Richard Morley stopped in Riyadh on his way back from the Far East. He hoped to meet Ahmad Abalkhail, the man in the Ministry of Labor in charge of computer purchasing and training, with whom he had previously spoken. He felt that he would be able to do business with him if he could meet him in person. It was Wednesday afternoon, and he knew he had a narrow window of time to make his visit. He called the Ministry. After many tribulations and interruptions with the Arabic-speaking operator, he was finally connected with Mr.

Abalkhail's office. He received confirmation from an assistant that Mr. Abalkhail was available. He got into a taxi and found his way to the Ministry in the sweltering heat of the day.

Mr. Abalkhail, who has traveled extensively in England and the United States, spoke adequate English. That afternoon, his mind was on his cousin, visiting from Taif. He was to meet his cousin in an hour and pick out a wedding present for a not-too-distant relative getting married this weekend.

Richard was relieved to be welcomed into the lush air-conditioned offices of Mr. Abalkhail. After a short wait, he was introduced by an assistant and welcomed warmly; Mr. Abalkhail greeted him by name and had some understanding of what he had to offer. A young man offered him cold lemonade with ice. As he sipped his lemonade, he waited for Mr. Abalkhail to finish signing several letters brought in by a polite and soft-spoken assistant. Mr. Abalkhail responded to a hurried phone call before turning his attention to Mr. Morley. He went out of his way to inquire about Morley's health, where he was staying, and whether he was enjoying himself in Riyadh. Richard was quite anxious to make his presentation, since he knew this was a rare opportunity. He was an experienced salesman and contract negotiator, easily capable of turning the conversation around to present his line of computer programming and the training that accompanies it. He pulled out several brochures from his briefcase as well as a short proposal, and delved into a well-structured presentation.

Mr. Abalkhail went out of his way to appear attentive, even though he knew he had very little time to give serious consideration to the proposal. He wished that it were Saturday morning, instead of Wednesday just before the wedding. He even teased his guest for being a venturesome businessman who will someday make big bucks in the Saudi desert. They both laughed, and Richard delved back into his presentation -hoping to make the right impression. Mr. Abalkhail was interrupted again to read and sign another letter. He excused himself for one more interruption.

He then called his assistant and asked if his car was ready. Richard heard something about a Cadillac in the conversation.

Mr. Morley proceeded to describe the training capabilities of his corporation, but somehow felt that he was not quite connected to his listener. Mr. Abalkhail asked him if he would like another lemonade. Then, with a certain air of weariness, he asked to keep the materials presented to him. He asked Mr. Morley to send him complete documentation and a proposal on their products, thanked Mr. Morley for his visit, and told him that he hoped he would be doing business in Saudi Arabia. He then shook hands and told his visitor he hoped to receive his materials soon.

Observation and discussion

.

2.What happened? Where was the cultural misunderstanding?

3.How might Morley had handled the meeting/visit differently?

4.What should have Morley done before he made the hard-sell presentation?

5. "What recommendation (s) would you give Richard Morley for future similar

situations?"

Provide a rationale for your recommendations and cite any sources you used to assist you

in your answer/ recommendations

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

What happened Where was the cultural misunderstanding In this scenario Richard Morley a businessman visited Ahmad Abalkhail an official at the Ministry of Labor in Riyadh Saudi Arabia to discuss poten... View the full answer