How do you write an email to an Arab colleague to get a reply? Is it okay to invite a colleague to lunch? How late is too late and impolite? These and many other questions are answered in Part II quide.
- Culture ID
How do you write an email to an Arab colleague to get a reply? Is it okay to invite a colleague to lunch? How late is too late and impolite? These and many other questions are answered in Part II quide.
The UAE attracts business people from all over the world. Since we don’t live in a universal society, a lot of important information gets lost in translation. Read the guide on how to understand your Arabic colleagues at a glance.
Use the theory of social capital and the theory of communication culture discussed by top researchers from the best universities in the world, such as the University of Lancaster.
American sociologist Alejandro Portes characterises it as the ability to “to secure benefits through membership in social networks or social structures.” Put simply, social capital is about norms of trust and co-operation. It is deeply rooted in people’s cultural values.
🌟 Time to apply the theory of the six handshakes. If you want to get to know an interesting, high-ranking person from the Middle East, it might be wise to find their colleagues or relatives who work in the same industry but do not hold the same high position.
🌟 The first quality a person should show is reliability. The feeling of mistrust is the biggest warning sign, said Arij Hilal, Country Manager at Gen Re. “Business here is about personal relationships, trust and also honour,” adds expert.
🌟Promotions are based on the result of a person’s work, and honesty is one of the most important factors that are taken into account, summarises Mr Hilal.
It is also important to realise that Arabic culture is a context-rich culture. This means that it is not common for people from the Middle East to speak straightforwardly and explicitly say “no”, for example. Read more in our guide on investment culture.
When doing business in the high-context culture, one always has to keep track of important celebrations that might hinder the speed of communication.
“At the beginning of Ramadan, we usually send out a digital card to a very wide audience, to your friends, colleagues, business partners,” said Shahriar Nasseri, a businessman who works at the DIFC.
Other important dates include the Islamic New Year, the Prophet Mohammad’s birthday and the UAE National Day (2 December), Mr Nasseri said. The dates of many Islamic holidays are linked to the lunar calendar (or Hijri)
note about the last one: flowers are acceptable gifts for men and women on birthdays, Mother’s Day, Women’s Day and Father’s Day, Mr Nasseri noted.
There are no “inappropriate” flowers in particular. However, Mr Nasseri believes that red roses are inappropriate to give to anyone except the person you are romantically involved with.
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