SAUDI ARABIA

Cultural Differences of

MOTAZ HAJAJ &Charis Intercultural Training

Culture as an IcebergMany cultural differences are obvious, while others are rooted deeply within.

SEX ROLES

MUSIC & ART GIFT GIVING

BUSINESS PRACTICES

GESTURES

LANGUAGE

DRESS

FOOD & DININGPERSONAL SPACE

HOLIDAYS

COMMUNICATION STYLES

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

TIME ORIENTATION

ASSUMPTIONS & ATTITUDES DECISION-MAKING METHODS

PERCEPTION OF SOCIETAL LAWS

LEARNING STYLES

VALUES, BELIEFS & NORMS

HIGH CONTEXT VS.

LOW CONTEXTCommunication Styles

High Context Low Context

Different levels of rank or position are respected at a meeting, with junior employees rarely speaking up

Negative feedback can be quite direct

Resources such as a help desk or internet browser are the first place to go to have a question answered

Business plans are introduced with market research, rational logic, or facts to interest the listener

Everyone at a meeting is expected to contribute by speaking up, regardless of status, gender or seniority

Before a mid-level manager can commit, he must go through many layers of gaining permission, approvals and building consensus.

When a person wants to say “no” to refuse work or decline an invitation, but feels it will hurt the relationship, he can say “yes,” “I’ll try,” suggest an alternative or remain silent

High Context

Taking the time to get to know someone allows effective communication.

Overt conflict is avoided.

When you have spoken the word,it reigns over you.

When it is unspoken,you reign over it.

Saudi Proverb

MONOCHRONICVS.

POLYCHRONICAttitudes Toward Time

Monochronic Polychronic

For an 8:00 meeting, they arrive at 7:55 and wait for others to arrive

Family and friends are asked to use their influence to find jobs

Meetings and business lunches do not have fixed beginning or ending times

Decisions take a long time, but that doesn’t cause impatience because the stakeholders have a very long term view.

When interrupted, they stop what they are doing to help the person right away

When interrupted, they check the time and schedule a time to talk later

When they know they can’t make the deadline, they give their boss as much notice as possible.

When they can’t meet a deadline, they work long hours and may not finish on time.

People extend themselves to do favors, pay for things or help a person because they believe it will increase their network.

To show their integrity when borrowing something or receiving a favor, the item is returned as soon as possible.

INDIVIDUALISMVS.

COLLECTIVISMView of Identity

Collectivism- Family Comes First

The importance of relationships in Saudi Arabia cannot be overstated.

Belonging to a group (or tribe) is a matter of economic and social survival.

Loyalty to family takes precedence over personal needs.

POWERDISTANCE

View of Authority

Power & Hierarchy

Most of the Arab world has:• An unequal distribution

of power• A low degree of

disagreement with authority

• Class differentiation based on position

• A tendency for autocratic decision-making

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Motaz HajajChess Tag

motaz@chesstag.com

United States

Marian Stetson-RodriguezCharis Intercultural Training

info@chariscorp.com

@motazhajaj

THANKYOU

Information in this presentation is based on Edward T. Hall’s Key Cultural Factors