Introduction
Culture is one aspect of business that is ignored by many people wishing to conduct business on the international scene. Studying and understanding the cultures of various nations would be beneficial to international business people since they can compare opportunities and make informed choices.
This paper will conduct a review to provide an insight into the culture of the United Arab Emirates and how it impacts the local and international business. Various dimensions and elements of behavior will be discussed. Specifically, the behavior elements such as communication, dressing patterns, personal grooming, and expression of emotions will be reviewed.
Behavior of women in UAE
Dress code is an important custom in the UAE. Women need to have a head scarf, especially when visiting rural areas. Shorts, tight pants, sleeveless and short sleeved tops should be avoided. Women should try and dress as close as possible to the locals. The locals value marriage greatly and it is important for married women to travel with their rings on or for the single to have some form of wedding band to avoid stingy questions.
Before taking photographs, it is important to ask for permission. Same group of religious women believes that taking their photo is taking their soul. The UAE is characterized by women street vendors and to avoid being harassed or embarrassed, individuals should speak as few words as possible such as “no, thank you”.
In some regions, men and women interact from a distance and hence foreign females should be cautious about touching their UAE male business partners unless they stretch their hand first. Women are well groomed and very polite to strangers in the streets and other social places. Women rarely talk in the company of a man.
Behavior of men
Men in the UAE dress in long robes and wear the Arafat garment around their necks. Men are also permitted to wear trousers and not cover their faces. Married men are expected to speak first and his position of authority cannot be challenged. Men in the UAE are more dominating and have the responsibility of taking care of their families.
Basically, men in the UAE often greet people with a handshake and are expected to look into the eyes of the person they are interacting with. Besides, men use commanding voice when communicating and are very physical in displaying dissatisfaction.
Behavior between men and women
During an invitation in the UAE, it is important to note that nothing is expected of the guest. It is the responsibility of the host to foot all the bills for drinks, snacks and meals that may be offered (Culture of the United Arab Emirates, 2013). In the UAE, handshake and smile depend on one’s religion. For the residents of the UAE, it is dependent on whether they are secularists, traditionalists or religious. A pat on the back from a native of the UAE during conversations or negotiations may mean waiting for a while.
A misplaced eye contact and grins on strangers may provoke some natives of the UAE who may then ask who you are instead of saying “hi”. Religious neighborhoods in the UAE call for respectable dress codes. Individuals should be ready to adjust their dress codes depending on where they visit. In addition, religious neighborhoods have strict gender interaction rules. For instance, the most common sight is minimal contact between the two sexes (Morrison, 2003).
For more local and less exposed UAE business people, they will stand in close proximity to their business partner and are generally less formal. They may take a phone call during serious business meetings, are emotional and may shout during negotiations. The UAE residents are also known for asking very personal questions such as marital status, income earned or age.
Such queries may easily offend sensitive business partners. The UAE residents are also known to be less strict time keepers. The arrival of a foreign business person on time is a sign of respect but a UAE partner would be allowed 15-20 minutes after the starting time.
In the UAE, religion is greatly valued and individuals are so attached and loyal to their various religious affiliations. The UAE is, therefore, an Arabic nation whence most operations are conducted based on Arabic values and beliefs. It is also interesting to note that religion connects individuals with the legal system. Various laws that govern social structures such as marriage and divorce are defined based on the religious affiliation (Morrison, 2003).
Apart from the laws, religion plays a great role in defining social cohesion in the UAE. There is a noticeable separateness between the majority Islamic group and the minority groups such as Christians. The majority group centers its affairs around Islamic faith while the minority groups seem to be detached from the state (United Arab Emirates: Countries and cultures, 2012). There is a need to be highly innovative so as to obtain customers based on competitiveness.
Conclusion
Conclusively, a foreign business person has to familiarize himself and respect local practices such as dress code and other mannerisms. There can be incidences of discrimination based on behavior; hence, one should be ready to encounter such.
References
Culture of the United Arab Emirates. (2013). Web.
Morrison, T. (2003). Doing business in the Middle East: Customs and culture. Web.
United Arab Emirates: Countries and cultures. (2012). Web.