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Journal of Advanced Engineering and Management Research
Vol. 1, No. 2, 2026

HRM Training Impact on Hosted Firms in Saudi Arabia Country

Nader alkhater *, Layla Alhalwachi, Malak Eshaq, Zakeya Shubbar
Alasala University, Saudia Arabia; Bahrain Polytechnic, Bahrain; Ahlia University, Bahrain
* Corresponding Author : nader.alkhater@alasala.edu.sa
DOI: 10.1234/jaemr.2026.01.02.010202
Pages: 1-16
Abstract
This research set out to investigate Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the training and development of employees (T&DE) practices in domestic enterprises (DEs) vs multinational enterprises (MNEs) within the Kingdom of Bahrain. The literature showed that T&DE in domestic business environments differ from multinational business environments. Hypotheses (Please refer to Methods section and results regarding both hypotheses.) The hypotheses were tested based on primary data collected from 255 firms, two-thirds of them being DEs and one-third MNEs. The data and investigation revealed several interesting findings through the use of parametric and non-parametric statistics. The study concluded that T&DE practices differ between the two types of enterprises. Namely, MNEs exhibited stricter T&DE policies than DEs, while DEs were prone to valuing candidates' formal qualification more than MNEs. Furthermore, institutions hiring staff on the basis of personal characteristics (DEs) had a higher rate of turnover compared to multinational enterprises (MNEs) that reported lower turnover trends. In T&DE, larger DEs did not emphasize personal characteristics, for example. Moreover, oil and petrochemical companies were more likely to train employees with a higher dimensionality of personality traits. The results suggested that the turnover of employees in MNEs companies is lower than DE's company, although they share similar working conditions. The findings further indicate MNEs employ more effective T&DE practices compared to DEs. The study is one of the rare ones based in a non-Western context and shows important policy implications as well as possible future research directions. The findings on normative theory which states that organizations commitment of optimal HRM will achieve superior achieving performance outcome regardless of organization behaviour or the context of host country, points out that behaviours' of firms moving to global market do affect some HRM practices. Moreover, it is also argued in convergence theories that HRM practices would be similar when they transfer from home country to host country. However, the present study identifies certain HRM practices that deviate during this transitional phase owing to various reasons such as rigidity of Bahrain's cultural norms and competition by host country. The findings further align with the convergence theories in that local firms need to adapt to local contexts. MNEs in turn utilize their T&DE tactics to engage with local businesses.
Keywords:
non-western environment; multinational enterprises; t-test
Text
1 Introduction
The focus of this paper is on the training and development policies of two types of companies in the Kingdom; Domestic Enterprises (DEs) and Multinational Enterprises (MNEs). This paper examines the relationship between Human Resources Management Training and Development (HRMT&D) and characteristic tendencies of these firms. HRMT&D is recognized as a significant element that impacts the success of the organization. With firms going global, the organizations must improvise their human resource to stay competitive. As such, implementation of the organizational goals is closely pegged to Human Resources Management Practices (HRMP) as posited by Price (2004) and thus is a duty for companies with regard to employee activities, which includes training according Rotich (2015).
Human Resource Development has evolved since the industrial revolution (1750–1850) first in Europe and North America and then, to a degree, transplanted to Australia and Asia-Pacific region (Rotich, 2015). By 1970, HR had fully embarked on becoming part of management in the United States and in the 1980s began to reframe around the idea that people were more connected. The Harvard model for HRM was developed in 1984 by the break though concept of Michigan University upon which alternative framework of HRM were developed. Back then, the domain was known primarily as ‘personnel management.’ As a country transitioned from an agrarian economy to an industrial one, new employment could be found in factories of which there were growing numbers. 3Frederick W. Taylor (1857–1911)His principles of scientific management had a significant impact on Human Resource Management. A noteworthy event from history occurred during World War I when the US put in place a recruitment test, which consisted of military personnel (Montana & Charnov, 2014).
1.1 The Problem Statement and the Gap
HRMT&D is one important factor which influences the performance of organizations. While it is undeniably the case that cultural differences and divergent values flourish within nations, the complexity of entering foreign markets creates significant challenges for firms (Locke & Kochan, 1995). Hence, it is important to know the use of HRMT&D in various cultural settings. Prior research in the area of HRMT&D has largely focused on the Western cultures, with a glaring absence of studies investigating Asian countries (Singh et al., 2013). For example, Harry (2007) suggested that several Middle Eastern countries did not have the right skills and work attitudes for effective HRMT&D. Additionally, Mustapha (2009) suggested that the private sectors of DEs and MNEs in some non-Western territories have little motivation towards HRMT&D. There also exists a noticeable gap in the literature, particularly from the Arab context when it comes to HRM and international business (Iles et al. 2012 ). There is a lack of HRMT&D research in GCC countries as few studies have been conducted on this topic where there exists the need for more research (Anderson, Ahmed & Costa, 2012; Fadhel, 2007; Al-Dosary & Rahman, 2009). This study explored host country specific HRMT&D approaches of MNEs with different cultural background, specifically focusing on the exploration of the impact of employing in developing economies (DEs) and MNEs towards HRMT practices using a case study context within the Kingdom of Bahrain.
1.2 Aims and Objectives
This study aims to bring attention to the gap in knowledge regarding DEs and MNEs with specific contextual focus on the more recent Eastern context. The research objectives are as follows:
1. Objective: To investigate the differences in Human Resources Management Training and Development between DEs and MNEs in Kingdom of Bahrain.
2. To analyze the effect of firm-specific variables on Training and Development under HRM as well as its impact on organization performance.
Copyright: © 2026 by the authors. Submitted for possible open access publication under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.
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