The Impact of Gender Differences on Social Performance in Saudi Arabia: A Mixed-Method Empirical Study

Abstract

Today, the citizens of the oil-rich Kingdom of Saudi Arabia enjoy numerous benefits, including a wide range of social services that make the country the envy of its neighbors and much of the rest of the world. Nevertheless, as the custodian of two of Islams most important pilgrimage sites and a population that is comprised of a majority of Islamic adherents, Saudi Arabia is also faced with numerous challenges in its efforts to promote a gender-neutral society that offers both sexes equal opportunities in employment, housing, and other quality of life factors. The purpose of this mixed-methods empirical study is to provide a current snapshot of the impact of gender differences on social performance, drawing on quantitative and qualitative sources and identifying opportunities for helping the Kingdom achieve its ambitious Vision 2030 goals. The results indicate how patriarchal societal norms and practices in Saudi Arabia affect the social performance of Saudi women. According to the results, the interpretation of Islamic laws shows how gender differences have affected womens lives in Saudi Arabia. It has further examined the performance levels of female physicians in health facilities where women were denied an opportunity to work areas of surgery and consultancy in 1975, which was an issue that was to be addressed.

Key Words: Gender, Social Performance, Mixed Methods, Saudi Arabia

Introduction

Gender differences is an area that has received increasing interest from researchers in the whole world. The Arab countries have, however, been understudied because of the high populations; hence it has been difficult to carry out research. Hence there is little literature about this study according to the previous literature on the same. Saudi Arabia, in our case, has a population exceeding twenty-eight million, and it has been known for the significant gender gaps, especially in workplaces (Tajpour et al., 2021). While the Kingdom has made significant progress in eliminating gender-related inequalities in employment opportunities, especially for young people, much of the larger Saudi society remains firmly mired in ancient practices that continue to place girls and women at a disadvantage (Tajpour et al., 2021). The purpose of this mixed-methods empirical study using qualitative and quantitative data is to provide a critical review of the relevant literature to determine the impact of gender differences on social performance using the research design described below. The structure of this manuscript is in the following order; Title, Abstract, Introduction, Methodology, Background, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion.

Research design

For this study, social performance was defined as the effective translation of an institutions mission into practice in line with accepted social values (Doshmanli et al., 2018). In other words, social performance is about making any organizations social mission a reality, whatever that mission may be at a given point in time. Therefore, for this empirical study, social performance was conceptualized as applying to Saudi Arabias current efforts to eliminate gender inequalities in its larger society and its workplaces and public spaces.

Social science researchers have several strategies within the two main paradigms of qualitative and quantitative research. Based on the need to develop a current snapshot of the status of women in Saudi Arabia, a mixed-methods approach that combined both quantitative and qualitative data was regarded as the optimal strategy. This selection is supported by the guidance provided by Cleland and Durning (2015), who advises:

The underlying premise of the [mixed methods] paradigm is that knowledge aims to describe the phenomena we experience and can observe and measure. The premise of qualitative research is subjectivity. Mixed?methods research is a flexible approach, where the research design is determined by what...

…time during the Kingdoms 89-year eventful history. Nevertheless, the research was also consistent in showing that the Kingdoms social performance as it applies to females remains limited by influential religious-cultural factors and the good ol boy business networks that control many segments of Saudi business and, by extension, Saudi society. This research also supports some findings that Abdalla had previously done in 1996 that revealed how women underwent challenges in their work. Despite the research having been conducted long ago, the results still concurred with views from the respondents.

Likewise, the longstanding issues of family honor and female modesty and womens family connections and social class can open doors closed to other Saudi women. Finally, the egregious limitations that the Saudi government places on the free movement of Saudi women are indefensible from the perspective of many international activist groups, notwithstanding any perceived protections these limitations afford Saudi females. Like racism in the United States, this patriarchal attitude was shown to extend throughout Saudi society in ways that will be highly challenged to overcome, making this issue of overarching importance in achieving the Kingdoms goals for the future.

Some previous studies also highlighted the high rates women were leaving workplaces because they lacked flexibility, which their employers denied. However, whether the attitude regarding working women remains or not, recent studies show that the women who work in organizations that are sensitive to their needs are more loyal. Those cultural barriers can be eradicated by acknowledging the womens skills in their places of work. In developing a model for Saudi women in their workplaces, it is always advisable to consider their traditions, religion, and cultures. All these implications are needed for Saudi Arabia to focus on developing Human Relations for various frontiers.

Limitations

There were several limitations regarding this research; during the data collection, that of…