Argentina

Facts and Statistics

Location: South America, borders with Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km,
Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km

Capital: Buenos Aires

Climate: mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

Population: 39,144,753 (July 2004 est.)

Ethnic Make-up: white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo, Amerindian, or
other non white groups 3%

Government: Republic

Language in Argentina

Although Argentina's official language is Spanish, Argentinian Spanish is different from the Spanish spoken in Spain. In some ways it sounds more like Italian than Spanish. There are also many other languages spoken in Argentina, including Italian, German, English and French. Indigenous languages that are spoken today include Tehuelche, Guarani and Quechua.

Argentinean Society & Culture
Europeans or Latin Americans?

. Most Argentines are primarily of European descent, which separates them from other Latin American countries where European and Indian
cultures are more mixed.
. Culturally and emotionally, Argentines often seem more European than Latin American.

Argentinean Family Values

. The family is the centre of Argentine life with extended families still having prominence.
. The heads of powerful families command widespread respect, but with this comes a responsibility to care for others in terms of security, jobs, etc and to maintain personal and family honour.
. Honour is in all respects the be all and end all and it routinely affects day-to-day life at home, in the community and in business.

Religion in Argentina

. The Argentine constitution guarantees religious freedom.
. Roman Catholicism acts as the official state religion.
. Other world religions, notably Islam, are gaining a foothold within the country during the last ten to fifteen years.

Expressive Communication Style

. Argentines are on the whole open, blunt, and direct, yet are able to remain tactful and diplomatic.
. Argentines are a warm peoples and their unreservedness brings to the fore their passion and sentimentality.

. In addition they are close communicators physically so will often touch each other when speaking and maintain little physical distance between speakers.

General Etiquette and Customs
Meeting Etiquette

. Initial greetings are formal and follow a set protocol of greeting the eldest or most important person first.
. A standard handshake, with direct eye contact and a welcoming smile will suffice.
. Maintaining eye contact indicates interest.
. In general, Argentines prefer third-party introductions, so you should wait for your host or hostess to introduce you to others at a small gathering.
. When leaving, say good-bye to each person individually.

Gift Giving Etiquette

. If invited to dinner at an Argentine's home bring a small gift for the hostess.
. Since taxes on imported spirits are extremely high, a bottle of imported spirits is always well received.
. Do not give knives or scissors as they indicate a desire to sever the relationship.
. Gifts are opened immediately.

Dining Etiquette

If you are invited to an Argentine home:
. Dress well. Men should wear a jacket and tie. Women should wear a dress or a skirt and blouse.
. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes later than invited for a dinner party. Arriving on time is not the norm.
. Telephone your hosts the following day to thank them.

Watch your Table Manners!

. Wait for the host or hostess to tell you where to sit. There may be a seating plan.
. Table manners are Continental - hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating.
. Do not begin eating until the hostess invites you to do so.
. Always keep your hands visible when eating, but do not rest your elbows on the table.
. Wait for a toast to be made before taking the first sip of your drink.
. It is considered polite to leave a small amount of food on your plate when you have finished eating.
. When you have finished eating, place your knife and fork across your plate with the prongs facing down and the handles facing to the right.
. Pouring wine is beset with many rituals and cultural taboos. If at all possible, avoid pouring wine.

Business Etiquette, Customs and Protocol in Argentina
Relationships & Communication

. Argentina is a relationship-driven culture, so it is important to build networks and use them.
. Argentines maintain and use an intricate network of family and friends to call upon for help, favours or assistance.
. If a favour is done for you, you will eventually be called upon to re-pay it.
. Name-dropping and nepotism do not have the negative connotations as it has in the West and can be used to your advantage.
. Above all Argentines like to do business with people they know and trust.
. They prefer face-to-face meetings rather than by telephone or in writing, which are seen as impersonal.
. Once a relationship has developed, their loyalty will be to you rather than to the company you represent.
. Looking good in the eyes of others is important to Argentines. Therefore, they will judge you not only on what you say, but also on the way you present yourself.
. Avoid confrontation. Argentines do not like publicly admitting they are incorrect.
. It is imperative to show deference and respect to those in positions of authority. When dealing with people at the same level, communication can be more informal.
. Be alert for nuances and hidden meanings. It is a good idea to repeat details, as you understand them to confirm that you and your business colleagues are in agreement.

Business Meeting Etiquette

. Appointments are necessary and should be made 1 to 2 weeks in advance, preferably by e-mail or telephone.
. Avoid January and February, which are their vacation times; the middle weeks of July, which is when many go skiing; and during the two weeks before and after Christmas.
. You should arrive on time for meetings, although the person you are meeting may not be punctual.
. In some older, more bureaucratic organizations, the more important the person you are meeting, the longer they keep you waiting.
. Do not immediately begin discussing business. Small talk helps establish a rapport.
. The person you are meeting with may accept telephone calls and attend to other business while you are there.
. Have all printed material available in both English and Spanish.
. Decisions are not reached at meetings. Meetings are for discussion and to exchange ideas.

Business Negotiations

. Argentines expect to deal with people of similar status.
. Hierarchy is important. Decisions are made at the top of the company. Business moves slowly because it is extremely bureaucratic. Decisions often require several layers of approval.
. Argentines have a difficult time disagreeing, so do not think that things are going well simply because no one is challenging what you say.

What to Wear?

. Business attire is formal and conservative, yet stylish.
. Men should wear dark coloured, conservative business suits.
. Women should wear elegant business suits or dresses.
. Good quality accessories are important for both sexes.
. Dress well if you want to make a good impression.

Business Card Etiquette

. Business cards are given without formal ritual.
. Have one side of your business card translated into Spanish.
. Present your business card so the Spanish side faces the recipient.

Being a Manager in Argentina

The business set up in Argentina is hierarchical and, as such, clearly defined roles exist. To ensure successful cross cultural management it is important to remember this. People believe their supervisors have been chosen for their greater experience and it would be inappropriate for managers to consult with lower-ranking individuals when decision-making.

Managers in Argentina are often paternalistic and relationships with their employees usually overlap into personal areas.

The Role of a Manager

If you are working with people from Argentina, it is important to remember the role that hierarchy plays in teamwork and collaboration. Cross cultural communication needs to take into account that traditionally it would have been unthinkable for someone of a higher position to collaborate with, or ask ideas of one of a lower status.

However, this is changing and if you would like to encourage participation, you need to make it clear this is welcome and ensure you establish a non-threatening environment. Any ideas that are raised need to be treated gently so as to protect the reputation of the participant.

Because of the paternalistic attitude of managers, the role often extends into one of giving advice on personal matters.

Approach to Change

Argentina’s intercultural readiness for change is slight. A long and turbulent political and economic past has created a low tolerance for change and the risk associated with it. Although changes are made, they are made slowly and require a considerable amount of thought, planning and evaluation.

Failure in Argentina creates long term loss of confidence by the individual as well as by others and is not viewed as a positive opportunity to learn from mistakes as it may be in more risk-tolerant countries. Because of this attitude it is important for innovations to have a track record noting the benefits if they are to be accepted and implemented.

Approach to Time and Priorities

Argentina is a fluid time culture, and, as is the case with many fluid time cultures, it is also very relationship-oriented. People in Argentina will not want to upset others in order to push through a deadline.

While timescales and deadlines need to be set well in advance and reiterated carefully, it should be understood that these will be viewed as flexible.

Global and intercultural expansion means that some managers may have a greater appreciation of the need to enforce timescales and as such, agreed deadlines are more likely to be met.

Decision Making

Business can be slow while decisions are referred to the top of the hierarchy and patience is the key to successful intercultural management. Decisions can be based upon the personal preference of the decision maker, which is why spending time to develop trust and personal relationships is essential.

In trying to achieve a decision, avoid high-pressure sales tactics as these are seen as confrontational and repeat important points after they have been stated.

Boss or Team Player?

The hierarchical nature of the Argentinian business world means it is important that the manager maintains his/her role as boss.

When the manager needs to work collectively, this needs to be clearly stated.

Communication and Negotiation Styles

Successful cross cultural communication will need to take into account Argentina’s relationship-driven culture. If at all possible, it is
important to be introduced by a third-party. The Argentine embassy in your country, your embassy in Argentina, or the Chamber of Commerce can often recommend people to fill this important role.

It takes time to develop relationships and Argentines prefer face-to-face meetings. You should expect these in the office as well as in social situations. Argentines will want to get to know you as an individual before they will conduct business with you and, once a relationship has developed, their loyalty will be to you rather than to the company you represent. This is why it is important not to change your negotiating team.

Intercultural sensitivity is important. Be prepared for lots of name-dropping. Nepotism is rife in Argentina and does not have the same negative connotation that it carries elsewhere.

Although it is not necessary to speak Spanish, any attempt to do so is greatly appreciated and marks you as an individual who is interested in developing a long-term relationship.

Links and Resources about Argentina

* Currency- the currency of Argentina is known as the Peso (ARS). Use the free currency converter to compare to dollars, GBP or Euro.

* Weather - visit Yahoo!'s up to date Weather for Argentina.

* News - check out all the latest Google news on Argentina.

* Dialling Code - the international dialling code for Argentina is +54.

* Hotels - Hotels in Argentina.

* Time - Argentina is -3 hours GMT. Get the time in Argentina now.

* Information - read some interesting facts and information about Argentina.

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