@article{752584,
      author = {Ramady, M. A.},
      url = {http://library.usi.edu/record/752584},
      title = {The political economy of wasta use and abuse of social  capital networking / [electronic resource] :},
      abstract = {The term ℓ́ℓwastaℓ́ℓ stems from the Arabic root  for ℓ́ℓmiddleℓ́ℓ or ℓ́ℓmedium' and describes  the phenomenon of using ℓ́ℓconnectionsℓ́ℓ to find  job, government services or other favors to circumvent  bureaucracy or bypass the system as a whole. The effects of  ℓ́ℓwastaℓ́ℓ may be both positive or negative,  ℗ℓand is not a phenomenon that is particular ℗ℓto  the Arab or Muslim world, ℗ℓbut ℗ℓalso to many  other cultures and regions of the world, with similar  concepts popularly known as ubuntu, guanxi, harambee,  naoberschop, or ℓ́ℓold boy networkℓ́ℓ ℗ℓused  in African, Chinese and European℗ℓ societies.℗ℓ By  its very nature ℓ́ℓwastaℓ́ℓ is an area of grey or  even black information, and, ℗ℓlike corruption to which  it is most often associated, is hard to assess although  country corruption perception indexes attempt to provide a  quantifiable basis. In the final analysis such ratings are  based on perceptions of corruption, and this perception may  vary strongly depending on different societal structures  and cultural modes, whether these are extended family  systems, tribal, clans or more atomized societies where  relationships are essentially transactional and rule based.  In℗ℓa western perspective where ℓ́ℓwastaℓ́ℓ  may be considered as a form of corruption, ℗ℓin other  societies it may be perceived as something  ℓ́ℓnaturalℓ́ℓ and not criminal, and ℗ℓusing  one's℗ℓ'wasta ' in tribal℗ℓ societies℗ℓ to help  ℗ℓclan members℗ℓ is seen as a duty. The difference  stems from the 'innocent ' use of 'wasta' to make  introductions, as opposed to its abuse in placing℗ℓ  unqualified persons in positions .The volume brings  together academics and professional experts to examine a  range of multi-faceted social, economic and political  issues raised by the use and abuse of social networking,  covering various topics like:  ℓ́ℓwastaℓ́ℓ℗ℓinterpersonal connections in  family and business ties, The relationship between  inequality-adjusted human development and corruption  perception indexes in the Gulf region,  ℓ́ℓwastaℓ́ℓ℗ℓand business networking,  ℗ℓassessing the economic cost of ℓ́ℓwastaℓ́ℓ,  ℓ́ℓwastaℓ́ℓ and its impact on quality oriented  education reform and the℗ℓ perceptions of young people,  The use of ℓ́ℓwastaℓ́ℓ to overcome socio-cultural  barriers for women and men℗ℓ The volume also offers  insights into social relations and ethics, and how the use  of ℓ́ℓwastaℓ́ℓ contradicts with common held  religious principles, along with some country studies on  Islamic principles and the use  of℗ℓℓ́ℓwastaℓ́ℓ. Mohamed Ramady is a Visiting  Associate Professor, King Fahd University of Petroleum and  Minerals, Saudi Arabia.},
      recid = {752584},
      pages = {1 online resource.},
}