Cykl artykułów został przygotowany przez LANG LTC - Akredytowane Centrum Egzaminacyjne Cambridge ESOL, organizatora zagranicznych wyjazdów językowych i szkoleń językowych.

Przystanek czwarty: Ja czy my?

Fourth encounter: I or we?

The Swedish and the Saudis - not a perfect match

‘A medium-size Swedish high-technology corporation was approached by a compatriot, a businessman with good contacts in Saudi Arabia. The company sent one of their engineers—let me call him Johannesson—to Riyadh, where he was introduced to a small Saudi engineering firm, run by two brothers in their mid-thirties, both with British university degrees. Johannesson was to assist in a development project on behalf of the Saudi government. However, after six visits over a period of two years, nothing seemed to happen. Johannesson’s meetings with the Saudi brothers were always held in the presence of the Swedish businessman who had established the first contact. This annoyed Johannesson and his superiors, because they were not at all sure that this businessman did not have contacts with their competitors as well—but the Saudis wanted the intermediary to be there. Discussions often dwelt on issues having little to do with the business—like Shakespeare, of whom both brothers were fans. Just when Johannesson’s superiors started to doubt the wisdom of the corporation’s investment in these expensive trips, a telex arrived from Riyadh inviting him back for an urgent visit. A contract worth several millions of dollars was ready to be signed. From one day to the next, the Saudis’ attitude changed: the presence of the businessman-intermediary was no longer necessary, and for the first time Johannesson saw the Saudis smile, and even make jokes.