The research carried out in Mexico was carried out with people of different sexes, economic activities, professions, age groups, as well as different regions of the country. Below is a general description of outstanding conclusions obtained with information from 600 respondents.
Factor 1 Contract or Relationship?
The most focused on "contracts" were lawyers, with more than 70% of those interviewed favoring this option, bureaucrats with 60%, professionals with scientific or technological careers with 43% and the group of business women with 32 % (that is, the relationship is more important to the latter group than the contract.)
The influence of the geographical area on this factor is observed. In cities like Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara, the "contract" is more favored; for cities like Veracruz and Mérida (in southern Mexico) the "relationship" is of greater importance.
Traditionally, the culture in Mexico is not one of contracts, it is a culture of relationships. Possibly the reason that in regions of Mexico with greater urban development and greater economic dynamism, the contract is more important than the relationship, is due to the greater exposure of these cities to foreign cultures, globalized corporations, risks due to the volume of resources inverted etc. In these cases it is essential to put the agreements in "black and white" and to prevent consequences or avoid possible risks. However, there are other regions of Mexico where a strong handshake gives greater security in the negotiation of both parties than a signed contract.
Factor 2 (Win-Win or Win-Lose?)
Our research shows that more than 80% of Mexicans have a win-win attitude. However, there is still the part that does not think if both parties are going to win (or lose), it is only interested in winning at any cost. For most Mexicans interviewed, it is clear that negotiation must be win-win, although the group of interviewed bureaucrats was the exception to the rule: more than 45% think negotiations are win-lose.
In some cases, it has been detected that the emotional impact on Mexican culture affects the extreme of not importing if a negotiation is lost on the condition that the other party does not win.
Factor 3 (Informal or Formal?)
55% of the group of professionals in the areas of technology or scientists, showed a preference for informal negotiations; likewise the group of business women with 43%. In general, the culture of negotiation is more informal in small and medium entrepreneurs. Bureaucrats showed 62% favor formal negotiation.
Factor 4 (Direct or Indirect?)
The group of women entrepreneurs showed an 89.5% preference in conducting a negotiation in a "direct" way, bureaucrats 80%, scientists 75% and people with administrative careers 30% (that is, they are more indirect when negotiating).
Factor 5 (Sensitivity to time)
Time sensitivity shows to be favored by the group of business women with 73%, 82% scientists, and 70% lawyers. In the case of bureaucrats, only 56% showed high sensitivity to punctuality.
A greater effect of this variable was observed depending on the geographic area. In Mexico DF, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, greater sensitivity was found over time than in regions such as Veracruz and Mérida.
Punctuality is an area of opportunity. For other cultures, arriving out of time causes a perception of lack of respect and interest, or lack of commitment.
Factor 6 (Sensitivity emotions)
The group of women showed high sensitivity to emotions (68%). At the other extreme, the patterns of small and medium-sized companies showed 30%, indicating that most show low sensitivity to emotions. Due to the Latin nature of women, it is generally considered normal that the sensitivity to emotions of this group is high.
Factor 7 (Specific or General?) Factor 8 (Down - Up or Up - Down?)
The group of women (70%), lawyers (90%) and bureaucrats (90%) showed that they preferred to be specific when negotiating; at the other extreme, the employers of small and medium-sized companies (30%) showed that they prefer to negotiate in a general way.
Due to the nature of their work, lawyers focus on detail, especially in the process of contract negotiation, and focus on the specific. The bureaucrats interviewed are related to financial analysis jobs, so their jobs require a detailed and specific analysis mindset.
Factor 8 results were similar to factor 7.
Factor 9 (Leader or Consensus?)
Despite the fact that the group of women and lawyers mostly (55%) make decisions for only one leader, most of the samples showed that they prefer consensus to make the decision in a negotiation.
Factor 10 (Ability to Take Risk)
The group of women and employers of small and medium-sized companies showed a preference in the ability to take risks with 72%. In the case of medium and small entrepreneurs, their entrepreneurial nature includes the high capacity to take risks.
Bureaucrats demonstrated low ability to take risks (48%).
The different generations and the Mexican negotiation culture: some typical profiles of the samples
1. The young businessman and professional man
A style of hard negotiation and logical decision making, it is easier to convince him with data as long as they denote a tangible benefit in the medium and long term for your company. He looks for Win-Win negotiations, is more focused on the contract than on the relationship, and prefers the general to the specific.
2. The young businesswoman and professional woman
Making decisions slowly, you are cautious. You need to have all the angles covered before reaching an agreement. Their negotiating style is more focused on the specific than the general. Look at the details, the contract is important but more the relationship.
3. Entrepreneur older than 50 years without university studies
Hard negotiator, he is more interested in the relationship than the contract. Making decisions on the basis of impulses, and then justifies them with logic.
The different geographical areas in Mexico and the negotiation
In general, in central and southern Mexico the relationship prevails over the contract and they are more indirect when negotiating. In the north in general it is more the influence of the contract on the relationship, and the direct way of negotiating.
Some conclusions.
It is very important to understand the culture of doing business, both to be more successful in business and to face a globalized world. Exploring the strengths and weaknesses of each culture gives us tools to be better.
Business development consists of intuition and smell, but also an educated understanding of the variables that affect it. Culture is fundamental, since we not only negotiate in a business context, but also a personal one.
Various activities and professional training affect the style of negotiation, as well as age and sex. Being fully informed of these characteristics makes us better professionals and humans.
