Strategic Management in the Higher Education Context - a Study of the Saudi Arabian Case - Research Proposal Example

Your Full Strategic Management in the Higher Education Context: A Study of the Saudi Arabian Case Doctorate Degree Research Proposal 22 September, 2012 Introduction This paper is a short exegesis on the outline of a PhD thesis in Strategic Management in the Saudi Arabian Higher Education context. The motive of the proposed study is to provide a system through which higher education in Saudi Arabia can be managed properly with sensitivity to all stakeholders. This study aims at changing the context of higher education management in Saudi Arabia in sync with the reforms promised by the King of Saudi Arabia. Background The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia controls most of the territory that define the roots of Islam and its origins (Alshamsi, 2009). This is because Saudi Arabia encompasses the geographical scope of the area that was inhabited by the Prophet of Islam and the various activities he was involved in, during his life and the founding of Islam. Due to this, the King of Saudi Arabia has the title “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques” (Ramady, 2010). This is primarily because Saudi Arabia controls the two holiest sites of Islam: Mecca and Medina. Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy that is controlled by the core principles of the Islamic faith (Niblock, 2006). The King of Saudi Arabia has an absolute power over activities in the kingdom and his decrees are obeyed without question (Bowen, 2008). This is necessary to preserve his authority as a major figurehead in the world of Islam. Also, the king has the right and power to appoint authorities to run the various public institutions of the kingdom (Roberts, 2007). Until the 1930s when oil was discovered in Saudi Arabia, education was mainly steeped in Islamic study and Islamic law (Roberts, 2007). By the 1940s, the need to acquire higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia was recognized by the King of Saudi Arabia (Abiur, 1988). This is because Saudi Arabia had two main options: to either rely on foreigners who had the skills or send their nationals to Europe, America or other nations with modern institutions of higher learning to get educated. This was seen as undesirable because it exposed Saudis to lifestyles that were not seen as complementary. In 1949, the King of Saudi Arabia commissioned the first college in Mecca but it was to operate a religious curriculum (Abir, 1988). A teacher training college was established in 1952 but the Ulama or religious elites controlled these institutions. Finally, in 1957, the King commissioned the University of Riyadh. Several universities and institutions of higher learning were opened after this. As Saudi public institutions, the universities are ran by authorities that are appointed by the King. Also, the religious elements of the studies are emphasized and people are encourage to behave according to the principles of traditional Islam. Research Problem The King of Saudi Arabia has promised to undertake various levels of reforms in the Kingdom (Ramady, 2010). These reforms are likely to affect the institutions of higher learning and allow for the application of international systems of management and control. After the reforms are done, institutions in Saudi Arabia are likely to focus on efficiency and also seek a balance between the religious elite and the secular needs of the kingdom and its people (Oxford Business Group, 2011). It is therefore predictable that Saudi Arabia would respond to different models of management and other things. One of these principles is the idea of strategic management. Strategic management is one of the ideas and concepts that have gained roots in the 21st Century. It is applied by leaders in organisations to enable them to work and attain the highest levels of results not for only themselves but for the wider body of stakeholders. Kazmi defines strategic management as “the dynamic process of formulation, implementation, evaluation and control of strategies to realise the organisations interest” (2008 p19).Strategic management involves various tools and techniques that are utilized to enable a business to attain an expected end. Johnson, Scholes and Whittington identify that strategic management in the corporate environment involves three things (2011). First of all, it involves top level management of the organisation. Secondly, it involves the whole organisation and thirdly, it involves developing long-term plans that are normally valid for seven years or more. Another important feature of strategic management is that it involves stakeholder sensitivity. Freeman defines a stakeholder as any entity that is affected or affects the activities of a given organisation (2010). Stakeholders are given the best of services and their needs are included in strategic management. In this research we attempt to identify how strategic management can be applied to institutions of higher learning in Saudi Arabia. This research will identify the best approach for strategic management in this environment and how it can be carried out in the rightful context and way. Research Framework The fundamental research question is “How can the principles of Strategic Management be applied to institutions of higher learning in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”In answering this question, the following objectives will be explored: 1. A critical examination of higher education and its changes in Saudi Arabia in the past fifty years. 2. An assessment of the principles of strategic management relevant to higher education. 3. A comparative analysis of the principles of modern international strategic management and strategic management in the Arabic and Islamic context. 4. An examination of the changes and reforms of Saudi Arabia on stakeholders in Saudi Arabia. 5. An identification of the best method of implementing strategic management principles in Saudi institutions of higher learning. Research Methodology The research will be a blend of primary and secondary sources. The research will examine important elements of Saudi Arabias higher educational institutions and how these institutions are ran. This will be done through interviews, observations and the critique of secondary sources. After that, the critique of secondary sources about the concept of strategic management will ensue. This will be followed by interviews with professors who have had experiences in both the Saudi system and other international systems around the world this will lead to the identification of the differences in systems and structures. The research will go further to examine different approaches that can be used to manage the institutions of higher learning in Saudi Arabia. The ultimate end of the project is to identify the best framework for strategic management which would be used to include stakeholder needs in institutions of higher learning in Saudi Arabia in light of reforms, initiated by the King. Chapter Synopsis. There will be eight chapters in all. Each chapter will form a framework for analysis and interpretation of issues relevant to thee research. Chapter 1 : This will give an introduction to the research. It would involve the analysis of the work to be done in the project. In this chapter, a short examination of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the history of higher learning in Saudi Arabia, current practices and basic elements of Saudi Arabia. It would provide an insight into what would be done in the actual research and the processes that will be used. Chapter 2 : This will give an exegesis to the theoretical frameworks of the study. It will include the examination of important aspects of the research like the definition of core terms and ideas. This will provide a preamble and a definitive point of reference for the rest of the study to be conducted. Chapter 3: This chapter will describe the detailed methodology of the research. It will outline the various approaches and systems that would be used to conduct the data collection and its analysis. This will be a very thorough chapter that would disclose the data collection tools and other materials like questionnaires that would be used and their justification. Chapter 4: This chapter will primarily focus on the studies conducted on the higher education system of Saudi Arabia over the past fifty years. This will show the result of the Islamic system and its impact on education in the tertiary sector of Saudi Arabia. The weaknesses and strengths of the current system would be appraised. Also, differences with the mainstream education system of the global approach would be examined and outlined. Other stakeholder differences would be examined. And the impact of the control of Islamic individuals and institutions would be outlined in this section. Chapter 5: The focus will be on the principles of strategic management in the educational sector with emphasis on higher education. It will begin by examining concepts of strategic management and how they operate in institutions of higher learning. This chapter will involve various collection of experiences and other aspects of universal elements of strategic management. The way they can be applied to higher education and their results to these institutions would be explored and examined into great depths in this segment. Chapter 6: This section would be a comparative analysis of strategic management in the Saudi or Arabic context and the Western or international context. The section would begin by finding how top level management has been carried out in the Islamic or Arabic context. This will give an insight into the standards and ideals that exist. The findings would be compared with the strategic management theories that are common in most international outlets and the differences and similarities would be identified. Chapter 7: This section would examine the changes that would come with reforms in Saudi Arabia. This will show the different reforms and how they are likely to have an impact on institutions of higher learning in Saudi Arabia. This will show how different units would change and the new benchmarks that would arise for top level management. Chapter 8: This chapter will provide recommendations on how to merge the Western elements of strategic management with the Islamic systems and expectations to create a model for running institutions of higher learning in Saudi Arabia. References. Abir, M. (1988) Saudi Arabia in Oil Era: Regime and Elites London: Routledge Alshamsi, A. (2009) Islam and Political Reforms in Saudi Arabia London: Taylor and Francis. Bowen, W. H. (2008) The History of Saudi Arabia Darby, PA: Greenwood Publishing Group. Freeman, R. E. (2010) Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach Yale University Press. Johnson, G., Scholes, K and Whittington, R. (2011) Fundamentals of Strategy London: Pearson Education. Kasmi, M. (2008) Strategic Management and Business Policy: Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Niblock, T. (2006) Saudi Arabia: Power, Legitimacy and Survival London: Routledge Oxford Business Group (2011) The Report, Saudi Arabia 2011 Oxford: Oxford Business Group. Ramady, M. A. (2010) The Saudi Arabian Economy: Policy, Achievements and Challenges London: Springer Roberts, G. (2007) Sharia Law and the Arab Oil Boost New York: Universal Publishers Read More