Question

Explain in detail some of the national, political, social and business cultures of UAE.

Answer 1

The UAE Emiratis are primarily Sunni Muslims, and Sharia (Islamic) law regulates all social and political matters.
The UAE, however, is respectful of other faiths, and grants the expatriate population religious freedom. These religions include mainly Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism, and Buddhism.
While Muslims that proselytize to those of other faiths, proselytizing to Muslims is forbidden for those of other faiths. Muslims are not permitted to convert from Islam, and any who deliberately seek to persuade Muslims to convert to a new faith have consequences.

In the UAE social class is established clearly. The first distinction is the difference between the Emirates and the refugees known as 'incomers.'
The governing Sheik families hold the highest political as well as social roles in society. They have enormous wealth and power. The next tier of the social strata is the merchant classes. Historically, in the (now obsolete) pearling trade, the merchants worked. They now have major foreign trade relations.
Next is the latest trend of middle-class professionals who have attained higher educational levels in the growing economy since the establishment of the Federation of Emirates.

The UAE has a GDP growth rate of USD 348.7 billion in gross domestic product (World Bank 2016): 3.0 per cent annual increase (World Bank 2016) Gross national income: USD 675.3 billion (World Bank 2016) The UAE is the second largest economy in the Arab world.

The UAE has a long cultural heritage with many evolving cultures dating back to ancient times. From the Bedouin tribes that migrated through the deserts to the generations of Arab Gulf pearl harvesters.
Today, while promoting and encouraging new arts, literature and theatre, the UAE takes pride in the cultural past. Dubai is strewn with galleries of art, museums and theater providing insight into both the past and the future of the arts. In 1998 the City of Sharjah was declared the Arab World's Cultural Capital and houses a museum preserving local history in the Sharjah Fort which was once the ruling family's residence.

Relationship building in the UAE and personal connections are crucial for productive business. If you haven't taken the time and made the effort to establish a good relationship with your counterpart then it's doubtful they'll trust you to negotiate with you enough. A lawyer can exchange all contractual deals before signing on the dotted line. While commonly adhered to timescales and deadlines, they are given less attention compared to Western cultures. Hence, if you are a Westerner doing business in the UAE, you may want to reiterate some deadlines, gently and respectfully.