic goals of the organization. In that backdrop, the present paper attempts to explore and analyze CSR practices existing in Saudi Arabia, and documents the steps undertaken by various stakeholders in that regard. Looking beyond charity and adopting strategic CSR initiative are some of the challenges before the Saudi firms to achieve a place in the global market. CSR is in its infancy in Saudi Arabia, and its Islamic and cultural values can play important role in leveraging strategic philanthropy in Saudi Arabia.

Sami A. Khan

Papers

Saudi women’s work challenges and barriers to career advancement

Workforce localization in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: issues and challenges

Transition towards sustainable energy production – A review of the progress for solar energy in Saudi Arabia:

Healthcare human resource development in Saudi Arabia: emerging challenges and opportunities—a critical review

Exploring Corporate Social Responsibility in Saudi Arabia: The Challenges Ahead