As Westerners, we are accustomed to a certain way of life and culture. What we believe and how we act are determined in part by our history. Religion, though still divisive, is a personal choice as per our Constitution, and there is a separation of church and state. Therefore, it can be difficult for us to understand the nations and leadership styles in the Middle East as they are guided by religion in all things. However we should keep in mind that prior to modern governments and the separation of church and state, this was the norm in the Western world as well (PSU WC, 2020). The religion that ties the Middle East, Islam, is a way of life (PSU WC, 2020). Therefore, in order to successfully interact with business leadership in the Middle East, we need to understand what drives them.
There are sixteen best practices for management in Islam that can contrast greatly with our own beliefs on management (Moran, Abramson and Moran, 2014). The main difference can be identified in the first and second qualities of a good manager respectively: “Work as an act of worship”, and “fulfill all contracts” (Moran, Abramson and Moran, 2014). Because Islam defines taking care of one’s family as a duty, working is viewed as an act of worship of God (Moran, Abramson and Moran, 2014). Islam also requires that contractual obligations are always fulfilled, so there in no arguing about terms after a contract is executed (Moran, Abramson and Moran, 2014). In contrast, work is not an act of worship for Westerners. It is common for us to engage legal assistance after contracts have been executed due to disputes in terms of the Agreement or how the Agreement was meant to be understood (Moran, Abramson and Moran, 2014).
The brotherhood concept of Islam requires that every Muslim look after his brothers and sisters (Moran, Abramson and Moran, 2014). Therefore, it is understandable that Islam promotes altruism rather than self-interested management styles (Moran, Abramson and Moran, 2014). Best practices in management that can relate to the Islamic brotherhood tenant are to be just and build trust (Moran, Abramson and Moran, 2014). Being just includes dealing fairly with others, including subordinates (Moran, Abramson and Moran, 2014). Building trust means that management should focus on honesty, integrity and reliability as “Subordinates will be angry if treated unjustly” (Moran, Abramson and Moran, 2014). Therefore, it is important for Westerners doing business with Muslims to also be just and trustworthy in order to establish rapport. Deviation from these principles can potentially break down communication and trust with Muslim business partners since they may interpret dishonesty and unjust practices as evil (Moran, Abramson and Moran, 2014).
In conclusion, in order to create productive business relationships with leadership in the Middle East, we must understand their behaviors and what drives them. As a way of life, Islam guides Muslims in all they do, including business and leadership (PSU WC, 2020). Understanding this is the first step in developing successful strategies to engage with leadership in the Middle East. Westerners should remember to keep promises, build trust and act fairly in order to build strong business relationships with leadership in the Middle East.
References
Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences (9th ed.). Oxford: Routledge.
PSU WC: Pennsylvania State University World Campus. (2020). OLEAD 410 Lesson 07: The Middle East: Focus on Saudi Arabia. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2041071/modules/items/27977855
I agree with your statement, as Westerners, we are accustomed to a certain way of life and culture. What we believe and how we act are determined in part by our history. You also mentioned a great point that we should keep in mind that prior to modern governments and the separation of church and state, this was the norm in the Western world as well . I have been able to experience the culture first hand and I cant help but to wonder, are we really that different? I enjoyed the examples that you provided especially the contractual one. I am a DoD sponsored contractor and we often visit that nation for contract negotiations. It is because if their faith, their word is their bond. Something that is very different from the western culture.
Altruism refers to behavior that benefits another individual at a cost to oneself. Recent work suggests that humans behave altruistically because it is emotionally rewarding. However, The American Psychological Association states that, it is unclear whether this is a universal explanation for altruism because previous studies were almost exclusively conducted in North American societies. Perhaps If they would have conducted research in countries where altruism is practiced, we could have a better understanding.
Reference:
(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/pubs/highlights/peeps/issue-48