Saudi Arabia - High Context and Conflict - Chris Ingram

Saudi Arabians are a high-context culture.  They communicate heavily through the use of hand gestures and silences.

It's typical in Saudi Arabia for men to greet each other with a handshake.  Kissing on the cheek is acceptable between two friends (not a common sight in the USA).  However, in public, members of the opposite sex do not greet each other unless they are within the same family.  Usually after a formal greeting, Saudi Arabians will take the time to converse with each other through small talk, and it's important to be patient.  It's customary to respect another as a person and get to know people on a personal level.

When having a conversation with a Saudi Arabian, it's important to remember not to ask about female family members unless the other person brings them up in conversation.  It's regarded as having a romantic interest in a female family member, and considered rude.  Being a patriarchal society plays into it as well, as women have a lesser role than men.  Also, never use the left hand for a handshake or any hand gesture--for cultural reasons, it is considered unclean and only used for hygienic reasons.

Compared to the US, Saudi Arabians do not value personal space.  It is not uncommon for another citizen to stand close, where most US citizens would consider their space violated.

As a society, they place great importance on elders.  When regarding elders, they will usually use a formal title along with their full name.  As a culture, they also put high regard on the family and consider that the center of their society.

When it comes to conflict, Saudis tend to emphasize competition in the workplace, as well as a strong work ethic.  In personal conflicts, men tend to settle their conflicts physically rather than avoid them.  While the United States prefers to face conflicts directly, Saudi Arabians tend to be a collectivist culture and as a society, tend to avoid conflict.  This is because unlike the US belief that not standing up for one's self is a sign of "submission," Saudi's believe there is no face to gain, because an individual's face is already determined by social standing.

Sources:

http://dpuadweb.depauw.edu/$1~mkfinney/teaching/Com227/culturalPortfolios/Saudi_Arabia/Communication.htm
http://www.iorworld.com/saudi-arabia-pages-498.php
http://geert-hofstede.com/saudi-arabia.html
http://hopeinterculturalcomm.weebly.com/conflict.html
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/saudi-arabia-country-profile.html