Just 34% of Western youth feel their country is heading in the right direction, according to the survey. In contrast, Arab youth are considerably more optimistic, with 52% arguing their country is on the right course.
Among the Middle East states surveyed, 65% of Saudi youth, 60% of Jordanian youth and 57% of Emirati youth feel their country is heading in the right direction.
The survey of 1,800 young people between the ages of 18-24 was carried out in six Middle East states and three Western nations, and was unveiled today by ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller, which has been formally relaunched within the global Burson-Marsteller network.
The rising cost of living and overall economic outlook is the overriding concern for both groups, including 43% of Western youth and 30% of their peers in the Arab world. Within the Middle East, Jordanian youth expressed the greatest level of fear for their financial security, with 42% highlighting this area. By comparison, just 23% of Qatari youth cited the rising cost of living and overall economic outlook as a central challenge.
While the survey shows that young people in the Middle East and the West share similar concerns - about the economy, their ability to live in a good area and stay in touch with their family - nowhere is the contrast between Arab and Western youth more pronounced than when examining the importance of religious belief. Some 68% of Middle East youth say that religion defines them as a person, compared to just 16% in the West.
"Today's generation of young people, born as the Cold War was winding to a close and coming of age in a geopolitical landscape defined by the events of September 11th and its aftermath, are the first to be raised in a truly globalised environment," said Burson-Marsteller Global CEO Mark Penn, former advisor to US President Bill Clinton and author of the recent bestseller Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes, who presented the findings today in Dubai.
"This important study of the hopes, fears and aspirations of Arab and Western youth demonstrates how both groups are adapting to the forces of change - and how their values are evolving over time," Penn added.
Following the presentation in Dubai, ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller hosted the same evening a high-profile roundtable discussion, chaired by Mark Penn, examining the challenges and opportunities facing the youth of this dynamic region. Additional participants in the discussion included: Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties; Hassan Fattah, Deputy Editor, The National; Saudi Arabian academic and playwright Dr. Maisah Sobaihi; and Mohammed Saeed Harib, Managing Director of Lammtara Productions and creator and producer of the animated sitcom Freej.
"This fascinating study shows that Arab youth are generally more conservative than their Western peers. They are also far more idealistic and optimistic about the future," said Joseph Ghossoub, President & CEO of The Holding Group.
"The strategic realignment between ASDA'A and Burson-Marsteller creates a winning combination of unmatched local experience and truly global reach," said Jeremy Galbraith, Chief Executive Officer, Burson-Marsteller Europe, Middle East and Africa. "This landmark study, which examines trends in the West and Arab world, is indicative of the standard of best practice consultancy we provide to clients here in the Middle East and across the world."
"Sixteen years after our agency first opened its doors in Dubai, we are very pleased to mark our relaunch by sharing these critical insights with the regional and international community," said Sunil John, Chief Executive Officer, ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller. "Here in the Middle East, where one in five people is between the ages of 15-24, understanding this vital demographic is more important than ever. Comparing and contrasting these findings with the survey results from the West provides additional powerful insights."
In September 2008, Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, Inc. (PSB) and The Nielsen Company conducted some 1,800 interviews with respondents between the ages of 18-24 in six Middle East nations (Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) and three Western countries (Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States).
Piyush Mathur, Nielsen's Regional Managing Director - Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan, said: "The Arab Youth Survey is one of the largest studies of youth to have been conducted in the region, in terms of scope and respondent numbers. By comparing attitudes in the region and the West, the study also provides unique insights for a variety of audiences, especially marketers and the communications industry."
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Arab youth optimism about future surpasses that of Western peers, says ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
- United Arab Emirates: Tuesday, November 11 - 2008 at 15:55
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Arab youth are considerably more optimistic about the future than are their Western peers, according to the first ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey commissioned by ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller, the leading public relations consultancy in the Middle East.
Mark Penn, Global CEO, Burson-Marsteller, launched the first ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey in Dubai today with Joseph Ghossoub, President and CEO, The Holding Group; Jeremy Galbraith, Burson-Marsteller CEO EMEA, and Sunil John, CEO, ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller.
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Posted by Siba Sami AmmariTuesday, November 11 - 2008 at 15:55 UAE local time (GMT+4)
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Key Findings of the First ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey:
The global generation: A cross-cultural study of Arab and Western youth
Research conducted by Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, Inc. (PSB) and The Nielsen Company:
(1) Western youth are generally pessimistic about the future, while Middle East youth are optimistic: Just 34% of Western youth feel that things in their country are heading in the right direction. In the Middle East, youth are considerably more optimistic, with 52% arguing that their country is heading in the right direction.
(2) Religion is enormously important to Middle East youth, especially when compared to their Western peers: Some 68% of Middle East youth say that religion defines them as a person, compared to just 16% in the West. Asked to name an influence on them and their outlook on life, 62% of Middle East youth listed religion, compared to just 38% of their Western peers.
(3) National identity and traditional values are extremely important to Arab youth, but not for their peers in the West: 9% of Arab youth say that the loss of traditional values and culture is the greatest challenge facing the world today, a sentiment a statistically insignificant percentage of their Western peers agree with. Likewise, Arab youth generally very strongly agree that their national identity is very important to them, while Western youth view the same as only moderately important.
(4) Arab youth generally admire political, religious and business leaders, while Western youth do not: Asked whom they look up to, 30% of Arab youth cited government leaders, compared to just 9% of their Western peers. Likewise, while just 5% of Western youth said they looked up to religious leaders, 31% Middle East youth claimed admiration for the same group. In the economic space, 29% of Arab youth look up to business leaders, a sentiment shared by only 5% of youth in the West.
(5) Family and friends are equally important to Middle East and Western youth: Precisely 64% of Arab and Western youth say that their family defines who they are as a person, with both groups citing family as one of the most important factors in this area. The two also agree that friends are among the key determinants in defining their identity, with concurrence from 57% of Western youth and 61% of their Arab peers.
(6) Arab youth want to make a difference, while Western youth mostly just want to get ahead: 11% of Arab youth say success means being enlightened spiritually and 34% say it is making the world a better place - compared to 5% and 12%, respectively, in the West.
(7) Arab and Western male youth have very different opinions about gender equality in the workplace: 79% of Western male youth believe that men and women should have equal opportunities in the workplace, while just 58% of their male counterparts in the Middle East agree. In striking contrast to the attitudes of their male peers, 73% of female Arab youth feel that they should have equal opportunities for professional advancement.
(8) Consumer and lifestyle habits of Arab and Western youth are strikingly similar: Young people in the West and Middle East indulge in similar activities, use similar technologies and have similar lifestyle habits. Both spend the majority of their disposable incomes on going out and shopping for clothes/shoes. Both groups constantly worry about their appearance.
(9) Global brands have transnational appeal among Middle East and Western youth: Despite some differences, young people view many brands with similar levels of warmth. The top brands for young people in the Middle East include Nokia, Sony, Toyota and Toshiba - all of which have similarly high favourability levels for the West.
(10) Europe is the top desired travel destination for both Arab and Western youth: 74% of Western youth and 49% of Arab youth would be interested in travelling to Europe in the future. Both groups would also be interested in travelling to North Africa - including 35% of Western youth and 21% of their Arab peers.
About the ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey:
The ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey is a landmark research study into the hopes, fears and aspirations of the Arab world's largest demographic: its youth population. Commissioned by ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller, this proprietary research study contains 44 open and closed-ended questions on subjects ranging from optimism about the future and issues surrounding globalisation to questions of culture and values, and lifestyle and technology. Additional findings from the survey, which will provide useful insights for government, policymakers, NGOs, business and industry, will be released throughout the coming year.
About ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller:
Established in 1992, ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller is the region's leading public relations consultancy, with over 160 communications professionals in 11 fully-owned offices across the region. The agency provides services to governments, multinational businesses and regional corporate clients through its six practices in the sectors of Technology, Corporate, Finance, Healthcare, Consumer Marketing and Public Affairs. Its services include reputation management, media training, crisis & issues management, media relations, media monitoring and analysis and event management.
About Burson-Marsteller:
Burson-Marsteller, established in 1953, is a leading global public relations and public affairs firm. It provides clients with strategic thinking and program execution across a full range of public relations, public affairs, advertising, and web-related services. The firm's seamless worldwide network consists of 57 wholly-owned offices and 46 affiliate offices, together operating in 59 countries across six continents. Burson-Marsteller is a part of Young & Rubicam Brands, a subsidiary of WPP (NASDQ: WPPGY), one of the world's leading communications services networks.
For further information, please contact:
Nina Kumbhakonam
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
Tel: (+971) 4 3344550
Fax: (+971) 4 3344556
The global generation: A cross-cultural study of Arab and Western youth
Research conducted by Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, Inc. (PSB) and The Nielsen Company:
(1) Western youth are generally pessimistic about the future, while Middle East youth are optimistic: Just 34% of Western youth feel that things in their country are heading in the right direction. In the Middle East, youth are considerably more optimistic, with 52% arguing that their country is heading in the right direction.
(2) Religion is enormously important to Middle East youth, especially when compared to their Western peers: Some 68% of Middle East youth say that religion defines them as a person, compared to just 16% in the West. Asked to name an influence on them and their outlook on life, 62% of Middle East youth listed religion, compared to just 38% of their Western peers.
(3) National identity and traditional values are extremely important to Arab youth, but not for their peers in the West: 9% of Arab youth say that the loss of traditional values and culture is the greatest challenge facing the world today, a sentiment a statistically insignificant percentage of their Western peers agree with. Likewise, Arab youth generally very strongly agree that their national identity is very important to them, while Western youth view the same as only moderately important.
(4) Arab youth generally admire political, religious and business leaders, while Western youth do not: Asked whom they look up to, 30% of Arab youth cited government leaders, compared to just 9% of their Western peers. Likewise, while just 5% of Western youth said they looked up to religious leaders, 31% Middle East youth claimed admiration for the same group. In the economic space, 29% of Arab youth look up to business leaders, a sentiment shared by only 5% of youth in the West.
(5) Family and friends are equally important to Middle East and Western youth: Precisely 64% of Arab and Western youth say that their family defines who they are as a person, with both groups citing family as one of the most important factors in this area. The two also agree that friends are among the key determinants in defining their identity, with concurrence from 57% of Western youth and 61% of their Arab peers.
(6) Arab youth want to make a difference, while Western youth mostly just want to get ahead: 11% of Arab youth say success means being enlightened spiritually and 34% say it is making the world a better place - compared to 5% and 12%, respectively, in the West.
(7) Arab and Western male youth have very different opinions about gender equality in the workplace: 79% of Western male youth believe that men and women should have equal opportunities in the workplace, while just 58% of their male counterparts in the Middle East agree. In striking contrast to the attitudes of their male peers, 73% of female Arab youth feel that they should have equal opportunities for professional advancement.
(8) Consumer and lifestyle habits of Arab and Western youth are strikingly similar: Young people in the West and Middle East indulge in similar activities, use similar technologies and have similar lifestyle habits. Both spend the majority of their disposable incomes on going out and shopping for clothes/shoes. Both groups constantly worry about their appearance.
(9) Global brands have transnational appeal among Middle East and Western youth: Despite some differences, young people view many brands with similar levels of warmth. The top brands for young people in the Middle East include Nokia, Sony, Toyota and Toshiba - all of which have similarly high favourability levels for the West.
(10) Europe is the top desired travel destination for both Arab and Western youth: 74% of Western youth and 49% of Arab youth would be interested in travelling to Europe in the future. Both groups would also be interested in travelling to North Africa - including 35% of Western youth and 21% of their Arab peers.
About the ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey:
The ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey is a landmark research study into the hopes, fears and aspirations of the Arab world's largest demographic: its youth population. Commissioned by ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller, this proprietary research study contains 44 open and closed-ended questions on subjects ranging from optimism about the future and issues surrounding globalisation to questions of culture and values, and lifestyle and technology. Additional findings from the survey, which will provide useful insights for government, policymakers, NGOs, business and industry, will be released throughout the coming year.
About ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller:
Established in 1992, ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller is the region's leading public relations consultancy, with over 160 communications professionals in 11 fully-owned offices across the region. The agency provides services to governments, multinational businesses and regional corporate clients through its six practices in the sectors of Technology, Corporate, Finance, Healthcare, Consumer Marketing and Public Affairs. Its services include reputation management, media training, crisis & issues management, media relations, media monitoring and analysis and event management.
About Burson-Marsteller:
Burson-Marsteller, established in 1953, is a leading global public relations and public affairs firm. It provides clients with strategic thinking and program execution across a full range of public relations, public affairs, advertising, and web-related services. The firm's seamless worldwide network consists of 57 wholly-owned offices and 46 affiliate offices, together operating in 59 countries across six continents. Burson-Marsteller is a part of Young & Rubicam Brands, a subsidiary of WPP (NASDQ: WPPGY), one of the world's leading communications services networks.
For further information, please contact:
Nina Kumbhakonam
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
Tel: (+971) 4 3344550
Fax: (+971) 4 3344556
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