Negotiating in Saudi Arabia

The differences in doing business between Saudi Arabia (or “the Kingdom”) and United States can be great, but being prepared and ready to conduct business is key to a negotiator. Many Saudi executives and government officials have studied or worked abroad in the United States therefore many are familiar with western culture and our business approaches and are comfortable using these as long as respect is shown for Saudi customs. (Business and Social Customs in Saudi Arabia) Saudi Arabians tend to be very polite and will not embarrass their guests no matter how much they like or dislike the person and this makes it hard for Americans to figure out how the negotiations are going. Islam governs everything in Saudi Arabia so the upmost respect must be shown in order to build relationships. Gift giving can be done but only if there is a strong relationship already built. Pork, pornography, alcohol, etc. should not be given as gifts as they go against their religious beliefs. In general be aware of the prayer times and religious holidays like Ramadan, as they take precedence over everything else. (Parker) When scheduling a meeting it is best to wait until you are actually in the country. You should inform your hosts of your travel plans and agenda but the setting up of actual meetings should wait. Also time is flexible so be prepared to wait. Face to face meetings are the only way to complete any negotiation. It is suggested to only have one meeting per day because the length can be unknown. Also ensuring the proper business attire is key to not offending anyone. (Doing Business in Saudi Arabia) Men should wear conservative business suits and women should do the same while showing as little flesh as possible. Women play very little roles in Saudi business and it is hard for western women to get much accomplished. Therefore who is sent