Question

Argentina: Imagine conducting business in Argentina

How can a manger best deal with motivation and conflict in the workplace?

What is the view of authority?

What management style would be most effective?

Answer 1

Imagining conducting business in Argentina has the following cultural factors:

Part 1) Here is how a manager can best deal with motivation & conflict in workplaces:

• Most of the Argentinians are family-oriented & the same gets translated to the way they function in teams.
• They value the close & personal relationship and that can be an important way to nurture and motivate the team members.
• For conflict management, the good relationship which they hold with colleagues can help to deal with the entire process.
• They expect to deal with people and members who are at a similar level.
• They usually have a challenging time while disagreeing so the assumption that things are going well won't help to motivate them.

Argentina has a very large young and educated population and hence it requires to be dealt with a similar manner.

Part 2) View of authority:

Hierarchy is given a lot of importance and decisions are made on top of the country and move slowly because the overall system is very bureaucratic.

• Argentinians give a lot of respect to old and senior associates and have more loyalty towards the individuals as compared to the firm.
• They are very direct and blunt about their opinion and are very tactfully when it comes to dealing with authority.
• In terms of authority, it is a relationship-driven culture so it is important to have a network and bond with all team members.
• In general, they prefer face to face meeting than telephone or in writing.
• They don't like direct confrontation or publicly admitting to a challenge, failure or a mistake.
• It is highly important to show respect and understand to those in a position of higher authority. Communication is much normal while dealing with people at a similar level.
• The overall decision-making doest happen during meetings. Meetings are for idea-sharing and brainstorming purpose.

Part 3) Management style that can be most effective:

• Since they are open and blunt they like the diplomatic style of work.
• In an overall sense, most people are very warm and hence the reserved nature is not there which makes the passion and emotions highly important as part of the management style.
• Since the communication is close & expressive they like to have warmth and less physical distance while interacting with each other.
• In terms of authority and meetings etiquette, they have a standard handshake and greeting protocol and prefer third party introduction when introduced to groups.
• It is important to plan an appointment and meetings well in advance.
• In a few bureaucratic organisation the important people have a long time waiting in case a meeting is scheduled. Hence patience is required.

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