Expatriate Most Challenging Issues in Saudi Arabia

By

[Faculty's Name]

[Month/ Year]

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this chance for thanking my research facilitator, friends and family for support they provide, their belief in me as well as the guidance they provided me, without that I would have never been able to do this research.

DECLARATION

I, (Your name), would like to declare that all contents included in this dissertation stands for my individual work without any aid, and this dissertation has not been submitted for any examination at academic as well as professional level, previously. It is also representing my very own views and not essentially those views that are associated with the university.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

ABSTRACT

In this research, we tried to explore the concept of expatriation in a holistic context. The main focus of the research was on the problems and challenges that expatriate faces in a foreign set up and the ways of overcoming those problems. For the purpose, we studies the process of expatriation in Saudi Arabia, where, despite of the high rate of expatriate turnover every year, the number of foreign recruits are growing each year to meet the ever-increasing demands of the global functions that multinational companies in Saudi Arabia require. The research revealed many problems and that expatriates face, including psychological, environmental and socio-cultural problems in a strict and repressive Saudi Arabian society.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Background of the study1

Rationale for the study3

Research aims and objectives4

Research questions4

Significance of the study5

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW8

Strengths8

Weaknesses9

Expatriation in Saudi Arabia10

Selection of Expatriates11

The dilemmas of expatriates versus local hires12

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY24

Research Design24

Time scale26

Data Collection27

Data Analysis28

Literature Search29

Literature Selection Criteria30

Search Technique30

Keywords Used30

Theoretical Framework30

Difference31

Ethical Concerns32

Overview of the survey32

Selection of informants33

Role of the Researcher33

Sample34

Data Analysis Procedures35

Quality and Verification36

Reliability/Dependability37

Validity39

CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS42

The phenomenon of expatriation42

The disadvantages43

Comprehensive Management of Expatriates45

Phases of the Management of Expatriation45

The job of the senior management of expatriates46

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION48

REFERENCES50

APPENDICES59

Questionnaire59

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Ever since the world markets have become internationalized, companies have started expanding global operations. As a result, multiple mergers, conglomerates, acquisitions, and global production facilities have emerged which have paved newer avenues for companies to avail global market opportunities. In order to facilitate the processes involved in globalization, business the world over rely on expatriate assignments. As a result expatriates, who are living in a foreign country for non-seasonal and non-tourist works, try to adjust in another country for the completion of a particular assignment instead of making a permanent move in that country.

Expatriates have typical categories which include personnel for providing technical and business aid, students and teachers, military and governmental personnel, and people working for social and humanitarian welfare like missionaries, and peace volunteers. Since, there is a global increase in expatriate assignments, people from various regions of the world move to and fro to other countries as expats and try to adjust to a new lifestyle in the alien country.

In this regard, Saudi Arabia is a good example, as a lot of people from different regions of the world come to Saudi Arabia as expatriates ...