Management and Business Culture in Mexico
Posted by Lou Mexican Travel Guide at 25 Apr 2008, 7:58 AM and is filed under Mexican Business Culture 
Hi, today I start writing about Mexican Business Culture, for those executive who read my website. I decided to blog on that topic because I believe it's something that people want to know about. They want to answer the question: how can I do business in Mexico? Without cultural misunderstandings and without offending Mexican people.
So, before we get initiated on this issue, I would like to recommend a book to all of you. It's called Management in Two Cultures, Bridging the Gap between U.S. and Mexican Managers, by Eva Kras. It's just a great book, I read it in two days. It will be useful to all of my European and Canadian readers, because it outlines comparatively the management differences between Mexico and the US.
Inside the book there's many topics we can talk about, on the debate of how to treat with Mexicans. Today I'll talk about the regions of Mexico and how they approach differently to management. First of all, you have to understand that there's 5 regions in the country:
1. The North.
Their capital is Monterrey, they have a fast-paced life, hard workers, they think differently, Influenced by the US managerial culture.
2. The Center.
Guadalajara is the main city, representative of conservative people and autocratic leadership. They have developed sophisticated methods inside companies.
3. The Southeast.
Comprising places like Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Yucatán. Low presence of industrial complexes. The business environment is traditional and a one-man orchestra. They are very relaxed and almost like their counterparts in Central America.
4. Mexico City and sorroundings.
Cosmopolitan environment. Mix of poor and rich. You can find everything, it's just like Paris or Moscow, with all their problems and contrasts.
5. Oil-producing states of the Gulf.
Mainly Southern Tamaulipas, all of Veracruz, Tabasco, and Campeche. These states have been blessed with resources and their management culture is laid back. Lots of people work in Mexico's state-owned oil company: Pemex.
Oh, that was a long one. I'll be posting the podcast today. I'll be getting deeper into the Mexican Business Culture very soon.
So, before we get initiated on this issue, I would like to recommend a book to all of you. It's called Management in Two Cultures, Bridging the Gap between U.S. and Mexican Managers, by Eva Kras. It's just a great book, I read it in two days. It will be useful to all of my European and Canadian readers, because it outlines comparatively the management differences between Mexico and the US.
Inside the book there's many topics we can talk about, on the debate of how to treat with Mexicans. Today I'll talk about the regions of Mexico and how they approach differently to management. First of all, you have to understand that there's 5 regions in the country:
1. The North.
Their capital is Monterrey, they have a fast-paced life, hard workers, they think differently, Influenced by the US managerial culture.
2. The Center.
Guadalajara is the main city, representative of conservative people and autocratic leadership. They have developed sophisticated methods inside companies.
3. The Southeast.
Comprising places like Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Yucatán. Low presence of industrial complexes. The business environment is traditional and a one-man orchestra. They are very relaxed and almost like their counterparts in Central America.
4. Mexico City and sorroundings.
Cosmopolitan environment. Mix of poor and rich. You can find everything, it's just like Paris or Moscow, with all their problems and contrasts.
5. Oil-producing states of the Gulf.
Mainly Southern Tamaulipas, all of Veracruz, Tabasco, and Campeche. These states have been blessed with resources and their management culture is laid back. Lots of people work in Mexico's state-owned oil company: Pemex.
Oh, that was a long one. I'll be posting the podcast today. I'll be getting deeper into the Mexican Business Culture very soon.
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