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Lebanon |
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Facts and Statistics
Location: The Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria Capital: Beirut Borders: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km Population: 3,971,941 (July 2008 est.) Ethnic Makeup: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians Religions: Muslim 59.7% (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant), other 1.3% note: 17 religious sects recognised |
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Language in Lebanon
Article 11 of Lebanon's Constitution states that "Arabic is the official national language. A law determines the cases in which the French language may be used". The majority of Lebanese people speak Arabic and either French or English fluently. Moreover, Lebanese people of Armenian or Greek descent also speak Armenian or Greek fluently. Also in use is Kurdish spoken by some of the Kurdish minorities in Lebanon, and Syriac by the Syriac minorities. Other languages include Circassian, spoken by 50,000, Tigrinya (30,000), Sinhala (25,000), Turkish (10,000), Azerbaijani (13,000), Polish (5,000), Russian and Romanian (together 10,000 speakers), and Turkmen (8,000 speakers). Lebanese Society and Culture The People There has deliberately not been a census in Lebanon since 1932, before its formation as an independent nation. This is due to the political consequences a major shift in the population dynamics an accurate census could have. The population is generally viewed in terms of religion. The predominant differences between people are those between Muslim and Christian sects. The proportion of each is politically sensitive so estimates from different sources vary widely. What is known is that approximately 90% of the population is urban rather than rural. Religion(s) Lebanon is a religious mish-mash and this has ultimately been the cause behind social tensions and the long, drawn out civil war. The government officially recognizes 18 religious sects of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Religious differences are built into government and politics. Christians are guaranteed 50% of the seats in parliament. The President is always a Christian and the Prime Minister and Speaker of the House are Muslims. The Druze are awarded 8 seats in parliament. The government maintains that this system prevents one community from gaining an advantage over the others. Religion affects almost all areas of culture. Family laws such as divorce, separation, child custody, and inheritance are handled in religious courts and there is not a uniform system for all citizens. Loyalty to a Group A person’s name and honour are their most cherished possessions. This extends also to the family and wider group. Therefore the behaviour of individual family members is viewed as the direct responsibility of the family. It is crucial for the Lebanese to maintain their dignity, honour, and reputation. The Lebanese strive to avoid causing another person public embarrassment. This can be seen when they agree to perform a favour for a friend to maintain that friend’s honour even if they know that they will not do what is asked. Hospitable People The Lebanese are proud of their tradition of hospitality. This is a culture where it is considered an honour to have a guest in your home. One should therefore not seen being invited quite quickly to someone’s home for something to eat as strange. Guests are generally served tea or coffee immediately. Good manners dictate that such offers are accepted; never reject such an offer as this may be viewed as an insult. Lebanese Customs and Etiquette Greeting people
Gift Giving Etiquette
Dining Etiquette If you are invited to a Lebanese house for dinner:
Business Etiquette, Customs and Protocol Meeting and Greeting
Communication Styles The Lebanese are very “touchy-feely”. Direct eye contact with a lot of physical contact is the cornerstones of Lebanese communication. If you are from a culture where eye contact is less direct and contact not so prevalent, this may feel uncomfortable. Try not to break the eye contact as this conveys trust, sincerity and honesty. However, interestingly the situation is reversed when dealing with elders where prolonged direct eye contact is considered rude and challenging. Lebanese have an indirect and non-confrontational communication style, which relates to the need to maintain personal honour. They rely heavily on the context to explain the underlying meaning of their words. The listener is expected to know what they are trying to say or imply. Non-verbal cues and body language are crucial to learn so you can more fully understand the responses you are given. For the most part, Lebanese try not to lose their tempers publicly since such behaviour demonstrates a weakness of character. They strive to be courteous and expect similar behaviour from others. However, if they think that their honour has been impugned or that their personal honour has been challenged, they will raise their voice and employ sweeping hand gestures in their vociferous attempt to restore their honour. Business Meetings The business culture in Lebanon is multi-faceted and also rapidly changing. The country is eager for foreign investment and many companies have adopted a Western approach to business. At the same time, smaller companies may retain many Middle Eastern aspects to their business culture. Punctuality is generally expected for business meetings. Meetings generally begin with the offer of tea or coffee. While this is being sipped, it is important to engage in some chitchat. This is important in order to establish rapport and trust. Meetings are not necessarily private. The Lebanese tend to have an open-door policy, which means that people may walk in and out, telephone calls may be answered or the tea boy may come in to take drink orders. It is best to be prepared for frequent interruptions. Meetings are generally conducted in French, Arabic or English. It is generally a good idea to ask which language the meeting will be conducted in prior to arriving. You may wish to hire your own interpreter. Being a Manager in Lebanon To ensure successful cross cultural management in Lebanon, you need be aware of the strict protocols and rituals that exist. You may be able to relax your style over time as you develop a more personal relationship with your business colleagues. Lebanese business is in a state of flux. Many companies, eager for international investment and trade, have adopted Western business practices while others have not. If chosen carefully a local agent or representative may be advantageous when scheduling meetings with a company you have not done business with previously. Do not rush the process of hiring an agent as your company will be judged on the reputation of this person and they will be viewed as your organization when you are not in the country. After years of political turmoil, the international Lebanese business community is relatively small and your behavior will quickly become public knowledge. Therefore, it is important to behave in a businesslike manner at all times. The Role of a Manager Lebanese will ask for and expect business associates to grant favors. It is in your best interest to agree even if you do not think that you will be able to comply. They will understand that circumstances prevented you from taking action, but their honor will be preserved by your agreement. If you are holding meetings remember that praise should be given to the entire group and not to individuals. Approach to Change Lebanon’s intercultural adaptability and readiness for change is low. Lebanon remains a low risk and low change-tolerant culture despite the apparent adoption of Western business practices. This means that change for its own sake is not necessarily considered a good thing, although in some circles it may be. Many older Lebanese continue to see change as a threat to the culture. Approach to Time and Priorities Lebanon is a fluid time culture, and as is the case with many fluid time cultures, it is also very relationship-oriented. People in Lebanon will not want to upset others in order to force adherence to a deadline. When working with people from Lebanon, it’s advisable to reinforce the importance of the agreed-upon deadlines and how that may affect the rest of the organization. Global and intercultural expansion means that some managers may have a greater appreciation of the need to enforce timescales and as such, agreed deadlines are more likely to be met. Decision Making Decisions are generally made at the top of the company or by the key stakeholder if the matter is technical. Even when it appears that there is an open discussion and opinions from all levels are being sought, the ultimate decision rests with the most senior person. This may change somewhat with multinational companies where the decision making process is in line with the corporate culture of that company rather than the more traditional Lebanese hierarchical model. Boss or Team Player If you are working in Lebanon intercultural sensitivity is essential. It is important to remember that reputation plays an important role. The risk becomes amplified in a team or collaborative setting. If you would like to encourage participation it is important first to clearly establish a non-threatening work environment and communicate fully that their participation is desired. Successful cross cultural management will rely on the individual’s interpersonal skills and ability to maintain cordial relationships with their subordinates. Communication and Negotiation Styles Effective cross cultural management will need to understand the importance placed on personal relationships. As in most Middle Eastern countries, good personal relationships are the cornerstone of successful business. Companies are hierarchical with the highest-ranking person making the decisions. . Decisions are reached slowly and if the government is involved, discussions will take even longer since approval must often be given by the ministers of several departments. Lebanese prefer not to give an overt “no” during negotiations and will often use elaborate language that says little to avoid saying something that could be contentious. Be prepared to offer concessions; however, do so with elaborate demonstrations of regret and reluctance. Asking for concessions in return brands you as a skilled negotiator. Lebanon - Information and Resources * Currency - the currency of Lebanon is the Lira (LL). Use the free currency converter to compare to dollars, GBP, etc. * Weather - visit Yahoo!'s up to date Weather for Lebanon. * News - check out all the latest news from Lebanon. * Dialling Code - the international dialling code for Lebanon is +961. * Time - Lebanon is the +2 hours GMT. |
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