Emirati Preferences among Material and Non-material Incentives in the Workplace

Abstract

The working population of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the private sector is characterized by a majority of expatriates and comparatively few UAE nationals. The UAE government encourages firms to hire Emirati nationals in the private sector through various incentives and policies. This article investigates UAE nationals’ preferences for material and non-material incentives in the workplace. The study is based on questionnaires distributed to Emirati nationals in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The findings of the research are expected to provide policymakers with insights into Emiratis’ preferred work incentives. In addition, it will, it is hoped, aid in developing appropriate nationalization policies for the UAE in general and UAE private organizations in particular.

Keywords

Material incentives non-material incentives Emiratization nationalization

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Abdelkarim

(2001). UAE labor market and problems of employment of nationals, an overview and policy agenda . Dubai: Tanmia.

Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council (ADTC). (2015 March 13). Retrieved June 20, 2016, from https://www.abudhabi.ae/portal/public

Al-Enezi

A. K.

(2002). Kuwait’s employment policy: Its formulation, implication, and challenges. International Journal of Public Administration , 25(7), 885–900.

Al-Qudsi

S. S.

(2006). Unemployment evolution in the GCC economies: Its nature and relationship to output gaps (Labor Market Study No. 22). Abu Dhabi: Center for Market Research & Information (CLMRI).

Barhem

Belal

Younies

Hassan

Smith

Pamela C.

(2011). Ranking the future global manager characteristics and knowledge requirements according to UAE business managers’ opinions. Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues, 4(3), 229–247.

Croucher Martin. (2014 March 27). Unemployment rates among young Emiratis increasing but national service can help. The National. Retrieved June 20, 2016, from http://www.thenational.ae/

Guang

(2002). Human resource management practice in the UAE: Private sector patterns, evaluation and challenges (Policy Research Paper No. 10). Dubai: Tanmia.

Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association (GPCA). (2013). Workforce nationalization in GCC chemicals industry (p. 101). In GPCA (ed.), GCC petrochemicals & chemicals industry: facts & figures 2012. Dubai, UAE: GPCA. Retrieved June 20, 2016, from www.gpca.org.ae/adminpanel/pdf/ff12e.pdf

Herzberg

(1966). Work and the nature of man . New York: Thomas Y. Corwell.

10.

Hofstede

(1984). Culture’s consequences, international differences in work-related values (Abridged Edition) . Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications.

11.

Islam

Rafikul

Barhem

Belal.

(2007). Employee motivation: A comparison between Malaysia and UAE. Malaysian Management Review (MMR), 42(1), 101–122.

12.

Kapiszewski

(2000 April). Population, labor and education dilemmas facing GCC states at the turn of the century . In Proceedings of the Technological, Education, and National Development Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

13.

Mellahi

(2007). The effect of regulations on HRM: Private sector firms in Saudi Arabia. The International Journal of Human Resource Management , 18(1), 85–99.

14.

Moore

(2005). Population and demographics: Saudisation and the labor market. In Ramady

, The Saudi Arabian economy: Policies, achievements and challenges (pp. 351–387) . New York, NY: Springer.

15.

Rutledge

E. J.

(2010). Unemployment in Gulf: Time to update the “social contract.” Middle East Policy , 17(2), 38–51.

16.

Tanmia (UAE National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority). (2005). Human resource report 2005. Dubai: UAE. Unemployment rate in Young Emiratis increasing but national service can help (2014, March 24). Retrieved from http://www.thenational.ae/uae/government

17.

Younies

Hassan

Barhem

Belal

Younis

Mustafa Z.

(2008). Ranking of priorities in employees’ reward and recognition schemes: From the perspective of UAE health care employees. The International Journal of Health Planning and Management , 23(4), 357–371. ISSN 1099-1751.