Foreword by Sir James Craig..
Author’s preface to the third edition.

CHAPTER 1: The scope of this book; What does this book cover – and for whom?; Gulf-resident executives and frequent visitors to the Gulf; Non Gulf-resident managers or infrequent visitors to the Gulf; General readers; Arab readers; Reading this book.

CHAPTER 2: General background; The importance of Islam; The pace of change in the Gulf; Personality – the main factor?; GEOGRAPHY; Complications; The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries; What do you mean by MENA?; ‘The Middle East’ – where’s that?; The Arab world; What is an Arab?; We are not Arabs!; Whose Gulf is it?; The three ‘tiers’ of the Arab world; Map of the UAE; The seven emirates of the UAE; Other Arab geography; POPULATION; Gulf nations’ emergence and wealth; The Gulf is young; The Gulf is small; Arab groupings; Gulf nationals’ employment; Gulf men; Gulf women; Restrictions on Gulf women reducing; A nice government job; FURTHER STUDY; The Arab Spring; Discreetly study; the sensitive subjects; Learn Arab opinion on; Common GCC currency and customs regime.

CHAPTER 3: Starting out in the Gulf; VISIT AND ENQUIRE; Major effort and cost; Business with non-Gulf Arabs; Do you have something for sale that’s really wanted?; BUSINESS TRIPS TO THE GULF; Silly or sensible programme?; Planning a Gulf tour; Targeting your; sales pitch; Come now!; Poor visitor, we live here!; Now I see you – now I don’t!; Not just a consumer market; Preparation of documents and presentation material; CLOTHING AND APPEARANCE; Mode of dress and demeanour; Western clothing; Tattoos; Modesty is not just a matter of clothing; Visiting managers take heed; Clothing in Saudi Arabia; THE GULF ARAB’S OFFICE; Getting past the gate; How to behave in an office; Office behaviour: new visitors learn from the locals; A handshake, then sit on the right-hand chair; The give and take of Gulf seating; Coffee and tea in the office; Young Gulf Arabs; YOUR SALES PITCH; When, how and how not to talk business; Young and busy; Laptop, projector and / volts; The first steps; Presentation techniques; A definition? Please write it; See and touch; Don’t tell the client what he wants; We have a very fine chef; Not so expert after all.

CHAPTER 4: Your Gulf office; TYPES OF BUSINESS; Business status examples; SELECTION OF AN AGENT OR SPONSOR; Local knowledge; Sponsorship; I’m very close to the boss now; DUE DILIGENCE; Enquire fully; Gulf confidence; and its risk; COMPANY ORGANISATION; Listen to your Gulf Uncle; Not by sector alone; Relationships between ‘Head Office’ and staff in the Gulf; Safety plan.

CHAPTER 5: The expatriates; Gulf-based staff – or none at all?; International presence; Expatriates – national types; Western expatriates – the two types; Skilled western worker status; Western managerial or professional status; Long-term western expatriates; Inflation and financial downturn.

CHAPTER 6: Selection and briefing; Differences and stress; Work permits in Saudi Arabia; Recruitment costs; Culture shock; Brief everyone; EXPATRIATE CONCERNS; Patience, resilience and hassle; Patience costs money; Four or five or more years in the Gulf?; Gulf pre-appointment reconnaissance visits; Destination reception companies; Expatriate allowances; WOMEN; Women and the selection process; Guardian in Saudi Arabia; Ability to ignore; PARTNERS; Partners and risk of removal; Living together; Other relationships; Rape; LEAVE THE CASH; Take your leave, not cash; You – not the Gulf – could be the problem.

CHAPTER 7: Travel; Introduction; Travel; Flights and airports; Visas (entry permits); Visa types; Passport validity; Iqama; Copying and retention of passports; Photos; Exiting the Gulf; DRIVING IN THE GULF; Driving licences; Driving habits; Fog in the Gulf; Pedestrians; The car horn: only a nanosecond away; Traffic accidents; Camels as road hazards; Are you insured, sir?; Driving during Ramadan; TRAVELLER AND NEW RESIDENT CHECKLIST.

CHAPTER 8: Behaviour and attitudes; GENERAL BEHAVIOUR; The West and the Gulf; Patience and the benefit of study; Awareness and tolerance of the West; Shaikh Rashid of Dubai; Sense of humour; Personal interest; Gulf Arab grooming; Holy men; GULF EDUCATION; Quick and intelligent; On the other hand; Islamic education; Rote learning; Private education; GULF NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT; We can do it all – and now!; We expect you to do well naturally; ANNOYING TO GULF ARABS; Condescension and the dangers of paternalistic attitudes; Reputation; Honour and respect; Photography; The Gulf faces its future robustly; Take the blame; take the favour; Careless talk can cost you; ANNOYING TO GULF WESTERNERS; ‘We just wanted; to make you happy’; Queue? You mean ‘Form a line’?; I know my rights (but not my responsibilities); Financial Services sector not welcome?; INTRIGUING GULF ARABS; Modern technology; Intrigue everywhere; Clear-sighted; The demands of the desert; Instinct; Falconry; Camel racing; Horse racing; Judging and trusting you; Poetry please; GIFTS; Accepting and giving gifts; Sales gifts; Thanks – but not to you; Saying ‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’.

CHAPTER 9: Personal behaviour; body language; SHAKING HANDS; Man to man; Men and women – western circumstances; Men and women – Gulf circumstances; Hand over heart; Holding hands; RELATIONSHIPS; Kissing; Four wives; FLESH, FEET AND FINGERS; Exposed flesh; Religious police; Feet, soles and shoes; Beckoning with the fingers; Crossed legs; Shway, shway; The right way; Other gestures.

CHAPTER 10: Time and timing – the biggest frustration?; TIME ITSELF; We leave in two hours; Islam’s influence on timekeeping; ATTENDING MEETINGS ETC; Be on time; Gulf Arabs know the West; No show – no matter?; Mother; Saying no; ‘No one came to our presentation – they all went to the airport instead!’; THE GULF TODAY; Times are changing; The younger Gulf Arab; Some of us mean business; IT’S NOT ‘TIME’ THAT MATTERS – IT’S ‘TIMING’; When the moment is right; WEEKS AND DAYS; Tomorrow has already started; Gulf time zones; The former working day; The working week; Telephoning the Gulf on a Friday; Business and pleasure all together?; Public holidays (GCC).

CHAPTER 11: Language, names and writing; ARABIC; Local language; Calligraphy; Study; of Arabic; Arabic or not?; Signing Arabic documents – are you mad?; TRANSLATION; Control your translator; Business cards; Routine Arabic; Complex Arabic; Check their Arabic; JUST A FEW WORDS OF ARABIC; Greetings and; replies; In Sha’ Allah (or Inshallah); Ma Sha’ Allah; (or Maashallah); ARABIC WORDS OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD; Allah; Fatwa; Halal and Haram; Hareem; Jihad; Wasta; SPEECH; ‘I want’ and ‘Give me’; Ululation; Loud means sincere?; Arab theatre; GULF NAMES AND YOUR NAMES; Gulf name; sequence; And grandfather makes three; Names; in Gulf forms; Which Abdullah?; No hyphenated names; Gulf genealogy; Tribes and families; Tribal map; Mr Arab, please call me John – may I call you by your first name?; Meaning of Muslim names; Hello Mister John; Names of sons and daughters; Wives keep their fathers’ names; ‘Bin’ or not; How do you like your name, Muslim?; How hotels and airlines cope with Muslim names; Spelling; Muslim names in western databases etc; •; Gulf royal titles; Honoured names; Servant of God; TALKING ABOUT AND WRITING TO GULF ARABS; Don’t say that – say this!; Not good – Better; The title ‘Shaikh’; ‘Shaikh’ or ‘Sheikh’ or ‘Shaykh’ but never ‘Sheek’?; Shaikha; His Excellency and Your Excellency; Your Highness and His Highness; His Majesty; GULF COMMUNICATIONS; Phones; Delivery and collection of mail; Couriers; Examples of formal letters and faxes; Two languages, one page?; Why don’t I get; a reply to my letters and emails to the Gulf?; Security of Gulf communications; Media Content.

CHAPTER 12: Gulf business – how it all works; DECISION-MAKING NOT DECISION-TAKING; Consult – then decide; You’ll never understand the Gulf maze, westerner!; Delay? – not possible!; We’ll move the highway just for you!; Islamic endorsement in Saudi Arabia; TRUST AND LOYALTY; Trust the family first; Trust the useful stranger?; Trusted/Known – Untrusted/Unknown; Hospitality, friendship and trust; Let me have all your Gulf Arab contacts; COMMITTEES AND MEETINGS; Committees are safe; Agenda nibbling; Grazing the agenda; Gulf meetings; Testing the water; ATTENDING MEETINGS; Loss of temper; Impatience; Silence; Saying ‘no’ is rude; Never say ‘no’; Can’t say ‘No’ or ‘I don’t know!’; Post-meeting follow-up; MAJOR SALES, EXHIBITIONS, DEMONSTRATIONS AND TRIALS IN THE GULF; Sequence of a major Gulf sale; Gulf exhibitions and demonstrations; Trials and tribulations; Offset.

CHAPTER 13: Gulf business – bargaining and getting paid; The sport of bargaining; How to bargain; ‘One-liners’ always ready; Local authority to conclude deals; Everyone bargains; You can’t raise your price later!; Tough but courteous; Arab bargaining techniques – pure theatre?; Senior bargaining techniques; Concluding the deal – a walk-out?; Contractual obligations v; personal trust; GETTING PAID; No prompt or full payment? – where’s the contract?; Get it right – all of it; Copyright? Why should I pay you just for thinking?; Performance, retention bonds, sureties and bank guarantees; Disputes.

CHAPTER 14: Gulf society – what’s wasta?; The importance of wasta; Gulf societies; Desert democracy; Centralism and its power; If centralism is a problem, wasta is an answer; Me deputise? – I think not!; Wasta and the expatriate manager.

CHAPTER 15: Food; The importance of hospitality; EATING; Gulf food; Typical food found in the Gulf; Picnics; Right hand; Gulf obesity; Left hand; Fasting; MEAT; The sheep’s eye; The goat’s tongue; Pork; Forbidden food: not just pork; it’s all non-halal food; Vegetarians; ALCOHOL; Gulf countries’ attitudes to alcohol; Selling alcohol.

CHAPTER 16: Entertaining; Abdullah, come to dinner; meet the wife!; Saudi; wives’ attendance; Invitations; Official receptions; Attendance and seating; Satiated guests; Be generous; Going Dutch; Smoking; Entertaining Gulf Arabs; in a western country; Arab weddings; Hair and sword dancing; Henna; Belly dancing.

CHAPTER 17: Coping with visitors; GULF VISITORS TO YOUR FACTORY IN THE WEST; Large and small companies; Arrival in your country; VISIT ORGANISATION AND PREPARATION; Preparation for the visit; A director to direct the visit; Visit escort; The task of the escort; Drivers; Walk the course!; TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION; Travel with; the delegation?; A three or four-day ‘week’ with you; Before and after you; A smooth, personal airport arrival; Which hotel – old or new?; Who pays for; what? Two accounts?; An effortless hotel check-in; The director’s welcome; THE VISIT ITSELF; On the day; Arrival at the factory; Reception staff; The factory tour; Good, prepared speakers; HOSPITALITY; Lunch – surely the caterers know about pork and alcohol?; Some more dog meat, sir?; Prayers and prayer rooms; AFTER THE VISIT; Evenings free?; Football (soccer); Escort to withdraw – but not the driver(s); CONCLUDING THE VISIT; Departure discussions in the chairman’s car; The visitors’ own report on your company; Now keep in touch; IMPORTANT WESTERN VISITORS TO YOU, RESIDENT IN; THE GULF; Cross-cultural tensions; Dealing with; your visitors to the Gulf; Western arrogance; Welcome visitors; We trust him to sign contracts!; COPING WITH A VIP VISIT TO THE GULF; Go visitor, go!

CHAPTER 18: Stupid things to do in the Gulf and the desert; THE LIST OF STUPIDITIES; Extraordinarily stupid; Particularly stupid; THE LIST OF DESERT STUPIDITIES; Acclimatisation; Heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

CHAPTER 19: Law, death, tax, insurance, bonds and banks; Gulf laws; SHARIAH LAW; Secular legislation; God’s law; Nature and significance of Islamic law; Sources; The sections; GULF LAW COURTS; The quiet approach is best; MODERN BUSINESS LAWS; Impact of WTO rules; on Gulf business practice; Bribery and corruption; Transparency of payments; OECD convention; FCPA: go straight to jail?; UK Bribery Act: go straight (and longer) to jail?; Other anti-corruption laws; We pay the invoice – and nothing else; Sponsor’s invoice items; DEATH AND TAXES; Death; Coping with; a Gulf death; Tax; Withholding tax; Zakat; VAT; Service charges; Utility charges; GCC customs duty; BANKING; Islamic banking; Islamic financial products; Islamic finance; INVESTMENTS; Sukuk; INSURANCE; Islamic insurance.

CHAPTER 20: Muslim life; Introduction; Avoid discussion on Islam; All Arabs are Muslims so all Muslims are Arabs?; Islamic nations; Peace Be Upon Him (PBUH); Definition and background; People of the book; God’s will; The three holy places of Islam; The Qur’an; Respect the Qur’an itself; Pillars or duties of Islam; Islam everywhere; After the Prophet; The Sunnis; The Shi’a; Gulf Muslim sects; CALENDAR; Lunar months; The Muslim calendar; Conversion between AD and AH and vice versa; AH advances ten or eleven days into AD; Fridays; PRAYERS; Prayers and their observance; The qibla; Prayer timings; Five prayers per day – why are six shown in the newspapers?; Worry or prayer beads; The call to prayer; The words of the calls to prayer and their meaning; RAMADAN; The holy month; Fasting and other abstinence; Thoughts and deeds; When does Ramadan start?; Dawn, sunrise and the black and white threads; Breaking the fast; Ramadan nights; Non-Muslims’ consumption during Ramadan; Non-Muslims’ behaviour during Ramadan; Iftar and other calls; Ramadan hours of work; Tiredness and Ramadan; road safety; When does Ramadan end?; PILGRIMAGE; Duty of pilgrimage; Pilgrimage clothing; Women travelling alone; The pilgrims’ route; Umrah; FESTIVALS; Eid al-Fitr; Special Eid al-Fitr mosque; Eid al-Adha; Eid Mubarak!; Celebration of the Eids; in the West; Eid texts and cards; HOLY DAYS; Dates; Restrictions; Lailat al-Qadr; Lailat al-Miraj; Mawlid al-Nabi; Ra’s as-Sana – New Year; Ashura; MUSLIM RULES ON DIET; Halal and haram; ISLAMIC NAMES FOR GOD.

APPENDIX: Prayers, names for God, Arab groupings and clothing; The calls to prayer and their meaning; The names for God; The League of Arab States; The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); The GCC and the European Union; Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC); Muslim World League (MWL); World population; map – percentage of Muslims; List of Muslim countries – The OIC; Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC); Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC); Arab and Muslim clothing.