UAE - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

115 Pages·2018·3.07 MB·English

by  John Walsh

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For more information contact Kuperard publishers at the address below.
ISBN 978 1 85733 874 4
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue entry for this book is available from the British Library First published in Great Britain
by Kuperard, an imprint of Bravo Ltd
59 Hutton Grove, London N12 8DS
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
www.culturesmart.co.uk
Inquiries: [email protected]
Series Editor Geoffrey Chesler
Design Bobby Birchall
Printed in India
Cover image: Aerial view of downtown Dubai. © iStock.
Images on these pages are reproduced under the following licenses: Images on pages 89; 105; 149 ©
Shutterstock.
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Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic: 38 © Chatham House c/o:Suzanne Plunkett; 49 ©yeowatzup;
65 © Chatham House; 76 © EVO. from UAE; 109 © Mary Paulose
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(www.flickr.com/people/75062596@N00) from London, United Kingdom.
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About the Author
JESSICA HILL is a freelance journalist. A graduate in Contemporary History
from the University of Sussex, she went on to complete a NCTJ diploma in
newspaper journalism at the University of Brighton. In 2011 she moved to Abu
Dhabi where she wrote for the UAE’s most popular English newspaper, The
National. Today she lives in Colchester, UK, and remains a regular contributor
to The National newspaper, returning to the UAE frequently for assignments.
JOHN WALSH is Assistant Professor in Marketing and Communication at
Shinawatra University in Bangkok, Thailand. His doctorate, from the University
of Oxford, was for research on international management. He has written
extensively for learned journals, contributed to a number of encyclopedias,
undertaken media and consultancy work, and also been widely published in non-
academic fields. Having lived and worked in Sudan, Greece, South Korea,
Australia, and the United Arab Emirates, he now lives in Bangkok.
The Culture Smart! series is continuing to expand. All Culture Smart! guides are available as e-
books, and many as audio books.
For latest titles visit
www.culturesmart.co.uk
The publishers would like to thank CultureSmart!Consulting for its help in researching and developing
the concept for this series.
CultureSmart!Consulting creates tailor-made seminars and consultancy programs to meet a wide range
of corporate, public-sector, and individual needs. Whether delivering courses on multicultural team
building in the USA, preparing Chinese engineers for a posting in Europe, training call-center staff in
India, or raising the awareness of police forces to the needs of diverse ethnic communities, it provides
essential, practical, and powerful skills worldwide to an increasingly international workforce.
For details, visit www.culturesmartconsulting.com
CultureSmart!Consulting and CultureSmart! guides have both contributed to and featured regularly in
the weekly travel program “Fast Track” on BBC World TV.
contents
Map of the UAE
Introduction
Key Facts
Chapter 1: LAND AND PEOPLE
• Geography
• Climate
• Rain
• The Environment
• The People
• The Importance Of Tribe
• A Brief History
• Sheikh Zayed
• Modern Times
• Government And Politics
• The Sheiks
• The Federal Supreme Council
• The Courts
• International Affiliations
• The Economy
• Government Generosity
• Treatment Of Foreign Workers
• The Quandary Of Long-term Expatriates
• The Contrast Between Old And New In Dubai
Chapter 2: VALUES AND ATTITUDES
• The Bubble Mentality
• Status And Social Structure
• Family
• Arab Pride
• Charity
• Religion
• Attitudes Toward Women
• Marriage
• Insha’allah
• Backhand Economy
• Wasta
• Tolerance And Prejudice
• Sense Of Humor
Chapter 3: CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
• Falconry
• Calendars
• Holidays
• Ramadan
• Eid Al-fitr
• Other Religious Holidays
• New Year
• Other Celebrations
• Local Customs And Folklore
• Traditional Emirati Dancing
Chapter 4: MAKING FRIENDS
• Attitudes Toward Foreigners
• Greetings
• Hospitality
• Invitations Home
• Manners
Chapter 5: THE EMIRATIS AT HOME
• The Household
• Family Life
• Childhood
• Education
• Daily Life
• Clothes
• Henna
• Family Occasions
• The Importance Of Scent In Emirati Culture
Chapter 6: TIME OUT
• Shopping
• Cultural Activities
• Eating Out
• Nightclubs And Bars
• Sports
• Out Of Town
Chapter 7: TRAVEL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY
• Roads And Traffic
• Where To Stay
• Health
• Safety
Chapter 8: BUSINESS BRIEFING
• The Business Landscape
• The Local Business Community
• Business Culture
• Business Ethics
• Business Etiquette
• Presentations
• Negotiations
• Contracts
• Meetings
• Dealing With The Government
• Women In The Workplace
• Economic Free Zones
Chapter 9: COMMUNICATING
• The Communications Revolution
• Social Media
• The Media
• Conclusion
Further Reading
Map of the UAE