Seven Metaphors on Management Tools for Managers in the Arab World

Citation

Steve Cross, D. (2005), "Seven Metaphors on Management Tools for Managers in the Arab World", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 26 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/lodj.2005.02226cae.002

Seven Metaphors on Management Tools for Managers in the Arab World

Seven Metaphors on Management Tools for Managers in the Arab World

Farid A. MunaGower Publishing2003ISBN 0-566-08575-5182 pp.£19.50 paperback

Keywords: Cultural differences

Review DOI 10.1108/01437730510591798

This thoroughly readable book is, in essence, a management toolkit. Farid Muna's seven metaphors are each a technique to address a particular aspect or problem in modern management: the Tripod, for example, is an approach to motivation, and the Helicopter a perspective on creativity and problem-solving. Useful enough – but not especially innovative or inspiring to regular readers of management texts, you may think.

But what this book does provide, and at a time which could scarcely be more appropriate, is a cross-cultural perspective. Drawing on his work in both the middle East and the West, Muna succeeds in highlighting key cultural differences and how they affect management. He does this with great respect for all of the cultures his work has touched on, and with occasional flashes of genuine insight.

For managers working in the Gulf especially, this book provides clear practical guidance, backed up with research findings and the author's interesting and varied personal experiences. The tone of the book is down-to-earth rather than academic, and Muna's arguments are no less compelling for that. Throughout, he draws on original research, and enlivens his text with checklists, case studies and the occasional puzzle.

Managing multinational staff and multicultural expatriates requires special skills and sensitivities, Muna argues. And management in the Arab world brings its own problems – issues here are more influenced than we might expect by cultural, economic and political factors. It is here that the author's toolkit comes into play: the chapters on the metaphors of the Transit Lounge and the Mosaic are particularly relevant today, when the West's sensitivity to other cultures is under critical scrutiny. Muna shows the reader how Westerners are viewed by Arabs and Asians, and how they in turn view each other and the West. The findings are stimulating – both positive and negative impressions of the various cultures are presented and commented on. In showing these, Muna attempts to steer the manager away from common pitfalls, pitfalls which are often well hidden which can materially affect management performance.

If there is a criticism that could be advanced, it is of the dangers of stereotyping. Not all Western managers are arrogant, or show no respect for Islam; not all Arab managers are overemotional and talkative; not all Asians are cliquish, subservient and uncreative. In fairness to the author, however, it must be pointed out that these are not his own views, but those of the managers that he interviewed. Muna uses hard data when he can, and when he cannot his natural amiability and humanity tend to carry his points.

This is an engaging work from a thoughtful writer. Though perhaps lacking the rigour of a strictly academic approach to cross-cultural management issues, the author demonstrates a practical approach which will be appreciated by practical managers.

Dr Steve CrossHuman Reliability, Dalton, Lancashire, UK