the story of saudi arabia through the eyes of a strategic planner!
DESCRIPTION
A insider's perspective on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - A story of paradoxes and contradictions! Disclaimer: All views in this document are strictly personal.TRANSCRIPT
The Story of Saudi Arabia
Land of Paradox and Contradiction
Saudi Arabia to an Outsider
Saudi Arabia in Reality
What makes Saudi Arabia so unique?
Affluence, Restriction and...
...Youth!
Saudi Arabia is an extremely closed society...
...on the face of it!
Yet beneath the surface there are a vast array of thriving sub-cultures and private kingdoms!
Combination of Affluence and Restriction with Prevalence of Youth has Created a New Kind of
Society
Society of Paradoxes
Society is modeled around the family
Probably the only country in the world...Separate a singles section and a family section in a restaurant
Malls on weekends become families only in Riyadh!
Yet Saudi Arabia has the Second Highest Divorce Rate in the World!*
*Alarming Divorce Rate ‘Must Be Addressed Urgently’ - Source: Art Arabia - Saudi Affairs - http://inci.to/fwrOzp
Business and Society are structured around religious values
Holidays, Weekends and Workdays are geared around Islamic practices
A man can get arrested if he is idling around at prayer time
Yet according to WHO per capita consumption of alcohol is Saudi Arabia is 0.6L
In parts of the country an unveiled face can get into serious trouble
Women are not allowed to drive...
...but they have the freedom to hire a maid for each of their children and more for every thinkable household task!
There are no cinemas in Saudi Arabia
But piracy is costing the entertainment industry $95 million.
There are no music concerts in Saudi ArabiaBut there is an active underground music scene happening from girl only rock band to Saudi Rappers!
It is OK for men to kiss each other in public
but not OK for women to work in a public place!
You will see groups of men eating roast lamb and rice from a single
plate
at the same time you will see others ordering Salad at a boutique restaurant using the iPad
There are women whose lives are so restricted - they even go through childbirth at home
While there are women entrepreneurs at every level
From owners of big companies to cupcake factories at home
Single women who have lived, studied and worked abroad at the highest level
Stunt Driving is a profession in some countries In Saudi it is a youth leisure activity!
To express themselves admirers would write a love letter in some parts of the world
In Saudi Arabia men write their phone numbers on a piece of paper and force it upon the subjects of their admiration
Bluetooth is a file exchange technology
In Saudi it is a popular dating tool to share flirtatious messages and poetry to spark a conversation
Popular Bumper Sticker in Saudi Arabia
BB PIN Number!
Education spend per capita as a % of total government spend is second highest in the world
Yet the quality of education is poor!
Saudi Arabia has the highest per capital Oil Production
Yet the infrastructure is close to that of a third world country. 111 mm of rain in a day drowned the city of Jeddah.
Reserves were estimated at $500 billion when the oil prices hit $100 a barrel
In sum...
• Saudi Arabia is unique because it is one of the only societies in the world which is both affluent and publicly restricted at the same time
• There are either affluent societies with no restrictions
• Or restricted societies with no affluence
• This is the paradox which makes Saudi Arabia unique
Affluence has also led to excess!
Saudi Arabia suffers from a high rate of obesity, diabetes and heart diseases
How to make sense of this paradox?
Segmenting Saudi Arabia
From Popular Culture
Segmenting Saudi Arabia
Name: SattamAge: 32Occupation: unemployed
Sattam spends his days hanging out at coffee shops and goes for desert trips in his GMC. His name in bluetooth is friend of the night
Kobra
Segmenting Saudi Arabia
Name: RamiAge: 23Occupation: Student of College of Business
Rami had a fight with his barber. His father spoils him. Bought him the latest convertible Lamborghini
Kaddash
Segmenting Saudi Arabia
Name: WadhaAge: 38Occupation: Teacher
Wadha is a school teacher. Divorced with seven daughters and one boy
Garweha
Segmenting Saudi Arabia
Name: MaiAge: 16Occupation: Student
Student at International School. Always expelled from school and is always looking for trouble
Tom Boy
Segmenting Saudi Arabia
Name: AbdullahAge: 40Occupation: School Principal
Abdullah prays all his prayers in the mosque. Wishes everybody to find the righteous way
Al-Multazim
Segmenting Saudi Arabia
Name: GeorgeAge: 35Occupation: Sales Manager
George works for a big media company. He has lived in Saudi Arabia for ten years but his sponsor let him go.
Khawaja
Segmenting Saudi Arabia
Name: SarahAge: 21 Occupation: Student
Sarah graduated from college and wears nothing but high end brands. She likes to spend time at the beach
Bint Al-Kash
Segmenting Saudi Arabia
Name: MarzoogAge: 17 Occupation: Student
Marzoog has nothing on his mind except to play soccer with his friends in the streets
Arbaji
From primary segmentation research in Saudi Arabia
• Saudi Arabia can be divided into four key segments
• The Radicals
• The Balancers
• The Dreamers
• The Traditionalists
Thank you!