Reflection and Learning Outcome, Assessment Example

The research completed on the impact on Saudization on employment rates in Saudi Arabia and the related policies has brought forward several unexpected findings. By utilizing the survey questionnaire design, the author was able to map women’s attitudes around the country about the policies, and the main reasons for high unemployment. One of the main focus questions of the research study was to determine whether or not restrictive education policies, social barricades women face, and the interdependence on foreign workers have a negative impact on employment level. The development of the research questions was one of the most interesting parts of completing the research, as this step determined the final direction, questions, and data-sets to be analyzed.

However, one of the most interesting parts of writing the study was to examine different theories related to the Saudization model. Various alternative solutions were examined, such as introducing stricter visa rules, or reforming the Saudi education system to match the requirements of the job market better. In order to determine the most successful approaches towards making Saudization a success and reducing unemployment rate among domestic workforce, it was important to review different statistical reports and publications. It was important to use more than one reliable sources of statistical data, in order to ensure that the trends are represented by all publications, and biases can be avoided. Data was validated and cross-referenced in order to obtain the most reliable statistical details.

Completing the research and fieldwork revealed that the majority of young working age Saudis consider the job market of the country unequal and unfair. This was one of the main findings that the author of the study was able to build further research and investigate on. Semi-structured interviews were completed in the second phase of the study, in order to clarify and confirm trends identified by the first phase. The study design was designed to reflect the views of not only employees and prospective employees, but also managers of private companies and human resource managers. The findings were further validated by human resource management experts’ views and opinions on the causes of high domestic unemployment levels in Saudi Arabia, in particular focus on young job seekers and women.

The completion of interviews did not only bring forward reliable data for the research, but also an experience working with professionals, understanding the hiring processes of private and Saudi companies, and the impact of government regulation, or the lack of it on equal opportunities. Based on the findings of both the observation and the interview, the researcher found the Saudi job market unbalanced and highly hierarchical. It has also been found that Saudi and foreign companies’ management prefers employing people from their own country in leadership positions, and this makes it hard for young graduates leaving Saudi colleges and universities find the right opportunity. In many cases, managers of overseas companies in the oil industry confirmed that cost-effective operation was their main focus, therefore, they often chose Indian workers over Saudi employees.

During arranging the interviews, the researcher came across several obstacles and difficulties. Several human resource managers were unavailable on the phone, while it often took many days for them to seek authorization from supervisors for completing the interviews. Further, it was also difficult to get the contact details of some of the experts in the Saudi human resource management industry and schedule a meeting. These experts often requested a written research proposal, clearly stating the objectives and purpose, which had to be prepared and sent over prior to them agreeing to the interview.