Value System Study

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Project: Assignment for Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

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1.0 12-Sep-2010 Anupam Banerjee Initial document

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Contents
Contents......................................................................................................................................2
Overview......................................................................................................................................3
Value System in United States of America...................................................................................4
Country Brief............................................................................................................................4
Value System in Saudi Arabia......................................................................................................6
Country Brief............................................................................................................................6
Value System Study between the Countries................................................................................8
Reference..................................................................................................................................10

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Overview

The study aims at a close observation on the overall culture and value systems of two highly
recognized countries of the world, in their own essence, United States of America (USA) and
Saudi Arabia. During the course, it has been tried to pick five important value factors and to
compare the two countries against the same. It would interesting and useful to utilize the
knowledge in understanding the implications to engage in business in the countries.

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Value System in United States of America

Country Brief
Capital: Washington D.C.

Population: 291,281,291

Literacy: 97%

Religion: Protestant, 56%; Roman Catholic, 28%; None, 10%; Other, 4%; Jewish, 2%

Currency: United States Dollars (USD)

Government: Federal Republic

The fourth largest nation in the world, the United States has been referred to as a “melting pot”
culture, where people came from many places and melted into the mainstream European
cultures of the United States. The “salad bowl” metaphor is perhaps more appropriate and
accurate, for it recognizes the contributions of the African, Native, Asian, and Latin cultures, with
each culture maintaining their unique cultural markers while striving to work and live in harmony.

A quick overview of the dominant culture reveals the following.

Goal and Achievement Oriented

Americans think they can accomplish just about anything, given enough time, money, and
technology.

Highly Organized

Americans prefer a society that is strong institutionally and secure. In business, if they agree to
commit certain things, they seldom change their mind.

Freedom-Loving and Self-Reliant

Americans fought a revolution and subsequent wars to preserve their concept of democracy, so
they resent too much control or interference, especially by government or external forces. They
believe in the ideal that all persons are created equal, though they sometimes fail to live that
ideal fully. They strive through law to promote equal opportunity and to confront their own
racism or prejudice. Americans also idealize the self-made person who rises from poverty and
adversity. Control of one’s destiny is popularly expressed as “doing your own thing.” Americans
think, for the most part, that with determination and initiative, one can achieve whatever he or
she sets out to do and can thus fulfill individual human potential.

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Work Oriented and Efficient

Americans possess a strong work ethic. They are very time conscious and deal-focussed. They
tinker with gadgets and technological systems, always searching for easier, better, more
efficient ways of accomplishment. An honest disagreement is allowed in business.

Friendly and Informal

Americans reject the traditional privileges of royalty and class but do defer to those with
affluence and power. Some Americans are impressed by celebrities created by American mass
media. Although informal in greeting and dress, they are a noncontact culture (e.g., they usually
avoid embracing in public) and maintain certain physical and psychological distance with others
(about two feet).

Competitive and Aggressive

Americans in play or business generally are so oriented because of their drives to achieve and
succeed. This is partially traced to their heritage, having overcome wilderness and hostile
elements in their environment. In business, decisions are quickly made. They are even open to
do business with strangers if they realize the potential in one.

Values in Transition

Traditional American values of family loyalty, respect and care of the aged, marriage and the
nuclear family, patriotism, material acquisition, forthrightness, and the like are undergoing
profound reevaluation.

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Value System in Saudi Arabia

Country Brief
Capital: Riyadh

Population: 29,207,277

Literacy: 62%

Religion: Islam

Currency: Saudi Riyal (SAR)

Government: Monarchy

Occupying most of the Arabian Peninsula, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is considered the
birthplace of Islam. It is the largest Arab economy and a first-world economic super-power,
formed in 1932, with around one quarter of the world's proven oil reserves – and more recently
gas.

The value system that has been imbibed by Saudi Arabia has been discussed below:

The Importance of Islam

Saudi Arabia is considered ‘The birthplace of Islam’ since it is home to the two holiest places of
Islam, Mecca and Madinah, hence adherence to the religion is far more apparent than in many
other Muslim countries. The origin of values and culture in Saudi Arabia comes from the values,
virtues and moralities contained in the Holy Qur'an. Thus, the most important characteristic that
distinguishes Saudi society from other world societies is the strict adherence to Islamic laws
(Shari'a) as a solid basis for all aspects of life within Saudi Arabia. In business context also, the
common form of greeting is a handshake accompanied with ‘As-salaam alaikum’ (peace be
upon you). The response to the greeting is ‘Wa alaikum as-salaam’ (and upon you be peace).

Expression of Relationship

Arabs are more tactile than their US counterparts. A long handshaking is a sign of friendship. It
is normal for your host to hold your hand for few minutes whilst welcoming you or when showing
you round the premises.

Hospitality

The guest is almost treated as a king and he or she is pampered to a point where most people
could feel embarrassed. Hospitality begins with the offer of a drink as soon as the guest arrives,
and to delay such offer for longer than few minutes verges on rudeness. The offer is frequently
expressed several times, and to refuse such an offer can be interpreted as an insult to the host.

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Business Conversation

Business conversations are mostly lengthy and round-about where timing is more important
than time. One needs to be patient enough to engage in pleasantries or the group’s non-
business talks to give the conversation a shape of going well before arriving at the actual
agenda. Being a high context culture, it is often characterized by the implicit style of
communication, where the central message may be hidden and where people will frequently
use idioms, proverbs, euphemisms and anecdotes to relay deeper meanings.

Dress Code

Saudi businessmen would wear their traditional robes. Employees in government and private
organizations characteristically wear a headband on top of the white headgear or thread scarf.
Religious men are distinguished by wearing a cloak and headscarf, but without the headband.
Women should ensure that their clothes and while stepping out women need to wear a black
cloak and cover their faces with a thin, black and transparent shawl. Casual wear is a strict no-
no in Arab workplace.

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Value System Study between the Countries

The two countries have two varied value systems as per their culture and lifestyles. While they
might be operating on a common value base to certain extent, the degree of the same can be
different from one to another. Below mentions few observations on the two value systems the
two countries in discussion are having.

Religion: Though USA is also respectful to its religion, its business has not been affected or
controlled by the religion where as the working of the nation in Saudi Arabia revolves around the
religion. One needs to take care of the 5 times prayer a day while fixing appointments and
planning for customer availability for an activity. The planning and scheduling get affected. The
greeting when one meets another is also different.

Relationship: While USA is much informal and aggressive in maintaining business relationship,
Saudi Arabia is on a conservative side of it. A business conversation may not work if local
custom considers it a bad manner. Courtesy, respect, patience and honour are very important in
business. In a controlled economy, Saudi Arabia has recently opened up for private initiative in
an otherwise state-run business. As far as formality is concerned, USA is much informal and
deal-focused where as Saudi Arabia would have maintained certain rituals. E.g, an American
might not mind receiving a visiting card in left hand where as in Saudi Arabia that is considered
indecent.

Context of Business Communication: Arab is ‘high context’ in business conversation where

as USA is considered ‘low context’. In Arab, conversations begin slowly. Courtesies are
important and fairly lengthy. One may engage in pleasantries, asking about the health of the
host or other customs before coming straight to the point. This is in contrast to the Americans
where they strictly go by the agenda and may quickly come to an agreement. To put it in a
sentence Arabs are circular in their conversation where as Americans are linear. A direct
disagreement might be acceptable in US work culture but might not be in Arab. On the other
side, corporate gifts are big business in the Arab world where as it might not affect a business
relationship in US as they tend to be more objective oriented.

Hospitality: Though USA is mostly friendly in behavior, it is comfortable in maintaining certain

bio space between two individuals. But in Saudi Arabia, people usually prefer an expression of
the cordiality by embracing or long hand shaking. Arabs may come too close for comfort for
many Americans. Of course, hand shaking or embracing is not allowed in Saudi Arabia between
men and women, as a result of conservativeness of the country.

Punctuality: Though punctuality is appreciated by both USA and Saudi Arabia, the later allows
cancellation/rescheduling at a fairly short notice. USA is, on the other hand, very particular
about holding a meeting at a predefined schedule. While fixing appointment in Saudi Arabia,
one must keep in mind the prayer timings.

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So for a business relationship to grow, one has to be more objective oriented, punctual,
aggressive and organized in USA. He or she may still afford to be moderately sensitive to
religious aspects and slightly informal in United States but need to maintain a reasonable
physical distance while approaching an individual.

Whereas, in Saudi Arabia, one must be overcautious to religious discussion or rituals, need to
be high context and honour the host’s sentiment and should be prepared for embracing
gestures of showing friendship or good personal relationship. One also should keep much buffer
in planning considering the frequent daily religious rituals carried out by the Arab people.

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Reference

1. Managing Cultural Differences: Global Leadership Strategies for the 21st Century, Sixth
Edition, 25th Anniversary Edition

Philip R. Harris, Robert T. Moran and Sarah V. Moran

2. Doing Business with Saudi Arabia, Third Edition

Anthony Schoult

3. Wikipedia

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