262 CultureShock! Egypt
undivided attention of your business host during a meeting,
you will probably be disappointed or possibly confused.
Typically, during Western business meetings, all calls are
stopped or some comment is made to let you know that
some terribly important overseas or long-distance call may
come in during your visit. You also expect, under most
circumstances, that other individuals either leave the room
or not interrupt the meeting. If you are expecting privacy
and undivided attention, you may well need to forget this
tradition for most meetings. Once you are ushered into your
meeting, you may well fi nd you are among fi ve or ten other
persons all sitting in the room at various places. Each is also
trying to conduct business with the same person. Phones ring
and are answered. Long conversations may ensue. People
run in and out, catch the host’s attention, and conduct their
business just as though you were not sitting or standing there.
You may fi nd your temper swelling while thinking, ‘What
am I doing here? This person is not taking this seriously.
Doesn’t this person realise that time is money, and my time
is valuable too?’ Actually, conducting meetings in this way
is common practice, not a personal statement or action
against you.
The times I have experienced exceptions to this type of
meeting seem to have occurred most commonly when I
have met with ministers or other very high level offi cials.
These individuals seem to follow a more customary Western-
style business meeting approach, giving you more or less
undivided attention. However, it is still not uncommon for
a subordinate to come in and interrupt the discussion with
pressing issues that simply cannot wait until your meeting
is fi nished.Business Hours
Those accustomed to working from eight to fi ve or, for
that matter, seven in the morning to late evening, will fi nd
Egyptian business hours diffi cult to understand. The custom
of working for eight hours straight is practically unheard of
in most of Egypt. I have alluded to the fact that many shops
and souks are usually open until late at night. Sometimes