Curbing the Plague of Nepotism by Improving Job Performance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25079/ukhjss.v7n1y2023.pp8-19Keywords:
Nepotism, Employee Training, Syrian Public Sector, General Organization of Tobacco, Job PerformanceAbstract
Nepotism is considered an ugly feature of corruption and is currently one of the most common plagues in the Syrian economy. The infestation of nepotism in public sector organizations is causing a major setback to the much-needed growth. This study examines the effect of nepotism on employee performance in the Syrian public sector and how the training and development of employees can curb this issue. Data were collected from the General Organization of Tobacco in Latakia, Syria. A total of 280 questionnaires were distributed among the organization’s staff, and Regression Analysis was applied to test the hypotheses. The findings showed that the Syrian public sector employees were conscious of the undesirable effects of nepotism on job performance. In addition, employees who have the chance to participate in training and development programs tend to increase their job performance. Finally, the result indicates that nepotism has a noteworthy harmful impact on employee training and development in the Syrian public sector. The current results contribute valuable information to the existing literature on human resources.
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References
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Alreshoodi, S.A. and Andrews, R. (2015). Public service motivation in Saudi public sector organizations: Does wasta makes a difference. The International Conference on the Value of Pluralism in Advancing Management Research, Education, and Practice, University Portsmouth-UK.
Al-Shamari, N. (2012). The corruption perception of the employee in the public and private sector in KSA. [online] http://www.nazaha.gov.sa/en/Library/Document/Literature/Pages/default.aspx.
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Altindag, E. (2014). Evaluation of nepotism as accelerating effect on employee performance: An empirical study in Turkey. European Journal of Business and Social Sciences, 3(7), 97-104.
Alwerthan, T.A. and Swanson, D.P. (2016). The Consequences of wasta (favoritism and nepotism) on individuals' psychological well-being from educators' perspectives. PhD thesis, University of Rochester. URL: https://urresearch.rochester.edu/institutionalPublicationPublicView.action?institutionalItemId=30436&versionNumber=1.
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Serfraz, A., Munir, Z., Mehta, A. and Qamruzzaman, M. (2021). Nepotism Effects on Job Satisfaction and Withdrawal Behavior: An Empirical Analysis of Social, Ethical and Economic. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 9(3), 311-318.
Borman, W. C. and Motowidlo, S. J. (1997). Task performance and contextual performance: The meaning for personnel selection research. Human Performance, 10(2), 99-109.
Bute, M. (2011). The effects of nepotism and favoritism on employee behaviors and human resources practices: A research on Turkish public banks. TODAĐE’s Review of Public Administration, 5(2), 158-208.
Chen, L. (2008). Job Satisfaction among Information System (IS) Personnel. Computers in Human Behavior, 24(1), 105-118.
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Djabatey, E. (2012). Recruitment and Selection Practices of Organizations: A Case Study of HFC Bank (Gh) Ltd. Master Thesis, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science.
Farahmand, N. (2013). Impact of Nepotism on Turnover Intention and Service Recovery Performance: The Case of Private Hospitals in TRNC. Unpublished Master’s Thesis. Gazimağusa, North Cyprus: Eastern Mediterranean University, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research.
Gerpott, F., Lehmann-Willenbrock, N. and Voelpel, S. (2017). A phase model of intergenerational learning in organizations. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 16(2), 193-216.
Halawi, A. and Haydar, N. (2018). Effects of Training on Employee Performance: A Case Study of Bonjus and Khatib & Alami Companies. International Humanities Studies, 5(2), 24-45.
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İlişki, N.A., Kerse, G. and Babadag, M. (2018). I’m Out if Nepotism is in: The Relationship Between Nepotism, Job Standardization and Turnover Intention. Ege Academic Review, 18(4), 631-644.
Issahaku, A., Ahmed, D. and Bewa-Erinibe, P.L. (2014). Enhancing employee performance through training: The case of Tamale Teaching Hospital in Ghana. European Journal of Business and Management, 6(29), 147-158.
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Kurian, G. T. (2013). AMA dictionary of business and management. USA: AMACOM Division of American Management Association International. URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1d2dpr2.
Loewe, M., Blume, J., Schönleber, V., Seibert, S., Speer, J. and Voss, C. (2007). The impact of favoritism on the business climate: A study on wasta in Jordan Studies', German Development Institute 30, ISBN 978-3-88985-358-5. URL: https://www.idos-research.de/uploads/media/Studies_30.pdf.
Makhoul, J. and Harrison, L. (2004). Intercessory Wasta and village development in Lebanon. Arab Studies Quarterly, 26(3), 25-41.
Massoudi, A. (2016). Employees Performance Dimensions in Kurdistan Region Hotel Industry. International Journal of Recent Scientific Research, 7(10), 534-539.
Massoudi, A. and Hamdi, S. (2017). The Consequence of work environment on Employees Productivity. Journal of Business and Management, 19(1), 35-42.
Massoudi, A., Jameel, A. and Ahmad, A. (2020). Stimulating Organizational Citizenship Behavior by Applying Organizational Commitment and Satisfaction. International Journal of Social Sciences and Economic Review, 2(2), 20-27.
Miao, Q., Eva, N., Newman, A. and Schwarz, G. (2019). Public service motivation and performance: The role of organizational identification. Public Money & Management, 39(2), 77-85.
Mohamed, A.A. and Hamdy, H. (2008). The stigma of wasta: The effect of wasta on perceived competence and morality. Working Paper No. 5, Faculty of Management Technology. Cairo, Egypt: German University in Cairo.
Mpofu, M. and Hlatywayo, C.K. (2015). Training and development as a tool for improving basic service delivery; the case of a selected municipality. Journal of Economics. Finance and Administrative Science, 20(39), 133-136.
Mueller, R.O. and Hancock, G.R (2001). Factor Analysis and Latent Structure, Confirmatory. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences. pp, 5239-5244. URL; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B0080430767004265?via%3Dihub.
Murphy, K.R. (1989). Dimensions of job performance. In R.F. Dillon and J.W. Pellingrino (Eds.), Testing: Applied and theoretical perspectives. New York: Prager.
Nimri, M., Bdair, A. and Al Bitar, H. (2015). Applying the expectancy theory to explain the motivation of public sector employees in Jordan. Middle East Journal of Business, 10(3), 70-82.
Nyukorong, R. (2014). Corruption, Nepotism or the “Whom You Know” Factor and How It Affects Recruitment in the Banking Sector of Ghana. Developing Country Studies, 4(24), 38-53.
Ombanda, P. (2018). Nepotism and Job Performance in the Private and Public Organizations in Kenya. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 8(5), 474-497.
Oravee, A., Zayum, S. and Kokona, B. (2018). Job satisfaction and employee performance in Nasarawa State Water Board, Lafia, Nigeria. Revista Cimexus, 13(2), 59-70.
Rotundo, M. and Sackett, P.R. (2002). The relative importance of task, citizenship, and counterproductive performance to global ratings of job performance: A policy-capturing approach. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(1), 66-80.
Sarwar, A. and Imran, M.K. (2019). Exploring Women’s Multi-Level Career Prospects in Pakistan: Barriers, Interventions, and Outcomes. Front. Psychol. 10:1376. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01376.
Serkina, Y. and Logvinova, A. (2019). Administrative management of universities: Background and consequences. Amazonia Investiga, 8(22), 673-683.
Shaheen, A.M., El-Hneiti, M., Albqoor, M. and Ahmad, M. (2019). Predictors of quality of care provided for older adults. Journal of Nursing Management, 27(8), 1747-1755.
Shu-Rung, L. and Chun-Chieh, H. (2017). A study of impact on - job training on job performance of employees in catering industry. International Journal of Organizational Innovation, 9(3), 125-138.
Sidani, Y. and Thornberry, J. (2013). Nepotism in the Arab World: An Institutional Theory Perspective. Business Ethics Quarterly, 23(1), 69-96.
Syrian Justus and Accountability Centre (2017). Assad’s Son, Math Competitions, and Solving the Syrian Nepotism Equation. Retrieved on 21 March 2022 from URL: https://syriaaccountability.org/assads-son-math-competitions-and-solving-the-syrian-nepotism-equation/.
Szakonyi, D. (2019). Princelings in the Private Sector: The Value of Nepotism. Quarterly Journal of Political Science, 14(4), 349-381.
Thomas R. (2014). Effect of Job Satisfaction on Staff Performance in the Benue State Civil Service. Unpublished seminar paper, Department of Political Science, Benue State University, Makurdi. Nigeria.
Thompson, S.K. (2012). Simple Random Sampling. London: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Tlaiss, H. and Kauser, S. (2011). The importance of wasta in the career success of Middle Eastern managers. Journal of European Industrial Training, 35(5), 467-486.
Van Scotter, J.R. and Motowidlo, S.J. (1996). Interpersonal facilitation and job dedication as separate facets of contextual performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 81(5), 525-531.
Vveinhardt, J. (n.d.). Nepotism Variations: Public and Private Sectors, Психология и социология/ Социальная психология/. Retrieved on 12 February 2022 from URL: http://www.rusnauka.com/29_DWS_2012/Psihologia/12_121000.doc.htm.
Xie, L. and Yang, L. (2020). The Influence of Perceptions of Promotion Opportunities on Job Performance and Its Mechanisms: A Case Study of Chinese Junior Civil Servants. Journal of Contemporary China, 30(127), 118-135. URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10670564.2020.1766913.
Audretsch, D.B. (2015). Shaker A. Zahra: pioneering entrepreneurship scholar. Small Bus Econ, 44, 721–725 URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-015-9651-3.
Algharibeh, F.I., Almsafir, M.K. and Alias, R.B. (2014). The relationship between training and employee performance: A case of Jordanian public universities. Journal of Advanced Social Research, 4(12), 1-15.
Ali, S.A., Kirk, S. and Raidén, A.B. (Sep 2017). Using social capital to secure employment - Wasta in the Jordanian banking sector. British Academy of Management Conference, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick. URL: http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/31865/.
Alreshoodi, S.A. (2018). Public service motivation, Wasta and employee outcomes in the Saudi public sector. Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, 8(3), 1-9.
Alreshoodi, S.A. and Andrews, R. (2015). Public service motivation in Saudi public sector organizations: Does wasta makes a difference. The International Conference on the Value of Pluralism in Advancing Management Research, Education, and Practice, University Portsmouth-UK.
Al-Shamari, N. (2012). The corruption perception of the employee in the public and private sector in KSA. [online] http://www.nazaha.gov.sa/en/Library/Document/Literature/Pages/default.aspx.
Altarawneh, I. (2009). Training and development evaluation in Jordanian banking organizations. Research and Practice in Human Resource Management, 17(1), 1-23.
Altindag, E. (2014). Evaluation of nepotism as accelerating effect on employee performance: An empirical study in Turkey. European Journal of Business and Social Sciences, 3(7), 97-104.
Alwerthan, T.A. and Swanson, D.P. (2016). The Consequences of wasta (favoritism and nepotism) on individuals' psychological well-being from educators' perspectives. PhD thesis, University of Rochester. URL: https://urresearch.rochester.edu/institutionalPublicationPublicView.action?institutionalItemId=30436&versionNumber=1.
Apase, M. (2013). Motivation and Labor Turnover in Benue and Nasarawa States. Unpublished seminar paper, Department of Public Administration, Nasarawa State University, Keffi. Nigeria.
Serfraz, A., Munir, Z., Mehta, A. and Qamruzzaman, M. (2021). Nepotism Effects on Job Satisfaction and Withdrawal Behavior: An Empirical Analysis of Social, Ethical and Economic. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 9(3), 311-318.
Borman, W. C. and Motowidlo, S. J. (1997). Task performance and contextual performance: The meaning for personnel selection research. Human Performance, 10(2), 99-109.
Bute, M. (2011). The effects of nepotism and favoritism on employee behaviors and human resources practices: A research on Turkish public banks. TODAĐE’s Review of Public Administration, 5(2), 158-208.
Chen, L. (2008). Job Satisfaction among Information System (IS) Personnel. Computers in Human Behavior, 24(1), 105-118.
Corruption Perceptions Index (2022). Transparency International. Retrieved on 02 December 2022 from URL: https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2022.
Diab, S.M. and Ajlouni, M.T. (2015). The influence of training on employee's performance, organizational commitment, and quality of medical services at Jordanian private hospitals. International Journal of Business and Management, 10(2), 117-127.
Djabatey, E. (2012). Recruitment and Selection Practices of Organizations: A Case Study of HFC Bank (Gh) Ltd. Master Thesis, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science.
Farahmand, N. (2013). Impact of Nepotism on Turnover Intention and Service Recovery Performance: The Case of Private Hospitals in TRNC. Unpublished Master’s Thesis. Gazimağusa, North Cyprus: Eastern Mediterranean University, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research.
Gerpott, F., Lehmann-Willenbrock, N. and Voelpel, S. (2017). A phase model of intergenerational learning in organizations. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 16(2), 193-216.
Halawi, A. and Haydar, N. (2018). Effects of Training on Employee Performance: A Case Study of Bonjus and Khatib & Alami Companies. International Humanities Studies, 5(2), 24-45.
Haywood, L. W. (2018). A Family Affair: A Quantitative Study on the Impact of Nepotism in the Workplace. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. Prescott, Arizona: North Central University Graduate Faculty of the School of Business and Technology Management. ProQuest Number: 10822998 Published by ProQuest LLC.
İlişki, N.A., Kerse, G. and Babadag, M. (2018). I’m Out if Nepotism is in: The Relationship Between Nepotism, Job Standardization and Turnover Intention. Ege Academic Review, 18(4), 631-644.
Issahaku, A., Ahmed, D. and Bewa-Erinibe, P.L. (2014). Enhancing employee performance through training: The case of Tamale Teaching Hospital in Ghana. European Journal of Business and Management, 6(29), 147-158.
Kawo, J.W. and Torun, A. (2020). The relationship between nepotism and disengagement: the case of institutions in Ethiopia'. Research Journal of Business and Management, 7(1),53-65.
Khatib, L. and Sinjab, L. (2018). Syria’s Transactional State How the Conflict Changed the Syrian State’s Exercise of Power. Chatham House. URL: https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/publications/research/2018-10-10-syrias-transactional-state-khatib-sinjab.pdf.
Kurian, G. T. (2013). AMA dictionary of business and management. USA: AMACOM Division of American Management Association International. URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1d2dpr2.
Loewe, M., Blume, J., Schönleber, V., Seibert, S., Speer, J. and Voss, C. (2007). The impact of favoritism on the business climate: A study on wasta in Jordan Studies', German Development Institute 30, ISBN 978-3-88985-358-5. URL: https://www.idos-research.de/uploads/media/Studies_30.pdf.
Makhoul, J. and Harrison, L. (2004). Intercessory Wasta and village development in Lebanon. Arab Studies Quarterly, 26(3), 25-41.
Massoudi, A. (2016). Employees Performance Dimensions in Kurdistan Region Hotel Industry. International Journal of Recent Scientific Research, 7(10), 534-539.
Massoudi, A. and Hamdi, S. (2017). The Consequence of work environment on Employees Productivity. Journal of Business and Management, 19(1), 35-42.
Massoudi, A., Jameel, A. and Ahmad, A. (2020). Stimulating Organizational Citizenship Behavior by Applying Organizational Commitment and Satisfaction. International Journal of Social Sciences and Economic Review, 2(2), 20-27.
Miao, Q., Eva, N., Newman, A. and Schwarz, G. (2019). Public service motivation and performance: The role of organizational identification. Public Money & Management, 39(2), 77-85.
Mohamed, A.A. and Hamdy, H. (2008). The stigma of wasta: The effect of wasta on perceived competence and morality. Working Paper No. 5, Faculty of Management Technology. Cairo, Egypt: German University in Cairo.
Mpofu, M. and Hlatywayo, C.K. (2015). Training and development as a tool for improving basic service delivery; the case of a selected municipality. Journal of Economics. Finance and Administrative Science, 20(39), 133-136.
Mueller, R.O. and Hancock, G.R (2001). Factor Analysis and Latent Structure, Confirmatory. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences. pp, 5239-5244. URL; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B0080430767004265?via%3Dihub.
Murphy, K.R. (1989). Dimensions of job performance. In R.F. Dillon and J.W. Pellingrino (Eds.), Testing: Applied and theoretical perspectives. New York: Prager.
Nimri, M., Bdair, A. and Al Bitar, H. (2015). Applying the expectancy theory to explain the motivation of public sector employees in Jordan. Middle East Journal of Business, 10(3), 70-82.
Nyukorong, R. (2014). Corruption, Nepotism or the “Whom You Know” Factor and How It Affects Recruitment in the Banking Sector of Ghana. Developing Country Studies, 4(24), 38-53.
Ombanda, P. (2018). Nepotism and Job Performance in the Private and Public Organizations in Kenya. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 8(5), 474-497.
Oravee, A., Zayum, S. and Kokona, B. (2018). Job satisfaction and employee performance in Nasarawa State Water Board, Lafia, Nigeria. Revista Cimexus, 13(2), 59-70.
Rotundo, M. and Sackett, P.R. (2002). The relative importance of task, citizenship, and counterproductive performance to global ratings of job performance: A policy-capturing approach. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(1), 66-80.
Sarwar, A. and Imran, M.K. (2019). Exploring Women’s Multi-Level Career Prospects in Pakistan: Barriers, Interventions, and Outcomes. Front. Psychol. 10:1376. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01376.
Serkina, Y. and Logvinova, A. (2019). Administrative management of universities: Background and consequences. Amazonia Investiga, 8(22), 673-683.
Shaheen, A.M., El-Hneiti, M., Albqoor, M. and Ahmad, M. (2019). Predictors of quality of care provided for older adults. Journal of Nursing Management, 27(8), 1747-1755.
Shu-Rung, L. and Chun-Chieh, H. (2017). A study of impact on - job training on job performance of employees in catering industry. International Journal of Organizational Innovation, 9(3), 125-138.
Sidani, Y. and Thornberry, J. (2013). Nepotism in the Arab World: An Institutional Theory Perspective. Business Ethics Quarterly, 23(1), 69-96.
Syrian Justus and Accountability Centre (2017). Assad’s Son, Math Competitions, and Solving the Syrian Nepotism Equation. Retrieved on 21 March 2022 from URL: https://syriaaccountability.org/assads-son-math-competitions-and-solving-the-syrian-nepotism-equation/.
Szakonyi, D. (2019). Princelings in the Private Sector: The Value of Nepotism. Quarterly Journal of Political Science, 14(4), 349-381.
Thomas R. (2014). Effect of Job Satisfaction on Staff Performance in the Benue State Civil Service. Unpublished seminar paper, Department of Political Science, Benue State University, Makurdi. Nigeria.
Thompson, S.K. (2012). Simple Random Sampling. London: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Tlaiss, H. and Kauser, S. (2011). The importance of wasta in the career success of Middle Eastern managers. Journal of European Industrial Training, 35(5), 467-486.
Van Scotter, J.R. and Motowidlo, S.J. (1996). Interpersonal facilitation and job dedication as separate facets of contextual performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 81(5), 525-531.
Vveinhardt, J. (n.d.). Nepotism Variations: Public and Private Sectors, Психология и социология/ Социальная психология/. Retrieved on 12 February 2022 from URL: http://www.rusnauka.com/29_DWS_2012/Psihologia/12_121000.doc.htm.
Xie, L. and Yang, L. (2020). The Influence of Perceptions of Promotion Opportunities on Job Performance and Its Mechanisms: A Case Study of Chinese Junior Civil Servants. Journal of Contemporary China, 30(127), 118-135. URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10670564.2020.1766913.
Audretsch, D.B. (2015). Shaker A. Zahra: pioneering entrepreneurship scholar. Small Bus Econ, 44, 721–725 URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-015-9651-3.
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How to Cite
Curbing the Plague of Nepotism by Improving Job Performance. (2024). UKH Journal of Social Sciences, 7(1), 8-19. https://doi.org/10.25079/ukhjss.v7n1y2023.pp8-19
