Socio-cultural capital in the Arab workplace: wasta as a moderator of ethical idealism and work engagement

Abstract

PurposeThis study refines theory of social capital by nesting it within a cultural context. More specifically, it aims at describing, explaining, and predicting the role of wasta, a social capital concept, as a moderator in the relationship between employees' ethical idealism and work engagement in Lebanon.Design/methodology/approachBased on a survey questionnaire translated from English into Arabic, 317 responses were collected from employees in Lebanon. Confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were employed to test the hypothesized relationships among the examined variables.FindingsEthical idealism was found to be positively related to work engagement, and wasta was found to moderate the relationship between ethical idealism and work engagement. Work engagement levels of employees who displayed high levels of ethical idealism were less influenced by the negative effect of wasta than work engagement levels of employees who displayed low levels of ethical idealism.Practical implicationsHuman resource managers, international negotiators, and global executives in Lebanon may use the findings of this study to update corporate human resources systems, such as employee recruitment and selection, handbooks, orientation, training programs, and performance appraisal, to better address employee attitudes toward the practice of wasta.Originality/valueThe study adds ethical idealism as an antecedent of work engagement, demonstrating the significant impact that wasta, with its positive and negative characteristics, has on the engagement of employees from the Arab world.

Navigating wasta in business practices in Lebanon

“…These findings confirm the research of past scholars who explored the use of wasta in similar countries such as Jordan (Ali & Weir, 2019) and Sudan (Mann, 2014) which are also very networked and which also suffer from weakened formal institutions, high levels of unemployment and poverty and widespread corruption (Alsarhan, 2022; Alsarhan et al, 2021; Loewe et al, 2007; Mann, 2014; Ta'Amnha et al, 2016). The findings also build on previous research on wasta in Lebanon (Sfeir, 2022; Stefanidis et al, 2023) confirming its widespread use in the business context and building on this by explaining the reasons for its use and persistence.…”

“…One of the issues often argued to be a contributing factor in reaching this situation is the prevalent practice of wasta, or informal networks based on tribal, familial and friendship connections, in the Lebanese and Arab societies (Egan & Tabar, 2016; Makhoul & Harrison, 2004). Historically used by tribal, sect and community leaders to distribute resources (Cunningham & Sarayrah, 1993), the modern practice of wasta in the Lebanese community is often used by jobseekers, managers and business people to achieve their objectives informally (Stefanidis et al, 2023). For example, people frequently rely on their connections to secure a job (Sfeir, 2022), where it has been highlighted that only 4.3% of Lebanese rely on national (state) hiring offices, whereas 71.5% call upon relatives and friends for help in finding work.…”

Towards understanding the relationships between economics, tribalism and the use of thewastainformal network in the workplace

“…Wasta as a form of social capital (Ali and Weir, 2020; Stefanidis et al. , 2023) is strongly connected to other capitals, such as national, regional and personal economics.…”

“…Gittell and Vidal (1998) distinguish two types of social capital: the first, termed bonding capital strengthens the linkage among individuals who already know each other, while the second, known as bridging capital, brings together people or groups who were previously unacquainted or unrelated to each other. Wasta may, however, take both forms in that it can include those from within groups such as family and tribe (bonding social capital) and those from outside that circle (bridging social capital) (Ali and Weir, 2020;Stefanidis et al, 2023). Furthermore, wasta may be understood on the basis of network theories (weak and strong ties) (see Granovetter, 1983).…”

“…Wasta as a form of social capital (Ali and Weir, 2020;Stefanidis et al, 2023) is strongly connected to other capitals, such as national, regional and personal economics. Thereby, the findings of our study contribute in improving the social capital theory.…”