Digital Technology and Work Culture among Youth in the UAE: A Field Study

Abstract

This research endeavors to explore the acceptance levels of digital work opportunities within a youth demographic, aiming to discern the underlying factors influencing their embrace or refusal of such opportunities from their own perspective. To accomplish these objectives, a purposive random sample comprising 177 unemployed individuals aged between 15 and 30, representing all seven emirates, was selected. The study employed a methodology rooted in "sample social survey" techniques. Results indicate a prevailing acceptance of digital work opportunities within the youth culture of the UAE. A key catalyst for this acceptance is identified as the acknowledgment that "digital technology has become the language of the current era," as expressed by 61.4% of the study sample. Conversely, reasons for rejecting digital work culture among certain participants’ center around "difficulty and lack of training," cited by 50% of those who declined digital work opportunities. This study sheds light on the dynamic interplay between youth and evolving work landscapes in the context of development.