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Although most Arab countries remain authoritarian, many have undergone a restructuring of state-society relations in which lower- and middle-class interest groups have lost ground while big business has benefited in terms of its integration into policy-making and the opening of economic sectors that used to be state-dominated. Arab businesses have also started taking on aspects of public service provision in health, media and education that used to be the domain of the state; they have also become increasingly active in philanthropy. The ‘Arab Spring,’ which is likely to lead to a more pluralistic political order, makes it all the more important to understand business interests in the Middle East, a segment of society that on the one hand has often been close to the ancien regime, but on the other will play a pivotal role in a future social contract. Among the topics addressed by the authors are the role of business in recent regime change; the political outlook of businessmen; the consequences of economic liberalisation on the composition of business elites in the Middle East; the role of the private sector in orienting government policies; lobbying of government by business interests and the mechanisms by which governments seek to keep businesses dependent on them.

16.5 Within Western Countries -- 16.6 Between the Two Groups -- 16.7 Future Market Scenarios in the Middle East -- References -- The Editor -- The Authors -- Author Index -- Subject Index

This new and updated book is necessary reading for all professionals working in the Middle East and North Africa, it includes: - The practical impact of Islam on business - Safety and security in the region - Business etiquette - Political and social do's and don'ts The practicalities of doing business in the MEA region are covered in detail, from the initial visit to establishing productive working relationships, including opening an office in the region. It also focuses on issues of particular importance to all businesswomen, and for men who might be working with Arab and Muslim women.

Business and Education in the Middle East brings together academic and business expertise in order to come up with long-term strategies that will have a great effect on the university performance and governance. The book shares experiences and knowledge to explore innovative strategies and plans with a new perspective for the future.

This volume, first published in 1982, provides a comprehensive analysis of the problems affecting the interests of the Western Alliance (the North Americans, the Europeans and the Japanese), the Middle East states, and the Soviet Union. The authors, all internationally recognized experts in their fields, bring together different and distinctive perspectives on such central issues as the Arab-Israeli dispute, the dynamics of the energy crisis, alliance unity and the role of the Soviet Union, and the effect of growing Middle East instability on the interests of individual allied countries. The chapters address the major issues both historically and in terms of current events; and they seek to examine relationships both from the perspective of the various countries and of the Alliance as a whole.