Putting Arab Culture into Context

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If the word 'contextual' was invented to describe one particular culture, the Arabs would certainly compete closely with the Chinese

Arabs are highly sensitive to the circumstances that surround any particular event. They are more likely to show flexibility, be intuitive and be more tolerant of uncertainty in relation to their European counterparts. This, unfortunately means there are fewer hard and fast rules in the Arab book of culture.

'Inshaalah' is a phrase that Muslims and Arabs frequently use and it reflects deep-rooted beliefs on pre-destination and fatalism. Literally translated, 'Inshaalah' means God-willing. Taken in its everyday use, or abuse, it could mean 'yes' or 'no' and it could mean 'leave it with me', 'can we talk about this on another occasion' or 'please drop the subject'. It is a highly contextual phrase and its precise meaning will depend on the request or issue being discussed, the relationships between the individuals involved, power distance and naturally body language and intonation. It is thus no wonder that it defeats those unfamiliar with the complexities of negotiating and communicating with Arabs!

Do's and taboos is another area where there are few absolute truths in the Arab culture. Take for instance the commonly given advice to accept coffee offered by Arab hosts, always shake hands with Arabs, actively engage in pleasantries and small talk, show patience before launching into business and avoid paying personal compliments. Whilst all of this is generally true, there are many circumstances where shaking hands becomes impractical or undesirable, paying compliments is expected and refusing coffee is a sign of dissatisfaction. In this respect, relationships, gender and age are some of the factors that can play havoc in defining correct and incorrect behaviour.

Contracts and procedures represent the ultimate relative tools in the Arab culture. It is difficult to ignore the fact that the Arab motto runs along the lines of 'for our friends we interpret the law, for our enemies we apply the law'. Words such as 'Waasta' and 'Ma'rifa' which mean meditation tend to be quickly picked up by newcomers.

Perhaps in conclusion there is only one hard and fast rule in the Arab book of culture - always consider the context of your words and actions.

Dr Jehad Al-Omari is a management consultant and a leading cross-cultural expert on the Arab World. He works as a consultant, trainer, researcher and facilitator for a wide range of international companies in the United Kingdom, Europe and the Arab World. In addition, Dr Al-Omari has developed a number of successful training programmes on the subject of cross-cultural awareness and management. He regularly delivers training workshops on 'Working effectively with Arab cultures' on behalf of Farnham Castle.