EFTA00522007.pdf
dataset_9 pdf 1.9 MB • Feb 3, 2026 • 19 pages
Understanding Arabs
(projection — short version)
By Mr. Malek El-Khoury, Glion, July 2, 2019
Contact Inotttut Vita Poetreleu SA. Route
de autt 28 1 23 'ton. Switzerland
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CHE.109.43S 706 TVA
Dugttaly Signed by Phttope NERI
(Quatthed Signaturel
2019.07.03 (wan tune stamp)
I‘,7, .2019 Malek EI.Khoury 8 Institut Villa Piorrefeu SA
EFTA00522007
The Arab world includes 4 regions...
North Africa (5 countries)
The Middle East (5)
The Gulf states (7)
The African states (5)
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
MOROCCO
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EFTA00522008
For Arabs, public is not private
• The attitude of Arabs is rarely the same in public and
in private
• The difference between the public and the private sphere is the
difference between showing and being
• Men are mainly responsible for the public sphere (outside)
• Women are mainly responsible for the private sphere (inside), but it
is changing (mainly in Saudi Arabia)
)1,.I
I' 7 ) O 2019 Malek EI.Khoury & Institut Villa Pierrefeu SA
EFTA00522009
Showing-off is very important...
misplaying wealth inspires confidence
Confidence attracts business and social position
Business and social position are power
• Car
• House
• nress
• Women's jewels
• Standard of living
• «Servants»
• Behaviour
{) 2019 Mal. EI.Khoury & Institut Villa Pierreteu SA
EFTA00522010
Men take care of the public sphere...
Men's responsibilities traditionally are:
• Protection of the group
he belongs to (family, clan, etc.)
• Their place in the society (image)
• Provider of money and has to
assume all financial issues
j) © 2019 Malek EI.Khoury & Institut Villa Pierrefeu SA
EFTA00522011
...while women look for the private sphere
Women's responsibilities are:
• Relations between the people of
the same group and with the
members of other groups
• Education and development of the
children (she prepares them for
their future roles)
• Private matters within the group
(sicknesses, weddings, etc.)
• In general, women are responsible for harmony within
the group
, ) *1.3 .2019 Malek EI.Khoury & Institut Villa Pierreteu SA
EFTA00522012
Western and Arab women
Western Arab world
• Greater freedom and equality • Less freedom, even if becoming
better
• Less respect
• Greater respect
• At home: same rights as outside
• At home: almost absolute power
• Try to convince and prove their
competence • Try to please and seduce
L.
1) 92019 MaInk EI.Khoury & Institut Villa Pierrefeu SA
EFTA00522013
Receptions are key moments for networking
• Most valuable means for maintaining a NETWORK
• Style differs from region to region
• Depend on the place (public or private, house or
flat, etc)
• Depend on the size of the group invited
• Depend on the purpose of the invitation (busi
or entertainment)
• It is mainly woman's responsibility to receive
11 1, ) f•s
t.,
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EFTA00522014
Proper timing for arrival
• It is impolite to arrive on time
• But it is even more impolite to arrive
too late
• The more important you are, the later you
arrive
• It is good to arrive with a gift in your hand, but
not flowers (have to be sent earlier)
• A gift will rarely be opened on the spot, so it is
customary to leave a small note to show who
offered the gift
I, I
,
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EFTA00522015
After receptions...
• The guests should call to thank (normally the
woman's role)
Thank you
• The host calls to thank for the gift For the gift
•• •
• Those chats are essential because they allow you
to continue a conversation but in "private"
• You often get more infos during those calls than
during the reception (difference of public vs
private)
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EFTA00522016
Gifts for a reception
• rifts are important. Without them you could be
labelled as "stingy" (one of the worst faults for
Arabs)
• A gift should have a "correct" value, representing
the value of the host as well as the guest
• A personalized gift shows that you know the
person well and that you care about her
/J IS © 2019 Wick EI.Khoury & Institut Villa Pierrefeu SA
EFTA00522017
Men and women have complementary role...
• After having established new relations, men
and women "exchange" information about
the newcomer
• Often it is the woman's remarks that weigh
more in the evaluation of the character of the
newcomer
• But in the end, it is still the man who decides
to collaborate or not with this person
T
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EFTA00522018
...and both should talk
about the "right" things.
• The objective of any conversation or relation is strengthening the
network
• Men must strengthen the public image
• Men discuss politics, business, the military
• Women should discover more about the private sphere of the others
• Women talk about private issues, "secret" relations,
under-the-table issues
T s
I 13 © 2019 Ma'eh El-Khoury & Institut Villa Piorrefou SA
EFTA00522019
Professional gifts carry messages
• They are "strategic" and bear a particular value or message
• They show the importance of the relation between two
partners
• They can be for an introduction or a thank-you
• They may represent the company or the value of the
company
y
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EFTA00522020
Intercultural hybridization
Culture A Culture B Culture AB
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EFTA00522021
Hybrids have evolved...
• Pure traditional Arabs are very rare
nowadays
• The young generation could be divided
into 3 categories:
1. Those educated abroad
2. Those with a mixed education (local
and foreign)
3. Those with a pure local education
VI) €0 2019 Wick EI.Khoury & Institut Villa Pierre!. SA
EFTA00522022
Behavior of hybrids
• Hybrids are wonderful, knowledgeable,
adaptable people
• But the extent and impact of hybridization
varies with each person
• Hybridization mostly affects the
behavioral level (the global)
• Emotions and basic assumptions never
hybridize
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EFTA00522023
...and have many facets
• Arab « hybrids » (those you meet the
most frequently) can play very much
on their different « backgrounds » and
« belonging »
• « Hybrids » may react as Westerners
or as Arabs or as a combination of
both.
• TO r0 2019 Malck EI.Khoury & Institut Villa Piorrofeu SA
EFTA00522024
Last but not least, loyalty comes first!
• Loyalty to the group you belong to is the most
important value
• Therefore you may sometimes feel that friendship is
less important
• The objective of networking and relations is to
strengthen the solidarity and power of the group
92019 Malek EI.Khoury & Institut Villa Piorrefeu SA
EFTA00522025
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- Created
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