Employee Motivation in Saudi Arabia : An Investigation Into the Higher Education Sector

'The authors explore how individual motivations in collectivistic societies such as Saudi Arabia may be different from those in individualistic Western societies. They demonstrate how one such theory, the widely accepted Maslow's hierarchy of needs, is bounded by culture, religion, and tradition, and has limited generalizability outside the West.' --Eddy Ng, Professor and F.C. Manning Chair in Economics and Business, Dalhousie University 'This book contributes to motivation scholarship by putting the theory to test in an under-researched cultural context. Such an endeavour is more than welcome and highly topical in a context where people of Islamic faith and/or from the Middle East are all too often caricatured in the media and political arena, with little empirical knowledge available on which to base analysis.' --Alain Klarsfeld, Professor of Human Resource Management, Toulouse Business School, University of Toulouse p>p This book investigates the relevance of Maslow's hierarchy of needs as a theory of motivation, whilst taking into account variances in culture and individual experiences and perspectives. Focussing on higher education, the book responds to the call for providing alternative conceptual models, other than those originating from the Anglo-Saxon world. The authors take a contextual approach and use the case of Saudi Arabia to understand motivation in a collectivist, highly religious and conservative society of the Middle East. Providing empirical findings from a study carried out at two Saudi universities differing in their religious outlook, this book reveals a hierarchy of needs that is significantly different from the theory proposed by Maslow. Religion, culture and gender are explored in detail as the authors investigate the relevance of Maslow's theory in a region that is of growing interest to policy-makers and practitioners in North America and Europe, offering a truly insightful read to an international audience Foreword 6 Preface 11 Acknowledgements 16 Contents 17 List of Figures 18 List of Tables 19 1 Introduction: Contextualising Motivation 23 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs 25 Context and Motivation 27 Saudi Arabian Context 29 Structure of the Book 35 References 36 2 A Critical Review of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs 41 The Concept of Motivation and Its Importance 42 Important Classifications and Models of Motivation 44 Content and Process Classifications 44 Models of Motivation 45 Scientific Management 45 Hawthorne Effect 46 The Emerging Need Theories 46 Maslow’s Theory 48 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs 48 Physiological Needs 48 Safety Needs 50 Social Needs 51 Esteem Needs 52 Self-actualisation Needs 53 Maslow’s Influence on Need Theorists 55 Herzberg’s Model 55 Alderfer’s Need Theory 56 Douglas McGregor Theory of X and Y 56 McClelland’s Need Theory 57 Maslow’s Popularity in Social Sciences 57 Maslow’s Popularity in Business Management 58 Criticisms of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs 59 DeprivationDomination 60 The Need Strength Operationalisation 60 Causality 62 GratificationActivation 63 The First Operationalisation of the GratificationActivation Proposition 63 The Second Operationalisation of the GratificationActivation Proposition 64 The Self-actualisation Need Complex 65 Chapter Summary 67 References 69 3 Cultural Critique of the Hierarchy of Needs and the Saudi Context 82 Cross-Cultural Applicability of Need Hierarchy 84 Motivation and Gender 93 Motivation and Religion 96 Maslow’s Applicability in Saudi Context 98 Chapter Summary 110 References 113 4 Questioning the Applicability of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in Saudi Arabia 123 Research Paradigms Underpinning Management Research 124 Quantitative Approach with Integrated Qualitative Element 125 Data Sources 126 Research Locations 127 Justification 129 Gaining Access 130 Sampling Strategy 131 The Research Instrument 134 Reliability and Validity 136 Survey Administration and Data Collection 140 Data Analysis 143 Ethical Considerations 147 References 149 5 Motivation Unravelled: Gender, Religion and Other Demographic Patterns 154 Demographic Characteristics 155 Gender 155 Religion 157 Analysis and Comparison of the Motivational Needs of SUR and SUM 163 Motivational Needs Based on Gender Differences 163 Motivational Needs Based on Age Differences 165 Motivational Needs Based on Marital Status 168 Motivational Needs Based on Qualification 173 Motivational Needs Based on Occupation 178 Motivational Needs Based on Religious Orientation 189 Motivational Needs Based on Place or Region 192 An Intersectional Analysis 196 Key Factors and Issues Related to This Research 205 An Intersectional Analysis of Gender and Religion 206 Males Versus Females—Devout 206 Males Versus Females—Average or ‘Moderate’ Religious 208 An Intersectional Analysis of Religion and the Two Universities 211 SUR Versus SUM—Devout 211 SUR Versus SUM—Average or ‘Moderate’ Religious 215 Analysis of SUR and SUM 217 Discussion 220 Implications 223 Chapter Summary 225 References 229 6 What Saudi Employees Want: In Depth Insights 231 The Qualitative Analysis Process 232 The Predetermined Themes 233 Security 234 Autonomy 238 Self-Actualisation 241 Esteem 244 Social 248 The Emerging Themes 251 Role of Religion 251 Inequality (Gender) 257 Discussion 262 Chapter Summary 267 References 268 7 The Primacy of Social Needs 272 The Motivational Drivers 273 Security 273 Autonomy 273 Self-Actualisation 274 Esteem 275 Social 275 To What Extent is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Model Applicable or Relevant to a Saudi Organisational Context? 276 To What Extent Do Saudis’ Needs Vary Across Gender? 280 To What Extent Do Saudis’ Needs Vary Across the Religious Orientation? 283 How can Maslow’s Model be Refined in a Saudi Organisational Context? 285 Chapter Summary 289 References 291 8 Conclusion: The Cross-Cultural Complex 295 Implications for Theory, Policy and Practice 299 Implications for Theory 299 Implications for Policy and Practice 302 Implications for Private Sector Organisations and MNCs 304 Implications for Public Sector Organisations 304 Limitations 305 Directions for Further Research 306 Concluding Remarks 307 References 309 Index 311 Front Matter ....Pages i-xxviii Introduction: Contextualising Motivation (Rodwan Hashim Mohammed Fallatah, Jawad Syed)....Pages 1-18 A Critical Review of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Rodwan Hashim Mohammed Fallatah, Jawad Syed)....Pages 19-59 Cultural Critique of the Hierarchy of Needs and the Saudi Context (Rodwan Hashim Mohammed Fallatah, Jawad Syed)....Pages 61-101 Questioning the Applicability of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in Saudi Arabia (Rodwan Hashim Mohammed Fallatah, Jawad Syed)....Pages 103-133 Motivation Unravelled: Gender, Religion and Other Demographic Patterns (Rodwan Hashim Mohammed Fallatah, Jawad Syed)....Pages 135-211 What Saudi Employees Want: In Depth Insights (Rodwan Hashim Mohammed Fallatah, Jawad Syed)....Pages 213-253 The Primacy of Social Needs (Rodwan Hashim Mohammed Fallatah, Jawad Syed)....Pages 255-277 Conclusion: The Cross-Cultural Complex (Rodwan Hashim Mohammed Fallatah, Jawad Syed)....Pages 279-294 Back Matter ....Pages 295-303