Article

2003-11-04 Arabia

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred Pruitt 2003-11-04 23:38|| || Front Page|| [7 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Why do they have to import all those Asian workers? Saudis refuse to do most of the manual labor and menial service jobs?

Posted by Tokyo Taro 2003-11-4 3:15:02 AM|| 2003-11-4 3:15:02 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 In fact Saudis refuse _all_ the jobsx except those consisting at cashing cheques.

Posted by JFM 2003-11-4 3:33:06 AM|| 2003-11-4 3:33:06 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Not true. Having worked there I can tell you they'll accept management positions, as well, if they do not require decision making.

Posted by Anonymous 2003-11-4 3:55:57 AM|| 2003-11-4 3:55:57 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 That is my definition of a job consisting of cashing the monthly/weekly cheque: what is a manger who doesn't manage?

Posted by JFM 2003-11-4 6:17:18 AM|| 2003-11-4 6:17:18 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 A manager who doesn't manage? Sounds like half the ones I've ever worked for.

Posted by Robert Crawford 2003-11-4 8:23:32 AM|| [http://www.kloognome.com] 2003-11-4 8:23:32 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 It's classic Avoidance Management. If you don't make decisions, in their version of reality, you don't make mistakes. It's the old 60's IT saying, "Nobody ever got fired for choosing IBM" taken to its extreme. I call it the "Never do anything for the first time Law" (think about that for a minute!) - Arab Style. Mistakes can easily be career-enders - even small ones. It doesn't matter that you don't accomplish anything, just don't fuck up - and you'll get whatever upward mobility is due you according to your tribal affiliation. Kiss ass and Suck up to power. Don't fuck up. This will make your "career" in SaudiLand.

An example of the Aramco version of Avoidance Management in action:
If a Mgr (typically a Dept Head) finds himself in a box and there is no way to pawn a decision off on someone else, preferably a foreigner, then he will force all of the Division Heads that report to him to initial whatever requires his signature - shared complicity if the shit hits the fan. If any are Americans or Brits (there are a few left, but disappearing fast), all the better - infidel "experts" provide the best cover of all. The terror flows downward amongst the Saudis.

Amongst the infidels, our attitudes are different. I have identified 4 types of infidels in Lalaland - there are mixtures, but I think these are the pure forms:

1) Fugitives - IRS & Divorce Courts & Deadbeat Dads & ???
2) Incompetents - Soooo mediocre they can't make it in the West
3) Money whores - Like Lawyers in spirit, but not in expertise!
4) Fools with an "adventure gene" - usually sated in a few years.

Posted by .com 2003-11-4 8:33:50 AM|| 2003-11-4 8:33:50 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 And so... .com, which type were you?! ;)

Posted by Bulldog 2003-11-4 8:44:01 AM|| 2003-11-4 8:44:01 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 A post the other day referred to the use of CERT funds to employ local Iragis to rebuild schools and infrastructure. I chuckled when thinking how that policy could work in Arabia where only foreigners do the stoop labor. Also,.com was right on about the "do nothing and you will not be wrong"
philosophy.

Posted by Gasse Katze 2003-11-4 9:02:31 AM|| 2003-11-4 9:02:31 AM|| Front Page Top

#9 BD- 100% #4 in '92. This time I was not nearly so innocent: 50% #3 / 50% #4! I don't owe the IRS a dime and they still haven't been able to replace me are the answers to 1 & 2. ;->

GK - How did you like Barnes' Saudi stories? Quite a memory trip, I hope!

Posted by .com 2003-11-4 9:22:20 AM|| 2003-11-4 9:22:20 AM|| Front Page Top

#10 Certainly enjoyed both. thanks. Although the aramco guy was before my time and the story of the MPs came later. The country attitudes haven't changed.

Posted by Gasse Katze 2003-11-4 1:56:58 PM|| 2003-11-4 1:56:58 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 Lovely memories of Saudi administration, boys. The way I had Saudi management analyzed was simple: I take the credit if it works; you take the blame if it doesn't.

Posted by Michael 2003-11-4 4:36:17 PM|| 2003-11-4 4:36:17 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 Hey, Ex-Nammycons! I used to push for my Department to create a 999 Division. Then transfer all of the speed-bumps and roadblocks to it. It would have assigned work and the Div Head and Supervisor positions would rotate until everyone had both for their CV. Then it would be easy to pawn these clowns off on someone else who had a spot come vacant - prolly from an Expat guy getting his family out of that hellhole. Ideal for fulfilling Saudiazation program requirements.

Whadday think? Work for you?

Michael, I think there's a "Murphy's Law" styled truism that goes like this:

Management 101: acccumulate all available authority and delegate all attributable responsibility.

Posted by .com 2003-11-4 6:52:47 PM|| 2003-11-4 6:52:47 PM|| Front Page Top

00:43 Old Patriot
00:18 NotMikeMoore
00:14 Julius
00:05 Julius
23:57 Ralph
23:46 mojo
23:28 Julius
23:15 NotMikeMoore
23:15 Yank
23:14 Grunter
23:11 NotMikeMoore
23:00 Aris Katsaris
22:53 chriskarma
22:30 Alaska Paul
22:25 Stephen
22:18 Alaska Paul
22:09 Frank G
22:07 Alaska Paul
22:06 Frank G
22:03 Frank G
22:03 Cyber Sarge
21:59 eLarson
21:52 eLarson
21:48 someone