The term ¿wasta stems from the Arabic root for ¿middle¿ or ¿medium¿ and describes the phenomenon of using ¿connections¿ to find job, government services or other favors to circumvent bureaucracy or bypass the system as a whole. The effects of ¿wastä may be both positive or negative, and is not a phenomenon that is particular to the Arab or Muslim world, but also to many other cultures and regions of the world, with similar concepts popularly known as ubuntu, guanxi, harambee, naoberschop, or ¿old boy network¿ used in African, Chinese and European societies.By its very nature ¿wastä is an area of grey or even black information, and, like 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 a western perspective where ¿wastä may be considered as a form of corruption, in other societies it may be perceived as something ¿natural¿ and not criminal, and using one's ¿wastä in tribal societies to help clan members is seen as a duty. The difference stems from the 'innocent ' use of ¿wastä to make introductions, as opposed to its abuse in placing 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:¿wastä interpersonal connections in family and business tiesThe relationship between inequality-adjusted human development and corruption perception indexes in the Gulf region¿wastä and business networking, assessing the economic cost of ¿wastä¿wastä and its impact on quality oriented education reform and the perceptions of young peopleThe use of ¿wastä to overcome socio-cultural barriers for women and menThe volume also offers insights into social relations and ethics, and how the use of ¿wastä contradicts with common held religious principles, along with some country studies on Islamic principles and the use of ¿wastä.Mohamed Ramady is a Visiting Associate Professor, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia.

Investigates the implications of a political and economic system that relies significantly on reciprocity and cronyism

Part I.- Wasta  as  social capital.- Wasta as a form of Social Capital from an institutionalist perspective.- Wasta social network concept of interpersonal connections  in family and kinship  ties.- Wasta: is it such a bad thing?  An anthropological perspective.- Part II .- Wasta  in different work  environments.- Western and Eastern wasta application.- The Economic Cost of Wasta - An Empirical Approach.- Saudi female work progression: the  use of wasta to overcome cultural barriers.- Part III.- Wasta and  education sector and youth work and career  aspirations.- The impact of wasta on entrepreneurship development.- Part  IV.- Wasta and   business relationships.- The relationship between the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index and the Corruption Perception Index in GCC major economies.- Use of wasta in international development projects.- Wasta; does this represent a viable paradigm for business networking?.- Conclusions.- Bibliography.- Index.