These days, everyone is talking about "innovation." Companies and employees have to innovate or busi-ness will sink. I recently mentioned to a colleague that creativity is also important, but he quickl... read more

Are you working for a company that recently merged with another one, or was bought out? You are not alone. The record number of mergers and acquisitions in the last five years has brought renewed... read more

One of NAFTA's positive effects on Mexico has been the renewed attention given to an old problem: corruption. As Mexico attempts to attract more foreign investment, mounting pressure has been placed on... read more

In previous columns, I have argued that cultural diversity in organizations should be welcomed, rather than viewed as a problem to be avoided. Multinational companies in Mexico often have teams made up... read more

One of the oldest clichés in business is "the customer is always right." And while this catchphrase might be repeated in every company training program, the reality is that most businesses fall short ... read more

There is an old movie starring Jack Lemmon in which a father (Lemmon) is frustrated that his less-than-motivated son has quit his job after one day. When he asks his son why, his son simply replies, "M... read more

When it comes to professional training, Mexican managers and companies seem fascinated with anything that comes from more developed countries, especially the United States. From leadership courses (so ... read more

Most of my activities in the area of consulting involve training managers from the United States and Mexico. The people I generally work with to organize and prepare these kinds of activities are Human... read more

Over the last two years, working with different companies in both the United States and Mexico, I have heard time and again about a relatively new nagging problem for managers: handling their email. Ac... read more

The year is 2005 and you've just dropped by your local McDonald's for the usual snack; one large soft drink and medium fries. The queue is moving slowly, giving you enough time to check your savings-ac... read more

When I ask managers what they hate most about their jobs, writing and reading reports is usually on the top of their lists. Managers who have to write reports are often inadequately prepared: They were... read more

Perhaps the single largest cultural gap between Latin Americans and North Americans in the realm of business practices is the "personal" dimension. As I have explained in earlier articles, Latin Americ... read more

CONTENTS: SUCCESSFUL FIRST QUARTER PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS THE BIG MAC INDEX BORDER BRIDGE SUCCESS WIRELESS LOCAL TELEPHONES SALES OF NEW VEHICLES UP STRONG CEMENT M... read more

Fortune magazine recently voted Monterrey, capital of the northern state of Nuevo León, as the best city in Latin America in which to do business. A brief look at the statistics for Nuevo León gives ... read more

There is no doubt that being a manager today is a different and more demanding challenge than it has been in the past. The much-talked-about globalization of business operations has forced managers to ... read more

In the early part of the 20th Century, American industrial engineer Fredrick Taylor revolutionized management practices through his famous concept of Scientific Management. His basic premise was that f... read more

The experience of going through a job interview is, for most people, exhausting and stressful. You seek advice from others, read books about it, and prepare yourself to talk and behave in ways that fee... read more

More and more people are holding jobs that do not require commuting. Various positions in the publishing industry, such as writers, for example, do their work at home (or wherever they wish) and simply... read more

You must have all heard or read about it by now: The Coca-Cola company has announced it will "reduce" its payroll by 7,000 employees. Profits were not as good as expected, and it is time to tighten the... read more

OFFICIAL NAME: United Mexican States CAPITAL AND LARGEST CITY: Mexico City AREA: 1,978,000 sq Km ( 760,000 sq mi) MAJOR CITIES: Mexico City (25 mil), Guadalajara (8.5 mil) and Monterrey... read more

"The key to understanding the ‘Mexican Way’ of doing business is to recognize that business management in Mexico has traditionally been an application of cultural attitudes and customs - not the objective, pragmatic function that is associated with management in the United States and other practical-minded countries." read more

(Disclaimer: All prices quoted in this article are accurate as of February, 2000. In addition, there are ALWAYS exceptions!) It is helpful for newcomers to Mexico to review the basics of property eval... read more

General Items   Myths "What works here ought to work in Mexico." Not so. You cannot transplant Canadian or US techniques, methods and management styles without adapting them and expect them to work... read more

Mexican wines may finally be gaining ground in a centuries-old battle fraught with political, sociological and economic challenges, not to mention the usual climatic problems. Father Hidalgo would be ... read more

The privatization of the facilities of the port of Veracruz in 1996 and open competition for market share between the country's main operators, have led to significant improvements in the port's overal... read more