| Politically too, the Middle East boasts modern and | | | | comes out of the Middle East (BBC). |
| free democracies and also endures theocratic | | | | A Crossroads for International Trade |
| autocracies. For the past three decades the Middle | | | | For millennia, the Middle East has been at the centre |
| East has been at the centre of global interaction, be | | | | of global international trade. Whether the ancient |
| it global conflict or global trade. Doing business in the | | | | ‘Silk Road' or 21st century oil trade, the Middle |
| Middle East can offer a number of key benefits, | | | | East has always boasted first-class port facilities and |
| including the following. | | | | today can also claim to have some of best trade |
| Rapidly Modernising Markets | | | | facilities in the world. |
| Recent years have seen a trend towards the | | | | An Educated Workforce |
| modernisation of markets across the Middle East in a | | | | An educated workforce is a successful workforce. |
| bid to attract and keep foreign investment. The idea | | | | This is a concept that rings very true across the |
| of economic diversification has also begun to spread | | | | Middle East. Education is highly valued. In many of |
| as many of the oil producing nations become aware | | | | the countries in the region, the work force comprises |
| that revenue from oil will not last forever. | | | | people educated up to and beyond university level. |
| Diversification has come in the form of tourism, | | | | |
| telecommunications and I.T solutions which have all | | | | The Middle East is a vast, complex mix of cultures. |
| increased foreign investment potential for anyone | | | | Any organisation doing business in the Middle East |
| doing business in the Middle East. | | | | should gain an understanding of the differences which |
| An Abundance of Natural Resources | | | | exist. A cross-cultural training programme such as |
| As would be expected with a region spanning the | | | | Doing Business in the Middle East will give your |
| area that is occupied by the Middle East, there is an | | | | organisation an introduction to the complexities and |
| abundance of natural resources, creating a profitable | | | | challenges of doing business in the Middle East and |
| environment for industrial and economic growth. In | | | | strategies to maximise your chances of success. |
| fact, 62.5% of the petroleum produced globally | | | | |