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HispanicVista

By Patrick Osio, Jr.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

About the Author. 5

Cultural Considerations – An Overview.. 8

The Maquiladoras and Their Impact on Social Change. 12

The Faces of Mexican Society. 15

Mexican Society Is Like a Pyramid. 18

Historical Vignettes. 18

Relationships with Americans. 20

Texas and the Alamo. 21

The U.S.-Mexican War. 21

Pancho Villa and other revolutionaries. 22

Oil industry and other nationalizations. 23

U.S. interventions in Mexico. 24

U.S. Foreign Policy. 26

American Perceptions of Mexicans. 30

Perceptions. 31

The Immigration Issue. 32

Confidence and Faith or Lack Thereof 35

The Question of Corruption. 36

Foreign Ownership of Real Estate. 38

Real Estate Fraud. 39

Summarizing Perceptions. 41

Mexico’s Many Gifts to the World. 42

Usage of Names. 43

Father’s Plus Mother’s Last Name. 44

Women’s Names. 46

Looking for a Name in a Mexican Telephone Book. 47

Professional and Social Titles. 47

Professional titles. 47

Social titles. 49

Using “Don”. 50

Addressing Women. 50

Nicknames. 51

Men’s Common Nicknames. 52

Women’s Common Nicknames. 52

The Compadre/Comadre. 53

Summary in Usage of Names. 53

About The Spanish Language. 54

Language Sensitivities. 55

Eye Contact 56

Humor. 57

Social Etiquette. 57

Standing for Introductions. 57

The Kiss on the Cheek. 58

The Male Hug (Abrazo) 58

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Meetings and Etiquette. 59

Table Manners. 60

Other points of etiquette to bear in mind. 60

Mexican-Americans Doing Business in Mexico. 61

The “Macho” Side of Business or Women Doing Business in Mexico. 62

Business in Mexico. 64

Commitment to the Market 64

Business Hierarchy. 64

Did He Say What He Meant, or Meant What He Said. 66

Foreign Business Ownership of Real Estate. 67

Using Translators. 68

Dictionaries. 69

Business Tips. 69

Telephone Communications. 70

Making the Call 70

Telephone Etiquette. 71

Using the Fax. 72

Making the Appointment 72

Avoid Holidays and Feast Days. 74

Sending Point of Sale Materials or Documents to Mexico. 75

Hire a Car/Chauffeur or Rent a Car while in Mexico. 75

Gift Giving. 76

Networking. 76

Some Regional difference. 77

Mexico City. 77

Guadalajara, Jalisco. 77

Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. 78

Los Norteños. 79

Border Business. 79

Closing Notes on Doing Business in Mexico. 79

Conclusions. 80

The CIA’s Facts on Mexico. 81

Patrick Osio, Jr. has written a short but intensive manual on the Mexican perspective on numerous issues between our two countries. The manual is an in depth primer on the culture and protocol for better understanding Mexicans that in turn allows establishing personal and business relationships, and how to avoid the most common faux pas that can ruin relationships and business deals.

The manual is available through Electronic delivery for $9.95 making it possible to download the manual for save on your hard drive, printing its entirety or particular sections while reaping considerable savings over printed copies.

For information on purchasing, write to HVCstore@aol.com