Role Play Scenario: Negotiating in Riyadh I
Danish side
You are _________ and _____________, representing a major Nordic energy company. After two days of very promising discussions with Sheikh Hisham Al Wahoud, your best oil-industry contact in the Gulf, you are meeting in his Riyadh office before returning home.
Over the second cup of coffee Sheikh Hisham asks you a favor: “You remember my son Hamid – you met him last month at my house. Hamid is a good boy even though his marks at university weren’t very good. Well, I want him to get his MBA at the Harvard Business School. With all your contacts in the U.S. I’m sure you’ll be able to get him in. How soon can you let me know?”
Knowing there’s really nothing you or your contacts can do about this, you respond: “Sheikh Hisham, “I’d really like to help Hamid, but you told me he had failed to get his university degree. My American friends tell me a very good degree is essential to get into Harvard’s MBA program. In addition he will have to get a high score on the Graduate Record Exam as well as strong recommendations from three of his professors.”
“So I’m very sorry, but I doubt Hamid will be able to get into Harvard.”
Sheikh Hisham looks very surprised, then just sits there looking down at his coffee cup.
“Negotiating in Riyadh II”
You are _________ and _____________, representing a major Nordic energy company. After two days of very promising discussions with Sheikh Hisham Al Wahoud, your best oil-industry contact in the Gulf, you are meeting in his Riyadh office before returning home.
Over the second cup of coffee Sheikh Hisham asks you a favor: “You remember my son Hamid – you met him last month at my house. Hamid is a good boy even though his marks at university weren’t very good. Well, I want him to get his MBA at the Harvard Business School. With all your contacts in the U.S. I’m sure you’ll be able to get him in. How soon can you let me know?”
Of course there is nothing you or your contacts can do about his request, but you know how to respond: “Sheikh Hisham, we will look into this right away and get back to you. I don’t know if we will be able to help, but we will certainly do our very best.”
The sheikh smiles broadly and rises to say goodbye….
Arab side
After two days of discussions with _________ and _________, representatives of a major Nordic energy company, you are having coffee with them in your Riyadh office before they return home.
Over the second cup of coffee you ask __________ a favor: “You remember my son Hamid – you met him last month at my house. Hamid is a good boy even though his marks at university weren’t very good. Well, I want him to get his MBA at the Harvard Business School. With all your contacts in the U.S. I’m sure you’ll be able to get him in. How soon can you let me know?”
__________ casually replies, “Sheikh Hisham, “I’d really like to help Hamid, but you told me he had failed to get his university degree. My American friends tell me a very good degree is essential to get into Harvard’s MBA program. In addition he will have to get a high score on the Graduate Record Exam as well as strong recommendations from three of his professors.”
“So I’m very sorry, but I doubt Hamid will be able to get into Harvard.”
Shocked and offended, you sit there trying to think of what to do next.