Doing business in Latin America the Australian way : debunking myths about cross-cultural sensitivities

Australians wanting to do business in the countries of Latin America need to understand the people they are doing business with. That means knowing more about these countries, past and present. The present book aims to provide some of that necessary knowledge. It also means as Australians we take a good hard look at ourselves: how we present ourselves and how we are likely to be interpreted by people from these countries, for both good and ill. These are considerations that the business community needs to take on board. This chapter will argue the necessity for greater cultural sensitivity, not less. Cultural sensitivity along these lines is good business and good policy.