Dempster, Inga Stefka (2024) Antecedents of evidence-based HR practice in the United Arab Emirates. Doctoral thesis, Birkbeck, University of London.
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Abstract
This thesis investigates the antecedents of evidence-based HR (EBHR) practices in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The research comprises two interconnected studies: a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and an empirical study. The SLR explored the current state of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices in Arabia and the empirical study sought to investigate the causal relationship between HRM practices and evidence-based decision-making (EBDM) specifically in the UAE. The SLR explored HRM practices within the Arabian Peninsula, a cluster of seven countries comprising Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and UAE. The findings highlighted key characteristics, including influences such as Islamic principles, power-distance dynamics (Hofstede et al. 2005), nationalisation policies, and “wasta”. The empirical study aimed to address limitations identified in existing research and build upon the insights from the SLR. The research questions examined the impact of factors on the adoption of EBHR including cultural dynamics; nationalisation, the role of HR and their credentials; and the organisational characteristics. A survey method was employed, and analysis conducted on the data to test the hypotheses, including regression analysis, mean comparison tests, and structural equation modelling. The empirical findings highlighted the intricate dynamics influencing EBHRM adoption in the UAE. Moreover, the factors that had been identified in the SLR as key differentiators of the region such as power-distance dynamics, wasta, and nationalisation, were found to be potential barriers to EBHRM, whilst HR’s ability to take a strategic position through their role in the organisation and professional credentials were found to be accelerators of EBHRM. The SLR laid the groundwork by identifying contextual nuances, and the empirical study deepened the understanding by quantitatively assessing EBDM adoption in the UAE. Together, these studies contribute to characterising the antecedents of EBHRM in the UAE. This thesis advances the science and practice of EBDM, shining more light on the interplay of sources of evidence and their impact, and the cultural applicability of traditional EBDM models. The discussion includes suggestions for further research and improving EBHRM in the region, urging professional bodies such as BPS and CIPD to enhance the global applicability of their guidance.
Metadata
| Item Type: | Thesis |
|---|---|
| Copyright Holders: | The copyright of this thesis rests with the author, who asserts his/her right to be known as such according to the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988. No dealing with the thesis contrary to the copyright or moral rights of the author is permitted. |
| Depositing User: | Acquisitions And Metadata |
| Date Deposited: | 23 Oct 2024 08:42 |
| Last Modified: | 23 Oct 2024 13:47 |
| URI: | https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/54444 |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.18743/PUB.00054444 |
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