Business Etiquette in Saudi Arabia Introduction Saudi Arabia Is a monarchy In southwestern Asia, and occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula. It Is essential for people doing business In the Kingdom to understand Saudi etiquette and the personal manner In which they conduct business. Preparation, and some basic knowledge of Saudi Arabian business etiquette, can make the difference between successful deal and failed negotiation. To do business in Saudi Arabia, three main factors need to be considered: religion & culture, customs and gender roles.
Business Etiquette Business etiquette: expected behaviors and expectations for individual actions within society, group, or class. Within a place of business, it involves treating coworkers and employer with respect and courtesy in a way that creates a pleasant work environment for everyone. Religion & Culture Business In Saudi Arabia revolves around the religion that rules In the country, Islam. Islam Is a somewhat strict religion that requires an abundance of attention throughout the business day.
Since a majority of business men and woman In Saudi Arabia are Muslim, they plan their business days around things such as prayer times, elisions holidays, and religious values. A devout Muslim prays five times a day. Two prayer times are not scheduled during the work day, but the other three are. In most businesses of Saudi Arabia, a break will be taken at noon, the afternoon, and sunset for everybody in the business to pray. Dawn-to-dusk fasting marks Ramadan, the holiest season of the year. The dates of Ramadan are based on the lunar calendar, so it varies each year.
Date Day Festival Feb. 05, 2012 Sunday Milady Un Nab (birthday Of The Prophet Muhammad) Feb. 09, 2012 Thursday Junk 16, 2012 Saturday Latte AY Mira] July 04, 2012 Wednesday Latte AY Barbara July 20, 2012 Friday Ramadan (start) Gauge 14, 2012 Tuesday Lately AY Sad Gauge 19, 2012 Did-al-fit (end Of Ramadan) cot 25, 2012 Was AY Arafat – Hajj] cot 26, 2012 Did-al-dada Hajji – Islamic New Year NOVO 24, 2012 Day Of Sahara Saudi are prohibited from eating, drinking and smoking from sunrise to sundown, and no more than six hours of work may be conducted daily.
Families break their fasts together at sunset. If one is scheduled to have a meeting in Saudi Arabia they are expected to be aware and considerate of these prayer times and holidays otherwise they are considered as rude and will be declined business. Another factor that differentiates Saudi Arabian business from American business is the language spoken. In Saudi Arabia the native language is Arabic. Fortunately, a majority of businessmen in Saudi Arabia are taught English at an early age so they can conduct business with America.
That being said, it is still very inappropriate and impolite to expect them to speak English rather than their native language, Arabic. When you go to a meeting it is important to greet them in Arabic and learn their values and beliefs on greetings, which will be covered in the portion of overall business etiquette. Another role that plays a huge factor in Saudi Arabian business is family values. It is rare to find a business that is not owned or ran by a central family and passed from generation to generation.
The sanctity of family in Saudi Arabia follows Islamic dictates. Social structure is organized into clans and tribes. Large, extended families live together, and nepotism is encouraged. Family values are thought of very highly and it is important to know that visiting or doing business in Saudi Arabia. Religion, language, and family values are huge roles in Saudi Arabian business and Saudi Arabian culture in general. If one is to do business in Saudi Arabia it is vital that they take these into consideration and respect them to do successful business.
Customs Saudi Arabia is a high-context culture, which heavily relies on communication cues such as body language and eye-contact, tone of voice, and the use of silence. To have a successful business meeting with the Saudi, it is important to understand the etiquette and the customs of how business is conducted. Overall business etiquette in Saudi Arabia is also very important to learn and understand before doing business in Saudi Arabia. They have strict rules and efferent views on business than we do in the U. S..
Some vital etiquette to learn before visiting include: arranging business appointments, business meetings are not on time, business card etiquette, non-verbal communication, expecting lengthy small Business appointments are necessary and should be made in advance (several weeks to one month); however, it may not be the case all the time. Expect some Saudi business executives and government officials to be disinclined to settle on a meeting date until you have actually arrived in the country. Few key points to remember when scheduling appointments: 1) Business days are from Saturday to Wednesday.
Friday is the Muslim holy day and Thursday is official rest day; therefore, business is not conducted. 2) Generally their office hours are 0900-1300 and 1630-2000. Mornings are usually the best time of the day. 3) Take in the consideration of the five daily prayer times and Ramadan and Hajj] religious holidays. (Gorily, 2007) Once the dates are confirmed, prior to your departure, a Saudi sponsor is required to be admitted in Saudi Arabia. The reason behind this is “To protect this holy land from non-Muslims, Saudi Arabia only allows Muslims to enter the country without a sponsor” (p. 77), according to Morrison (2012). A daunting thought is that once you’ve set foot in the holy land, you will need a sponsor’s permission (“A Get Out of Jail Free” card) to return to your country. Additionally, she mentioned, “There have been occasional incidents in which, because of a business disagreement, a foreign executive has been detained” (Morrison, 2012, p. 177). Although foreigners are expected to be punctual, business meetings do not start on time. Schedules are flexible so be aware that meetings will be abruptly cancelled or stones with (or without) short notice.
Refrain from displaying anger or being impatient since it’s a custom to keep foreigners waiting. Exchanging business cards are common but not essential in Saudi Arabia. If you plan on handing out your business cards, ensure that English is printed on one side and Arabic (translated correctly) on the other, illustrated below. Business cards are always presented and received with your right hand; never with your left hand since it’s considered unclean. Pork and pig products are also considered unclean and prohibited in their customs; therefore, avoid carrying any equines cards in pigskin wallet or cardholder (Morrison & Conway, 2012, p. 74). In Saudi Arabia, the communication is indirect and high context; meaning they rely mainly on body language and non-verbal cues. Westerners may often feel frustrated and confused if they are unaware of this communication style. Shaving face is crucial, in any situation, by not causing embarrassment, discomfort, or “loss of face. ” For that reason, the following protocol should be considered when conversing with the Saudi: Maintaining a direct eye-contact shows respect and helps to develop trust.
Saudi Arabia people will stand closer together, two feet or less apart, during the conversation. Backing away from your Saudi Arabian counterparts will signal you are uncomfortable around them (Katz, 2010). Silence is frequently used for contemplation. Also it is another way to convey negative messages in business meetings. A direct “no” is rarely used. Additionally, avoid using your left hand since it is considered unclean. Use your right your shoes and feet to be unclean as well; therefore they should not be exposed to others, especially when crossing your legs, or be used to touch someone.
Before the actual business meetings and negotiations begin, initial meetings are conducted to establish a personal, long-term relationship between your prospective counterparts and you; not between the two companies. The concept of “time is money’ does not apply in their customs; instead, small talks are carried out over tea and coffee at a leisurely pace. Patience is a virtue as these meetings are long in duration with inquiries about your health, family, and other personal questions. Asking about Saudi wife or daughter is discourteous.
Football (soccer), car racing, camel racing, and hunting are among popular conversation topic. Even though these meetings consume great deal of time and energy, it can lead to a serious business negotiation and even win their loyalty. Until the trusting relationship is established with the Saudi businessmen, business meetings are not private and frequently interrupted. You may be completely ignored or asked to start your presentation from the beginning because of someone new came on board; regardless, keep your composure. Don’t think the decision maker is the one who asks all the questions.
The actual decision maker, likely the elderly Saudi, could be the observer in the meeting and does not participate in the discussions. Gender Roles It has been mentioned earlier that Saudi Arabia is predominantly a Muslim country, with the official religion being Islam. Coupled with Islam is Quern which is the holy book of the people and considered to be the constitution of the country. In many Islamic societies men and women are separate in the public eye. Women make up 70% of those enrolled in universities; however, they make up only 5% of the working population. Quintessential. Com) Men control most of work place as well as management positions. Women are not permitted to work unless explicit consent of her guardian (husband) is given. Women are also not permitted to work with other men, they may work only in female working environment. The few women that are in the workplace are in the education sector. A women’s Job is not to interfere with her work at home under any circumstances. Women are also not permitted to travel for work without a close male relative acting as an escort.
Women are not allowed to drive a car, which greatly affects their ability to get to work. Reasons for this are: Driving a car may lead women to have interaction with non-Markham males ( anyone who the women are not allowed to marry and is of the opposite sex, and eve reached puberty). Women driving cars will lead to overcrowded streets which will deprive men the opportunity to drive. In recent months, King Abdullah bin Abdullah AY Saudi has taken some small steps toward social reform, which has angered the kingdom’s powerful fundamentalist.
The small steps taken by the King include: granting women the right to vote and stand for office in local elections starting 201 5; banishing the hard-line chief of the replace men as sales clerks in lingerie shops and cosmetics shops. (Facto: Women’s rights ). Even though the King initiated the reform, it was followed by a lengthy list of extractions. Examples: Women and girls are generally forbidden to leave home, travel outside the country, work, study, marry, file a court case or seek medical care without being accompanied by a male guardian, such as husband, father, brother, son.
Women are also forbidden from opening bank accounts for their children, enrolling them in school or traveling with them without written permission from their father. In addition, a strict separation of men and women in all public places, which reduces women’s employment opportunities and access to some government agencies. Saudi public universities exclude women and girls from some academic disciplines, such as political science, engineering and architecture, and some do not admit women at all etc (Facto:Women’s rights).
Saudi Arabia is so committed to its policy of segregating the genders that it is going to build an entire city Just for women to work in all by themselves. “The women – only industrial city, to be built within the Eastern Province city of Hoff, is Just the first of what could be many zones that the Gulf Kingdom aims to create in order to maintain gender segregation while still getting the maximum bevel of production out of it’s educated female population, 57 percent of which would like very much to achieve financial independence through their careers. ” (Workplace segregation). This chart presents fugues from 2007 for the countries in the Gulf region (except Iraq where data was unavailable). The Female Labor Force Participation Rate range from 15 % in Saudi-Arabia and United Arab Emirates to 29% in Iran, which is still considerably lower than the observed 45% in the COED countries. ” (Female Labor Force Participation). In many ways, Saudi Arabia remains sensitive region in terms of economy, religion ND culture. In conclusion, understanding the etiquette and customs is essential in leading to a successful business negotiation and, most importantly, a personal longer relationship in Saudi Arabia.
