Assessing the relevance of culture on websites: A study from a Middle Eastern country

Abstract

This study identifies the key elements that reflect the culture of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on websites and establishes their importance in terms of a site's usability and credibility. Using both quantitative and qualitative techniques, the distinguishing characteristics of UAE nationals are identified. A total of 45 UAE websites and 30 U.S. websites, representing five different industries, were compared, using an analysis that involved 109 design elements. The results indicate evolving traits among UAE web users that deviate considerably from preconceived or stereotypical notions of the Arab World. The findings of this study are important for web designers who wish to cater to this target audience.