HR PRACTICES AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS DURING THE POST-OMANIZATION PHASE: A CRITICAL REVIEW
Basil John Thomas - Department of Business Administration, Sur University College, Sur, Sultanate of Oman
Ruqiya Jaber AlDarwashi - Department of Business Administration, Sur University College, Sur, Sultanate of Oman
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31410/Balkans.JETSS.2023.6.1.49-64
Basil John Thomas - Department of Business Administration, Sur University College, Sur, Sultanate of Oman
Ruqiya Jaber AlDarwashi - Department of Business Administration, Sur University College, Sur, Sultanate of Oman
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31410/Balkans.JETSS.2023.6.1.49-64
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Balkans Journal of Emerging Trends in Social Sciences, (2023) , Vol 6, No 1
ISSN: 2620-164X |
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Abstract: Omanization is a strategy applied by the Sultanate of Oman since 1988 with an aim to replace expatriate workers with Omani nationals. The Omani government has set goals to increase the percentage of employed Omani nationals compared with foreigners (expatriates) through Omanization as a routine Human Resource (HR) practice. This strategy was introduced because of the increasing number of expatriates that indirectly resulted in reduced job opportunities for Omani nationals. It is expected that this strategy would allow Omani nationals to get jobs and consequently needed training and development programs. This research work is focusing on Omanization and its likely impact on HR practices in Oman. As it was not feasible to collect data from both the public and private sectors, this research, therefore, aims to analyze the perceptions of private sector employees on Omanization. This research is expected to highlight likely changes in the HR practices applied and their effectiveness in Oman. It will be worthwhile identifying how employees from the private sector foresee this strategy, and whether the Omanization initiative can actually improve the quality of work and enhance HR output to reach a higher level of productivity. It is assumed that Omanization could have a significant impact on HR practices, so it was decided to conduct interviews and focus group discussions with some of the private sector employees to gain a richer insight. Findings from this research indicate that there is a gap between the labor market and the education system. It is evident that fresh graduates lack the necessary skills and training for taking over the positions. Furthermore, there is a lack of training and development programs for the employees. This research is highlighting some recommendations too for the progress toward Omanization.
Keywords: Human resource management, Omanization, Human resource practices, Employee perceptions.
JEL Classification J24 · O15
Keywords: Human resource management, Omanization, Human resource practices, Employee perceptions.
JEL Classification J24 · O15
REFERENCES
Al-Adawi, S. (2014). Tomorrow’s People Matters: Evidence for Action in Oman. Oman Medical Journal, 29(2), pp. 83-84.
Al-Hinai, A. (2015). Experience of intravitreal injections in a tertiary Hospital in Oman. Oman Journal of Ophthalmology, 8(3), 166. https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-620x.169896
Ali, Y. Y., & Alani, F. (2017). Employment in the Private Sector in Oman: Sector-Based Approach for Localization. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2951782
Al-Lamki, S. M. (1998). Barriers to Omanization in the private sector: The perceptions of Omani graduates. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 9(2), 377-400. https://doi.org/10.1080/095851998341143
Al-Mjeni, R. (2015). Insight into Ocular Genetic Research: Trends in Oman. Oman Medical Journal, 30(3), 149-150. https://doi.org/10.5001/omj.2015.33
Al-Mujaini, A. (2010). Towards a structured ophthalmology residency program in Oman. Oman Journal of Ophthalmology, 3(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-620x.60012
Al-Rawas, M. (2007). Omanization of Oman’s private sector.
Al-Riyami, M. (2014). Omanization. Muscat: Mohammed AL Riyami, pp. 35-42.
Al-Riyami, M., Fischer, I., & Lopez, V. (2015). Nurses’ perceptions of the challenges related to the Omanization policy: Perceptions to Omanization. International Nursing Review, 62(4), 462-469. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12221
Bello-Pintado, A. (2015). Bundles of HRM practices and performance: empirical evidence from a Latin American context: Bundles of HRM practices and performance. Human Resource Management Journal, 25(3), 311-330. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12067
Boyce, C., & Neale, P. (2006). Conducting in-depth interviews: A guide for designing and conducting in-depth interviews for evaluation input.
Freeman, T. (2006). ‘Best practice’ in focus group research: making sense of different views. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 56(5), 491-497. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.04043.x
Hidalgo, D., Oosterbeek, H., & Webbink, D. (2014). The impact of training vouchers on low-skilled workers. Labour Economics, 31, 117-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2014.09.002
Hoffmann, K. (2014). Measuring HRM Effectiveness as a Challenge to Contemporary HRM Scientists (HRM Context). Kwartalnik Ekonomistów i Menedżerów, 33(3), 7-24. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0009.4590
Kooij, D. T. A. M., Guest, D. E., Clinton, M., Knight, T., Jansen, P. G. W., & Dikkers, J. S. E. (2012). How the impact of HR practices on employee well-being and performance changes with age. Human Resource Management Journal, 23(1), pp. 18-35. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12000
Krueger, R. A. A., & Casey, M., A. (2000). Focus Groups, A Practical Guide for Applied Research. Los Angeles. 86.
Lynham, S. A. (2002). The General Method of Theory-Building Research in Applied Disciplines. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 4(3), 221-241. https://doi.org/10.1177/1523422302043002
National Centre for Statistics and Information, NCSI. (2010). Statistical year book, Issue 38, Ministry of National Economy, Sultanate of Oman. https://www.ncsi.gov.om/Elibrary/LibraryContentDoc/bar_Statistical%20Yearly%20Book%2038_98f98fa4-7c8b-40e1-abd5-6c36c09aecab.pdf
Nikolowa, R. (2010). Supply of skilled labour and organizational change. Labour Economics, 17(3), 514-522. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2009.04.007
Nolan, S. (2008). Realizing efficiencies through HR policies and practices. Strategic HR Review, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.1108/shr.2008.37207baa.001
Paterson, S. (2016). Neuroscience as a basis for HR practices. Strategic HR Review, 15(4), 162-167. https://doi.org/10.1108/shr-06-2016-0049
Pi, J., & Zhou, Y. (2012). Public infrastructure provision and skilled-unskilled wage inequality in developing countries. Labour Economics, 19(6), 881-887. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2012.08.007
Renckly, R. (2011). Human resources. Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series.
Stebbins, R. (2001). Exploratory Research in the Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412984249
Usharani, B. (2017). Mapping the Semi-Structured Data to the Structured Data for Inverted Index Compression. International Journal of Database Theory and Application, 10(1), 235-244.
Welch, J. K., & Patton, M. Q. (1992). Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods. The Modern Language Journal, 76(4), 543. https://doi.org/10.2307/330063
Additional Reading
Ali, Y. Y., Al-Nusair, M. M., Alani, F. S., Khan, F. R., & Al-Badi, L. H. (2017). Employment in the private sector in Oman: sector-based approach for localization. Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews, 5(1), 01. https://doi.org/10.18510/hssr.2017.511
Short, J. C., Ketchen Jr. D. J., Palmer, T.B. (2002) The role of sampling in strategic management research on performance: A two-study analysis. Journal of Management, 28(3), 363-85.
REFERENCES
Al-Adawi, S. (2014). Tomorrow’s People Matters: Evidence for Action in Oman. Oman Medical Journal, 29(2), pp. 83-84.
Al-Hinai, A. (2015). Experience of intravitreal injections in a tertiary Hospital in Oman. Oman Journal of Ophthalmology, 8(3), 166. https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-620x.169896
Ali, Y. Y., & Alani, F. (2017). Employment in the Private Sector in Oman: Sector-Based Approach for Localization. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2951782
Al-Lamki, S. M. (1998). Barriers to Omanization in the private sector: The perceptions of Omani graduates. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 9(2), 377-400. https://doi.org/10.1080/095851998341143
Al-Mjeni, R. (2015). Insight into Ocular Genetic Research: Trends in Oman. Oman Medical Journal, 30(3), 149-150. https://doi.org/10.5001/omj.2015.33
Al-Mujaini, A. (2010). Towards a structured ophthalmology residency program in Oman. Oman Journal of Ophthalmology, 3(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-620x.60012
Al-Rawas, M. (2007). Omanization of Oman’s private sector.
Al-Riyami, M. (2014). Omanization. Muscat: Mohammed AL Riyami, pp. 35-42.
Al-Riyami, M., Fischer, I., & Lopez, V. (2015). Nurses’ perceptions of the challenges related to the Omanization policy: Perceptions to Omanization. International Nursing Review, 62(4), 462-469. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12221
Bello-Pintado, A. (2015). Bundles of HRM practices and performance: empirical evidence from a Latin American context: Bundles of HRM practices and performance. Human Resource Management Journal, 25(3), 311-330. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12067
Boyce, C., & Neale, P. (2006). Conducting in-depth interviews: A guide for designing and conducting in-depth interviews for evaluation input.
Freeman, T. (2006). ‘Best practice’ in focus group research: making sense of different views. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 56(5), 491-497. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.04043.x
Hidalgo, D., Oosterbeek, H., & Webbink, D. (2014). The impact of training vouchers on low-skilled workers. Labour Economics, 31, 117-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2014.09.002
Hoffmann, K. (2014). Measuring HRM Effectiveness as a Challenge to Contemporary HRM Scientists (HRM Context). Kwartalnik Ekonomistów i Menedżerów, 33(3), 7-24. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0009.4590
Kooij, D. T. A. M., Guest, D. E., Clinton, M., Knight, T., Jansen, P. G. W., & Dikkers, J. S. E. (2012). How the impact of HR practices on employee well-being and performance changes with age. Human Resource Management Journal, 23(1), pp. 18-35. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12000
Krueger, R. A. A., & Casey, M., A. (2000). Focus Groups, A Practical Guide for Applied Research. Los Angeles. 86.
Lynham, S. A. (2002). The General Method of Theory-Building Research in Applied Disciplines. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 4(3), 221-241. https://doi.org/10.1177/1523422302043002
National Centre for Statistics and Information, NCSI. (2010). Statistical year book, Issue 38, Ministry of National Economy, Sultanate of Oman. https://www.ncsi.gov.om/Elibrary/LibraryContentDoc/bar_Statistical%20Yearly%20Book%2038_98f98fa4-7c8b-40e1-abd5-6c36c09aecab.pdf
Nikolowa, R. (2010). Supply of skilled labour and organizational change. Labour Economics, 17(3), 514-522. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2009.04.007
Nolan, S. (2008). Realizing efficiencies through HR policies and practices. Strategic HR Review, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.1108/shr.2008.37207baa.001
Paterson, S. (2016). Neuroscience as a basis for HR practices. Strategic HR Review, 15(4), 162-167. https://doi.org/10.1108/shr-06-2016-0049
Pi, J., & Zhou, Y. (2012). Public infrastructure provision and skilled-unskilled wage inequality in developing countries. Labour Economics, 19(6), 881-887. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2012.08.007
Renckly, R. (2011). Human resources. Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series.
Stebbins, R. (2001). Exploratory Research in the Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412984249
Usharani, B. (2017). Mapping the Semi-Structured Data to the Structured Data for Inverted Index Compression. International Journal of Database Theory and Application, 10(1), 235-244.
Welch, J. K., & Patton, M. Q. (1992). Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods. The Modern Language Journal, 76(4), 543. https://doi.org/10.2307/330063
Additional Reading
Ali, Y. Y., Al-Nusair, M. M., Alani, F. S., Khan, F. R., & Al-Badi, L. H. (2017). Employment in the private sector in Oman: sector-based approach for localization. Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews, 5(1), 01. https://doi.org/10.18510/hssr.2017.511
Short, J. C., Ketchen Jr. D. J., Palmer, T.B. (2002) The role of sampling in strategic management research on performance: A two-study analysis. Journal of Management, 28(3), 363-85.
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