Doing Business in Algeria : Managerial practices and Etiquettes

Extraits

[...] From the business point of view, everything is slower during this month because of the prayers, the break of the fast etc. Business is regulated by the prayers hours and the sunset Algerians have a polychromic time perspective in the domestic life as well as in business. Algerians have no problem with doing several things at the same time and are used to it. In general, the companies have an open- door policy, even during meetings. This means that a meeting can be frequently interrupted. [...]

[...] The main reason behind the collapses of this system was the modernity and crisis of individuals wanting to express their God given rights. Keep in mind, this does not mean that Algerian personalities have been lost given the many colonial invasions of its time. Male-female relationship To talk about this issue, we can not ignore the fact that Algeria is a Muslim country, and its heavy historical heritage (Islam, colonization, independence war ) plays a preponderant role in everyday's life. In Algeria, women were traditionally regarded as weaker than men in mind, body, and spirit. [...]

[...] The political back-drop of this former French colony has been blanketed by war and strife for decades. Having gained its independence in 1962, Algeria emerged, in the 21st century, as a strong oil producing country with a tattered political history. Its political and economic problems are further exasperated by its increasing unemployment rate and the alleged political violence from Islamic extremists. Despite continuous efforts on behalf of the government, there is still small level of civil unrest. The Berber minority has been demanding more employment opportunities and greater autonomy. [...]

[...] Nowadays, women still constitute a particularly vulnerable group in Algeria and are highly susceptible to discriminatory treatment. In spite of progress in gender equality in recent years, this country remains a male dominated society where women are denied equal property, marriage or divorce rights and are discouraged to participate in public life (soccer stadium, cafes, movies ) and from working from outside the home. The real battleground over the status and rights of women has been the family code, a set of legal provisions regulating marriage and the family. [...]

[...] Based on societal constraints, this can result in the loss of a fairer negotiation outcome. Given the history of the Algerian revolution, it is likely to add fuel to the fire of other Arab nations such as Palestine, to help them strengthen their appeal to other Islamists vehemently rejecting any compromise with Israel. They would most likely turn to groups such as Hamas or Islamic Jihad. This would give them clout with Iran, Sudan, and Palestinian Islamists to block any permanent settlement. [...]