Doing Business in Mexico: Cultural Differences to Watch For

Shannon K. O'Neil, a Mexico expert at the Council on Foreign Relations, confirms that Mexico's economy is booming and that more business men and women go to Mexico in order to take advantage of promising business leads and opportunities. However, it's helpful to keep a few things in mind when doing business abroad. It's good to be aware of the following cultural differences that not all, but many, will find in doing business in Mexico:

-Mexican businesspeople prefer to avoid overt disagreements; their way of saying "no" is often by saying "maybe" or "I'll get back to you."

-Mexican businesspeople have a less strict sense of time than American businesspeople. Many of them are used to doing business with Americans, so they try to arrive on time for appointments. If they arrive late, however, it should not be considered a sign of disrespect, according to the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade)

-It is common for Mexican business men and women to cancel meetings. Also, when setting up a business meeting at a distant date in the future, it's important to confirm the meeting prior to attending. 

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