Into the crisis, out of the crisis, no crisis?

Christina/ July 26, 2009/ The daily grind

What concerns the participation of Arabic invesstors within the German industrial landscape one might be torn. Initial resistance gave meanwhile way to headlines such as “Petrodollars shall save car industry” (Spiegel Online 29.6.2009) or even: “The saviour from the East” (title of Manager Magazine 7/2009).

States like Abu Dhabi and Qatar are new on the scene – until now the fokus was on Dubai as the tomorrow land. Due to the financial crisis Dubai fell behind it “big brother”.

Arabic as the new “Lingua franca”?

It is also an interesting development that suddenly learning Arabic is supposed to be a door-opener for a promising career. The article “From exotic to door-opener” by the plattform www.karriere.de (1.7.2009) claims full-bodied: “Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Dubai continue to grow despite the economic crisis. Young Germans as the new Gulf generation make use of it to boost their careers. Tax exempt incomes, fast promotions and a great partylife are luring the youth. There’s talk about local contracts, to escape the German tax systems. Sounds good, but does not also mean no health and no old age insurance?

Like any other article of that kind they only present the winners and doers of the generation Gulf. People who were able to make it anywhere.

The caravan rolls

At the latest upon reading the time magazine (vol. 27, 25.6.2009) one begins to muse if all that glitters is gold. “Goodbye, Dubai” is the headline of the magazine. That does not sound like euphoric mood to me. Hard facts are presented, such as “Whoever loses its job will also lose its visa and thereby the right to stay in the country. Business modell Dubai does not provide unemployed people”. Or: “The city attracts a lot of dysfunctional people.” And: “Later on Hendrick (on of the jobless expats) will drive his car to the airport and will leave it there like many did it before.” Does that mean that the caravan rolls on? The manager magazine raises our hopes: “German experts are missing. Even though the jobs are well paid and Abu Dhabi created working contracts according to Germany laws.” Next generation Gulf?

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