Middle Eastern countries located around the Arabian Gulf engage in intense and profitable business partnerships with other countries. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Iran, and Iraq, are active in trade with other nations. The people there, sometimes referred to as Arabs, have certain traditional customs and business practices, guided by religious dictates and other long held beliefs, which vary greatly from the way business is carried out in the West. Foreign companies who want to conduct business in the Middle East will profit immensely if they learn to understand the local culture, business conventions, and the intricacies of Arabic etiquette.
Language, Religion, and Culture
Middle Eastern countries mainly speak Arabic, the language used
officially, along with English. There is a strong emphasis on religion
and cultural beliefs are based on the religious canons of Islam.
Religious dictates influence business practices and social behaviour.
Muslims are deeply religious by nature, and pray five times a day. The
prayer call (azan) is given through the public address systems at the
mosques informing worshippers to pray at home or at work.
Business activities are reduced during festival time in the Middle
East, which starts during the month of Ramadan. Muslims fast all
through the day to the Eid al-Fitr festival, which marks the end of
Ramadan. Eid al-Adha is the second major festival that follows the
annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Eid al-Adha begins 70 days after the end of
Ramadan. Most business establishments remain closed during festival
days, which may extend up to three days or more. Therefore, these times
are not good for scheduling appointments for business.
Social Conventions of Greetings
Muslims greet each other with the salutation “Asalam alaykum” (Peace be
with you) and an embrace, followed by a response, “Wa alaykum salam”
(And peace be with you). People shake hands with each other on first
meetings and it is common for your Middle Eastern counterpart to extend
the handshake by a couple of minutes, longer than you’re accustomed to.
Your business associate may even lead you by the hand to the conference
or banquet hall. Businessmen address everyone by their first names, but
may call you Mr. Ken, if your name happens to be Ken Galbraith.
Business Practices
Business meetings are not as well-structured as you might hope for in
the Middle East. To the Western business delegate, a meeting may appear
very disorganised. You can get things done if you have connections in
the right places, a local practice called “wasta.” People honour their
verbal commitments and personal rapport and relationships are important
to business collaborations.
Business Meetings and Etiquette
If you have scheduled an appointment well in advance, make sure to
reconfirm it just prior to the meeting, as it is common for your Middle
Eastern business counterpart to change his plans due to personal
obligations. First meetings usually are icebreakers and starting points
for building personal relationships. The success of your partnership
will lie in your ability to establish trust and credibility, which
Arabs value highly. Meetings may be interrupted by phone calls and
unannounced visitors, which can be extremely frustrating for those who
are unaccustomed to these practices.
The Arabs are brilliant negotiators, but are likely to haggle over
prices and timelines. Bureaucratic delays are quite common, which is
the chief reason for slowing down the decision-making process. Patience
is a virtue during these delays.
Conclusion
Middle Eastern countries have always been known for their bustling
trade activities with foreign nations. It can be very profitable for
overseas businesses to enter into partnerships with the Arabs as large
volumes of business are transacted there. If you read and understand
the points mentioned above about their business and cultural practices,
you will no doubt be successful in achieving the best possible
outcomes.
Article Source: http://www.articlesemporium.com/.
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