- Published: November 17, 2021
- Updated: November 17, 2021
- University / College: University of British Columbia
- Level: Secondary School
- Language: English
- Downloads: 18
United s versus United Arab Emirates BY YOU YOUR SCHOOL INFO HERE HERE United s versus United Arab Emirates There is a great deal of power distance in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Power distance is the amount of accepted distance between power figures such as in government and basic society members. Government leaders gain expectation that they should have control in a way that does not come close to the people. This is very much different than the United States. This country wants to have close relationships with their government leaders. The democracy is supposed to be for the people. People remind their leaders of their issues that are social or legal and are more visible because of this. They will meet to rally their leaders in the United States and even have meals with them in restaurants when they campaign. In the United Arab Emirates these types of relationships would not happen.
In the UAE, power and wealth are also important together. It is understood that there can be distance between wealthy business people and leaders. Because of this the people in the UAE would find it to be acceptable that leaders have money. In the United States, the people having a close relationship with their leaders makes them want to have wealth also. The people often ask for wealth to be handed out for different needs with much activity when it does not happen. For example, if people are having a hard time with their profit they will start to demand money to be redistributed. This is when they protest and when they become more active in getting what they want. The United States leaders have little choice but to try to meet these demands or face consequences of protesting people. In the United Arab Emirates, the people are less likely to be loud against their leaders about economy issues. It is again this power distance that is most noticeable.
With high power distance, there are some common ideas. In the UAE, because people are not close to their leaders they will have quiet and private conversations about their unhappiness. They will speak with family and relatives for this or workplace partners. It is only when situations get really out of control and unfair that people in the UAE would make loud appeals to their leaders. The United States is the same way, in comparison. People often have spokespersons in the USA and let them do their protesting for them. Other discussions happen in private areas with close friends and company. This is when people in communities begin making signs and getting together to make sure change happens they way they want it. So there is a form of collectivism that happens with high power distance that does have some similarities between the two countries. Even though the USA has lower power distance people still gather in groups to discuss government issues and this is how they build a protest assembly. This would be common in the UAE even with high power distance when rights issues have been violated or wealth is too unfair and affecting business.