Transcript Business in the Middle East slides.ppt

Doing Business in the Middle East
• Ryan Nilsson
• Katelyn Hornecker
• Lowyn Hardy
General Overview
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Bahrain
Egypt
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
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Syria
Turkey
The United Arab Emirates
Yemen
The People
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Dominant language is Arabic
Culture centers on Islam
Patriarchal society
Most people belong to the lower class
The region’s income comes primarily from oil
and gas
Politics
• Some Nations led by a monarchy
• Lower-level politics influence day-to-day life
Islam
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One God, called “Allah”
Prophets sent to guide humans
Muhammad is the most recent prophet
Based on five pillars
Facts on doing business in Middle East
• Might be hard for a women to do business
• Men’s Dress: formal business & modest
lightweight casual
• Women’s Dress: longer hemlines and sleeves
• Printed materials and videos may be offensive
if women in revealing clothing
Facts on doing business in Middle East
• Middle Easterners may not be punctual
• Doing business moves slow
• Developing personal relationships is key
– Socializing and discussing “unrelated” topics can
take days
– Personal continuity; don’t change company reps
When not to do business
• During Ramadan
– Annual, month-long fast
– In most Middle Eastern countries it is illegal for
even foreigners to consume food or water in
public between dawn and dusk
– Business hours limited
• Friday is holy day of the week
• Between 1 pm and 3 pm
How to be the perfect guest
• Shake with the right hand
• Drink the small, bitter coffee in one shot
• Unless the host encourages it avoid direct
acknowledgement of Muslim women
• Leave your alcohol at home
• Avoid humor
The Sales Presentation
• Respect hierarchy and address senior
executive; maintain eye contact
• Use a technically sharp presentation
• Remember that Middle Easterners read from
right to left
• Allow for significant time for bargaining
• Prepare and understand audience
References
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Browaeys, M.-J., & Price, R. (2008). Understanding Cross-Cultural Management. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.
Cuno, K. M. (2010). Middle East. Retrieved May 15, 2010, from World Book Advanced: http://0www.worldbookonline.com.darius.uleth.ca/advanced/article?id=ar360160&st=Middle+East
Gerner, D. J., & Schrodt, P. A. (2008). Middle Eastern Politics. In J. Schwedler, & D. J. Gerner, Understanding the Contemporary Middle East
(pp. 85-135). Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc.
King-Irani, L. (2008). Kinship, Class, and Ethnicity. In J. Schwedler, & D. J. Gerner, Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (pp. 309344). Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc.
Manners, I. R., & McKean Parmenter, B. (2008). The Middle East: A Geographic Preface. In J. Schwedler, & D. J. Gerner, Understanding the
Contemporary Middle East (pp. 9-36). Boulder: Lynne Rinner Publishers, Inc.
Robinson, T., Rodrigues, H., Linville, J., & Harding, J. (2006). World Relgions: A Guide to the Essentials. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers,
Inc.
Spellberg, D. A. (2005). Gale Virtual Reference Library. Retrieved May 15, 2010, from Gale Virtual Reference Library: http://0go.galegroup.com.darius.uleth.ca/ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=GVRL&userGroupName=let
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&con
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Harris, P. R., Moran, R. T., & Moran, S. V. (2004). Managing Cultural Differences. Ansterdam: Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann.
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Laroche, L., & Boulby, M. (2001, January). Doing Business in the Arab World. CMA Management , pp. 53-54.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bspFbFytR
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