The main objective of this product based thesis was to research the legal, cultural and other obligations when Finnish companies or entrepreneurs export goods or services to the United Arab Emirates (later referred to as the UAE) and to create a practical UAE guidebook for Finnish beginner exporters. Furthermore, the thesis explains the main risks and other key factors of international trade in general and examines them in relation to exporting to the UAE.

Although the UAE is a significant business hub in the world, Finnish companies may struggle with the export process due to being unaware of the country-related business factors, laws, and culture. The ultimate aim of the thesis was to research and explain these aspects, and to produce a guidebook entailing recommendations for Finnish companies and entrepreneurs on how to export to the UAE successfully. Relevant literature and other reliable sources of information were used when conducting the research. In addition, three separate interviews with experts were held. The thesis was conducted between the 1st of January and the 24th of May 2021.

The research demonstrates that the export and import laws enforced in the UAE are very business-friendly towards foreign traders. In order to attract more business from around the world, obligations related to customs duties, free trade zones and logistics are arranged to facilitate the trade process for foreign companies. The thesis proves that Islamic law does not create major disadvantages when it comes to international trading. The local culture and business norms might affect business relations in the UAE. However, understanding and respecting these aspects will go a long way.

The product of the thesis is a step by step guidebook explaining how to operate in the export process to the UAE. The contents and the layout of the guidebook were designed to be readable and user-friendly, and the layout was outsourced to a professional graphic designer. The product was published on several electronic platforms so that it will be available for as many users as possible.