My intention in writing this book was to help people avoid the pitfalls and all the stress and frustration that comes when working with a different culture. It hasn’t been an easy task – finding the balance between the “general” and the “specific”, while not falling into the trap of over simplifying matters, was a challenge. And of course, as an Arab myself, I had to make sure that I did not end up romanticising my own culture.
This is not a list of dos and don’ts; this is an in-depth, practical dive into Arab culture.
This book is a practical map that will help non-Arabs understand the people and demystify the culture of the Arab world – the beliefs, values and social structures that determine the way business is conducted and how things are done.
So throughout writing this book I strived to be honest and authentic, and to ensure that it remains a useful practical guide, I have included many interviews with business people, diplomats and expats from all over the world speaking about their own experiences of working with Arab culture.”