Page 107 - Cultures and Organizations

4

I, We, and They

medium-size Swedish high-technology corporation was approached
Awith a profi table opportunity by a compatriot, a businessman with

good contacts in Saudi Arabia. The corporation sent one of its engi-

neers—let us call him Johannesson—to Riyadh, where he was intro-

duced to a small Saudi engineering firm run by two brothers in their
mid-thirties, both with British university degrees. The request was

to assist in a development project on behalf of the Saudi government.
However, after six visits over a period of two years, nothing seemed to

happen. Johannesson’s meetings with the brothers were always held in
the presence of the Swedish businessman who had established the fi rst
contact. This annoyed him and his superiors, because they were not at

all sure that this businessman did not have contacts with their competi-
tors as well—but the Saudis wanted the intermediary to be there. Dis-

89