The Communication Style In Middle East Cultural Studies Essay Free Essay Example

In this chapter, an analysis of the communicating manner of Middle Eastern states will be provided, with peculiar focal point on the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Before analyzing our focal point states, it is interesting to supply an overview of the communicating manner in the Middle East compared to that in the West. Merely after understanding the chief differences between these two parts, can inner differences be explained.

Western ventures every bit good as expat foreign workers that start working in the Middle East face many challenges due to the differences in their communicating manner.

The nature of concern communicating manner is the consequence of the combination of different factors, such as cultural, political, socio-economical and historical features of a state. Some of the chief cultural factors will be hence analysed in the subdivision.

First of all, Middle East states are really high context, intending that people from this part take into consideration all the different facets of a certain event in order to acquire the true apprehension of it.

Hidden significances can be found by analyzing the state of affairs as a whole. This term was coined by Edward Hall ( 1976 ) and positioned in contrast to low-context states, such as USA, in which the significance of words can be taken straight from the message, without the necessity to analyze the whole context. As can be seen subsequently in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia subdivision, the high context feature can besides be associated to the feature of the Arabic linguistic communication as an associatory linguistic communication.

This statement by Hall ( 1976, p. 98 ) efficaciously gives an effectual understand of the significance of high context “ When speaking about something that they have on their heads, a high context person will anticipate his middleman to cognize what ‘s trouble oneselfing him, so that he does n’t hold to be specific. The consequence is that he will speak around and around the point, in consequence seting all the pieces in topographic point except the important 1. Puting it decently — this anchor — is the function of his middleman.

Second, Middle Eastern people tend to put a immense sum of their clip set uping personal relationships and acquiring to better cognize their negotiating parties before really originating the work ( Badawy, 1980 ) . Because of this, making concern in the Middle East normally takes longer than in other states. Personal contacts are considered more of import than processs and standard procedures for concerns. For illustration, originative gross revenues techniques and media advertisement are non as effectual in these states as in Western 1s. Alternatively, concern in the Middle East relies more on the cultivation of single clients and on authorities functionaries ( Badawy, 1980 ) .

Another feature that distinguishes Middle Eastern direction communicating manner from that of the West is related to the perceptual experience of clip and infinite. In-between Eastern states have a chiefly polychronic work manner, they normally engage in multiple activities and ends at the same clip. In the Middle East, clip is an open-ended construct. It is a mixture of past, present and future. The word “ bukra ” ( literally “ tomorrow ” ) that is frequently used in this part refers to the fact that what can non be done today will be done tomorrow and the word “ inshallah ” ( literally “ God willing ” ) underlines that God is in control of clip ( Martin and Chaney, 2006 ) . Therefore, clip is considered to be a flexible construct, being late at meetings and non esteeming purely deadlines is normally non seen as violative behavior. Furthermore, being late could besides be a tactic used by Middle Eastern directors to show their high quality and power over their subsidiaries ( Martin and Chaney, 2006 ) .

Equally far as infinite is concerned, concern conversations in Middle Eastern states normally occur at the same time among different people and in the same office, similar to a unit of ammunition table treatment ( Badawy, 1980 ) .

Having described some of the chief characteristics that characterise the communicating manner of the Middle East, this paper will now concentrate on the two considered states, UAE and Saudi Arabia. The purpose of the two subdivisions is to supply an analysis of the two states in regard to some factors that either separate the Emirati or Saudi communicating manner from the general construct of concern communicating manner in the Middle East or that underline differences between the two parts.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE is a really peculiar Middle Eastern state as we have seen in the old subdivisions.

Equally far as the communicating manner is involved, surveies have shown sound penetrations. On one manus, the high per centum of expatriate workers and western administrations have been act uponing the communicating behavior of Emiratis. Many UAE companies have adapted their norms and communicating manner to fit the Western 1s ( Willemyns et al. , 2011 ) . This has been a progressive procedure, driven by the fact that today more and more exiles work in the UAE and that Emiratis employed in big companies can normally talk fluid English. On the other manus, specific forms of communicating manner can be found within UAE companies. Our chief mention will be the survey performed by Willemyns et Al. ( 2011 ) and described in their research paper “ Communication and Social Identity Dynamics in UAE Organizations ” . The survey was conducted among 192 Emiratis ( 34 adult females ) who worked in different companies in Dubai and were asked to finish a study about their interaction with Western exile co-workers.

However, before continuing with the analysis of the findings, a short overview of the theoretical underpinnings behind them will be provided. More specifically, the societal individuality theory has been considered. This theory proposes that “ one ‘s self-concept is compromised of a personal individuality ( based on idiosyncratic features such as bodily properties, abilities and psychological traits ) and of societal individualities, based on groups ranks ” ( Willemyns et al. , 2011 ) . A certain individual would therefore see themselves as portion of a group ( clique ) and would compare their clique to an foreigner group ( outgroup ) , composed of people that are non portion of the clique ( Williams and Giles, 1996 ) . This theory can hence be used to understand and explicate how the Emiratis interact with their foreign co-workers, whether they relate to them as portion of the clique or the outgroup.

The survey has shown three chief communicating forms.

The first class relates to Interpersonal Control, which refers to the interpersonal control adopted in the interaction of Emirati subjects with their foreign co-workers. This survey has stressed the importance of the “ clique ” dimension to many Emirati employees. In fact, a high per centum of them feel that they are perceived by their colleagues as belonging to the same group, on an just degree. Furthermore, Emiratis attempt to understand the individual person when they interact with their colleagues instead than sorting them as portion of a stereotyped cultural outgroup. Examples of this perceptual experience are related to non-work and friendship function relationship, similar values and interpersonal similarities. In a broader sense of the individualisation procedure merely described, Condon and Yousef ( 1975 ) have highlighted the difference between individuality, which indicates independency from the group, and individualism, which relates to the freedom of an person to move, “ individualism refers to the individual ‘s freedom to move otherwise within the bounds set by the societal construction ” ( Condon and Yousef,1975 ) . Therefore, in this specific instance, the survey refers more to individualism than to individuality of Emiratis. This sense of individualism can besides be traced in the Quran where an person ( a prophesier ) would travel against his group in order to proclaim his religion and belief in God. Therefore, for Arab people and in this specific instance, for Emiratis, single self-respect and honor are highly of import. ( Ayish, 2003 ) . Therefore, if on one manus the belonging to ingroup is an indispensable portion for Emiratis, on the other manus, the person as a alone individual is extremely respected. This fact shows that it is likely excessively simplistic sing Emiratis as a collectivized civilization ( Zaharna, 2009 ) .

The 2nd class analysed is discourse direction, which refers to the ability of a individual in making written and unwritten texts. In the specific instance, we consider discourse direction in relation to conversations held at work between Emiratis and their Western opposite numbers. Equally far as discourse direction is concerned, the clique and outgroup sides seem to be balanced. More specifically, if on one manus, some Emiratis perceive high cultural difference with their co-workers, for illustration they feel their thoughts are non listened to nor understood, on the other manus, some other Emiratis express an unfastened, crystalline and efficient communicating procedure. Significant illustrations of this facet are related to the willingness or involuntariness of co-workers to listen and pass on or to take part in little talk and self-disclosure. Small negotiations are defined by DeVito ( 2001 ) as short conversations typically used to “ interrupt the ice ” between people. They are besides defined pathic communicating, term that was coined by the anthropologist Malinowsky ( 1923 ) and refers to short treatments of low information content that are used to construct and keep relationships, to “ salvaging face ” issues.

Finally, a balance can besides be found in the last class, face issues. Emiratis value face-to-face communicating as an of import characteristic. Face-to-face communicating could take to both positive effects, for illustration a foreign co-worker showing expressed congratulations, praises and encouragement and negative effects, for case by abashing in public an Emirati, through unfavorable judgment and negative feedback and by inquiring inappropriate inquiries such as inquiries related to married womans and or sisters.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

In this subdivision, an analysis of some interesting factors that shape the concern communicating manner in Saudi Arabia will be provided.

First of wholly, the environment extremely influences the communicating manner of Arab states. In peculiar, Ali ( 1990 ) underlines how Arab people are subjected to act in different ways depending on the features of the environment in which they are and have relationship with. More specifically, in an autocratic environment, an Arab tends to be conservative, dependent on governments and on higher position people and choruss from argument and treatments ( Ali and Hayward, 1993 ) . In Saudi Arabia, the communicating manner is more indirect and conservative compared to the communicating manner of other Mideastern such as the Emiratis due to their stricter environment. Furthermore, Saudis show a higher turning away of public struggle and unfavorable judgment, preferring personal to impersonal processs to decide struggle and one-to-one concern communicating ( Ali, 1995 ) .

Saudi Arabia is the topographic point of birth both of Islam and Arabic. As Arabic is the linguistic communication of the Quran, the spread of Islam to non-Arabic states, such as portion of South Asia, Europe and North Africa, has besides implied the diffusion of Arabic linguistic communication in them ( Hitti, 1970 ; Hourani, 1992 ; Chejne, 1965 ) . However, even though all states in the Middle East have a common heritage in the Arabic linguistic communication, non all of them have employed Arabic as official first linguistic communication.

Arabic is hence one of the most of import factors that influence the communicating manner in Saudi Arabia. Harmonizing to Kabasakal and Bodur ( 2002 ) , the Arabic linguistic communication has a really strong influence on the individuality of an Arabic individual every bit good as on their communicating manner. Arabic manages to develop a feeling of individuality among Arab people that besides has important effects on the communicating manner. In peculiar, the Arabic linguistic communication is really associatory, different illustrations of association can be found within the Arabic linguistic communication and in the Quran ( Zaharna, 2009 ) . Therefore, in order to acquire the true apprehension of a text written in Arabic, the ability to read Arabic is non sufficient ; it is alternatively necessary to understand the different associations among words within a certain context. Likewise, Saudis use an indirect concern communicating manner, where individual words will non likely be of important significance. Harmonizing to Katz ( 2006 ) , a simple word like “ yes ” might intend “ perchance ” and it will be really rare that a Saudi would reply with a direct “ no ” . Alternatively, Saudis value beautiful, elegant rhetoric over concise and accurate communicating. Eloquent people are considered to be more worthy of trust and regard and so they will frequently utilize highly descriptive, affectional and even poetic linguistic communication to pass on their point indirectly. This can frequently do it hard for Westerners to decode the intended message. Furthermore, organic structure linguistic communication and oculus contact is really of import in the Middle East, nevertheless in Saudi Arabia it is more restricted and controlled.

The concluding facet that will be analysed in this subdivision refers to the interaction of Saudis with the foreign corporations and co-workers. Unlike UAE, as seen in subdivision 1.2 where Emiratis have shown a more unfastened, crystalline and positive behavior, Saudi Arabia is a much more conservative and closed society that besides regulates the manner Saudis work with exiles ( Mackey, 1987 ) . Having a local mediator can hence be highly of import for a alien to originate a concern relationship with local people. The mediator will assist supplying the contacts and leveraging on bing relationships. ( Katz, 2006 ) . In fact, as described antecedently, personal relationships are important in Middle East and in this peculiar instance, in Saudi Arabia.