THE UNITED ARAB

EMIRATES
Tyler Dreben, Murooj Al-Bahrani, Munira AlMaskery, Edward Banuet

5 Dimensions Of Culture

Brief History

Location on the map

Flag
The 7 emirates:
1. Abu Dhabi
2. Dubai
3. Ajman
4. Fujairah
5. Ras al-Khaimah
6. Sharjah
7. Umm al-Quwain
President is part of a Royal
Family, a Monarchy.
Islamic country
Arabic is the official language

Gender Roles
-

The U.A.E is the most gender

equal country in the region
66% of the workforce in the
public sector are women
Women are encouraged to be
successful
More women than men enroll
university
95% literacy rate of both men
and women

Women are of equal status as men

Greetings

Acknowledge and greet the most senior person in

the room first
Its appropriate for non-Muslims to greet their
Arab hosts with assalamu alaikum, which
means peace be upon you .
return the greeting with wa alaikum assalam,
meaning peace be upon you, too.
Man to a Man, handshakes are always expected
and can last a long time.
Woman to woman, a kiss on the left cheek is
acceptable.

Body Language

Closer interaction with one another with touching (men only)

Always maintain eye contact (Trustworthy)

Use right hand, avoid using left it is viewed as something only used
for personal hygiene

It is seen as impolite to sit cross-legged and the sole of your foot

pointing toward someone's face

Avoid gesticulating (Pointing of fingers is seen as rude)

National Dress and Appropriate Dress

Agal

Shallah

Gatra

Kandoora

Abaya

Gift-Giving Traditions
Due to religion and cultural reasons:
Avoid gifts containing
- Alcohol or pork
- Gold or silk for men
Note: platinum could be mistaken for white gold

Silver is acceptable
Perfume is acceptable

Time Structure
Typical Business Hours
Sunday - Thursday
Friday off due to the Friday prayers
8:00 A.M. -1:00 P.M.
4:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.

Decision Making Traditions

Leader-centric
Top-down
Subordinates expect clear goals and
information
Business meetings last longer than
time set
Not all agenda topics covered
Deviation from agenda is common
Interruptions are common and
acceptable

Meals and Dining Etiquette

-

Avoid pork or alcohol especially in

business meetings

Eat with your right hand

Avoid noise when chewing

Leave utensils facing upward when done

Attitude Toward Authority

Throughout the Arab world, authority is generally related to age and sex.
Arabs tend to associate age with experience and wisdom.
Head of the family or clan is normally the oldest male.
When he dies or becomes incapacitated, his place will likely be taken by his
oldest son or one of his brothers.
Arab society is dominated by males at least in public.

Attitude Toward Conflict Resolution

Governed by the UAE Federal Constitution

The UAE has a civil law system and the primary sources laws are the
statutory codes enacted by the Supreme Council of the Federation.
Statutory codes govern civil and commercial relations across the UAE
Shariah law is used by local courts
Most international business conflicts are settled through arbitration

Investing in Abu Dhabi, Partnering with the World

GE and Mubadala Development Company, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, announced

a framework agreement on a global partnership encompassing a broad range of
initiatives including commercial finance, clean energy research and development,
aviation, industry and corporate learning.

Works Cited

"Business Etiquette Around the World: United Arab Emirates." On Call International Blog, 25 June 2014. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

Riel, Bob. This Article Is One of a Series of Cultural Context Profiles That Was Written for an Eaton Consulting Group Newsletter.
(n.d.): n. pag.Bobriel.com. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

"United Arab Emirates." Cultural Worldview and Business Practices. IOR Global Services, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

Watkins, Latham And. Doing Business in the United Arab Emirates. New York: Price Waterhouse, 1997. Lw.com. Copyright 2011
Latham & Watkins. All Rights Reserved., 2011. Web. 7 Apr. 2016.

Dresser, Norine. Multicultural Manners: Essential Rules of Etiquette for the 21st Century. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons, 2005.
Print.