FACTORS INFLUENCING STRATEGIC DECISION-MAKING PROCESS FOR THE OIL/GAS INDUSTRIES OF UAE- A STUDY

ABSTRACT The Oil and Gas sector plays a significant role and has highly contributed to the current economic prosperity and for the exceptional economic and social development of the United Arab Emirates. The strategic decision-making process is referred to as the most important and complex of all the processes or functions in the Oil and Gas related industries of UAE. This study is exclusively focused on examining and analysing the critical factors that influence the strategic decision-making process in the industry. In order to understand and examine the research problem of the study, both primary and secondary data collections were undertaken. The primary data for the study was collected from senior managers of some of the UAE Oil and Gas production/exploration, distribution and refining companies (end users), EPC Contractors and FEED contractors operating in UAE. A number of internal, as well as external factors, were incorporated in the study observation to influence the Oil and Gas business of UAE. A total of 15 companies were chosen as random samples from the Universal population list of 55 major UAE Oil/Gas related End users, EPCs and FEED contractors. The samples had been analysed with the ANOVA to test the hypothesis of the study. The ANOVA analysis between the responses of participants were calculated to understand the impact of strategic decisions on international business management of UAE Oil & Gas End users, EPCs and FEED contractors operating in UAE.The study identifies major factors which influence the strategic decision making for the international business of UAE Oil/Gas operating companies