This report was conducted to broaden the knowledge and understanding of doing business in the United Arab Emirates. It contains a general overview of the UAE including the states names, their rulers, the political and legal system and also major religion of the country, Islam. The body of the report covers many of the basic differences and cultural imperatives, adiaphoras and exclusives, which are then compared to Australian western culture.

Differences and similarities in greetings, such as the shaking of hands are covered. The report then goes on to cover such issues as the interactions between males and females, issues that can arise due to religious obligations such as prayer 5 times a day and the holy month of Ramadan. Other issues such as how the Arab culture run business in a much more personal manner than in western culture, and how building personal relationships and trust are much more important than the efficiency of getting a project completed.

Also covered is how the Arab culture value spoken agreements over written agreements, how a meeting in the United Arab Emirates might take place and how a foreign businessman might react or act in those meetings. Finally negotiation was covered and then a conclusion of what I learnt and my final thoughts.

When I started this assignment, I wanted to learn about a country that was rich in culture but was also at the forefront of international business. I thought that the United Arab Emirates would be the ideal country. I knew little about the Arab state apart from the usual, that it was a mostly Muslim country, that it was oil abundant and that its economy was growing at a rapid rate. So often I would hear that there was major advancements in many different areas coming out of one of the many states, and it always fascinated me that so much could be happening in one country. With this report I hope to