Routledge Handbook on
Business and Management
in the Middle East
Editor: Dr. Yusuf M. Sidani
Dean
Suliman S. Olayan School of Business
American University of Beirut
Interest in the Middle East and North Africa has grown over the last few decades as a center for business and economic activity. The region is rich in its natural and human resources, and this attracted the attention of global business and management practitioners and scholars. This book project is envisioned to gather the latest scholarship about business and management issues in one accessible handbook. The handbook is designed for academics, students, and practitioners covering areas of relevance across business activities, functions, and locations in the Middle east. It is expected to be used as a reference for scholars doing business research or teaching, or practitioners involved in business activities in region.
This handbook provides thorough insights into crucial topics that have attracted scholarly and practitioner interest in business and management in the Middle Eastern region. The book describes the key contextual forces that have been influencing business and organizational behavior in the region. These include the impacts of the political, economic, regulatory, and cultural forces on the way individuals and organizations manage businesses. This includes an exploration of the roles of various institutions in shaping managerial attitudes and behaviors.
The handbook also aims at identifying elements that have molded the Arab persona which have relevance for business. The book aspires to advance a profile of the Arab worker and identify communication patterns dominant in the culture. Other areas impacting the Arab manager would be explored, including the impact of globalization, demographic changes, technological advancement and digital transformation, and industry growth trends.
The handbook identifies leadership styles that are dominant in the region and some of the factors that lead to their emergence. We provide an understanding of group dynamics in business organizations. At least one chapter will address the role of women in leadership and what are some of the obstacles facing aspirant women leaders. We also address the role of leaders in managing and resolving conflict within that cultural setting.
The handbook will also address the emerging literature that addresses business ethics in the region. There has been a significant interest in corporate social responsibility, and this section will attempt to capture the various discourses on the topic. The particularities of Arab societies would be elaborated upon including the role of nepotism/wasta in business functioning. Moreover, factors that impact ethical decision making will be highlighted and analyzed. Human resource issues will also be addressed. Localization strategies would be discussed including the impact on businesses (perhaps with a special emphasis on the Gulf Cooperation Council). Issues relating to career management, talent management, and expatriate management will get dedicated attention.
Issues of marketing, consumer behavior, advertising, marketing strategies, and advertising in Arab markets will be addressed. Intricacies of planning in Arab organizations, strategic thinking, change leadership, and total quality management will also be tackled. In addition, strategy making under stress or in crises would be addressed perhaps in the context of case studies in the region.
The handbook covers family business and entrepreneurship in the economies of the region. We tackle challenges that business founders face in addition to entrepreneurial motivations. We also address issues that face family businesses, including succession planning and governance structures. We tackle issues relating to finance and accounting. We tackle the issue of financial fraud and the role of auditors. We also explore the role played by Islamic financial instruments in the region. We also address microfinance activities in the region and elaborate on elements shaping corporate governance.
The handbook ends with a summative chapter addressing future trends in business and management in the region.
LANGUAGE
| English. Submissions are also accepted in Arabic and the editorial team will facilitate the translation process.
|
CHAPTER PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
| Please submit your chapter proposal on or before June 30, 2022. This will a brief description (200 words maximum) as to how the proposed book chapter fits the scope and vision of the handbook. Manuscripts submitted in Arabic will be reviewed in the original language first and then translated after they are finalized.Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project. Submissions should be submitted to: Dr. Yusuf Sidani at businesshandbook@aub.edu.lb
|
SUBMISSION OR PUBLICATION FEES
| None. There will be no submission, publication, or translation fees
|
NUMBER OF WORDS
| 4000 – 7000 words (shorter contributions will be accepted for specific case studies)
|
IMPORTANT DATES
| | Proposal Submission Deadline: June 30, 2022
| Feedback on Proposals: July 15, 2022
| Full Cahpters Submission: October 31, 2022
| Peer Review Results Returned to Authors: November 30, 2022
| Revised Chapter Submission: January 15, 2023
|