RT Article
T1 Sifarish: Understanding the Ethical Versus Unethical Use of Network-Based Hiring in Pakistan
JF Journal of business ethics
VO 158
IS 4
SP 969
OP 982
A1 Nadeem, Sadia
A1 Kayani, Neelab
A2 Kayani, Neelab
LA English
YR 2019
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1785600435
AB The role of affective ties and informal social networks in management practices is recognised across many parts of the world; guanxi in China, yongo in Korea, blat in Russia and wasta in the Arab World are some manifestations. This paper explores the role of such informal networks in Pakistan by studying the role of sifarish—the act of achieving ends on the basis of network connections—in hiring in Pakistan using thematic analysis of inductively collected qualitative data from 104 individuals from four large organisations. Using social network and social capital theory, the paper highlights the key characteristics of affective networks in Pakistan, comparing them to social networks in other cultural settings. Further, the concept of ethical relativism is used to create a distinction between ethical and unethical sifarish. Thus, the paper enhances understanding of HRM in Pakistan, and contributes towards the literature on cross-cultural HRM, social networks and ethical relativism.
K1 Social network theory
K1 Social capital theory
K1 Sifarish
K1 Recruitment and selection
K1 Pakistan
K1 International HRM
K1 Guanxi
K1 Ethical Relativism
K1 Cross-cultural HRM
K1 Collectivism
DO 10.1007/s10551-017-3709-x