Ana González-Santamaría: "Taking Islam into account is key for business in North Africa"

As happens in almost all areas, social and cultural differences between regions can make the difference between a successful business or a misunderstanding that leads irremediably to failure. This is one of the issues addressed during the lecture "Protocol and business culture in North African countries", in which Professor Ana González-Santamaría stressed some basic notions about society, culture and protocol in the Arab countries of the Middle East and the Maghreb. 

Within the framework of the IMEX-Madrid 2022 Foreign Trade Fair, the promotion of the internationalisation of small and medium-sized Spanish companies has become the main objective of all those attending. For this reason, the obstacles faced when it comes to doing business with Arab entrepreneurs or those from North African territories are many and varied. Most of them stem from strong cultural differences. 

After the presentation by Casa Árabe's Training and Economics Coordinator, Olivia Orozco de la Torre, Ana González-Santamaría gave some general information on Arab culture, while the former market analyst advised those attending and potential international businesspeople on how to behave and what issues to bear in mind when setting up a business operating in North Africa. She drew on her experience as a PhD in Applied Economics from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, a former market analyst and professor at ESIC University.

The importance of these regions is key, and this becomes evident when we look at the changes in economic and business relations. "Spain has positioned itself, in the course of the last few years alone, as one of Morocco's main trading partners", Olivia Orozco stressed at the beginning of the presentation, and, in general terms, the sum of Spanish exports to the Maghreb region and Egypt now exceeds exports to the whole of Latin America. Including Mexico and Brazil. 

When it comes to doing business, business protocol becomes fundamental, and for this it is always necessary to know the counterpart and the negotiation techniques used, explained González-Santamaría. What often happens is that "Arab people know much more about us than we know about them", she pointed out, stressing the importance of cultural diversity, the awareness of giving an image - both one's own and that of the company one represents - and the avoidance of collective judgements that prevent one from being receptive.

In this sense, it is worth remembering that Arab culture is by no means a homogenous culture, and that a territory as vast as the Middle East and the Maghreb cannot be simplified to a common religion and language. However, Ana González-Santamaría stressed, on more than one occasion, that 'Islam is a key element when doing business in North Africa and the Middle East', as it determines many other subsequent issues. In these territories "Islam is a whole. It is much more than a religion; it has become a way of life," said the ESIC professor. 

For this reason, knowing the prayer times - five times a day -, the festive periods, such as Ramadan, or the important dates - such as Aid al-Fitur (a Muslim equivalent of the Western Holy Week), Aid al-Adha (the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca, symbolically comparable to Christmas) or Adha-Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan - is deeply relevant when dealing with an Arab-Muslim person. 

The influence of Islam also extends to business, and although according to the 'principle of Falah' commercial gain is fully recognised, enrichment through interest is not accepted by Arab-Muslim businessmen. It is considered usury. The differences in permitted ("Halal") and non-permitted ("Haram") business and trade practices are leading more and more sectors to work on the "Halal Certificate". An accreditation that endorses their products in Muslim-majority regions. 

Finally, in order to provide additional knowledge to avoid minor intercultural misunderstandings, Ana González-Santamaría also addressed the issues of honour, reputation, hospitality and social and interpersonal relations in Arab culture.