Innovation Management and the Role of Women in Clothing Industry in Saudi Arabia
Hypothesis 1: There is a lack of the organizational factors regarding implementing innovation, such as (awareness, reward, communication, punishment, and training) which have an impact on compliance with implementing the management instructions and orders
The women in Saudi Arabia play a crucial role in the clothing industry, and as Figure 1 depicts women’s wear accounts for approximately 77.2% of Saudi Arabia’s Clothing industry. The prevalent culture in Saudi Arabia dictates that women should concern themselves with home matters such as childbearing (Alghamedi 61). In addition, women lack the skill set and the educational background to be innovative in engaging in entrepreneurial activities such as the Saudi clothing industry. Saudi Arabia lacks the organizational structures that facilitate innovation amongst women. For instance, a woman might have brilliant business ideas in regards to the clothing fraternity. However, this woman will experience challenges in obtaining the capital, the market, and managing the enterprise (Al Rahedi et al. 39). More intently, Saudi women are subject to particular legal and cultural restrictions that do not apply to men in matters of ownership and control of firms. Hence, the organizational framework that nurtures innovation in women is non-existent or minimal in Saudi Arabia.
Some Saudi women lack sufficient education and training, and this limits their awareness and communicating abilities. In the end, the women cannot get the rewards they deserve because of the organizational framework in the country (Chaudhry 943). In addition, due to the massive challenges that the women face their ability to implement management instructions and orders about innovation becomes limited. In addition, the women find it difficult to formulate authoritative instructions and orders without interferences, and this does not allow them to perform their innovative role in Saudi’s clothing industry.
Figure 1: Saudi Arabia Clothing industry Category Segmentation
Hypothesis 2: Saudi women worker’s beliefs has an impact on compliance innovation management instructions
The scope of compliance management innovation in regards to Saudi women encompasses a systematic collection of impulses that nurture innovation in these particular women. In addition, for women to implement innovation management instructions in the Saudi clothing industry, they have to take risks, pursue education, and obtain sufficient capital (Danish & Smith 216). However, the prevalent beliefs among Saudi women prevent them from complying with the instructions of innovation management in various industries such as the Saudi clothing industry. The belief among Saudi women is that men are superior to them, and this limits their levels of efficiency concerning implementing innovation management instructions.
In order for Saudi women to be successful in matters that concern complying with innovation management, they have to transform some of their beliefs. Innovation begins with a transformed belief, and women can only be effective in the Saudi clothing industry if they value themselves and act appropriately in pursuing their respective endeavors (Elamin & Omair 746). The prevalent beliefs among Saudi women limit their compliance to innovation management instructions. More intently, the beliefs make the women not to maximize their full potential in the Saudi clothing industry. The women in Saudi Arabia ought to step up and abrogate some prevalent beliefs among them, and this will ensure that they comply with the set instructions in regards to innovation management at all times (Elimam 66). Hence, their participation in the clothing industry will improve because they will be able to utilize the enormous market share they possess in the industry.
Hypothesis 3: Saudi Women Worker’s Attitude Has an Impact on Compliance Management Innovation Instructions
The female entrepreneurs in the Saudi clothing industry are now consolidating and managing numerous small and medium sized businesses than in the past periods (Gokhale, Brauchle & Machina 13). Moreover, the trend exhibits massive rates of growth among the Saudi women. However, Saudi women still face tremendous challenges in regards to society and respective institutions. For instance, women will find it difficult to acquire a loan from a financial entity to launch an innovative business (Sivakumar & Sarkar 28). Hence, the effect on the attitudes of Saudi women is adverse because of the apparent high levels of discrimination against women in the country. In light of these difficulties, the Saudi women workers nurture a negative attitude towards being innovative and complying with instructions based on innovation management.
The negative attitude limits the capacity of Saudi women to follow the guidelines linked to compliance management and innovation instructions. The Saudi women should nurture a positive attitude, this will come in handy in enhancing their roles in the Saudi clothing industry, and they will tap into their full potential in the clothing industry. More intently, a higher market share of the Saudi clothing industry comprises of women and women’s wear composes the bulk of the clothing products in Saudi Arabia (Chaudhry 943). With a positive attitude among Saudi women workers, they will be able to comply efficiently with compliance management and innovation instructions.
Hypothesis 4: Saudi women worker’s intention has an impact on compliance innovation management instructions
The role of Saudi women in the clothing industry depends on their intention, and if the women intend to become innovative they will act in line with compliance management and innovation instructions. Innovation instructions relate to following the principles that will allow the Saudi women to formulate and devise new ways of executing various roles (Danish & Smith 216). If the women do not have the intent to succeed in entrepreneurial activities, then they will not be able to highlight any features of compliance management and innovation instructions. Innovation starts with an intention, and for the Saudi women to play an effective role in the clothing industry they have to nurture positive intentions at all times.
A positive intention will act as a motivation factor for Saudi women, and they will act in line with compliance management and innovation instructions. However, lacking the intention to succeed and make a difference limits the roles played by women in the Saudi clothing industry (Elamin & Omair 746). More precisely, women cannot be innovative if they do not intend to, or if they have negative intentions. Hence, the intention of Saudi women workers has an impact on their participation in the business activities and their efficiency in executing innovation management practices. Intentions are of utmost vitality in business and innovation management, and Saudi women ought to grasp this concept at all instances.
Hypothesis 5: Saudi women worker’s habit has an impact on compliance with implementing innovation practices
Habits constitute a person’s character, and an individual’s character will nurture the future of that particular person. Hence, the prevalent habits among Saudi women will have a direct effect on their compliance with implementing innovation practices. The habits of Saudi women workers are of utmost vitality, and they ought to be in line with the principles of innovation management at all times (Alghamedi 59). In addition, women have an important role in the Saudi clothing industry because they control a larger share of the industry. Important to note, is that the Saudi economy is dependent on oil exploration activities, and many men concentrate on large corporations that deal with oil explorations.
Thus, the Saudi women have an opportunity to launch many businesses in other industries including the clothing industry. However, their habits have to be in line with implementing innovation practices for them to succeed in doing this. The habits among Saudi women workers directly affect their thinking, intelligence, and efficiency in implementing innovation management practices (Al Rashedi 45). It is crucial for the Saudi women to transform their habits, and this will guarantee their complete compliance with implementing innovation practices in all businesses including the Saudi clothing business.
In conclusion, the five hypotheses link with each other, and the organizational factors relating to the implementation of innovation will affect the Saudi women’s beliefs, attitudes, intentions, and habits at all instances. More intently, the Saudi women workers’ attitudes, beliefs, intentions, and habits are interdependent (Elimam 61). When one of these aspects becomes affected negatively, the others become affected in a similar manner. Scientifically the five hypotheses of the study are directly proportional to each other.
Works Cited
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Chaudhry, Irfan. “#Hash tags For Change: Can Twitter Promote Social Progress in Saudi Arabia.” International Journal of Communication 7.5 (2014): 943. Print.
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Elimam, Haga, et al. “The Contribution of the Saudi Woman in Economic Development.” International Journal of Business & Economic Development 2.3 (2014): 60-67. Print.
Gokhale, Anu A., Paul E. Brauchle, and Kenton F. Machina. “Scale to Measure Attitudes toward Information Technology.” International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education 3 (2013): 13. Print.
Sivakumar, Abirami Devi, and Siddhartha Sarkar. “Women Entrepreneurs in Small and Medium Scale Businesses in Saudi Arabia.” International Journal of Finance & Policy Analysis 4.1 (2012): 25-32. Print.