Faculty of Business Studies

TMA Cover Sheet

KSA Branch
Academic Year Course No.

PT3
FORM
Second

11- 201220 T306B I.

Semeste r TMA No.

First

Student Information (to be completed by the student)

Student Name Student No. E-Mail

Abdulrahman bin Talal ALSAUD 10814946

Section No.

...

.......

I hereby certify that the work presented in this TMA is my own and is not copied from any source. Date of Signature .. / . / 20 Submission

Allocate d Marks

Questio ns Weight
Marks

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q5

Q6

Total

Allocate d Marks

Criteri a
Marks

Presentati on

Referenci ng

Word Count

ELibrary

Total

100

Student's Total Mark

I.

Tutor's Comments

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Tutor Name Signature .. . Date Returned .. / . / 20

Answer to Question 1: A Tutor Report

ABSTRACT:
Unemployment in Saudi Arabia has been a major governmental issue over the years. The recent move towards Saudization as a policy to roll out migrant and expatriate workers is a massive indication of the severity of the problem that needs utmost attention if every Saudi family has to survive in this highly economic society. Indeed, this is more than a conventional problem that greatly impacts the academe, policy makers and every household in Saudi Arabia. In analysing and investigating the prevailing issue I am going to use the Soft System Methodology. INTRODUCTION: Unemployment is a defined as a situation where someone of working age is not able to get a job but would like to be in full time employment. The definition itself opens to many broad realities and possibilities of being unemployed. This means the inability and difficulty to meet financial obligations necessary to sustain a living if not live a decent one such as purchasing food either for oneself or ones family, house rentals or mortgage loans eventually leading to foreclosure. Aside from the physical consequences of being badly nourished, the individuals self-esteem and worth are affected due to the debilitating effect of unemployment. 1. The Problem Situation Unstructured As in most other issues that societies confront, information plays a pivotal role to know more about a problem. With the rampant development of technology and internet surfing information can be as readily available in no time. This therefore makes us easy to answer questions such as: how many Saudis are unemployed? What are the reasons behind their unemployment? How many years have they been unemployed? Are the numbers of unemployed Saudis growing or declining? What genders do unemployment lean towards?

To answer the aforesaid queries, I browsed thru the internet and found some reliable sources that could somehow address and give us an overview of the problem. The graph below will tell us of the status of unemployment in Saudi Arabia.

http://nvirgo-nvirgo.blogspot.com/2011/07/education-and-incentives-to-private.html Accessed: 14 December 2011 From the above, we can say that although there is a dramatic decline of unemployment from 2003 up to the present, still the trend goes to show that in 2011 unemployment seem to go above the green as compared to the 2010 survey. This is approximately accounts for 10 percent of the total population. In another survey it tells us the cross distribution in terms of gender describing the number of unemployed youth in Saudi Arabia.

http://www.gailfosler.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/2011-03-01_article_chart2.png, Accessed: 14 December 2011

It is interesting to note that unemployment among the youth is bent towards female which major factor I believe is the culture about women in Saudi Arabia in so far as what should constitute its labor and working force is called into question. 2. Developing Issues and Problems Saudi unemployment is an issue that sounds a shrilling alarm bell not only in the region but across the world in places such as Europe and the United States who fear that terrorism will erupt as a result. Desperate times call for desperate measures and these were embodied in a 200 person protest in Saudi Arabia last August. Mainly school teachers, the protestors demanded employment from the Ministry of Education. Numbers dont lie; while around 6,000 Saudis graduated with teaching degrees, the Department of Civil Service announced that it only had a little over 650 positions requiring those qualifications in the same year.

The oversupply of teaching degrees is not only a planning oversight but a technical barrier that cant be overcome without addressing the social impediments preventing Saudis from accessing sectors outside of education. At the heart of those social obstacles is womens status in Saudi Arabia. According to the UN Human Development Report in 2009, the ratio of Saudi women enrolled in higher education exceeds that of men - yet less than 12 percent of women are active in the labor force. It should be noted that Saudi Arabian women have observed immense progress in terms of mortality, health, education, access to public services, in addition to increasing labor force participation over three fold since 1992 according to the World Bank. At the same time, 45 percent of the population is women, and their labor inactivity is threatening the Saudi family as a whole. (Available at: http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/q/56-tofol-jassim-al-nasr/138027-higheducation-and-unemployment-in-saudi-arabia.html, Accessed: 14 December 2011) 3. Relevant Systems and their Roof Definitions Let us view the problem in another way. I think in a relevant system might include the unemployment welfare system which allows youth and professionals seeking for job ample time and effort to look for what appropriate are theirs. This would include subsidy, insurance and benefits for a short period of time so as to avoid too much tinkering. Allow me then to describe the relevant system by developing the root definitions: Customers: unemployed Saudis taking the benefits of Unemployment Welfare System. Actors: Government and Policy-Makers using their own resources such as the power of being the number one exporter in the Oil Industry. Transformation Process: Unemployed Saudis Revitalized Education Program in specialized and technical fields Enhanced Subsidies , insurance and benefits for Saudis and professionals

Aiding the Unemployed

World-View: Subsidizing is a means being used by the Saudi Government to enhance and help the situations of the unemployed not as solution in itself to solve the problem of unemployment. Owners: Saudi Government and their implementing agencies Environmental Constraints: global recession and economic crisis affecting Saudi Arabias national budget to subsidize. 4. Conceptual Model: A comparison between Existing and Non-Existing Systems Relevant Systems Use of Government Resources Existing YES Non-Existing Recommendation Comes out in many Use of Welfare System YES different ways. Continue with the current program. But should not be seen as a solution to the problem of Unemployed takes benefits Improved Problem Situation Number of Unemployed Saudis YES YES YES unemployment Continue Continue Enhanced Saudization and encourage more women the labor force Very minimal to become part of Women in the Labor Force YES

5. Debate with Stakeholders

There are two main stakeholders in involved in this situation: GOVERNMENT and individual Saudis including the PROBLEM-SOLVER. The government for all intents and purposes should maximize properly the use of its resources for the good of its constituents. Means such as inviting foreign investors and making the country safe and conducive so as to attract them to invest money in our country must be given utmost importance. This way the financial aspect of the government will become stable and therefore its project to help the unemployed will be stonger. While the policy on tax is not yet being looked into, in my own opinion, it might be considered as one of the viable solutions to help the unemployed depending of course which policy should be mutually good for the Saudi people. Saudis who are receiving aid from the welfare system should not tinker too much and rely on the benefits of subsidy since it is not a solution to their problems. Other stakeholders will include the following: a.Households: must also try their best to develop and provide their children with proper education. But this brings us to the chicken-egg scenario as to which comes first being the government to decide for its people or the household deciding to develop itself. b. Private Sectors: increased productivity by providing trainings and seminars can widen opportunities for employment. c.Businessmen: should invest locally as to create more employment opportunities for Saudis. 6. Implementation of the Agreed Changes Government could solve the problem by building new factories, create more remote areas and make industrial trading as to provide jobs for the great number of fresh graduates and skilled workers. They could also provide cheaper training courses as to encourage the unemployed and financially constrain Saudis to develop their skills as to be more productive and also by providing loans facilities from the banks to make it easier for them to start new projects. Another is that jobs for women must be carefully woven in the fabrics of society.

Answer to Question 2: Client Report

The primordial objective and interest of this study or project is neither to compound nor swell the ever increasing multitude of opinions and literature, so to speak as regards unemployment in Saudi Arabia. This therefore is a humble and yet pressing call for every stakeholder in our country especially the Saudi government to review, reorganize, rethink, and reorient itself to the policies and the possibilities of adapting new ones because these determine the quantity of muscles needed for the economy to rise above the depressing effects of recession and welcome the burgeoning labor force. Except for being too well-known, the reality of unemployment is glaring an flagrant in the Middle East and with it of course is the Saudi society. This report attempts to lay down fact inherent in our place as practically observed thereby help focus our attention to the main problem. This is a departure from the traditional method of providing succinct and systematic details however this report makes a number of statements which in their totality would lift a systematic profile from segregated forms of assumptions. Saudi Arabia being the center of Islam subscribes more often than not to traditional policies as this is formed by our culture and traditions shaped by our religion although it has been argued that in the present days there are compelling reasons to consider policies that are new and at times dubbed as unconventional. An instance would be a perspective that labor has to be viewed as potential and not as a problem that debilitates an entire nation to sheer powerlessness which therefore makes us look into some micro and macro economic policies geared to making this potential congeal into a reality. Long-term strategy should be realigned in such a way that there has to be steady shift away from gender preference but more on the training and efficiency of possible employees. As we all know a large number of women in Saudi Arabia do not have jobs or are not preferred to be hired by companies. With the transition to a highly productive economy,

there is a need also to have a lean-but-efficient civil service which will be the essential arm of a modern government. Interest groups would then play a vital and important role in supporting policy regimes and the mobilization required to achieve higher objectives. One way, in my opinion, to achieve this is by engaging the stakeholders in the process of active reform: policy makers, consumers and investors. This is substantiated by encouraging businessmen to invest locally so as to create and welcome more job opportunities for Saudi nationals and prioritizing them over expatriates. Hence, a long-term strategy for full employment can only be gleaned at positive sight if employment is owned by a really broad spectrum of Saudi population. Finally, as the unemployment issue is a very important problem and take large interest in our mind also, anyone of us at any time could face this problem but for solving this problem we must be creative, practical, ambiguous, thinks systematically, determine the overall view of the problem, see it with different perspectives, we must have a high selfesteem even in the time when we face depress and under stress so we can overcome the unemployment issue and any type of problem we face.

Answer to Question 3: Weekly Summary Report and Overall Summary

Week 1 :Start the project (Identifying the problem) The first initial week I felt hard to look for possible problem to research and relating such issues in the course we taking in. And still looking for possible problems involve within the system through the ideas lay down from different parts in T306 module. It was the starting point for me on determining as to who, what how and why in identifying the problem within the situation. Issues and problems are sometimes hard to determine, it really require a careful understanding within the situation or systems. Issues and situation are the best way of determining within the systems, boundaries, environment and interconnectedness of idea from different sources either internal o external stakeholders.

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Looking for possible problem that are applicable in the course term are hard to identify, a lot of possible issue to be resolve but limited as to the connectedness of the systems and the environment. At last, I found problem that is suited for the project studies and create a connectedness within the prospect of idea which found to be interesting in providing best solutions to the existing issue. Thus, the projects study about The increasing unemployment in Saudi Arabia. Week 2 :Gathering of ideas (developing problems) There are many different points of view about the problems that lead me to construct a picture of the domain. As to my engagement with the project and as a newly business practitioner, I became interested in the importance and idea of managing sustainability and learning with some others stakeholders. Here I found out that a country That led me to gather information which is applicable in developing a possible problem that requires support or evidence to prove the problem situation. The two important aspects that Im going to look for the first is the primary task in which the country in question was really experiencing this existing problem based on the agenda and other sources of information which I gathered. Second, issues which consider the topics which are of concern or a dispute in the situations. From the informations that I gathered, I found out that the issue stated in week 1 are really disputable which require analysis as to its existence.

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Week 3: Drawing of analysis (relevant systems and their root definition) Here I try to put myself in a particular system in some way thinking of the relevant to the problem situation. Knowing its ability to provide insight to the problem situation and able to describe for a better understanding towards issues or problems. The best possible strategy of knowing the relevant systems is what we called the root definition which is a precise description of drawing such analysis which serves as information services provision systems that provides information to the needs of the users. CATWOE (means customer, actor, transformation process, worldview, owners and environmental constraints) analysis is the alternative way of expressing the root definition where it will able to describe it as fully and as concisely as possible. Here, I able to construct an idea as to its affectivity in knowing the essence of managing sustainable development within the system boundary. And be able to know the possible stakeholders involve in the problem and the process of achieving purpose towards the problem. Week 4: Conceptual model and comparison between other models I have already describe the relevant systems as to who are involve in the problem, this will lead me now of building an activity model of the system. In this week 4 activity, Im looking for the ideas suited for describing the process that will help to understand fully the situation and the reason why the problem occur. Looking for other models that are relevant to support the idea of the conceptual model applied in the situations. Like other aspects that are not existing in the existing systems of the problems owner. I able develop its comparison from the existing and tested model to be able to determine its applicability and effectively towards the problem or issue.

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This model help to define set of questions that answer the problems existing in the real world situations. Thus help to understand as to who do it and reasons of doing in this particular way. Week 5: Debate with other stakeholders involved in having desirable changes The activity that I do in this week 5 is to look for the stakeholders who are involved in the situation or issues. Try to find ways base on their ideas towards the problems through brainstorming; it involves the idea of the client, problem owners and the problem solver. This week requires careful study as to what ideas are relevant and applicable to the existing issues or problems. It can even guides towards solutions generations and provides insights in ways of developing possible actions to the existing problems. I was able to come up with the ideas like maximization of resources, idea about policy on tax for possible solution, subsidize should be implemented focus on education, and proposing suggestion of having Saudis women labour force. Here, I try to look for the people who really involve and in line with the problem solutions determination. Final: Implementation of the agreed changes Base on the ideas gather and the different data collected, I could be able to develop a concrete solution that will lead to an effective implementation towards the problems to be resolve or the issue to be change. The following implementation that I was able to arrive are allowing the entrance of new businesses to develop more factories and create full employment, industrial and skills trading to be able to provide jobs for the new graduates and skilled workers, provides training seminars and workshop for the individual as how to start small scale business with government support. And possible solution and even be implemented by allowing and providing women a carefully woven work in the society to enhance their skills as they are now globally competitive in different aspect.

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The final implementation is highlights task in this project, thinking for insight and advantages of the possible solution towards the existing issue or problems to research. And thinking that the solution is really resolve the exiting issue otherwise mistake in the implementation might occurs another problem to be resolve more cost to be incurred for another round of seeking solution. OVERALL SUMMARY: Without intending to sound as excessively overbearing, I would say that this subject matter taught me how to become a good and effective systems practitioner. Learning to be able to pull and push some the appropriate and necessary strings as to make adjustments when things not according to plan or how I envisions things to be not to mention resorting to improvise and adapt when I encounter inadequacy of materials, resources and information to address a particular issue proved to be more than satisfying and gratifying. One thing that is very interesting about this subject matter and this assignment is the use of diagrams and being able to express oneself in forms of signs and symbols and above all being able to interpret the same in a manner that would give vividness and clarity to an inquiring mind. As we all know diagrams are an economical means to present varied interconnections and complexity as expressed in different components into single and unified concept thereby creating a range of meaning and eventually perspectives at different angles. In other words, diagrams can assist and facilitate the manner by which an individual perceives and thinks about a particular issue or problem. A varied number of formal systems methodologies were created, formulated and developed in order to give venue for the facility of being able to tackle and hinge into different types of complexities that business entities, government and other agencies encounter. One common characteristic of these methodologies is that they all provide an effective vehicle or framework within which different actors or stakeholders in a complex situation can communicate, share different perspectives and understanding thus arriving into elevated opinions in addressing the same. The key indicator and component in having to delve into

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messes since most part of what usually make them intractable and obstinate are focused on promoting their possible solutions rather than giving ample time and opportunity if not more thoughts on understanding the ocean of differences in the perceptions of the problems and complexities. Another is that many of these formal systems method do possess the stages where the representation of the systems and subsystems is being compared to an ideal system with the same or similar purpose. By identifying differences or missing components between the ideal and observed systems recommendations for improvement can be generated. Recommendations range from ways of improving control, e.g., providing feedback, -- to increasing autonomy by fostering selfgoverning sub-systems as in learning organizations. Therefore as a systems practitioner it requires an ample understanding as to how to make use of recent understanding in the real world situation. In line with my experience in conducting project study, I learn that individual should now become aware the effect of the turbulence environment which can be provide an opportunity and even reflect in the determination of action towards issues and problem. Such availability of resources from outside schema would render a possible outcome or either will result into a negative effect once it will not use properly. Exploiting the means from outside sphere of resources and understanding well, provides effective and better way in resolving complex situation. As a systemic practitioner, I can develop and apply now a concrete structure in facing challenges from the different complexities that delve into a profound idea which can provide concrete realization of the resolution. It is not just a medicine that can cure the sick but can develop new changes once it will cure, which means that being aware from outside as to what are other ways can be possible to realize aside from the existing solution provided.

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REFERENCES: http://www.gailfosler.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/2011-03-01_article_chart2.png, Accessed: 14 December 2011 http://nvirgo-nvirgo.blogspot.com/2011/07/education-and-incentives-to-private.html Accessed: 14 December 2011 http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/q/56-tofol-jassim-al-nasr/138027-high-education-andunemployment-in-saudi-arabia.html, Accessed: 14 December 2011

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