Cultural Guide to Mexico,Cultural Guide to Mexico, Latin America and the C Latin America and the Caribbeanaribbean

Courtney Allen Courtney Allen

Lucas AzevedoLucas Azevedo

Trevor Beckes Trevor Beckes

Mary Schaeffer Mary Schaeffer

Steven SmadjaSteven Smadja

AgendaAgenda Introduction History of Mexico Political Leadership Mexican Culture

Music, Sports, Arts, Religion, Food Greengates School Managerial Implications for Region Family Profile

Tom, Carole, Ashley, Scott Manager and Family Training Conclusion

Brief History of MexicoBrief History of Mexico

OlmecsOlmecs The Ball GameThe Ball Game

MayansMayans Written language, mathematics, Written language, mathematics,

astronomyastronomy AztecsAztecs

Largest empire Largest empire Spanish Colonization Spanish Colonization

Political LeadershipPolitical Leadership

The (Institutional Revolutionary Party) PRI The (Institutional Revolutionary Party) PRI had a representative in power for the had a representative in power for the greater half of the 20greater half of the 20thth century, until century, until Vincente Fox of the National Action Party Vincente Fox of the National Action Party (PAN) was elected president in 2000.(PAN) was elected president in 2000.

He was succeeded by Felipe Calderon in He was succeeded by Felipe Calderon in 2006.2006.

Culture - MusicCulture - Music

Strong American and Spanish Strong American and Spanish influenceinfluence

Common misconception Common misconception between modern and traditional between modern and traditional music (music (mariachimariachi))

ManáManá, modern rock band, modern rock band

Culture - SportsCulture - Sports

FutbolFutbol Pumas, Cruz Azul, TigresPumas, Cruz Azul, Tigres

Lucha LibreLucha Libre BaseballBaseball

Rafael Marquez

Culture - Arts, ArchitectureCulture - Arts, Architecture

Luis Barragán – ArchitectureLuis Barragán – Architecture Minimalist, religiousMinimalist, religious

Frida Kahlo – PainterFrida Kahlo – Painter Revolutionary PainterRevolutionary Painter

Diego Rivera – MuralistDiego Rivera – Muralist Married to FridaMarried to Frida

Culture - ReligionCulture - Religion

Predominantly Predominantly Roman CatholicRoman Catholic

Strong emphasis on Strong emphasis on ReligionReligion

Family OrientedFamily Oriented Abundance of Abundance of

religious holidaysreligious holidays

Roman Catholic

Protestant

Other

No Comment

None

Roman Catholic 76.5%

Protestant 6.3%

Other 0.3%

No Comment 13.8%

None 3.1%

Culture - FoodCulture - Food

CevicheCeviche

ChilesChiles

RenellosRenellos

EnchiladasEnchiladas

HuachinangoHuachinango

QuesadillasQuesadillas

Mole sauceMole sauce

Pipían saucePipían saucePoc ChucPoc Chuc Pollo PibilPollo Pibil TacosTacos TamalesTamales TortasTortas TostadasTostadas

Greengate School:Greengate School: An International British SchoolAn International British School

Private, co-educational schoolPrivate, co-educational school 1150 students, ages 3-191150 students, ages 3-19 Diverse students and organizationsDiverse students and organizations Extracurricular activitiesExtracurricular activities

Rafting, Art Exhibition, Concert Choir Rafting, Art Exhibition, Concert Choir

Managerial Implications - Managerial Implications - Mexico, Latin America and the CaribbeanMexico, Latin America and the Caribbean

Cultural DimensionsCultural Dimensions Leadership styleLeadership style Organizational structureOrganizational structure CommunicationCommunication NegotiationNegotiation

Cultural DimensionsCultural Dimensions

Power distance- HighPower distance- High Strict hierarchyStrict hierarchy PaternalisticPaternalistic

Uncertainty avoidance- HighUncertainty avoidance- High Lack of tolerance for ambiguityLack of tolerance for ambiguity Resistant to changeResistant to change Less risk takingLess risk taking

Cultural Dimensions ContinuedCultural Dimensions Continued

Individualism- LowIndividualism- Low CollectivistCollectivist Group over selfGroup over self Sense of membership/familySense of membership/family Mixture of work and lifeMixture of work and life

Masculinity- HighMasculinity- High Degree of separation between Degree of separation between

gender rolesgender roles Very similar to the U.S in terms of Very similar to the U.S in terms of

gender rolesgender roles

Leadership StyleLeadership Style

Paternal/father figurePaternal/father figure CharismaCharisma Value basedValue based Team orientedTeam oriented CollectivistCollectivist Being loyalBeing loyal RespectfulRespectful

Organizational StructureOrganizational Structure

Strict hierarchyStrict hierarchy High power distanceHigh power distance

SenioritySeniority Lower salariesLower salaries Higher expected job securityHigher expected job security

CommunicationCommunication

Father Figure, PaternalismFather Figure, Paternalism celebrate employees’ birthday, celebrate employees’ birthday,

national holidaysnational holidays Work should be a second priority Work should be a second priority

to home and familyto home and family Avoid “heartless” or cold Avoid “heartless” or cold

relationships with employee...relationships with employee... ...yet remain authoritative...yet remain authoritative

Face-to-Face in BusinessFace-to-Face in Business

Different notion of personal Different notion of personal spacespace

At first, use family nameAt first, use family name More tactileMore tactile Avoid public reprimand, Avoid public reprimand,

correction or rejectioncorrection or rejection

NegotiationNegotiation

Emotion-basedEmotion-based SensitivitySensitivity One opinion, One World One opinion, One World

(social vs. professional)(social vs. professional) LoyaltyLoyalty ReciprocalReciprocal Word choiceWord choice Note things that receptor will want Note things that receptor will want

(group benefits)(group benefits)

Family ProfileFamily Profile

Specific cultural guides to Tom Carole Ashley Scott

TomTom

Strong emphasis on:• Family values• Security• Relationships• Group benefits• Father figure

CaroleCarole

Cooking for family and guestsCooking for family and guests ShoppingShopping School and PTASchool and PTA VolunteeringVolunteering

AshleyAshley

Embrace the language barrierEmbrace the language barrier College Counseling College Counseling School involvementSchool involvement

Chemistry club, computer club, Chemistry club, computer club, concert band, music and danceconcert band, music and dance

ScottScott

Meeting and GreetingMeeting and Greeting Personal SpacePersonal Space SportsSports Social NetworkingSocial Networking ActivitiesActivities

Managerial and Family Managerial and Family TrainingTraining

Managerial TrainingManagerial Training A week long simulation of a business A week long simulation of a business

transactiontransaction Includes communication, scheduling Includes communication, scheduling

meetings, business etiquette, etc.meetings, business etiquette, etc. Give feedback after the first simulation is Give feedback after the first simulation is

overover Participate in a second simulation to see Participate in a second simulation to see

the progression and see the improvements the progression and see the improvements from one simulation to the nextfrom one simulation to the next

Managerial and Family Managerial and Family Training ContinuedTraining Continued

Family TrainingFamily Training Show an initial video and have the family Show an initial video and have the family

write down all cultural differences from the write down all cultural differences from the U.S.U.S.

Give the family feedbackGive the family feedback Culture 101- history, daily life, food, art, Culture 101- history, daily life, food, art,

etc.etc. Show the family a new video and evaluate Show the family a new video and evaluate

how their awareness of cultural differences how their awareness of cultural differences have improvedhave improved

ConclusionConclusion

We hope this guide helps you adjustWe hope this guide helps you adjustto the Mexican culture and theto the Mexican culture and thebusiness environment in the Latinbusiness environment in the LatinAmerican region. We feel you will beAmerican region. We feel you will bevery prepared for this excitingvery prepared for this excitingadventure. adventure.

Thank you! Thank you!