Page 317 - Aamir Rehman - Dubai & Co Global Strategies for Doing Business in the Gulf States-McGraw-Hill (2007)

Bringing It Home: Fostering GCC Awareness in the Head Office 299

access to senior management, and the overall structure and norms of
the organization. As a firm becomes more serious about its Gulf
business, shortening the reporting distance between the GCC and
the main office is a natural—and empowering—evolutionary step.

BRINGING IT HOME: CLOSING THOUGHTS
Integrating the GCC into your global strategy is one of the most
interesting—and challenging—imperatives in business today. The
economies of Dubai & Co. are prosperous and dynamic, with eco-
nomic, demographic, and regulatory changes rapidly transforming
the business environment. The Gulf countries share much in com-
mon, but each has its unique history and challenges. The region has
become a highly attractive place in which to do business, but it does
have significant risks and drawbacks. Failing to understand them
can lead to seriously flawed strategies and business models.
This book has introduced you to strategies in the Gulf across a
wide range of business functions: market entry, marketing, human
resources, finance, operations, and organization. You have seen that
the unique dynamics of the region affect the full range of corporate
activity. Whether your firm has yet to enter the market or has been in
the Gulf for decades, you are now better prepared to assess your GCC
strategy and to ask probing questions on how it could be improved.
It’s hard to say when you will next come across the Gulf.
Perhaps, like GE or Morgan Stanley, you will see the GCC as a major
growth market with highly attractive customers. Or, like
McDonald’s and Zara, you may find yourself considering cus-
tomized products or product mixes for the Gulf region. Then again,
your next encounter with the Gulf could be like those of the Four
Seasons or Aston Martin—in an M&A situation, with a GCC
investor making a bid. Considering the growing importance of the
region, your next encounter is more likely to be sooner than later.
Not every business will see the Gulf as a growth opportunity,
and clearly there is no one way to engage the region. Savvy firms
will reflect on the issue, consider their options, and explore ways to
integrate the GCC more tightly into the overall enterprise. The wis-
est firms may embrace the region or choose to proceed with cau-
tion—but they certainly will not ignore it. No corporate strategy is
truly global without attention to Dubai & Co.

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