http://www.executiveplanet.com/businessetiquette/Jordan.html About the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan - Part 1 Geography, religion and culture December 19, 2003 Geography • Jordan is located in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered to the west by Israel and Palestine [on the other side of the Jordan River], to the north by Syria and Iraq, to the east by Saudi Arabia, and to the south by Egypt [across the Gulf of Aqaba]. • Rocky and sandy desert makes up the bulk of the Jordan's land area. However, the area just east of the Jordan River and north of the Dead Sea is quite fertile. • The far west edge of the country is marked by the Jordan Valley, an extension of the Great Rift Valley. This valley reaches its greatest depth of almost 400 meters below sea level at the surface of the Dead Sea. With adequate irrigation, the Jordan Valley produces vegetable and fruit crops all year around. • Rising from the Jordan Valley, a ridge of mountains and high plains extends the full length of Jordan from the South to the North. These mountains reach peaks well above a thousand meters in the area of Jerash, the ancient Roman city of renown, and in the area of Petra, the ancient capital of the Nabateans. In these mountains, snow is a common experience in winter. Apples, plums, grapes and various kinds of nut trees do well here. Because of its mild climate, this ridge of highlands is home to most of Jordan's population. Religion • About 95 percent of the people of Jordan are Muslim. Most of the other five percent are Christian. Law and the constitution guarantee the rights of both groups. • Religion is considered to be an important part of life. It is common to interject questions of religion into most any social or business discussion. References to the teachings of the Koran or the Bible are often made to justify or explain action taken or a position held in negotiations. • It is of utmost importance to treat religion respectfully. A high percentage of the population will be offended by flippant or negative remarks concerning God or the Holy Books. Culture and Attitude • Jordanians are known for their friendliness and hospitality.

• A genuinely respectful attitude is highly regarded in the Jordanian culture. It is one of the marks of a mature person. Another highly respected trait is keeping one's word. It is also very important not to cause embarrassment. • Most western visitors to Jordan never know when they have been offensive to a host or business partner. This is because most Jordanians would never want to embarrass a guest by pointing out the offensive actions or words.

About the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan - Part 2 Government, economy and travel December 19, 2003 Government • Jordan's current government was established by King Abd Allah the First, a member of the Hashemite family who are direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. The current king, Abd Allah the Second, is the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan's fifth king. Both he and his wife, Queen Rania, are highly educated, completely fluent in English, open to strong international relations and reform oriented. • The constitution of Jordan ensures the rule of law, plurality of religious ideas, democratic government, and basic human rights. • The daily operation of the country is handled by more than 20 ministries whose activities are subject to the elected House of Representatives and the appointed Upper House. These two houses form the legislative authority of Jordan. National elections are held every 4 years. • Each city of the country has its own elected local government. And, each region has either a Governor or Lieutenant Governor who represents the King's authority. • Jordan has been involved in various Pan Arab political moves over the years, including close ties to Jamaal Abd Al Nasr. At one time, there was even an attempt to form a united state that included Egypt, Syria and Jordan. Currently, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon are investigating closer political ties possibly as a step toward economic and/or political union. Economy • Jordan's major exports are fruits and vegetables, phosphates, and potassium. The current government is strongly encouraging growth in the tourist industry and in Information Technology services. • Recently, a special zone has been established in Aqaba that encourages manufacturing by creating a completely import tax free area. • Export, and consequently economic development, is hampered by the long period of war with America in Iraq and the ongoing violence in Palestine.

• The Jordanian Dinar is fixed to the US Dollar. One US Dollar is equal to .709 JOD. • Within Jordan, there is only a small spread between the buy and sell prices. All major currencies can be easily exchanged at a money changer or a bank. • Visa and Master card are accepted for cash advances at major banks and some retail establishments. ATM's are plentiful in the major cities and most of them give you access to the international networks like 'Plus.' When using an ATM to withdraw local currency from a non-Jordanian account, daily international exchange rates are used. Travel • Almost all North American and European nationals can obtain a visa upon arrival at the airport. Recently, the fee for the entry permit was 10 JOD [14 USD]. Such a permit is good for 14 days, after which it may be extended to three months by registration at the local police station. • Difficulty may be experienced when trying to cross the border between Jordan and the occupied lands of Palestine. • A yearly residence permit can be obtained by application to the Ministry of the Interior. A sponsor is required. • For investors bringing more than 50,000 USD of capital into the country, there are special facilities and services available through the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Public Behaviour - Part 1 Acceptable public conduct December 19, 2003 Demeanour • Jordanians are both very demonstrative and very conservative. They are both very intimate and very reserved. It all depends on the context. You can have a lot of fun learning to get it right and most Jordanians will appreciate your honest efforts. Perhaps they will even share a good laugh with you when you make a mistake. • Here are some general guidelines that can get you started in an appropriate direction. Who's on Top? • Social standing is based on a combination of factors, usually in the following order: level of education, age, military rank, tribal position, and political office. • The greater the distance in social standing between two people, the more reserved and conservative the patterns of interaction. Voices

• Loud voices mean strong emotions; hate or love, grief or elation, etc. • Large gestures are considered uncultured or angry. • Communication is nearly impossible without small gestures. • Quiet voices are a sign of respect and maturity. Touch [between men] • Stand closer than most westerners are used to. For Americans, use about half the distance that is normal for you. • Patting or holding the arm or shoulder can be a sign of affection, acceptance, or offered assistance. It also usually indicates that the initiator of the action is dominant in the relationship at that moment. • Slapping hands is a kind of cheer, sort of like 'Way to go, right on.' It usually indicates affectionate relationship and equality. • Holding hands indicates emotional attachment and is appropriate in same sex relationships that are close, either like a 'father and son' or brothers. It does not have sexual connotations. Men and Women • It is right to let the woman indicate what level of contact is appropriate. Generally, follow her lead in directness and style of conversation, eye contact, and standing distance. • In general, even married men and women do not touch in public. However, in some circles, it is now becoming acceptable. Other • Jokes are loved. The good joke teller can diffuse tensions, highlight the issues at stake, or just add fun. But, even one inappropriate joke can give you a reputation as a total jerk. So, be careful. • Jordanians are usually very sensitive to general moods--angry, disappointed, sad, encouraged, happy, excited, etc. They will usually be very supportive and understanding of emotional states, in their own culturally appropriate way. So, once a basis of relationship is laid, don't be afraid to let a bit of your general mood show. Be accepting of their responses. Greetings The General Greeting • Say 'Issallam 'alaykum.' Respond 'Alaykum Issallam.' Translated this means 'Peace be upon you,' and 'Upon you, peace also.' This greeting is used in all formal and informal situations whenever entering or leaving the presence of another person or group, even from one room to another. NOTE: The 5% of Jordanians who are not

Muslims generally do not use this greeting. They substitute 'Marhaba' and respond 'Marhabtayn.' Translated this means 'Welcome' and 'Welcome to you.' • There are a number of variations on these greetings. But these standard ones are always acceptable. • Sometimes, a western style hand shake is added while exchanging peace or welcome.

Public Behaviour - Part 2 Leave taking and introductions December 19, 2003 The General Leave-Taking • There are a variety of specific leave-takings for various settings. However, the general statement, 'Issallam 'alaykum' is appropriate. Another common one is 'bi'ithenkum.' Translated, this means 'With your permission', and is like saying, 'Excuse me.' The Warm Formal Greeting • When a personal relationship has developed, hand shaking and cheek kissing are added to the general greeting. • While exchanging peace or welcome, shake hands. Use a firm and full grip for men and if offered a woman's hand use a light grasp of the fingers only. Use small up and down movements to shake the hand. • For other men, follow the shake immediately with one kiss on the left cheek and then three kisses on the right cheek. Sometimes a fourth kiss on the left cheek is made after a slight pause. Warm Informal Greeting • In an informal situation, the cheek kissing is often omitted but is always acceptable, and the following series of general exchanges is added to the greeting routine: •

How is your health?

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What is your latest news?

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How is the family? [Don't ask about the wife directly unless there is a specific reason to ask.]

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How is business?

• After these general questions, specific questions concerning the individual, and relating to things you have previously talked about, can be asked. • It is not uncommon for a warm informal greeting to last five minutes or more. Introductions • In the modern business culture, Jordanians are accustomed to using the typical western styles of introducing oneself. So, you can always use your normal introduction style and it will be accepted. • Traditionally, the Jordanian host controls the introduction exchange, not the foreign visitor. The more traditional way for a Jordanian to get to know a foreign visitor is: •

Use the general greeting

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Five to ten minutes of visiting concerning matters of general mutual interest:

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Where are you from

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How long have you been here

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Is this your first visit

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What do you like / not like so far

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What people do you know

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What places have you visited

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Exchange of names and possibly addresses

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There may be a polite invitation to come for tea which you should normally politely decline. The invitation may be repeated numerous times. After the third repetition, feel free to accept.

Public Behaviour - Part 3 Sitting, standing and eye contact December 19, 2003 Sitting and Standing • Jordanians stand closer than most westerners. For Americans, use about half your normal distance. • When you enter a room, the people will rise if seated, and you should greet them with a handshake moving from right to left around the room.

• To choose a seat, try to estimate your social standing in regard to the other people in the room. Consider that the seat closest to the door is for the lowest standing person and the farthest from the door is for the highest standing person. Sit slightly to close to the door for your relative standing. The host may invite you to a 'better' spot, and you should accept. • The bottoms of feet and shoes are considered 'dirty.' Make sure that when standing or sitting, they don't show and especially don't show directly to any other person. In a formal setting and business meetings, keep both feet flat on the floor when sitting in a chair. • In a formal setting, sit straight and keep your hands on the arms of the chair, folded or in your lap. Don't raise your arms, such as over the back of the chair or behind your head. • Stand to greet people who newly enter the room unless it is a child or some one of social standing very much lower than your own. Return the greeting offered to you. • When you leave, always stand and take leave of the host. In a formal setting, also take leave of all the people in the room except those who are leaving with you. Eye Contact • In transacting business or during conversation, Jordanians generally make eye contact while talking. An avoidance of eye contact makes others feel uncomfortable toward you and they may question your integrity. • On the street or in general public places, don't seek eye contact with members of the opposite sex as it may be seen as an invitation to an inappropriately intimate relationship.

Prosperous Entertaining - Part 1 Entertaining for business success December 19, 2003 • In the relationship based culture of Jordan, entertaining plays an important role. You should expect it to be part of a solid business relationship. However, there are a couple of perspectives on entertaining that you will need to understand first. • In traditional Jordanian society, you are always going to be the guest and never the host. However, as the relationship between you and your Jordanian counterparts matures over a period of time, there may be times when you are honoured and permitted to be the host. On the other hand, in the more westernized segments of the population, where the traditional values are less tightly held, there is also more opportunity and sometimes more expectation that you will be host. • There are Muslim religious regulations concerning food. Of course, this is not an issue for the 10% of Jordanian businessmen that are Christians. However, it does mean that the practicing Muslims among your business associates may be quite uncomfortable to eat any food prepared by a non-practicing Muslim.

• Non-practicing Muslims in Jordan have an incredibly wide variety of opinions and perspectives on food and drink. But, it is rare for them to be offended by a foreigner who upholds traditional values. Rather, most non-practicing Muslims admire and honour foreign guests who adhere to traditional values. Nevertheless, there are segments of Jordanian society that are trying so hard to appear westernized that they may feel reproached by a foreign guest that is trying to adhere to traditional Jordanian values.

Prosperous Entertaining - Part 2 Practical details, venues, accepting and declining December 19, 2003 • OK, let's put some practical details into the picture. Meal Times • Morning Coffee: usually a cup of sweet thick coffee, perhaps with bread, at about 10:00 am. • Breakfast: often eaten around 11:00 am or noon. • Lunch: usually eaten at around 3:00 pm. For many businessmen, this meal is eaten regularly at a restaurant; for others, this meal is eaten at home followed by a short rest period. It may be a full meal or just sandwiches. This is often the main meal of the day. • Evening Meal: usually eaten at around 8:00 pm or as late as 10:00 pm. This meal is normally eaten at home. This is the normal time for entertaining either in a home or a restaurant. Popular Entertaining Venues • For Business Lunches:

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Expensive: Hotel Restaurants such as the Marriot, Royal, Plaza, or other 5 star hotels

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Normal: Businessmen's restaurants of which there are many in every part of every city

For Evening Entertaining: • Consider any of the specialty restaurants such as 'Seven Pines' or 'Kan Zaman.' These are a unique experience--a mix of tradition and modern with excellent service and a healthy price tag. Accepting and Declining

• In traditional Jordanian etiquette for invitations there is a rule of three; an invitation is not rejected until it is declined three times, and an invitation is not seriously made until it is presented three times. • In declining an offer you should have a good excuse to avoid making it into a personal rejection. Your declining should be accompanied with liberal use of statements like 'I'd love to but' , 'Thanks so much but' and 'Another time it will work out I hope but.' • In accepting an invitation, it is polite to reject the invitation twice before accepting. This is especially true of a formal situation or relationship. In closer relationships, it may be fine to just accept right from the first. • This arrangement might seem awkward or over done to you at first, but there is a major strength to this system. You can feel free to honour someone with an invitation knowing that they will not accept until you offer the third time. This can be a helpful relationship-building tool especially in formal contexts.

Prosperous Entertaining - Part 3 Arrival, seating, eating and drinking December 19, 2003 Arrival • If you have been invited to a home, you should not arrive more than five or ten minutes early but may arrive up to a half hour late. In many cases meal preparation will begin after your arrival. • If you are invited 'out' then try to be within a few minutes either side of the arranged time. Seating • In mixed company, you should choose a seat beside your same sex or your spouse. • Read 'Public Behaviour' for other comments on seating. Eating Four basic styles listed from traditional to modern:

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Eat with the fingers of the right hand [the left hand should never touch the food] from a single dish served on a common tray called a 'sidr.'

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Eat by tearing off small pieces of bread to pick up small pieces of food. Eat the piece of bread together with the food. The food may be a variety of dishes served on common platters or a plate for each individual.

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Eat with a spoon, from a variety of foods that may be served on common platters or on separate plates for the individuals.

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Eat with English or American style utensils and etiquette.

• Follow the lead of your host or associates. • Unless you are eating English or American style, it is common to pass food to each other by handling the food directly with the fingers. This is a sign of friendship and acceptance. It is an important part of relationship building. To reject food because it has been handled by another person at the table can be quite insulting to that individual and cause permanent damage to both personal and working relationships. • Normally, when you are using plates, the host will fill the plates for the guests. Remember that being a host is an honour, so the more you let your host do for you, the more he is honoured. [But, don't push it too far or he may feel abused]. • You should leave some food on your plate when you finish. This shows the host that he has provided adequately for you. If there is still lots on the serving trays, then feel free to help yourself to seconds, or just clean your plate and the host may fill it for you. • You should try a bit of every thing served to you. If you do not like it, eat only a bite or two and leave the rest. • When you are finished eating, it is polite to say, 'Al Hamdu Li Lah' [Translated: Praise to God], and move back slightly from the table. If you have used your hand, then you should go wash. • Traditionally, alcohol is strictly prohibited. However, it is well known that westerners consume quite a bit of alcohol. Many of your Jordanian associates may be quite offended if you drink alcohol. On the other hand, many Jordanians, even Muslims, privately drink alcohol. Personally, I would advise against drinking alcohol while in Jordan, but you may feel free to do so when in the company of others that you know also drink alcohol. Foods to avoid: • All pork products • Seafoods that do not have scales or are not crustaceous. [So, eels and snails are out]. Hosting Banquets • Keep your life simple and hire a caterer [there are lots of them around] and if you need a Master of Ceremonies, obtain the services of an Arab who has experience.

Let's Make a Deal! - Part 1

What you should know before negotiating December 19, 2003 • Making a deal is what the Jordanians love most. It is a national sport. They thoroughly enjoy it. And you can have fun at it too. • The lists below are not intended to be a complete list of all that you need to do to negotiate deals successfully. However, these are points that you will need to consider. Prepare Yourself • Bring a supply of standard size business cards, preferably in colour. Full colour images and background graphics are appreciated but not required. • Have your brochures done up in full colour on glossy paper; it is the expected standard. They can be in English only, but it is preferred to have them in Arabic alone or Arabic with your native language. • Review and perhaps be prepared to adjust your presentation in light of the age bracket of your potential business partners. As a general rule:

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Age 25-35 motivated by a strong desire to appear western

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Age 35-45 a mixture of western and Arab perspectives

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Age 45+ motivated by traditional Arab values

• Memorize this guide, 'Everything is always negotiable.' Set Up Your Visit • All Jordanians are highly relational. And most business is best done along relational lines. So start with who you know and build your leads on information and introductions they can provide. If the only person you know is 'a friend of a friend of a friend' it is still a good place to start. Use phrases like 'I'm a friend of', 'I'm a relative of', 'I'm a partner of' often in introducing yourself. • If you are staying with a host, let that person know any special needs you have. • You may call ahead and arrange your appointments. Remember, however, that traditional Arabic culture is not time oriented so the appointments may not work out. Be prepared to improvise. If exact appointments are critical to you or your business, try to communicate that to the person you are arranging to meet. As a rule, the larger the organization, the more precise the appointment keeping will be. Ideas

• Jordanians are primarily oral and visual communicators. This is in contrast to Europeans who tend to be literature oriented. Pictures communicate much better than descriptive text. Most [other than engineers] cannot read a map or a technical drawing. • Jordanians tend to think proverbially. Anecdotal descriptions, proverbs, and significant remembered events provide the insight needed to make wise decisions. • Many Jordanians are proud of their ability to accept and incorporate new ideas. Many other Jordanians are proud of their traditional way of thinking. Many Jordanians believe that they can learn from outsiders and improve their way of life. Many other Jordanians believe that life would be much better if the foreign ideas were removed from life. • Here are some common unspoken business ideas that may influence the negotiations especially with more traditional thinkers:

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I would rather lose money on the venture than allow my competitor to get the deal.

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I need to do this business to show the importance/ status/ wealth of my family.

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There must be a lot of money to be made in this because so many people are doing it, or there must not be much money in this since not many people are doing it.

Let's Make a Deal! - Part 2 Negotiating and finalizing the deal December 19, 2003 Negotiating • Read the article 'Public Behaviour in Jordan' for ideas about greetings, introductions, seating arrangements and other important behaviours. • Your first meeting with a particular associate should start with full introductions and exchange of business cards. Then, every other meeting should also include greetings. This is an important part of relationship building and the foundation of business transactions. • It is common for officials, in politics and business, to have continually open office doors. Consequently, you will need to do at least some, and perhaps much, of your negotiating in the company of others who are present for their own differing purposes. The more traditional and informal the context, the more they become an integral part of the entire negotiating session. In very formal settings, it is considered polite for individual parties to wait quietly for their turn. In general, if an introduction has been made, the person is free to be involved in the discussions and negotiations.

• You may bring your own lawyer with you from your home country or arrange with a local lawyer. Jordanian business law is based on the French system. If you have a lawyer with you, it is normal for him to attend any negotiating sessions. He may take the lead when discussing legal arrangements, especially with government officials, for example, but you should lead in business issues and plans. • Business moves at two speeds, imperceptibly slow and lightning fast. Often, it will seem that nothing is moving at all until suddenly everyone is ready to move forward and then every thing happens at once. Think of it as a roller-coaster that climbs slowly to the summit while anticipation mounts for the sudden plunge down the far side. • On the other hand, excessive stalling is a polite way of saying that there is no real interest in continuing the business discussion without wanting to end the relationship and possible future cooperation. • In a larger organization, company policy can be an important constraint on agreements. However, if the significance of the deal warrants it, a discussion with the owners or directors may lead to a change in company policy. • Honour is of paramount importance. Casting doubt on the honour of your discussion partners is a weapon of mass destruction. Finalizing the Deal • More traditionally, a deal is finalized when either a down payment or full payment is made. • For those who are more western, a signed document may be considered final. • A verbal agreement is considered a statement of intent that may or may not work out. • However, as long as all parties are still present, negotiation may continue even after payment, signing or verbal agreement. • To back out of a finalized deal is considered unprincipled behavior. Court action may be considered if direct capital or expense losses result.

Conversation Welcome topics of conversation December 19, 2003 • Every visitor to Jordan is soon asked, 'How do you find Jordan?' Of course the hope of the inquirer is that you will have some complimentary thing to say about your experience of life and business in Jordan. But, it also opens up the door to talk about anything in Jordan. Jordanians are proud of their knowledge of peoples and countries around the world, so if you have some thought provoking questions about the history, language, government, culture or society of Jordan it will make a good start to a relationship.

• Except in formal situations, Jordanians normally mix personal conversation with business. Feel free to do the same your self; a little personal conversation will help with the relationship building. • If you are American, you will probably need to work on keeping your voice down. A loud voice can be considered domineering, or as a loss of control, and inappropriate for a guest let alone the building of mutual relationships. On the other hand, Jordanians can be very emotional in their conversation. Feel free to show some emotion but don't raise your voice when you do. • Some Jordanians are into sports, especially what Americans call soccer but Jordanians call football. • Most Jordanians like to talk about religion. If you have definite religious convictions, feel free to discuss them. However, a proselytizing or missionary approach will cause tension and damage relationships. On the other hand, you may run into some Jordanians who will try to convert you to Islam. • In Jordanian culture, it is quite normal to talk about such things as your wages, how much you pay for things like rent or clothing and how old you are. On the other hand, it is considered impolite to discuss your relationship with your spouse. • Compliment giving is like a sport--great entertainment, a source of pride, and best when played with good sportsmanship. Learning to trade compliments is an important part of relationship building. • Avoid cutting or derogatory humour--even with very close friends. Humour that is based on personal put-downs, jabs, sarcasm and such things is not well accepted. I have seen good working relationships that were abandoned by the Jordanian side for this reason alone even when every thing else was working profitably for both sides in every other area. • It might be better, during your first few years of dealing with Jordanians, to avoid making comments on current events. The perspectives of the east and the west can be very greatly divergent on such subjects as Israel, the Road Map and Palestine, Iraq, the war on terrorism, the American President, WTO, the UN and the UN Security Council, China-American relationships, etc. And, in many cases there are various strong feelings involved. To maneuver well in these areas and avoid damaging the working relationships is a challenge requiring quite some experience. If such topics do come up, listen closely, feel free to ask questions for clarification, and try to side step graciously any direct questions about your opinions. In this way, your Jordanian associate will understand from you that you do not wish to make these current events an issue in the relationship. • Read the article on Public Behaviour for more comments that relate to conversation. • Good conversational skills will bring you respect and open doors for you. Put some time, consideration and energy into it. When done well, even personal conversation can be an effective part of image building, vision sharing, confidence creation.

First Name or Title?

Addressing others with respect December 19, 2003 • Honour is very important in the Jordanian culture. As a result, lots of titles are used. Here are some ideas that will give you a start in the right direction as you use titles. • This first group is titles that you could try to learn to pronounce in Arabic. They can be inserted into English conversations. These titles are used with out including a personal name. • Some Arabic general titles of respect that you can have fun learning to use: •

'Ya Sidi' [pronounced yah see_ dee]. This is the most general title of respect. Informally, it can be used with any friend, co-worker, shop owner, business associate or member of the general public; anyone of roughly the same social standing. Formally, [but not in official communications] it is used with police and political authorities.

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'Ya 'Ammo' [pronounced yah 'um_ mow]. This is an informal general title of respect used to refer either to someone a generation older or a generation younger than you.

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'Ya Bek' [pronounced yah bake_]. This is a general formal title of respect especially used for police and military officers.

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'Ya Doctor' [pronounced yah doc tour_]. This general and a bit formal title of respect can be used to ascribe learning and general social awareness.

• Whether or not you want to try your hand at some of the Arabic titles, you should use lots of titles. Use them in English or your native language. Here are some categories of titles that can be used with personal names. I have included some examples. They should be used in written documents as well as letter heads and business cards, and when referring to third parties in formal settings: •

Social: Mr., Miss., Mrs., Ms.

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Educational: Dr., Engineer, Lawyer, Professor

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Political: Member of Parliament, Senator, Your/His Honour

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Judicial: Your/ His Honour, Judge

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Business: CEO, Gen. Manager

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Religion: Bishop, Minister

• In spoken conversation, when the setting is informal, you should use mostly the social titles. In very formal settings, even in spoken conversation, you should include many titles from the categories listed above. • Confused? Here are some examples of how you could refer to your business associate. Let's assume that his name is Khalid Obeidat and that he has a degree in engineering: • In a letter of introduction to him and asking for an appointment during your upcoming visit to Jordan [formal situation], you would write: Dear Engineer Khalid Obeidat, • When you meet Khalid for the first time in Jordan, you would greet him as: 'Mr. Khalid, how are you?' • After you have got to know each other a bit and the personal relationship is healthy, you could try some Arabic titles. So, you call him on the phone to ask him to have lunch with you and say: 'Ya Sidi, want to have lunch together?' • Later, together you visit the office of an official at the Ministry of Commerce And Industry. As you are describing your business plan to the official, you refer to Khalid's relationship to your business: Mr. Khalid will be representing our interests here. • After your successful visit to Jordan, you write up a report to your Board of Directors with a copy for Khalid. In the report you write: Engineer Khalid Obeidat's contribution to setting up the Jordanian project was excellent and we look forward to a successful business relationship.

Gift Giving Selecting and presenting an appropriate business gift December 19, 2003 • Gift giving is a bit of a sensitive topic in Jordan. There are some basic underlying concepts that it would be good for you to know before you start handing things out: • It is a moral requisite for the rich to give gifts to the poor. This is a double-edged sword! Giving a gift can be either seen as a mark of good character or a statement that I am a better person than you. Consequently, it is often best to give a gift quietly or even in secret. Some times a personal gift is better given 'to the kids' than directly to the adults. • Begging is a normal profession. It is not high on the honour list of professions, but it is not at the bottom either. Some of your potential business partners may be little more than sophisticated beggars.

• Among equals and partners, gift giving should ideally be reciprocal. At the very least, the significance of the gifts exchanged should be commensurate with the relative economic and social standing of the partners. • In formal settings, the giving of a gift is a powerful way of honouring. Such settings include:

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farewell gatherings, give a souvenir

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anniversary celebrations, give sweets

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when visiting the sick or when making a first visit to a home, bring sweets or a plant

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birth of a child, give baby clothes or cash

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marriage, give house wares or cash

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graduation of a family member, give clothing for the graduate

• In these settings, the gifts are of token value and would rarely exceed 40 USD. • During or at the completion of the negotiation process may be a good opportunity to offer a 'perk' or special bonus to be added on to the deal or contract. • In all cases, avoid giving gifts to your business partner's spouse. Also, avoid giving gifts that are of a large enough value to be considered as economic aid.

Appointment Alert! Making appointments December 19, 2003 Vacation Times • Most Jordanians do not take a vacation on a regular basis. However, work does typically slow down during the winter months, from December through February. • The holy month of Ramadan is also a slow month. Because the month of Ramadan follows the Lunar Calendar, it moves forward on the western calendar by about 10 or eleven days every year. In 2003, Ramadan started on October 25 and ended on November 23. After the end of Ramadan, there is a three to five day long national holiday. • Eid Al Adha is another national holiday. It starts about 75 days after Ramadan and lasts for 3 to 5 days. Business Hours

• Typically, businessmen are available at their offices from 9:00 am until 7:00 pm. on Sunday through Thursday. Large public institutions have more regular hours and may only hold office hours until 4:00 pm. Smaller and private institutions may have more irregular hours and remain until 7:00 pm or later and also be available on Saturdays. • During the month of Ramadan, business hours are shortened. Typically, work ends about two or three o'clock in the afternoon. • Many businessmen take lunch from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm. and then return to work until after 7:00 pm. When work hours end at 3:00 pm or 4:00 pm, there may not be any lunch break. Arriving and Leaving • Being on time for appointments is one thing that Jordanians admire in westerners. So, it is helpful for you to do so. However, it is typical of Jordanians to be more than a half hour late before there is a sense of inappropriateness. If it appears that you will be delayed in reaching your appointment by more than 15 minutes, you should call to inform your associate. • Try to avoid arriving early for private appointments. Typically, Jordanians are caught off guard or uncomfortable if you arrive even five minutes before your appointment. However, if you are just making sure that a particular person will be in his office at around 11:00, and you don't need to see someone privately or to have anything prepared for you, then you can arrive early if that is more convenient for you. • In general, you may leave your appointment whenever you are satisfied that you have finished your business. If tea or coffee has been served, it is polite to let every one who is a party to your business finish before you leave.

Business Dress Guidelines for business dress December 19, 2003 • Business dress should be modest and conservative. It is better to err on the side of modesty than to be seen as pushing the boundaries of morality. Generally, it will be better for business deals if you are seen to be conservative. In Jordanian society, the less conservative element is seen as suspect and therefore considered by the majority of Jordanians to be high-risk partners. • Normal business dress for men is a suit and tie. However, there are some businessmen who prefer to work in just a dress shirt and pants and that style is becoming more acceptable. • Normal business attire for women is a dress. The hemline should always cover the knees and mid calf but longer is better. The sleeves should cover the elbow but closer to the wrist is better. Avoid low necklines and cutaway backs. If you can, try

to find footage of Rania, Queen of Jordan, on a news service and note how she dresses. She is a well-respected role model for the thirty-something woman. • At social functions, you will see a variety of attire. However, remember that your objective is business and opt for a conservative style. • Especially in the capital, Amman, the rapid process of westernization and the perceived breakdown of moral guidelines give an appearance of greater freedom. Be aware, however, that the underlying reality may reflect a social agenda that works against your business interests.