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Wasta (Arab connections / favouritism)

Cross-culturalReliability: alpha 0.83–0.89 in recent operationalizations3 sample items

About this scale

A multi-item measure of perceived 'wasta' — the use of personal connections to obtain favours, jobs, or expedite procedures in Arab and broader MENA contexts. Captures both benign social capital and corruption-adjacent favouritism.

Sample item(s)

“In my organization, who you know matters more than what you know.”
“People often use personal connections to get jobs in this country.”
“Wasta makes it harder for qualified people to advance based on merit.”

Reliability

Reported internal consistency: alpha 0.83–0.89 in recent operationalizations. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.

Notes

Recent operationalizations: Aldossari & Robertson (2016) wasta scale; Velez-Calle, Robledo-Ardila & Rodriguez-Rios (2015) for cross-MENA comparison.

Source & citation

Hutchings, K., & Weir, D. (2006): Guanxi and wasta: A comparison. Thunderbird International Business Review, Vol. 48, No. 1, pp. 141–156.

Hutchings & Weir (2006): Guanxi and wasta — a comparison. TIBR, 48(1), 141–156.

Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.

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