This presentation will identify and develop skills that will enable you to effectively pursue business in Arab countries of the Middle East and North Africa.

1. © Jean AbiNader
jean@jeanabinader.com
Doing Business in the Arab World
Protocols and Considerations to Bridge the
Cultural Divide

2. Program Objective
To identify and develop skills that will enable you to
effectively pursue business in Arab countries of the
Middle East and North Africa.

3. The Arab World
Members of the Arab League

4. Why Does It Matter?
We assume that to function effectively, work
values are uniform across cultures. Yet, as we
globalize, we see this isn’t the case: others do
not necessarily have the same mindsets when it
comes to aligning work and cultural values.

5. How This Will Help
This presentation goes to the heart of
operating in Arab countries—what they
value, what you need to know, and how to
work effectively in this cultural environment.

6. This Presentation Features
Exercises
Learn by Doing

7. Three Key Domestic
Issues in Arab Nations

8. 1
Economic Transformation
Arab economies are undergoing
transformations required to compete in the
global economy.

9. Economic Transformation (cont.)
Diversification of the economy, market-oriented
reforms, reducing and changing the role of
governments, increased transparency, and
spreading wealth opportunities are several of the
most critical changes needed.

10. The role of the private sector is growing and
maturing. Private-public partnerships and a
variety of financing mechanisms make it clear
that the roles of governments are changing.
2
Private Sector Growth

11. Changing demographics are impacting national labor/
privatization goals. Educated young people, men and
women, do not yet have the skill sets needed to compete
and function effectively as employees and/or entrepreneurs.
3
Demographic Change

12. Create jobs
Broaden opportunities
Change without severe dislocation
Diminish state ownership and management
Integrate women into workforce
Match jobs and skills (role of expats)
Improve transparency
Domestic Imperatives

13. Increase opportunities for youth, women,
marginalized, entrepreneurs
Achievement should have long-term, positive
consequences—change lives
Upgrade learning options to generate competitive
workforce
Restructure job status to consider “careers” and skills
training
Social Concerns

14. Assume similar values around workplace
Verbal language—multiple meanings
Nonverbal language and cues differ
Tendency to evaluate to “our” standards
Stereotypes, preconceptions
Emotions/high anxiety
Stumbling Blocks to Communication
Between Arabs and Others

15. Characteristics of Arab Cultures that
Impact Business
Survival Mentality
Loyalty/Reciprocity Souk Mentality
Intention vs. Action Conspiracy Theories

16. Reward loyalty
Increase profits
Provide some worker welfare
Consider the competition
Develop trained cadres
Observe cultural norms
Goals for Managers

17. Reduce risk to employee personal status
Encourage productivity
Reduce conditions for conflict
Control decision-making
Learn from seasoned expats
Goals for Managers

18. Morocco
Tunisia
Jordan
Egypt
Consider Eight Arab Nations
Lebanon
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates
Kuwait

19. Religion
Family
Quality of Work
Job Security
What Values Matter to Arabs
Marriage
Friends
Political Issues
Leisure Time

20. Acquire Basic
Knowledge

21. Think SMART
State and Society – Key Interactions
Muslim – Role of Religion and Minorities
Arab – Language, Culture, History, Community
Rural/Urban – How Cultural Values Developed
Ties that Bind – Valuing Affiliation and Relationships

22. Arab Stereotypes of Westerners
Confident
Boastful
Arrogant
Hardworking
Not Religious/Immoral
Greedy
Lack Family Ties
Wasteful
Always in a Hurry
Anti-Arab and Anti-Muslim

23. Building Relations with Arabs
Learn: about their history, religion, social ties
Reassure: provide support, respect, goodwill
Provide: info on self, family, and your past
Respond: to their concerns
Know: something about the West’s history in the region

24. Building Relations with Arabs (cont.)
Invest: Take time to introduce yourself — “drink tea”
Liaison: Connect with community and others
Ask: About their families, history, challenges
Relate: Politics and religion are not off-limits if respectful

25. Arab Cultural Values Are Changing
It's unclear where Arab society is headed as deep
divisions are emerging around three key areas:
Governance
Economic and political empowerment
Market-oriented education

26. Areas Impacted by
Changing Values
Family ties
Sense of authority
Priorities in relationships
Sense of future opportunities

27. Results of Changing Values
Work and time values are shifting
More emphasis on acquiring skills and careers
Role of religion growing in all aspects of social
and political interaction
Relations shifting across age, gender, and
status differences

28. Learn Key Behaviors
Rituals: Greetings, Meetings, Reports
Do I know the basic do’s and don’ts of communicating in
person and digitally?
Conflict Resolution: Admission, Mediation, Accepting Outcomes
Am I willing to accept new modes of resolving conflict and
seeking support?
Responsibility vs. Accountability
How do I align work and cultural values?

29. Learn Key Behaviors (cont.)
Reality Checking - Am I Being Heard?
How do you get feedback, manage information, recognize
their lack of understanding and why
Managing Multicultural Teams – Respect and Risk-taking
How to determine your go-to person, what are useful group
dynamics, how to define/develop leadership
Identifying/Measuring Desired Outcomes
How is performance defined, what tools work best, can you
explain the non-technical aspects of results

30. Define Effective
Behaviors

31. What Works on the Job?
(Consider the different roles you
may play)
1. When you are the leader
2. When you are a team member
3. When you are outside the team
4. When you are an “outsider”

32. How to Be More Effective
Define challenges that you perceive working and living in
the Arab world, and imagine how you might deal with them.
SITUATION OPTIONS FOR BEHAVIOR

33. © Jean AbiNader
jean@jeanabinader.com
Thank You
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