Main Cultural Differences Between Arab and Us Managers

ISCTE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT COMPARATIVE global MANAGEMENT Similarities and Differences between Arab and American Managers Predominant Characteristics 1 2 3 Leadership expression Arab Stereotype Egalitarian, focus on peer plaudit and gain personal acceptance. Consultative Ritual, display a high sought after for long-term relations, affective, e. g. , appeals to emotions and feelings, concession seeking. Hard work is a virtue in the light of the needs of man and the necessity to establish equilibrium in ones individual and social life. Family and work are the center of life. Necessary to bend chaos and to build a family-type environment.American Stereotype Materialistic likes wheeling and dealing, wildness on opportunities to get ahead. Participative Direct, seeking short-term relations, emphasis on facts and dianoetic analysis, concessions are made on occasion. Decision Style Negotiation Style 4 Work Orientation Hard work is a virtue by itself, work is the center of life. 5 A ttitudes Toward Organizational Authority weighty to the extent that it facilitates work, less emphasis on hierarchical relations and rules. Impersonal, emphasis on results, thriving on competition, gamesmanship, calculated risks, and maneuvering, musical accompaniment is highly valued.All directions written, routine, formal, engages in manipulation of facts, which is justified through the manipulative flexible ethics. Seniority increases in even out are not as effective as merit, motivator awards, prospect for advancement, and money is extremely important because its the name of the game. 6 air Conduct Highly personalized, emphasis on honesty, moral aspects, and verbal commitment, documentation is not highly regarded. Face-to-face, informal, urgent, emphasis on human interest, and stress positive case studies or examples of how programs have benefited the people.Accept longevity and seniority oriented pay increases, emphasis on recognition by the superior for a legal job b y the group and personal growth as a part of humanity . Motivation comes from social relations, interpersonal transactions, egalitarian value, and opportunity to get paid for helping other. Informal, generally judgment based, emphasis on human relations aspect of the individual performance. Highly subjective, selection depends on personal contacts, nepotism, regionalism, and family name. A sign of something is going wrong, utilize only in crisis situation. 7 Communication organization 8 Reward Systems Motivational System Motivation comes from high achievement, hierarchical advancement and material gains. 10 implementation Appraisal A goal-oriented and wrapped into the organizations planning system, generally objective-based and emphasis on immediate feedback. Relatively objective, standard developed, merit and experience are considered. 11 Recruitment of Personnel Use of Management Consultants 12 Highly regarded and used frequently. Abbas Ali (1988) A CROSS-NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE OF MANAGERIAL WORK VALUE SYSTEMS In Advances in International Comparative Management, Vol. 3, pages 151-169. 5