Argentina has very similar business etiquette to that of Europeans. When we you initially greet someone, the most common way to greet is with a handshake and a slight nod of the head. This is very similar to American culture. However, once there has been a relationship that is established meetings will become much more personal such as greetings with hugs and kisses.

When addressing an individual in a professional greeting, the proper greeting is job title followed by the surname. An example of this would be engineer or doctor followed by a last name.

Argentineans judge the way a person dresses significantly, therefore it is common place to dress conservatively. Dark suits and ties for men and white blouse and dark suits for women. It is important not to adopt their culture right away, but to dress appropriate to the situation.

Maintaining eye contact is essential. It is a sign of confidence and honesty. Physical contact is allowed, a pat on the shoulder is a sign of friendship.

There are gestures that are very important which need to be understood. The first of these is a sweeping gesture from the chin that reaches over the head. This gesture indicates a sign of indifference, or “I do not care.” Another important sign is when thumb and finger are held together and tapped by the index finger, this indicates to speed things up or “hurry up.”

It is considered rude to eat in the street or on public transportation or to yawn or cough without covering the mouth.

Argentine executives are known to be extremely busy and their day usually starts at 10 in the morning and ends at 8 at night. This means that it is normal to have a business meeting anywhere in between those times.

Business dinners are extremely popular; however business lunches are not very common since most Argentines will go home to eat lunch. The most popular meal and root of national pride is tender beef paired with red wine. Do not mistake this with American beef and red wine, since our preparations are entirely different. Once a business dinner starts it is normal to have a long meal and converse while eating. This is very similar to European culture. While dinning it is important to keep both hands on table and not in the lap. When finished crossing the knife and fork indicates that you are done with your meal. Finally it is important to wait for the host to sit down before sitting yourself in any setting; also it is polite to open doors for the host.

The most appreciated gift in Argentina is imported liquor, the most popular being scotch or champagne. If you are invited to an Argentines home send flowers or candy ahead of time to the host.

Conversation

In order to hold a successful conversation it is important to acknowledge popular topics. The most common points of discussion that lead to a successful conversation are soccer, history, culture, home and children. It is crucial to stay away from religion and the Peron years, which Argentineans see in a different point of view than outsiders.

Talking Business

Argentines are known to be very tough negotiators and will not give up an argument quickly or easily. What really helps here is having a good relationship, which can shorten negotiation times. Argentine contracts and business negotiation are usually very lengthy and detailed. Any part of a contract can be negotiated and it is important to have all agreements on paper. Argentines understand that the point of a contract is to get through all the government bureaucracy that is in place.

When deciding to meet, look for someone at the top even if it means that it will take extra time. Important decisions are always made at the top. Also, when it comes to the meeting itself be punctual, but ready to wait. If a business meeting is going well, it is essential to extend that meeting even if that eliminates the need to meet in the future. The pace of Argentine business is slower than that of the US and therefore it is necessary to extract all you can from the meeting itself. Although some decisions can be made through a longer meeting, Argentine business executives expect several meetings before a final decision is made.

In order to have a successful negotiation and business partner it is essential to be patient. Argentineans do not depend on a relationship being built in one meeting; in fact they depend on multiple meetings and time spent in order to get to know someone.  When approaching a potential business situation, it is important to be a business partner, but a friend as well. Small talk is common until the main issue is finally approached. It is important not to try to push the main issue onto the business partner right away. Discussion should be calm with no high pressure. Argentines are known to answer phone calls, which is a sign of engagement and should not be taken as ignorance. It is important to wait and continue the conversation.

Dialogr

Sawtooth Software

Cal Poly

The bus company we found was ran from Florida and the name was Gator Moto. The bus would provide a maximum speed of roughly 45mph and at least 12 seats for passengers in order to make the trip as efficient as possible.

The project was quite successful with the conjoint analysis we ran suggesting the perfect price for students and the ideal times to run the shuttle service.

There would be a driver and guard in each bus, in order to control the situation and provide security for the property and students that are riding the bus. There were 3 main areas that students would be collected and dropped with a minimal amount of stops.

Our team name suited our project – THE OUTLAWZ!!!

To answer this question we must first acknowledge the quality that comes with health care. For one thing, most individuals I have discussed the health care problem with state that dissolving of the insurance system would make health care harder to receive and the quality would decrease. Would the number of doctors decrease? Probably not, there is never a surplus of doctors. Instead of doctors receive money from insurance company they would have the most trusted, richest, most developed government in the world backing their co-payments. Also, will doctors cut your time in their office or perhaps prescribe generic??

This question depends on how doctors will be paid…

Will doctors be paid per visit, which would give them the incentive to be quick or will individuals in the population pay and select their doctors based on the family history and current health condition?

The most developed nations in the world such as England, France, and Germany all have social health care systems that support their populations. It is true that we must have the question of illegal immigrants and welfare receivers. Will these individuals ride the gravy train even further along? The United States is a different type of animal. In fact, we must look at the issue of democracy and competition. These issue are the underlying factors behind every single legislation decision that is made. Should health care be any different?

Looking at all these complicated issues, in the end my conclusion is to make health care a social system. We shouldn’t be scared with the word communist or socialist. It’s not as scary as it sounds, really. In some important issues such as health it actually indicates that a nation cares for its population… The more developed nations of the world have embraced this system, have provided benefits for their population. Their can be a full proof compromise where doctors are paid enough and everyone receives quality health care at a decent price. If it means paying a little bit more taxes than so be it.

All I have to say is yes we should and we rightfully can. Social health care is the future, if it happens now or later it is up to us.

Other than that I am having a blast this quarter so far. My 455 and 401 class are awesome. 455 is a real life simulation experience. Our stock price index plummeted this period. from 1790 to 1554. All the other teams thought of our ideas and introduced them. We are behind, but we have the potential to catch up in the future.

I missed my 401 class. Decided to take a nap… Sleeping is important.