your programme day 1 | november 4th, 2018

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YOUR PROGRAMME

Day 1 | November 4th, 2018

Arrival at the Hotel by Shuttle Fiesta Americana Reforma

Paseo de la Reforma 80,

Juárez, 06600 Ciudad de

México, CDMX

Tel.: +52 1 55 5140 4100


7:15 Departure from Hotel by Taxi

08:30 icunet Relationship Building Day –

How do Renewables work in Mexico?

Arriving + Network

German Centre México

Av. Santa Fe 170,

Col. Lomas de Santa Fe,

Del. Álvaro Obregón,

M-01210 Ciudad de

México, Mexico,

Meeting Room: Sala Köln,

6th floor

09:00 Introduction

Wibke Baumann, Managing Director icunet

de México

Maria Menzenbach, Consultant for

Internationalisation Solutions, icunet

Germany

09:30 Presentation GIZ

Solar market developments and business

models under the Mexican energy reform.


Arno van den Bos, Technical Advisor at GIZ -

Solar Energy Program Mexico (DKTI Solar)

10:00 Presentation Energy Regulatory Commission

(CRE)

Mexico´s Regulatory Framework on

Renewables: Results update

Marcelino Madrigal Martínez, Ph.D.,

Commissioner

10:45 Presentation ProMéxico

Speaker: tbc

11:15 Presentation German Centre

Jimena Kreusler, Managing Director

12:00 Presentation ANES

The Photovoltaic Market in Mexico

Speaker: Javier E. Romero Durand, Secretary

of Industrial Affairs, ANES

12:30 Lunch Break

13:30 Intercultural Awareness Workshop

Intercultural awareness as a success factor in

a business environment


de México

16:00 Departure from the venue and return to the

hotel

19:00 Joint Dinner with Insights into Business

Etiquette in Mexico

El Diez Restaurant

Av. Reforma 32,

Cuauhtémoc, Tabacalera,

06030 Ciudad de México,

CDMX



8:30 Departure from the Hotel by Taxi

10:00 Intercultural Awareness Workshop, Part II


de México


Av. Santa Fe 170, Ofi. 6-1-

05,



M-01210 Ciudad de

México, Mexico,


6th floor

12:00 Intellectual Property Rights

EU Latin America IPR SME Helpdesk

Speaker: tbc


Av. Santa Fe 170, Ofi. 6-1-

05,



M-01210 Ciudad de

México, Mexico


6th floor

13:00 Joint Lunch

Restaurant La Cervecería de Barrio

Samara Commercial Center

Antonio Dovali Jaime 70,

Santa Fe, Zedec Sta Fé,


CDMX

15:00 Presentation Goldbeck Solar

Experiences of a German solar company in

the Mexican market

Matthias Lienekampf, Managing Director

Goldbeck Solar Mexico

German Centre


6th floor

16:00 Commute to the Hotel

19:30 Departure from the Hotel


20:00 Joint Dinner

Comedor de los Milagros

Medellín 221, Roma Sur,


CDMX


6:30 Departure from the hotel to meet the Mexican

delegation at Hotel Crowne Plaza

Hotel Plaza Crowne 95 Col. Noapoles, Del. Benito Juarez, 03810 Ciudad de México, CDMX

09:00 Arrival and Tour at “Módulo Solar”

Production Plant in Cuernavaca with Ing.

Daniel García Valladares, General Director

Modulo Solar

Módulo Solar S.A. de C.V.

Av. Atlacomulco 136,

Acapantzingo, 62440

Cuernavaca, Mor. México

11:00 Visit solarthermical installations at a nearby

hotel

13:00 Joint Lunch

14:00 Visit the innovation center, Parque Científico

y Tecnológico del Estado de Morelos

(PCYTEM)

Autopista Mexico/Acapulco

km 112, Fracc. Santa Fe,

62797 Xochitepec, Mor.

17:30 Departure from the venue to the Hotel




07:45 22nd Mexican Annual Energy Conference Paseo de la Reforma 439,

Cuauhtémoc, 06500 Ciudad

de México, CDMX

Programme Highlights : https://www.spglobal.com/

platts/en/events/americas/

mexican-energy/agenda

07:45 Registration and Networking Breakfast

09 :00 KEYNOTE Energy reform: Where we are now,

and where we are going?

Victor Hugo Luque, General Director,

Supervision of State Enterprises, Secretary of

Energy (SENER)

09 :30 The wholesale electricity market in Mexico

Katya Somohano , General Director, CFE

11 :00 PANEL DISCUSSION Electric power project

finance and investment

12 :00 Networking Lunch

14 :00 Developing clean energy in Mexico

Efraín Villanueva, General Director, Clean

Energy, Secretary of Energy (SENER)

14 :30 PANEL DISCUSSION Investing and growing

renewable energy

18 :00 Networking Cocktail Reception

19 :30 Departure from the Venue to the Hotel




09:00 Visit Enlight Mexico

If You Can't Measure It, You Can't Improve It.

A path to innovation in the solar industry

Juan Pablo Robert Sañudo,

Chief Marketing Officer

Bahía de Santa Bárbara

119

Col. Verónica Anzures,

CDMX

12:00 Joint Lunch at

Tacos El Califa

Paseo de la Reforma 382,

Cuauhtémoc, 06600

Ciudad de México, CDMX

14:00 Wrap up and Application of the innovation

ideas

Fiesta Americana Hotel

Reforma

Meeting- Room Number

2

Paseo de la Reforma 80, Juárez, 06600 Ciudad de México, CDMX Tel.: +52 1 55 5140 4100


WELCOME TO MEXICO

As it is probably the first time you are in Mexico, we collected some useful information about the

Mexican culture. Together with texts about Reverse Innovation, this booklet will be your decision

maker’s toolkit.

Our learning journey will focus on the aim of entering the Mexican market and capturing innovation for

the Mexican market. How can European Renewable Energy decision makers innovate for this new

market? What can we learn from the Mexican business models? The scientific term which describes

this process is Reverse Innovation.

On the following pages, we will provide you with information about the companies we will visit during

your journey, as well as all speakers who will present diverse topics to you.

You will also find case studies in this toolkit. In these short cases, there are a lot of so called critical

incidents happening. A critical incident is a situation which leads to cultural misunderstanding. We will

discuss all of them in our intercultural training sessions during our journey to Mexico.

We warmly invite you to join the platform www.cubein.eu accompanying our learning circle. Here, you

will find further information about Mexican Business Culture and also culture related tests, self-

assessments and a forum. So, don’t hesitate to discuss and exchange your ideas and impressions

there. Culture experts will be available to answer your questions.

The last part of this brochure is dedicated just to you. We encourage you to write down your first

impressions of Mexico. The questions might help you to reflect on what you discover, experience and

feel in the foreign country.

http://www.cubein.eu/


CONTENT

1. What is Reverse Innovation all about? ........................................................................................... 9

2. The Mexican Renewable Energy Market – An Overview .............................................................. 10

3. Company and Speaker Profiles .................................................................................................... 12

a. GIZ................................................................................................................................................... 12

b. ANES ............................................................................................................................................... 12

c. ProMéxico ....................................................................................................................................... 13

d. Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) .......................................................................................... 13

e. Módulo Solar .................................................................................................................................. 14

f. Enlight Mexico ................................................................................................................................ 14

g. Goldbeck Solar ................................................................................................................................ 14

4. Intercultural Case Studies ............................................................................................................ 15

a. Negotiations ................................................................................................................................... 15

b. Problems with the electric power supply ....................................................................................... 16

5. A Small Language Chart ............................................................................................................... 18

6. Useful Information for Getting Around in Mexico City ............................................................... 19

a. Mexican Food .................................................................................................................................. 19

b. Transportation ................................................................................................................................ 21

c. Safety ............................................................................................................................................... 22

d. Important Phone Numbers in Mexico ........................................................................................... 23

7. Your Intercultural Learning Platform CUBE IN ........................................................................... 24

8. Your Personal Run Book ............................................................................................................... 25

9. Notes ............................................................................................................................................. 31

10. Imprint .......................................................................................................................................... 34


1. What is Reverse Innovation all about?

Push your innovativeness!

Never ask a fish to describe the water.

The same is true for companies when they lack insights into different markets. The project “Capturing innovation impulses from emerging markets” allows companies to propel their businesses to new heights by experiencing their own industries in different parts of the world.

A European solar company will always bear in mind the interests of the consumers in its own home market. But recent trends show that there has been a considerable movement towards new designs and applications requests.

The goal of the project is helping Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to increase their innovativeness and therefore their competitiveness. We want to encourage them to gain ideas and insights in a culturally different and stimulating environment – and to bring those ideas back to their home markets. This phenomenon is called “Reverse Innovation”.

All of this shall happen on-location within an emerging market and accompanied by our well-versed icunet team which will ensure a successful and broad learning experience. This project is specially designed for these firms not having a grand budget for carrying out such measures on their own.

Reverse Innovation

In times of globalization and worldwide change mutual learning between people is essential – also in today’s business environment. Emerging economies are often coming up with innovations that dramatically lower costs or add valuable features such as portability and ease of use. And fast growing emerging markets no longer just borrow innovations they themselves contribute and diffuse their ideas. This is where reversed innovation takes place: Bringing emerging market’s innovation impulses to a company’s home market. Big companies already implemented should learn some new tricks to find unexpected solutions for unmet customer needs and therefore to increase their success!

We warmly recommend and invite you to read the first chapter of Govindarajan and Trimble’s publication Reverse Innovation: create far from home, win everywhere.


2. The Mexican Renewable Energy Market – An Overview

A person wanting to understand a country as diverse as Mexico needs a lot of time. Mega cities, beautiful landscapes, the ancient Maya-culture, spicy food, Mariachi, beaches, poverty & wealth – there is a lot to understand and to see in Mexico.

Mexico City, the capital, also fondly called D. F. by the locals (spoken De Effe, an acronym for Distrito Federal), is amongst the biggest cities in the world such as Tokyo, New York City and Seoul. From 2017 on, it now has an official abbreviation: CDMX (spoken Ciudad de México). With an area of 4986 km² it ranks number 1 in terms of area worldwide. A population of approx. 8.9 million in the city and further 16,2 million living in the suburbs show the vast dimensions of Mexico City. The country boasts of further big and charming cities such as Puebla, Monterrey, Guadalajara, San Luis Potosí and Taxco.

Mexico‘s increasing importance at the international level is visible in the country‘s membership in various international agreements and organizations. However, the country is also often in headlines for generating negative news, especially due to high drug-related crime and partly because of massive social problems.

Mexico and the USA share an almost 3000 km border. This is a major advantage for the Mexican economy. The USA is one of the most important economic partners of Mexico and has played a major role in the development of Mexican economy in the last few years. The relationship between the two countries remains strained due to illegal immigration from Mexico into the USA (Mexico has developed into a transit country for the entire Latin America), illegal drug trade between the two countries and drug cartel wars in northern Mexico.

However, thanks to globalization of the world economy and competitive businesses in the country Mexico is an important economic partner and an attractive destination for businesses from across the world.

The country is one of the biggest economies in Latin America with major industries in the machinery and automotive sector. One of the biggest growing sectors in Mexico is the renewable energy sector. In August 2014, a constitutional amendment was passed that opened the previously state-regulated energy sector to private investors from abroad. This Energy Reform was enforced by the current president Enrique Peña Nieto.

By the end of 2018, Mexico's renewable energy industry will be completely open to private investment from domestic and foreign companies across the value chain. Since liberalizing its energy markets Mexico has become something of a model for countries that wish to encourage new investment, innovation, more accessible prices and competition across their energy sectors.1

1 See Mexico Grows as World Leader on Energy Reform and Renewables by Mary DeFilippe in: https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/ugc/articles/2018/03/01/mexico-reform-and-renewables.html

https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/ugc/articles/2018/03/01/mexico-reform-and-renewables.html


Image from https://veranstaltungen.handelsblatt.com/energie/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Mexikos_Energiereform.pdf

2018 is also the year that Mexico’s market for clean energy certificates (CECs) comes on line: a key component of the country’s transformative and highly ambitious law on renewable energy. Published in 2012, the law confirmed Mexico’s intention of increasing the amount of electricity generated from clean energy sources, including nuclear energy, to 35 percent by 2024 and to 50 percent by 2050.2

2 See Mexico Grows as World Leader on Energy Reform and Renewables by Mary DeFilippe in: https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/ugc/articles/2018/03/01/mexico-reform-and-renewables.html

https://veranstaltungen.handelsblatt.com/energie/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Mexikos_Energiereform.pdf

https://veranstaltungen.handelsblatt.com/energie/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Mexikos_Energiereform.pdf

https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/ugc/articles/2018/03/01/mexico-reform-and-renewables.html


3. Company and Speaker Profiles

Speakers at November 05th:

a. GIZ The German Society of International Cooperation (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale

Zusammenarbeit, GIZ) is active in the fields of international cooperation, sustainable development and

international educational work. GIZ is service provider for the Federal Government of Germany,

institutions of the European Union, the United Nations and the private sector. With more than 19,000

employees based in about 120 countries GIZ is present around the globe.

Since the 1997, GIZ is working for the Mexican Government. Today, nearly 200 employees of GIZ are

based in Mexico.

In the sector of climate protection and renewable energies, Mexico and Germany work strongly

together. Contracted by the Federal Ministry for Environment and the Federal Ministry for Economic

Cooperation and Development of Germany, GIZ supports Mexican partners in projects about sustainable

energy and environmental protection with a focus on urban-industrial environment protection as well as

protection of the biodiversity and climate change. Together with AMEXCID, the Mexican Development

agency, GIZ designs the Mexican development policy.

We will meet Mr. Arno van den Bos, Technical Advisor at GIZ - Solar Energy Program Mexico (DKTI Solar),

who will introduce us the Mexican solar energy market, its current developments since the Energy

Reform and business models.

b. ANES The National Association of Solar Energy (Asociación Nacional de Energía Solar, ANES) is a non-profit

Mexican civil association, whose statutory objectives are providing a forum for the discussion of ideas, the comparison or exchange of results and, in general, the dissemination and promotion of the use of Solar Energy in its manifestations of solar radiation and of the use of the phenomena that they produce indirectly, such as wind energy, biomass, and hydraulics. Likewise, ANES will seek to influence in a firm and defined way in the state agencies that make up the country's energy policy with solid technical and scientific arguments and with a clear awareness of the importance and the role of the different forms of solar energy in the future development of Mexico.

Javier E. Romero Durand, Secretary of Industrial Affairs, will present the Mexican photovoltaic market to us.


c. ProMéxico

ProMéxico promotes the attraction of direct foreign investment and the export of goods and services, as

well as the internationalisation of Mexican companies in order to contribute to Mexico’s economic and

social development and strengthen the country’s image as a strategic business partner. ProMéxico is

recognized as an entity that is key to the promotion of international businesses in Mexico and which

fosters effective project development and conclusion.

ProMéxico is part of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), which is the biggest network of experts and

organisations to support SMEs to innovate and to grow on an international scale.

d. Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) The CRE is responsible for regulating, supervising, and sanctioning both public and private companies.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) is a dependency of the centralized Federal Public

Administration, with the character of a Coordinated Regulatory Body in Energy Matters, as established in

the eighth paragraph of Article 28 of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States.

The CRE is endowed with technical, operational and management autonomy.

We will meet one of their commissioners, Marcelino Madrigal Martinez who will fill us in the Regulatory

Framework on Renewables.


Companys:

e. Módulo Solar Módulo Solar is recognized as the largest company in it’s field and leader in manufacturing and installing of solar equipment in Mexico. Since its foundation, more than 320.000 m² solar heaters have been manufactured and installed. Módulo Solar installs also complete photovoltaic systems and conducts studies of energy savings. Their mission is to be the best brand in the market of solar systems for water heating. To reduce the polluting emission and to promote clean energy, they apply high quality and technology. Módulo Solar is not only known in the Mexican market, but also exports to Guatemala, Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, Spain and Colombia.

We will meet Mr. Daniel García who is the General Director of Módulo Solar. Together with a delegation of Mexican companies of the solarthermical sector we will visit their production plant, have a look at some of their installations and a nearby hotel and get the opportunity to network over a joint lunch with the Mexican delegation.

f. Enlight Mexico

Enlight provides homes and businesses with solar systems. Within the seven years that Enlight has been

active, the company operated in more than 20 cities in Mexico and is the largest company of solar

energy systems for homes and businesses in the country. As a special service, they offer an app to

monitor and control energy. The app is called Enlight Hub and is available for Android and iOS. They are a

member and representative of the Mexican Association of Photovoltaic Solar Energy (ASOLMEX). They

installed solar panel systems for big Mexican companies, like the Bimbo Group. Enlight represented the

Mexican solar industry at the Hannover Messe 2018.

We are meeting Enlight Mexico to learn about their work and innovative projects in the installation of

solar panels. Juan Pablo Robert, Chief Marketing Officer, is going to give us insights into their work.

g. Goldbeck Solar

Goldbeck Solar is a German company which we will introduce to you as a success story for entering the Mexican market. Goldbeck Solar specializes in industrial photovoltaic plants on the ground or on the roof. Committed to the Paris Climate Goals, the company is focusing on the Latin American markets as well as the ASEAN countries.

We will meet Matthias Lienekampf, Director of Goldbeck Solar in Mexico. He will answer all your

questions and present their story of a foreign company entering the Mexican market as an example.


4. Intercultural Case Studies

In the following section you will find two typical situation which might lead to interculturally critical incidents. These situations and the appropriate solutions and methods will be discussed during our intercultural training sessions in Mexico.

a. Negotiations

Situation

Jan, aged 32, is proud to hear that his boss Sven wants him to meet their business partners in Mexico, as Sven as other obligations. „Shouldn’t be a problem”, says Sven. „We have agreed on all aspects of the deal. The only thing pending is signing the contract. I think this is a great opportunity for a qualified and motivated employee such as you.” Jan promises himself, that he will do his very best.

However, right from the start of the meeting he has a feeling that something is wrong. The negotiations take longer and longer, but they have not gotten any nearer to signing the contract. Jan is extremely disappointed when Señor Martinez, the Mexican team leader, finally rises from his seat, thanks him for his troubles and tells him that the project needs to be discussed within the team once more. Although Señor Martinez has not explicitly said so, Jan knows enough about Mexican culture to understand that he has not managed to close the deal. What he does not understand is the reason. His Boss Sven is puzzled as well. So far, his experience with the Mexicans had all been positive and he cannot figure out what might have gone wrong. He does not really believe Jan’s claim, that the Mexicans never gave him a chance.

What do you think, what happened?


b. Problems with the electric power supply

Situation

Peter is Head of Production in a pharmaceutical enterprise. His firm is located in an old industrial area in which the electric power supply is rather defective and the needed capacity his quite high. The power company provides 1,500 kilowatt hours. Peter needs more, therefore he contacts various public authorities - without success. By chance, a few weeks later Peter gets to know the manager of the power company. After having dinner with him the problems with the electric power supply disappear.

How can the situation be explained?

- Please read now the possible answers.

- Determine to which degree the possible answers explain the situation appropriately.

a) Peter invites the manager and in return he ensures the electric supply of Peter’s enterprise.

b) The state and the administration in Mexico work inefficiently and are often corrupt. Through the official channels it is not possible to achieve anything.

c) Mexicans like to present themselves as powerful and to demonstrate their influence in certain situations.

Most appropriate Rather appropriate

Not rather appropriate

Not appropriate



Not appropriate



Not appropriate


d) Through personal contact it is a lot easier to achieve something in Mexico than through official channels.

- Try to justify your choices. Please take short notes.



Not appropriate


5. A Small Language Chart

Hello! Good day!

¡Hola! ¡Buen día!

How are you? ¿Cómo estás? Thanks, I‘m fine. Gracias, estoy muy bien.

Good morning! ¡Buenos Días! Good evening! ¡Buenas Noches! What‘s your name? ¿Cuál es su nombre?

My family/last name is.... My name is...

Mi apellido es…. Mi nombre es…

I am pleased to meet you.

Un gusto poder conocerle.

Good bye. See you! ¡Adiós, nos vemos! Thank you Muchas gracias I am sorry/excuse me Discúlpame/ Perdóname Never mind. No importa / No pasa nada Please (Question, request) You‘re welcome.

Por favor… De nada.

Enjoy your meal! ¡Disfrute su comida! Cheers! Salud! Whats your email-address? ¿Cual es su correo? Where is .. ? ¿Donde esta ..? How do I get to …? ¿Como llego a … ? Could I get your business card? ¿Me podría dar su tarjeta de

presentación? Could I get the check please? ¡La cuenta por favor! For me the taco (replace any food) please! ¡Para mi el taco por favor!


6. Useful Information for Getting Around in Mexico City a. Mexican Food

Tacos traditional Mexican dish consisting of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled around a filling

Al Pastor shawarma spit-grilled pork-meat, onions, ananas Campechano several meats, usually beef and pork combined Arrachera thin steak Costilla rib meat Chorizo marinated sausage Pollo chicken

Enchiladas corn tortilla rolled around a filling (cheese or chicken) and covered with a chili pepper sauce

Quesadillas tortilla that is filled with cheese and then grilled

Sopes circle of fried tortilla, topped with refried black beans, lettuce, cream and cheese. Can be with a meat topping

Sopa de Tortilla Tortilla Soup

Chilaquiles corn tortillas cut in quarters and lightly fried topped with green or red salsa or mole, garnished with cream, cheese, raw onions and fried eggs or chicken.

Spicy: Food and especially sauces can be very spicy, so watch out: even if the waiter says it´s not, it can still be very spicy for you. Better try sauces in small bites. Mexicans also normally put a lot of lime juice into everything.

Streetfood: Be careful, when wanting to try typical Mexican Streetfood. There are food stands on every corner, but as our stomachs are not used to the local bacteria and contamination, you can easily get stomach-sick or “food poisoned”.

Mexican cuisine is well known for its variety of flavors and colors, and for its combination of different spices and unique ingredients like corn, beans and different types of chili peppers.

Food is a very important topic in Mexico and for Mexican people. In the business world important decisions are often made at a joint lunch or dinner.

Also in the private life, Mexicans really enjoy getting together over a shared meal. Mexico's cuisine recently won the honor of being declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.


Restaurant Recommendations

If you want to go and experiment the (Mexican) cuisine in Mexico City we will give you some restaurant recommendations on the following page.

1. Terraza Cha Cha Chá Here you can experience the taste of Mexico and its tradition. From the traditional dishes of the North Pacific to the newest proposals of the Gulf; enjoy the best cuisine of the Mexican ports in one of the best views offered by the center of the CDMX (terrace view of the Monumento de la Revolución) in a 100% tropical environment.

Address: Colonia, De La República 157, Tabacalera, 06030 Ciudad de México, CDMX

2. Azul Historico A tipical Mexican high-end restaurant in the historical center of the city. They have a very nice patio seating area and seasonal high-class Mexican food.

Address: Calle Isabel la Catolica 30, Centro Histórico, Centro, 06000 Ciudad de México, CDMX

3. Café Tacuba Old and very traditional Mexican restaurant in the heart of the historical city center.

Address: Calle de Tacuba 28, Centro Histórico, Centro, 06010 Ciudad de México, CDMX

4. Los Danzantes Beautiful and traditional restraurant in the bohemian neighbourhood of Coyoacan. It is located very close to the Frida Kahlo museum in a vibrant and green area of the city.

Address: Parque Centenario 12, Coyoacán TNT, Coyoacán, 04000 Ciudad de México, CDMX

5. Dulce Patria Dulce Patria proudly displays the heritage of Mexican urban customs. Its gastronomic character is festive and colorful. Address: Anatole France 100, Polanco, Polanco III Secc, 11560 Ciudad de México, CDMX

6. Rosa Negra a tribute to Latin American cuisine. Culinary traditions from countries such as Peru, Argentina, Colombia and Brazil. Address: Av. Pdte. Masaryk 298, Polanco, Polanco IV Secc, 11550 Ciudad de México, CDMX


b. Transportation

With its 22 Mio. inhabitants Mexico City is a very chaotic and busy place. Traffic jams are a big problem, mostly during rush hours between 7am and 10am in the morning and 5pm and 8pm at night. Also, the Mexican driving style is a little bit more experimental and creative than you might be used to.

The best, easiest and safest way to get around is definetly with the application “Uber”. You just download the application, register your credit card details or paypal account and personal information and are good to go. You can pay cashless, just put in your pick-up location and destination and the application calculates the price. Once you confirm, it sends you the nearest vehicle to your pick-up point. You can then see your drivers name, vehicle type and plate number. The only thing you need to be able to call an Uber, is to have the app downloaded and a connection to WiFi or your data internet on your phone. Ubers are often even cheaper than taxis.

Stopping a taxi in the street is not recommended due to safety reasons. Even though the drivers are required to be registered and have a validation sheet in their window, it is very easy to fake it. In the last couple of month a lot of assaults and robberies have been taken place on taxis from the street. If you can´t get an Uber, ask for a official taxi site, “Taxi de Sitio”. It is a reunion point for all registered taxi drivers in the neighbourhood. Here you can get a safer and verified taxi.

The public transport system consists of busses, the metro and metro-bus. This means of transportation can get very crowded during rush hour and most of them stop running at around 11pm at night. The metro costs five Mexican pesos and you can get almost everywhere in the city. The metro is one of the cheapest ways to get around the city but not the most comfortable one. Should you choose to try the metro, watch your belongings as robberies, as everywhere in crowded places, are frequent.


c. Safety

Factors that create Insecurity:

- Drug Cartels - Corruption

Some Advice:

• Always be alert on the streets, in malls, in banks, when walking with a lot of cash

• Never walk around alone, especially not at night, always take an UBER.

• Develop a “surround view”, becoming aware of to what happens around you, always keep an eye on your personal belongings. (e.g. never put your phone in your back pocket, leave a bag hanging on the back of the chair…)

• Don’t intentionally attract more attention than you do anyways as a foreigner, i.e. with your choice of car and jewellery

• Don´t carry around lots of cash, you can pay almost everything with card anyways

• Driving: o Keep the windows closed while driving and your doors looked. o Try not to drive in the night – especially not on freeways.

• Take care with whom your share your personal information (Facebook, WhatsApp, Address)

• Do not answer phone numbers that start with these number of area 3,6,8,9,5.

• The Mexican Police has the authority to ask for proof of legal status in Mexico o Always carry your original passport and o the stamped ‘Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM) given to you at the airport

Earthquakes:

o Most of Mexico is occasionally subject to earthquakes. Tremors occur regularly, particularly in the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero.

o The US Federal Emergency Management Agency has advice about what to do before, during and after an earthquake or tsunami as does the Mexican Ministry of Civil Protection, https://mx.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/preparing-for-emergencies/

https://mx.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/preparing-for-emergencies/

https://mx.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/preparing-for-emergencies/


o In the capital they have an earthquake alarm systems. If you hear the sirens leave everything you are doing and all your belonging IMMEDIATELY behind and try to get out of the building.

o If you hear the alarm too late or are in a middle floor of a big building, where

you can´t get out on time: Stay under a carrying wall or a stable desk, etc until the shaking is over. Than IMMEDIATLEY get out of the building.

o STAY CALM!

d. Important Phone Numbers in Mexico

Police 911

Ambulance 065 (better to always call 911)

Fire Brigade 068 (better to always call 911)

Emergency 080

Attention to Citizens 072

Fiesta Americana, Reforma +52 1 55 5140 4100

Wibke Baumann +52 1 55 7112 2096

Anne-Kathrin Loos +49 151 26461840

Maria Menzenbach +49 175 5707032


7. Your Intercultural Learning Platform CUBE IN

Our journey to Mexico is part of a bigger project. Together with four other journeys into

emerging markets, ten culture matches in Europe and an online platform, it forms CUBE IN.

Under the name of Cultural Understanding for Business Expansion and Innovation we have

developed a set of tools with the support of its owner, the European Commission, to help

companies become more familiar with the business cultures of various developing markets,

both with an online library and a training and mentoring package that you can provide either

in the target or home market. This programme meets multiple policy goals – market entry,

export growth, and product innovation - and will be freely available to all innovation support

providers across Europe.

The cultural learning platform www.cubein.eu was developed by our consortium partners

Hofstede insights and Technopolis Group.

On this online platform, you can test yourself in intercultural knowledge and you can learn

about foreign markets, e.g. Mexico. Please do the test of cultural knowledge and the quiz

about Latin America and print out your results. We will work with it during our intercultural

training sessions. There is also a possibility to attend monthly webinars about intercultural

topics. We warmly invite you to share your knowledge and impressions in the forum dedicated

to your journey to Mexico. All your questions about the Mexican culture and the Mexican solar

market will be answered by one of our intercultural experts. We would like to stay connected

with you at least during the follow up phase of your journey and use this forum as main area

to discuss further questions about culture and innovation.

Registration is free and simple: You don’t need any access data or codes, just register.

http://www.cubein.eu/


8. Your Personal Run Book

In this intercultural run book we will ask specific questions which will allow you to reflect and

to write down your experiences gathered in Mexico. Please, use this opportunity not only

during our journey in Mexico, but also afterwards when you are thinking about your new ideas

gathered in Mexico or when you are in contact with Mexican or other foreign business

contacts. Three months after our journey we will have a look at your experiences in our follow-

up meeting. This will be a great opportunity to discuss your notes and questions.

The more notes you take the more specific and individual will be your cultural learning and

reflection.

1. My most important take away


2. What challenges did you face while getting in touch with Mexican business people when you met them for the first time?

3. What did you try to improve on in your relationship towards the Mexican business partner? (In Mexico and afterwards? And how did he/she react?)


4. How did the Mexican business partner show respect to you?

5. Did you have further contact with Mexican business partners after returning back to Europe? (via phone? via e-mail? Was there something different in the way to communicate in this call/mail?)


6. Did you apply your new knowledge and strategies learnt in the intercultural training? In

what way did you apply it? How did it help you?

7. Now, think about a situation in which cultural differences lead to misunderstandings, conflicts and bigger challenges. How did you solve the problem?


8. Are there situations where your intercultural strategies didn’t work out? What happened and how did you solve the problem?

9. Is there something you don’t understand about Mexican behaviour and reaction?


10. Let’s think about innovation. Did you discover a typical Mexican innovation or a way to innovate? Is this way of innovation applicable to your company? Why? Did you discover innovative niche markets?

11. Think about three concrete actions you want to implement back in Europe. Action Deadline With whom do I want to

work on it 1.

2.

3.


9. Notes


……………

This program is part of the overall EASME Horizon 2020 project "Capturing innovation impulses from emerging markets", realised by icunet, Technopolis Group and Hofstede insights.


10. Imprint

Publisher

ICUnet.AG

Fritz-Schäffer-Promenade 1

94032 Passau

Telephone: +49 851 988666-14

Fax: +49 851 988666-70

E-mail: [email protected]

Internet: www.icunet.ag

Status: October 2018

Headquarters

ICUnet.AG

Fritz-Schäffer-Promenade 1

94032 Passau

Executive Director

Dr. Fritz Audebert

Copyright

This text belongs to ICUnet.AG. Any reprint and duplication (even single paragraphs) are prohibited without

written permission by ICUnet.AG.

Image sources: www.unsplash.com

Bellas Artes, Emblematic Building in Mexico City: https://unsplash.com/photos/FZU-vIW-lk8

Solar Panels in the Sun: https://unsplash.com/photos/XGAZzyLzn18

Mexican Decoration, Valladolid, Mexico: https://unsplash.com/photos/QKrLdkoYDrc

https://unsplash.com/photos/FZU-vIW-lk8

https://unsplash.com/photos/QKrLdkoYDrc

your programme day 1 | november 4th, 2018

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