Business, Etiquette & Arabs

Summer Mouallem

Senior Lecturer

Subject leader, Arabic

How can it go wrong?

cultural issues in international business.flv

Quick Quiz

1. How many countries in the Arab world?

a)23

b)16

c)20

2. How should you receive business cards?

a)With both hands

b)With the right hand only

c)As you would in the UK?

3. Business cards should be

a)In English; after all, I am English

b)In Arabic; after all, I am dealing with Arabs

c)Both, but one language per side

4. How do you handle interpreters?

a)Tell them to interpret everything

b)Tell them to just summarise the message

c)Ignore them, they know what they need to

do

d)Other

What’s in a name?• Mohammed Rateb Al-Mouallem

• Abdullah Rateb Al-Mouallem

• Abdullah Bin Rateb Al-Mouallem

• Initials: Mr. A.B.R. Al-Mouallem

• Mr. Abdullah / Mr. Al-Mouallem / Mr.

Mouallem

• Abu7vs. John

• Don’t call me ‘Abdul’

What is an Arab?

• 23 countries

• Variety of backgrounds

• Not all are Muslims

What barriers are you facing?

• Language

• Cultural

• Gestures

• Rate of speech

• Voice quality

• Psychological

Silence is Golden?

• Why the silence?

• Concessions

• Companionship

• Join in or

• Talk about insignificant issues

Face??

• You can

�Lose face

�Gain face

�Save face

• Never point the finger or raise your voice

• Never demand an instant answer

• Never say ‘No’ directly

Before you get there

• Duty Free

• Clothes to pack

• DVDs and magazines

Greetings

• Handshakes

• Courtesy and small talk

• Gifts

Pace of Life

• Food and drink

• Do not look at your watch constantly

Dress code

• Dress conservatively

Women

• Respect privacy and role of women

• Eye contact and staring

• Asking men about family members

Meals

• Do not order alcohol at business functions

if no one else has done so

• Eat most of the food on your plate

• Pace your eating; there may be more to

follow

• Fingers or no fingers?

• Which hand to eat in?

• Western humour vs. Arab humour

The Presentation

• Respect the hierarchy

• Technically sharp presentation

• Patience in negotiations

After the deal

• Continuity/ Personal attention

• Be prepared to move slowly, bargain and

socialize!

Misc.

• Friday prayer times

• Ramadan

• Politics

• Religion

Help!!

• Smile

• Show willing

• Be patient

• Be more understanding

• Don’t rush in judgment

Commonly Heard..

• Inshallah (God willing)

• Mashallah (Wow)

• Alhamdulillah (Thanks be to God)

• Wasta (The old boy network)

• Bukra (tomorrow)

• Yalla (come on, there we go, etc)

• Shway shway (slow down, be patient)

Commonly misunderstood

• Allah

• Halal

• No: Thank you / Please?

• Arab/ Arabian/ Arabic?

• Mohammedians/ Muslims

Useful phrases

• How can I help you?

• Kayfa yumkinuni an usa’edaka/ usa’eduki?

• Hello

• Marhaban/ ahlan

• I don’t know

• Ana la a’ref

Useful phrases

• Please wait

• Intather (i), raja’an

• My name is ..

• Ana ismi....

• What is your name?

• Ma ismuka/ ma ismuki?

Useful phrases

• Thank you

• Shukran

• Good bye

• Ma’a salama

Case Study: UAE

UAE

• The Middle East's most important

economic centres

• Ambitious construction projects, Burj

Khalifa skyscraper - the world's current

tallest man-made structure –

• Futuristic land reclamation projects, such

as the palm-shaped artificial Palm Islands.

Key Players in UAE

• Media and TV:

Reuters, CNN, Sony and Fox have moved

in. The UAE is home to major pan-Arab

broadcasters, including MBC and Orbit

Showtime Network. Sky News Arabia

launched from Abu Dhabi in 2012.

• F-1: Cars and boats

• Construction