Location: South America, borders with Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km

Capital: Buenos Aires

Population: 39,144,753 (July 2004 est.)

Language: Although Argentina's official language is Spanish, Argentinian Spanish is different from the Spanish spoken in Spain. In some ways it sounds more like Italian than Spanish.

Lifestyle & Aspirations
In Buenos Aires, life revolves around café society, late nights, opera, football, and for many, dancing. Evenings become active very late; dinner may not start until 9.30pm, followed by a club. For those with money, the social scene in the city is stylish and sophisticated with a very European feel.
Family ties are very important and weekends and holidays are often spent in large family groups.
Domestic tourism has benefited recently as previously wealthy Argentines can no longer afford trips to their traditional holiday destinations of Miami, Brazil and the Dominican Republic. There are therefore, numerous opportunities to relax in resorts, as well as pursue sports like riding, mountaineering and hiking. Although Argentines are primarily city dwellers there is a growing industry in outdoors and adventure tourism, and many people are only just beginning to discover their own country.

Top leisure activities include:
? Football (futbol), both watching and playing.
? Polo - Argentina produces some of the best polo players and ponies in the world.
? Horse racing, rugby and tennis.
? Tango - although this may seem something of a cliché, Buenos Aires is the tango capital of the world and many Argentines enjoy dancing.
? Jazz.
? Opera.
? Eating at restaurants and socialising in cafes.


The Essentials (10 Key Tips)
1. Take time to establish relationships and mutual trust. Be patient, it might take several trips to complete a deal. Approach business meetings and negotiations as a partner. If you change the representative of your company, be prepared to start relationship building again.
2. Remember that at first, greetings might be quite formal - handshake and nod of the head. When a relationship has been built, hugs, slaps on the back, and kisses can be expected.
3. Greet most people in your business dealings with their title and surname. Titles can include Doctor (Ph.D or physician), Profesor (teacher), Ingeniero (engineer) or Abrogado (lawyer).
4. Be prepared for a lengthy decision making process involving several organisational layers.
5. Dress conservatively - dark suits and ties for men; white blouses and dark suits or skirts for women.
6. Don't be surprised if your business meeting is at 8 pm. Argentine executives often put in very long days. Be on time, but be prepared to wait 30 minutes for your counterpart.
7. Be prepared to present a serious, intelligent, articulate argument combined with a friendly approach.
8. Make appointments through a third party - an enchufado - who has contacts within an industry. Prior appointments are necessary.
9. Take time for small talk and business entertaining. Argentines are tough negotiators who do not make concessions quickly or easily. Good relations will shorten negotiations.
10. Be prepared for lengthy and detailed contracts rather than verbal agreements.

Working with the Argentines
Despite the past incidences of corruption at high levels, Argentines are considered to be charming, honourable and rewarding to work with. They are intelligent, well spoken and well-mannered, with pride and honour being two of the most valued personality traits. In Buenos Aires, with about 85% of European descent, people have a distinctly European outlook.
There is a national inclination towards soul-searching coupled with a melancholic aura, which adds to the general Argentine charm.
Personal relationships are very important in business and it is essential to build a network of contacts. Information is not readily shared thus networking is the best way to learn about the local scene. Business entertaining is a way of life in Buenos Aires. Expect late nights and lavish meals.
Businesses have a strong vertical hierarchy with decision-making from the top, so it is important to be dealing with the right person. Bosses tend to be autocratic and paternalistic and Argentine managers, anxious to hold onto what power they have are not inclined to delegate. Negotiations can therefore be slow and protracted. Meetings are often used as a forum for debate with different ideas being aired.

Making a Good Impression
Even if your counterpart speaks Spanish as his or her first language, be aware that the person may have a mixture of cultural influences - Italian, German, English, French, Russian. The ancestors of Argentina's former president - Carlos Saul Menem - were from Syria. Give some consideration to learning some Spanish. A few phrases will be appreciated.
Always address an Argentine formally, using his or her title and family name (next to last name). A Ph D or a physician is called Doctor. Teachers prefer the title Professor, engineers go by Ingeiero, architects are Arquitecto, and lawyers are Abogado. Maintain formality in dress, posture and speech until your counterpart relaxes the interaction. Your image is important in communicating your own status. A very British reserve, complete with formality of dress and manner, is characteristic of many Argentines.
Try to avoid offering any political/religious opinions. Be especially cautious about praising Argentina's neighbors (especially Chile). Argentina has fought wars with all of them. Do not criticize the country's political and economic track record unless you really know your counterpart well.
Most Argentines are anxious to put the Falkland Islands war behind them, so avoid bringing the subject up. If it is discussed, however, refer to the islands by their Argentine name, the Malvinas Islands.

Argentines appreciate compliments about their children and the meal, and they like to talk about the beauty of local parks and gardens and their country.
Talking about sports is always a good way to open a conversation. Soccer (called futbol) is the most popular sport. American football is futbol americano. Horse racing, rugby, tennis, and polo are also popular. The tango originated in Argentina, and many Argentines appreciate American jazz.
Many Argentines love opera, so this is a good topic to discuss. Buenos Aires is on the world's opera circuit and the Colon is one of the finest opera houses in the world. Restaurants and sightseeing are also good topics.

Business Etiquette
Business cards
There is no formal custom surrounding the exchange of business cards, but it is good idea to have an ample supply. Have business cards translated into Spanish on the reverse side if you have a complicated title.

Body language
Close male friends shake hands or embrace upon meeting; men kiss close female friends. Close female friends usually kiss each other. The full embrace (abrazo) may entail a hug, a handshake and several thumps on the shoulder, ending with another handshake.
Maintaining eye contact is very important, even when the person is standing very close. Don't back away. Although many Argentines demonstrate an almost British reserve they will hold a conversation at a closer distance than British people or Americans (often with a hand on the other person's lapel or shoulder). A pat on the shoulder is a sign of friendship.

Communication style
The style of communication in Argentina is polite, assertive, formal, serious, and often apparently argumentative. Personal relationships are important and discussion is better than e-mail correspondence.
Argentines, especially those from Buenos Aires, have a reputation for seriousness and melancholy. To call someone or something 'not serious' is a major insult. Maintain formality during initial meetings until your Argentine counterpart relaxes.
Even if your counterpart speaks Spanish as his or her first language, be aware that the person may have a mixture of cultural influences - Italian, German, English, French or Russian. The ancestors of the former Argentine president, Carlos Saul Menem, were from Syria.
Written communication is implicit and rather stylised and wordy. You may have to learn to read between the lines.

Gift giving
Gifts are usually exchanged once a relationship has been established. Tasteful office accessories such as pens or desktop items are good business gifts. Alternatively, the price of imported liquor in Argentina makes this a very welcome gift.
Avoid gifts from other countries that are also produced locally, such as wine. Avoid gifts with your company's logo. If invited to an Argentine's home, flowers or chocolates for the host are an acceptable gift.

Business Meeting Culture
Planning a meeting
It is wise to make your first appointment in Argentina via an enchufado - an individual who has high level contacts in your industry segment. Make an appointment by phone or email and reconfirm it before you arrive. You could also take a chance - Argentines are used to people dropping in without phoning first. If the person isn't in, a note can be left.
Although you may be meeting with people who speak English, give some consideration to learning Spanish. A few phrases will be appreciated.
The first meeting is always to establish whether you like each other enough to take things further, so do not expect instant results.

During a meeting
Don't expect to get down to business straight away. Expect to begin and end with polite small talk. You can insult Argentine executives by rushing off without chatting at the end of a meeting.
Visitors are expected to be punctual but do not be surprised if your Argentine counterpart is late. In general, the more important a person is, the more likely it is that they will be late. Subordinates may arrive first at the meeting with the boss making an entrance afterwards.
The use of facts and figures to persuade your Argentine counterparts will only be successful if they do not contradict either feelings or faith. Either way, expect an animated exchange of ideas often with everybody talking at once. Even during an argument, it is unlikely that a subordinate will contradict their boss, or that a boss will disparage something prepared by a subordinate.
Frequent interruptions are possible and people do not consider it rude to take calls on their mobile phone during a meeting.

After a meeting
It is not unusual for a meeting to continue over lunch, during which your counterpart will continue to assess you and quiz you on politics, culture and your family. They want to get a complete picture of you before entering into negotiations. Follow up meetings with a polite letter of thanks and summary of what was discussed.

Motivating Others
Argentines are motivated by friendship, respect and family ties. There is a 'work to live', rather than 'live to work' spirit in business. Quality of life is extremely important to an Argentine and although many people work extremely hard, they will not be motivated by having pressure piled on to the extent that the work-life balance is upset. Good relationships in the workplace are another strong motivator; work becomes an extension of the family and Argentines expect to have close ties to their co-workers and superiors.
Cooperation in teams works well but Argentines also expect to be rewarded individually for good performance. Honour and pride are important values. Competition for good jobs is tough and unemployment high, so it is important for an individual's self-worth and personal pride that they are recognized.
Money is an important motivator, as Argentines like to spend it on enjoying life. Eating out, travelling and wearing good clothes all matter, so cash bonuses are an important part of anybody's package. After the recent economic crisis, a lot of people were forced to take on more than one job in order to maintain their lifestyle (and sense of pride).

Effective Presentations
Do not be afraid to display a passion for a product or an idea. Argentines are emotional people and will respond to this. It is also acceptable to talk about possible downfalls in a project. Argentines can be fatalistic and sometimes pessimistic and will view something with suspicion if it appears too positive.
Remember that you are being judged as an individual, not just a representative of your company. Dress smartly and make sure any handouts and visual aids are professional-looking and pleasing to the eye. Be fully prepared, and practice your speech so that you come across as articulate and fluent.
Maintain eye contact with the audience and appear friendly but professional. If there is someone in the room who is obviously senior make more eye contact with them than with the other attendees.

Audience expectations
Argentines can become distracted and a speaker will have to be extremely charismatic to hold the attention of an audience for a long time. In smaller, more informal presentations, the audience expects to be allowed to interrupt and ask questions and will often go off at a tangent as new ideas are explored.

Managing Relationships
Argentine managers are inclined to be paternalistic, delegating power only where they see fit and using subordinates to train other employees in certain tasks. It is important for a manager not to be seen to be doing something menial.
Those lower down the hierarchy are often deprived of information and will turn to their co-workers rather than to a superior if a problem needs to be solved. Asking a superior is an admission that they have not understood something and could reflect badly on the manager.
Delivering feedback is not an inherent part of Argentine business culture. Positive feedback is appreciated, but anything too effusive will be regarded with suspicion. Negative feedback should be given with great care, i.e. indirectly and being careful to avoid assigning blame; Argentines like to save face. If there is a problem, the person whose problem it is should be given a chance to sort it out before resorting to direct confrontation.