Doing Business in Mexico
When visiting Mexico for business, it can be easy to feel out of place and the urge to
adapt your own business etiquette can be alluring. However, there must be a great deal of
consideration when approaching the Mexican culture. Mexican business people can easily be
offended by business etiquette derived from the United States. To be successful and to connect
with your Mexican business counterparts, you will need to have an understanding of general
information of Mexico, its culture and what is considered proper business etiquette.
General Information
Mexico, is located in North America. It borders the North Pacific Ocean to the west and
the Gulf of Mexico to the east. Its border countries are the United States to the north and Belize
and Guatemala to the south.
According to the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook in a July 2018 estimate,
Mexico is 11th most populous country in the world, it has a population with over 125 million
people; which consists of several ethnic groups. The mestizo group accounts for 62 percent of
the population, Amerindian people account for 21 percent, while 10 percent of the population is
white.
The majority of the population speaks Spanish, 92.7 percent according to the C.I.A. The
remaining population speaks a combination of Spanish and indigenous languages or just an
indigenous language. These indigenous languages include: Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional
languages.
“Much of Mexican culture revolves around religious values and the church, as well as
the concept of family and inclusiveness,” (Zimmermann, 2017). According to the C.I.A., 82.7
percent of Mexicans identify themselves as Catholic with many having incorporated pre-
Hispanic Mayan elements as part of their faith. Christian denominations are made up of
Presbyterians, Jehovah’s Witnesses and other Evangelical churches. Only 4.7 percent of
Mexicans do not identify as having a religion.
Culture
Family is considered one of the most important elements in Mexican culture. Families are
typically larger outside of cities, which consist of three or more generations due to the economic
advantage of sharing a single roof. Responsibilities to immediate family members and extended
family have a high priority. “There is a strong connection among family members. Parents are
treated with a high degree of respect…” (Zimmermann, 2017).
While Mexican cuisine may vary from region it heavily depends upon four staples: corn,
beans, rice and squash. Among these staples, Mexican also tend to make liberal use of avocados,
