Title:
CASE STUDY ON STRATEGIC IMPACT OF PEOPLE MANAGEMENT AT MAJID AL FUTTAIM, DUBAI, UAE, IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19

Authors:
Bertram S. Paul

Abstract:
The cause study attempts to analyze the strategic impact of people management in response to the COVID-19 pandemic upon Majid Al Futtaim (MAF), a Dubai-based holding company that operates shopping malls, residential properties, supermarkets, movie theaters, and other ventures in 16 markets, primarily in the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. The study is structured such that it first briefly examines the literature around the concepts of People Management and Human Resource Management (HRM) followed by a look at the current pandemic. After a brief introduction into the company under examination, the study goes on to look at the challenges faced by the company due to the pandemic, the strategies adopted in response to the pandemic and an evaluation of their merits and demerits. While this company – MAF has adopted certain non- conventional strategies to face the pandemic, the conclusion is that most of the successes come from structural changes and disciplines adopted by the company during the good times which have stood the company in good stead during the times of crisis. It also highlights the importance of sincerity of action and strong leadership which can reap rich rewards in terms of longer-term sustainability rather than merely paying lip service to concepts such as customer and employee satisfaction.

Keywords:
covid-19 pandemic, strategic impact, people management and human resource management.