Influences of culture on the style of business behavior between Western and Arab managers

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
  • Definition of the two worlds
  • Problem and Objectives
  • Structure
• Introduction to the Arab World
  • Classification of the Arab countries
  • Decisive moments of history
    • MuÇammad and the birth of the Islamic state
    • Expansion of the Islamic state
    • Stage of Stagnation
    • Stage of resurgence
  • Economic Profile
    • Exploitation of Petroleum
    • Islamic banking system
• Islam
  • The tenets of Islam
  • The Qur'ān
  • The five pillars of Islam
    • Confession of Faith
    • Prayer
    • Zakāt
    • Fasting during RamaÉān
    • Pilgrimage
  • Traditions of Islam
• Culture
  • Concepts and meaning of culture
  • Intercultural communication
    • Culture and communication
    • Language in intercultural communication
    • Nonverbal communication
      • Kinetics
      • Touch behavior
      • Eye contact
      • Distance behavior
      • Time and Scheduling
  • Challenges in intercultural communication
    • Stereotyping
    • Ethnocentrism
  • Intercultural communication trainings
• Cultural Models
  • The four dimensions of Hofstede
    • Power distance
    • Uncertainty Avoidance
    • Individualism vs. Collectivism
    • Masculinity vs. Femininity
  • The role of context
    • High-context culture
    • Low-context culture
    • Communication varieties
• The Arab Society
  • Arab values
  • Types of Arab individuals
    • Traditionalist
    • Idealistic
    • Spectator
    • Illusionist
    • Transitionalist
    • Manipulative
    • Revivalist
    • Existentialist
  • Women in the Arab society
• Arab Executives
  • Islam and Economy
  • The Arab businessman
  • Negotiating style
  • Nonverbal business behavior
    • Eye contact
    • Distance behavior
    • Touch behavior
    • Gestures
    • Time and scheduling
    • Dress code
    • Gifts
  • Cultural and religious issues in business ethics
• Business Attitudes
  • Skills of a global manager
  • Risks
    • Strangeness of the culture and environment
    • Lack of information and communication
    • Complexity of social relations
    • Loss of intercultural competence
    • Corruption and bribery
  • Differences in business behavior
    • Monochronic vs. Polychronic
    • Expressive vs. Reserved
    • Rigid-Time vs. Fluid Time
    • Relationship-focused vs. Deal-focused

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This master's thesis aims to analyze the influence of culture on business behavior between Western and Arab managers. It investigates the cultural differences between these two worlds and explores how these differences affect business practices and interactions.

• Cultural dimensions and their impact on business communication
• The role of Islam in shaping Arab business practices
• Key differences in negotiating styles between Western and Arab cultures
• Challenges and opportunities in intercultural business communication
• Strategies for successful intercultural collaboration in a globalized world

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The thesis begins with an introduction, defining the two worlds under consideration - Western and Arab - and outlining the research problem and objectives. Chapter 2 provides an introduction to the Arab world, including its history, economic profile, and the importance of petroleum and the Islamic banking system.

Chapter 3 explores the tenets of Islam, the Qur'ān, and the five pillars of Islam. Chapter 4 delves into the concept of culture and its impact on intercultural communication, specifically examining verbal and nonverbal communication.

Chapter 5 introduces cultural models, particularly Hofstede's four dimensions and the role of context in communication. Chapter 6 examines the Arab society, focusing on Arab values and various types of individuals within the Arab culture. Chapter 7 then delves into the characteristics of Arab executives, including their negotiating styles and nonverbal business behavior.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The main keywords and focus topics of this thesis include cultural differences, business behavior, intercultural communication, Arab culture, Islam, Western culture, negotiating styles, nonverbal communication, global management, and intercultural competence.