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While the concept of relationship marketing has attracted increasing academic and practitioner attention in recent years, issues relating to the practical and context specific implementation of relationship marketing cultures have been less well developed. Indeed, recent literature points up the many difficulties associated with the implementation of relationship marketing. This paper addresses a number of key issues associated with the implementation of a relationship culture in the context of a leading and long established retail banking institution. Specifically, the form which such a culture should take is discussed, together with a critical review of how successful the case bank has been in its establishment. In light of this analysis a conceptual model is proposed for the development of relationship cultures within the banking industry.

The purpose of this paper is to examine differences in team‐related behaviours, skills, attitudes and values on the part of female Arab students with different educational experiences.

A survey instrument was administered to two female Arab student groupings: one from a single‐gender, single‐nationality university (n=77), the second from a co‐educational, mixed nationality university (n=41). Based on a literature review, respondents were asked to recall their most recent team experience and respond to a number of items relating to team member demographics, team performance and individual team‐related behaviours and attitudes.

The findings show significant differences between the two groups in relation to individual behaviours and attitudes to teamwork, and in reports of team performance. Those students working in homogenous teams reported healthier levels of team performance, and a more positive attitude to working in teams. However, they were also found to be significantly more likely to engage in behaviours detrimental to effective team functioning, such as hiding true voice and changing views to accommodate the team, and expressed lower preference for working in heterogeneous teams.

Given the multi‐cultural and mixed gender nature of (much of) the workplace within the Gulf region, and government policy aimed at increasing the number of females active in the workforce, the observed differences in team behaviours and attitudes have implications for both education policy and the development of teamworking skills, and workplace management, in terms of employee recruitment, selection and placement, socialisation and training.

Females are playing an increasing role in the workforce of many Arab nations. However, to date little research has been carried out into the work‐related values and attitudes of Arab females. This is especially so in the area of working in multi‐cultural and mixed gender teams. The present paper helps address this gap.

Employee absence has been widely acknowledged in recent years to be a growing problem for organisations, including local government organisations. This paper investigates linkages between organisational commitment, absence management policies and absenteeism in local government from three perspectives – those of human resource practitioners, line managers and employees – through a series of semi‐structured interviews and focus group discussions. The conclusion is reached that much employee absence in this sector can be attributed to the adoption of a “compliance”, or transactional approach, to employee commitment by both management and employees, and the absence of shared values between the employees and the organisation (internalised commitment). The implications which this holds for the management of employee absence are also examined.

In an attempt to address the turbulence which characterises their operating environment, many public sector organisations have been seduced by the concept of teamworking. Often this is perceived as offering an organisational solution to the problems presented by government demands for enhanced levels of performance, efficiency and effectiveness. This paper explores the difficulties experienced by one Next Steps agency in its attempt to introduce teamworking within a bureaucratic maze. More specifically, it highlights fundamental incompatibilities between the teamworking concept and the traditional bureaucracy, which has resulted in the existence of a number of potent “trip wires”. It is argued that these trip wires can only be disarmed and the full benefits of teamworking realised by dismantling the bureaucracy.

Through literature review and empirical research conducted with employees of a large retail bank, three different types of employee commitment (internalised commitment, identification commitment and compliance commitment) are defined and explored. It is argued that high levels of internalised commitment are essential for the successful implementation of the emerging relationship banking strategy. The research reveals the worrying finding that employees show unexpectedly low levels of internalised commitment, coupled with higher than expected levels of compliance commitment. Combined with respondents low intention to leave, the case bank seems to have many employees who, while reluctant to leave, seem at best unable, and at worst unwilling to embrace new change initiatives and who consequently show low levels of identification with the values of the organisation. Implications for internal marketing and relationship banking are discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to make a cross‐cultural comparison of team harmony and participation of a collectivistic Middle Eastern sample of women and an individualistic Anglo sample of women.

Two independent female samples are compared – Anglos and Arabs. Respondents completed a self‐report survey regarding their perceptions of recent team experiences as well as their own participation within those teams.

The findings revealed greater sensitivity to inter‐member conflict on the part of the Arabic sample, coupled with increased incidence of behaviors to promote team harmony through the suppression of individual opinions and ideas.

Further research should be conducted to differentiate the interaction between role and gender. From a practical standpoint, quasi‐experimental research on interventions to reduce the participation problem would be important.

Team performance and retention of Emirati employees within the United Arab Emirates context can be enhanced to the extent that managers understand the perceptions and participation of local employees. The findings of the current study aid managers in understanding the key role of team harmony sensitivity among Emiratis and its subsequent impact on their participation in team processes.

The paper addresses a significant issue, team member participation, in an understudied but increasingly relevant setting, Middle Eastern teams.

The introduction to this special issue aims to describe the papers published in this volume as well as the setting of labour markets in the Arabian Gulf as the basis for the understanding the relationship between expatriates and the indigenous workforce.

First, the context is explained, followed by a description of the peculiarities of the research setting. Then, the articles in this special issue are described, followed by an outlook on the future of the expatriate‐citizen relationship and suggestions for future research in this area.

Thanks to the efforts of authors, reviewers, and the editors of this journal, every single one of the articles in this volume provides valuable insights from new perspectives on the theme of this special issue.

This special issue expands the understanding of a truly underrepresented topic.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the way in which fiction written in English has portrayed establishments which provide accommodation and food: namely inns and hotels. This personal mental portrayal contributes to the image of hotels by readers of fiction and ultimately to hospitality and tourism buying behaviour.

The author reviews the increasing visibility of inns and hotels in fiction in the last 700 years and focuses upon six selected texts which the researcher considers important.

The paper offers some conclusions as to the way in which authors perceive the way in which inns and hotels operate: people, places, plots, products and principles.

There may be few direct practical implications which might follow immediately from this exploratory study. The paper seeks to explore some of ways in which the image of inns and hotels is expressed in fictional literature, so as to better understand and market hospitality and tourism products more effectively in future.

This is a topic which has, to date, been little, if ever, researched. Fiction is increasing in popularity and it has influenced the way in which readers think, feel and react. This paper addresses this gap and opens the field for more interdisciplinary research.