Impact of gender on use of wasta among human resources management practitioners

Abstract

The practice of wasta dominates all aspects of Arabs' lives; it is a parallel inegalitarian system that categorizes people according to their connections. One of the epicenters of wasta is human resources management (HRM). This article studies the concept of wasta in the Arab world by examining its use in HRM according to gender, in the case of the Jordanian public sector. Results obtained from 27 semi‐structured interviews of HR managers indicate that though wasta is an important feature of HRM in general, there is a notable discrepancy between male and female employees, with the former displaying higher tendencies for using wasta than the latter. An explanation for this finding is the prevalent masculine nature of Jordanian society, which entails social caveats related to the traditional role of women. Professional determinants, such as gendered job segregation and variance in qualifications, also affect men's and women's access to wasta.

Informal Networks, Informal Institutions, and Social Exclusion in the Workplace: Insights from Subsidiaries of Multinational Corporations in Korea

“…We followed the method by Gioia et al ( 2013 ) and Gioia et al ( 2022 ) to analyze the qualitative data. The method emphasizes a carefully determined data structure and theoretical abstraction based on the interviewees’ responses, and it has been used in a number of studies (e.g., Alsarhan et al, 2021 ; Spieth et al, 2019 ; Suseno & Abbott, 2021 ). It allows for a close link between what interviewees say and the abstract themes as part of the analysis (Gioia et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Despite its rapid economic growth, Korea remains a patriarchal society with gendered family roles based on Confucian familism (Lee, 2018 ; Lee et al, 2016 ; Tung et al, 2013 ). Research has found that the entrenched patriarchal structures, favoring men and excluding women from being hired and promoted, can lead to negative economic effects (Alsarhan et al, 2021 ; Kim, 2008 ). Gender-balanced economies, on the other hand, fare significantly better in terms of their economic performance (Council on Foreign Relations, 2021 ; OECD, 2014 ).…”

“…This is clear in the case of Brazilian jeitinho (Lee Park et al, 2018 ) as well as in the wasta context in the Arab World (Zhang et al, 2021 ). Wasta , which is described as “a parallel inegalitarian system that categorizes people according to their connections,” has a dominating and “prevalent masculine nature” (Alsarhan et al, 2021 , p. 131). Such social structures and practices dictate social expectations and norms “related to the traditional role of women” (Alsarhan et al, 2021 , p. 131).…”

“…Wasta , which is described as “a parallel inegalitarian system that categorizes people according to their connections,” has a dominating and “prevalent masculine nature” (Alsarhan et al, 2021 , p. 131). Such social structures and practices dictate social expectations and norms “related to the traditional role of women” (Alsarhan et al, 2021 , p. 131). In this way, these social norms become a way of life that is deeply ingrained in society.…”

“…Specifically, we look at how MNCs can be role models by adopting and implementing gender equality-related policies to reduce or eliminate social exclusion in the countries in which they operate. Gender-based discrimination is an emerging research area in international business (Alsarhan et al, 2021 ; Koveshnikov et al, 2019 ; Nyarko, 2022 ), and research in this area has only slowly progressed to examining gender equality practices in MNCs (e.g., Cho et al, 2019 ; Festing et al, 2015 ). The study is relevant to not only scholars but also MNCs, since, as part of their global diversity and inclusion policies, many are committed to an inclusive global corporate culture, with equal opportunities for men and women (Saeed et al, 2021 ).…”