Graham Nugent first moved to the Gulf more than three decades ago, but he remembers the cultural sensitivity awareness class that he took before leaving the UK - and how many of the instructor's tips and observations wouldn't help secure a business deal today.
Back then, Mr Nugent says, he was warned that the importance of time was perceived very differently in the Gulf; a meeting scheduled one morning sometimes would not happen for a couple of days.
"That's the way it was then," says Mr Nugent, now the managing director of Abami, a consultancy based in Dubai that provides skills training in topic areas such as effective negotiation.
"Today, I find Arab (business professionals) every bit as punctilious as any Westerner," he adds.
That is not the only thing that has changed.
Negotiating deals in the Gulf, whether to expand a partnership into a new market or establish a price before trading goods and services, is trickier than ever, particularly for outside companies looking to engage the growing ranks of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) here.
The number of SMEs that will be conducting international business activities is projected to almost double from 27 per cent last year, to 52 per cent by 2013.
In the UAE alone, 58 per cent of businesses expect to be operating internationally either later this year or next, according to survey data released this year by the HSBC's Small Business Confidence Monitor.
But, as with anywhere else, the key to a successful negotiation is building a relationship. Mr Nugent explains how to do that:
Respect the chat gap
Instead of jumping right into a negotiation, it's important to set the right tone, which may include small talk over coffee.
"When you're establishing a relationship here, you respect the chat gap," says Mr Nugent. "In the Western culture when you've got something to do you dive right into it. You don't have that chat beforehand. Respect the icebreaker, the courtesies, the coffee and that it might take 10 or 15 minutes before you can get started."
Know the variables
Everyone in an organisation has someone they're accountable to, whether it be a project manager, chief executive or the corporate board. Find out - and guess, if need be - who the opposing negotiator might need to report to, and what their end goal may be. Failing to spot a variable might mean giving away a potentially valuable bargaining chip and weakening your position.
Explore options
"Negotiation is about movement," says Mr Nugent. "It's about reaching an agreement." In that vein, he suggests trying to reveal alternative directions a negotiation might take by using two words: "what if?" It may prove to be a pointless manoeuvre but there's a chance of discovering an opening that could please both parties. It's also an area to impress the other negotiator with background knowledge about their company or strategy.
Establish a presence
While professionals interested in partnering with local firms in the region don't necessarily have to relocate here for good, they should be prepared to "establish a certain permanence", says Mr Nugent. "Too many people are carpetbaggers who've gone here, done the deal and moved on. I find Arabs do want to connect and want to work on the basis of a relationship."