The Differences between Saudi Society and American Society

There are many differences between the societies all over the world. These differences are consequence of religions, old customs, the value of freedom and development in the societies. Therefore, people's behavior in certain societies is different than other people's behavior in other societies. Saudi people's methods are bonded by Islamic religion instructions and very old customs. Therefore, Saudi people's methods are different than American people methods, which depend completely on development and freedom. These differences contain three results. Saudi society is more collectivist than the American society, Saudi society has higher power distance than American society and the Saudi society has stronger uncertainty avoidance than American society.

Collectivism in Saudi society is more important than it is in the American society. First, Saudi people prefer group activities; they prefer doing work in the companies with a group to doing it alone. In contrast, American people prefer doing their activities alone. For example, they prefer financing a business instead of getting other people to invest in it. Second, Saudi people think of themselves as "members of a group" so that all people in Saudi Arabia work together to make things happen for each other; they wouldn’t be jealous if another person were more successful than them; they help each other even if they are in competition. This is something that you rarely observe in American society. Finally, Saudi people base decisions on the needs of the group. They never have made decisions based on the benefits of only few in the group, but American people base decisions individually. American people are more individual than Saudi people.

The lack of the development which Saudi Arabia has, and the consideration to keep the old customs has made Saudi society have higher power distance than American society. First, in the Saudi house the man has the first and the final words. The woman cannot make any decision without the approval from the man, and the man always makes the important decisions without sharing them with the women. On the other hand, the man and the woman share with each other to make the important decisions in the American house. Second, at work, Saudi people expect the boss to make all the decisions, and all they do is the achieving. In contrast, at work in American companies there is not as much difference between people of high and low status. The boss listens to people at all levels in the company too. Finally, in the Saudi society the relationship between the old generation and the new generation is strong, so if you were 40 years old and your father asked you to do something you would do it, even if it were without benefit. On the other hand, the relationship between the old generation and the new generation is weak; therefore, the people in the new generation make their decision without taking advice from the old generation. American society eliminates the buffer of the hierarchy, but Saudi society still has it.

Saudi society is close minded; therefore, their uncertainty avoidance is stronger than American society which is open minded. First, Saudi people try to avoid the unknown. For example, the employees in the company are always against any change in the company procedures which they work in, while American company employees are more open to changes. Second, Saudi people are more emotional than American people. For example, the emotions are the most important things at work in Saudi society, so Saudi people never work devotedly without having good relations exist between them and the mangers in their work. However, in American society the most important thing at work is the work itself. They never let the relationship between them and their mangers affect strongly on their work. Finally, Saudi people tend to like having many rules. For example, at work if there were not many rules, they would not achieve, come to work on time and leave on time, so the employer could put a lot of rules to actualizing his work. In the other hand, American employees prefer less rules and more freedom in their work to achieve efficiently. American people have weaker uncertainty avoidance than Saudi people do.

Collectivism, power distance and uncertainty avoidance are higher in Saudi society than they are in American society. That exhibits the disadvantages which Saudi organizations should start to get rid of, and exhibits the advantages which Saudi organizations should keep and develop. With The development of the global economy and the advances in the technology Saudi Arabia cannot afford to resist change and America must come together and work as one. If there were more collaboration and understanding between the societies of the world, and there were even plans for countries throughout the world to share their experiences, the people would be much happier.