Re: Chill Out Guys by Adrian Tiwari, CFO, Saffar Capital - 22-Jul-09
Michael, I wouldn't be too hard on "Arabs" - unfortunately there is a tendancy to look to sensationalise matters everywhere - just look at the "Great British Press" (by the way I am a Brit).
Maybe apparent repeated over-reaction by "The Arabs" is highlighted as Arabs are an easy target?
Is it not too much to ask the armchair pundits in the press to look for real stories, not just pander to the easy lure of populism... [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

Chill Out Guys by Michael Aouli, Director, Emirates - 20-Jul-09
Guys just chill out on this one!

We have seen more worse but yet the Arabs just leave the main issues and start to make a fuss about the small ones.

Maybe they will wake up in a few thousand years.

Why don't you Arabs learn from the West how to give humans their rights and stop using and abusing people.

By the way im an Arab and I am proud to be an Arab Australian.

Cheers [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

Re: Re: Genuine mistake? by Mohamad Rashad, Consultant - 20-Jul-09
Finally, a genuinely constructive and well thought out comment. I can't elaborate on it any more and I hope that people will begin to think rationally once the issue is broken down into it's most simple elements. People make mistakes, and when others begin to read into it then you get to a ridiculous situation like this. I really think that people's time could be spent actually contributing to things that matter rather than moaning about events like this which make no difference in the greater scheme of thing. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

Re: Genuine mistake? by Salam Salam - 20-Jul-09
Yeah your right that people can construe the image as insulting but I doubt that Harvey Nichols motive was malicious intent to harm or enrage anyone. Humans are known to make mistakes from time to time and others should accept apologies and move on in life. Facebook campaigns are a waste of time that could be better spent to contribute to society...

Bringing race or religion into the discussion only adds more emotional charge and unecessary aggitation to a situation that can be solved with an honest apology.

-Salam [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

Re: Mistakes happen, let's forgive and make sure lessons are learnt by Faysal - 19-Jul-09
owww yeah,let's forgive them. This "UK-AMERICAN buyers mafia"....they do what ever they want. by the way,it's not a first incident with "wrong" but "luxury" items...... around six or seven month ago collection "social suicide"(as i know it's brand name) was displayed a white jacket with mens' appendages on the sleeves..... i'm so sorry for mr. Obaid Al Tayer and mme.Shireen El Khatib that they don't really know whom they are keeping in harvey nichols and whom they are promoting there. I spent many hundreds thousands and i love that store.....BUT the customer service is terrible and unfortunately this mistake in service coming not only from sales staff,but even management team as well in the same shoes. I can say that young generation of just promoted managers who is not experienced and absolutely not professional at all!!! and this "russian sweet couple" young managers on the mens level.....they are extremely rude not only with staff but with customers as well.... [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

Genuine mistake? by Riyad A - 19-Jul-09
Mistake or not, it clearly shows no arab, or at least nobody that understands our culture was involved from the concept design to the distribution on shelves. How can you make such a mistake? How many people check the product before it goes on shelf, nobody noticed? Featuring the flag of a country on a T-shirt doesn't make you think not even for a bit about the consequences? Weren't the designers curious to know if this would work? A small google search would have given them the answer. You don't even have to be muslim to understand the culture in the middle east. The reply to this scandale, by the spokesman is lousy. It only shows how the whole management is lousy ... again, why am I not surprised. The British might be proud of the bulldog, just as they are proud of their "achievements" in history, like destroying many cultures, killing many people, colonising and robbing and stealing from wealthy countries, the list is long. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

by Mpower .., Mpower Inc - 19-Jul-09
Rashed, i am not sure what you’re reading, but what ever it is, it is not helping you as you seem to be always going in the wrong direction.

British Media or the Western Media be it influenced by the politician but they have what they call "freedom of press" there is no censorship-board deciding what to print and what not to, be it provocative or secular attacks, there was a well-expressed counter response by Sultan Saud al Qassimi in his columns, but then i don't think you read all that, the newspapers are as unsympathetic to this region as they are to their own prime minister, sensationalism is the word and thats what sells, thats a lesson for you in marketing.

" Expat are being paid big bucks", you make it sound as if you are doing them a favor, they are here because there is a demand for their knowledge and experience,, which is mutually beneficial its a give and take relationship, not a rich-beggar relationship, its about demand and supply. I still say its a cultural gaffe, Al Tayer's are into for the moolah's and nothing more or less, no one is to blame for it except the apparel division for their arrogance and ignorance.

Dear Bob the builder, trust me if the westerners leave it won't make a brick of a difference as there is no one nationality responsible for what Dubai is today( should I remind you that the british had colonized this area a few decades ago and finally moved out) but if everyone moves out then you have a serious problem on your hands, its a collective effort of visionary leaders and diverse nationalities.



And finally Dear Tarek Farrag, your analogy is jam-packed of double standards; a business is a business be it a franchise or a startup, the owner of the business is entirely accountable for his companies actions, that’s the reason businessman higher managers like you to take care of the day to day activity and clarify there objective in terms of profit, vision and plans. If the manager had done his homework on cultural sensitivity there won’t be a dilemma today. If the cheque bounces, the businessman is liable, if in a restaurant, the cuisine causes food poisoning they will take in for questioning the franchisee and the manager of the restaurant as is the case with the restaurant in Qusais. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

Re: What a bunch of....... by Tarek Farrag, Manager, Big - 19-Jul-09
dear sergei,

your reply is too naive and a waste of time by itself ... you need to read more about arab accomplishments cause its obvious your to ignorant about them. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

Re: Doesn't an Emirati owns Harvey Nichols in Dubai! by Tarek Farrag, Manager, Big - 19-Jul-09
you need to find out the difference between own and franchise! look it up on the internet!

plus ... even if the franchisee (the dubai agent) rejected to display the T-shirt (which is impossible for a business man to monitor all products displayed in his store.... the government is against the concept itself .... even if it was only displayed in London.

you need to think a bit broader! [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

Doesn't an Emirati owns Harvey Nichols in Dubai! by Bob The Builder, Labourer, Fixit Al Fence - 18-Jul-09
I find it comical that some are trying to make this image to be an affront to their religion and want to punish this 'British' store in Dubai for selling such an image. Who exactly owns the store in Dubai? It is operated by the Al Tayer Group, exclusive licensee for the UAE. So how about the Emirati's blaming this Emirati who owns the store and sold the product by boycotting the Al Tayer Group? Somehow it doesn't sound as nearly exciting as a conspiracy against Westerners who have helped make Dubia what it is today (or what it won't be if they leave). [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

cultural gaffe???? by Rashed Ahmed, manager - 17-Jul-09
I think NOT !!!!!!!!!!perhaps in a different ideal world, different TIMING…a big PERHAPS !!! read the papers Mpower, the BRITISH media, not to mention several of the West as well, with their constant and deliberate inflammatory attacks on this region….is that a GAFFE too ???? or is it “democracy” ?? where was all this so-called democracy when all the expats were being paid big bucks , and the foreign contractors paid millions ??? broaden your horizons and think outside the box !!!!!!!!!! It is absolutely true that ‘they had no idea what they were getting themselves into’, and that’s exactly what the mistake was…a wrong shipping address that turned sour !!!! Sure, Walmart can do what they please in the name of democracy, as long as it affects ONLY their own, and NOT others !!! [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

Shame on the Westerners by Ij Hu - 17-Jul-09
I agree with Rashid. What do they thinnk of themselves. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

cultural gaffe and nothing more. by Mpower .., Mpower Inc. - 17-Jul-09
Oh give it up!! Rashed, they made a genuine mistake, they had no idea what they were getting themselves into; I was in florida a few days back, Walking in Walmart store, in the shoe section i came across rubber slippers imprinted with the American Flag, and for them this is just a marketing gimmick, for us it is a cultural gaffe and we would certainly be very offended.

Grow up, you got your point across now don't turn this thing into a religious war; well if you go to their country be it north america or europe you get treated better; regardless of your nationality, they certainly don't look into your pocket or what car your driving and trust me you don't need wastah in every nook and corner.

It was a cultural gaffe, hryv Nichls is a business entity not a political group, it was a wrong on their part, and they will pay the price in terms of bad planning and generate losses in that particular segment; so stop turning things into a mindless conspiracy against the country, religion and identity. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

shame !!! by Rashed Ahmed, manager - 17-Jul-09
absolutely NOT !!! what people do not realize is that this is the TRUE but hidden feelings of many expats especially the Brits towards our religion....nation...identity!!! Yet this has been masked over hundreds of years which dates back to the colonization years !!! Its a true shame ....how they are treated in our country, with respect and dignity, and this is what we get in return ??? they are treated in par with locals and even superior in most cases...WHY??? let's assume its a wrong shipment as claimed...why the hell was it manufactured in the first place ???? to market outside UAE??? Shame on You and shame on US !!!!!!! [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

What a bunch of....... by Sergei Kuk, Manager, Camel Milk Co - 16-Jul-09
Babies all these Arab complainers are. Grow up ,get a life and stop looking for pathetic things to complaint about all day long. Surely you have something better to do ?. [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

by mutaz hamid - 16-Jul-09
How can we just forgive and forget, this was really offensive i see a lot of negative publicity about Dubai in UK media they are real not happy about what UAE have reached and now the disrespect us in our own land and they are saying its a mistake from the supplier if this happened in the UK this shop would have faced closure and heavy fines and when it come to us the just want us to forget. what does this T-shirt means there is a message behind it and for sure they cant step on us or our rights to be angry [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]

Re: Mistakes happen, let's forgive and make sure lessons are learnt by - 16-Jul-09
It all sounds like a PR stunt from a Retailer.
No news is bad news! [Report Abuse | Email to a Friend | Reply to this Comment]