Winning Strategies for the New Latin Markets

Foreword by Victor J. MenezesChairman and CEO, Citibank N.A. From the Foreword"If multinational firms and their suppliers are to achieve and sustain success in Latin America, they will need to develop and implement sound strategies. Winning Strategies for the New Latin Markets contributes to this goal."Companies worldwide are discovering the enormous potential of the Latin markets. Succeeding in the new Latin markets is challenging because of the dramatic changes affecting every aspect of life throughout the region. Winning Strategies for the New Latin Markets systematically reviews those changes-and offers guidelines for effective strategies that meet the changing market needs. The authors-each a long-time expert in Latin and global business-challenge popular views of the Latin markets. Powerful transformations ranging from privatizations and economic reform to rapid adoption of the Internet are allowing major companies to create powerful business networks from New York to Satilde;o Paulo-but success in the region also requires an understanding of consumer variations across countries. The book unlocks the opportunities that emerge from a golden triangle of the Brazilian, Mexican, and U.S. Latin markets, which represent two thirds of the region's market power. A detailed account of integrators and specialists in consumer, retail, telecommunications, energy, health, and financial markets reveals how firms are crafting strategies through the value chain from manufacturing to finance and marketing. * Over 100 interviews and several case studies Insights of corporate leaders from the United States, Europe, and Latin America * Reaching the new Latin consumers Changing demographics, changing economics, changing consumption patterns * A projected $1 trillion U.S. Latin market by 2010: 34 million Latin consumers Connecting with the United States' fastest growing market segment * Leveraging the Internet throughout the Latin value chain How technology is transforming planning, control, marketing, distribution, and customer service throughout the Latin world * A golden triangle of U.S. Latin, Mexican, and Brazilian markets: pivotal for success-but very different Choosing the right platform is the key for success throughout the hemisphere * Understanding the unique Latin healthcare marketplace An inside look at the challenge of healthcare marketing in Latin America * Future growth scenarios Challenges and opportunities for the next decadeCompete and win in the emerging Latin marketplace-600 million consumers strong! "This is a must read for every business person operating in today's global economy. The authors' clear and innovative analysis of the specific business drivers of Latin markets will help potential investors shape their strategic approaches to the region."-Olivier Brandicourt, MD, Area President, Latin America, Pfizer "This book fills a vacuum in development thinking and business strategies. Robles, Simon, and Haar have not only created a road map to the Latin world, but also developed valuable analytic approaches to successful strategies in the market that has the greatest growth prospects in the Western Hemisphere."-Gustavo A. Cisneros, Chairman, Cisneros Group "Winning Strategies for the New Latin Markets is a crucial work for anyone interested in knowing the Latin American market in today's globalized economy."-Luiz Fernando Furlan, Chairman, Sadia S.A.-Brazil "Winning Strategies for the New Latin Markets is a first-rate contribution to the growing body of business economic literature concerned with the rich but volatile markets in Latin America. As a hands-on manager of consumer and technology businesses exposed to the dynamic economic and political forces in the region, I can

Dr. Fernando Robles is Professor of International Business at the School of Business and Public Management at George Washington University. His areas of research and consulting are global marketing and regional marketing strategies. Dr. Robles was President of the Business Association of Latin American Studies from 1989-1990 and served as its Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He has given seminars and participated in executive management programs in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Peru. His work has appeared in The Journal of International Business Studies, International Marketing Review, The International Executive, Thunderbird International Business Review, Latin American Business Review, and many other publications. A native of Peru, Dr. Robles holds an M.B.A. from Georgia State University and Ph.D. from the Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Francoise Simon, President of SDC Consulting and Professor of Marketing at Columbia University, researches global strategies in the consumer, health, and high-tech sectors. She is co-author of Europe and Latin America in the World Economy and Growing Your Business Globally, and has led practices in global strategy and marketing at two major consulting firms. Dr. Simon has designed and led over 200 management seminars for Fortune 500 firms and major European and Asian multinationals. She received the Margaret Chandler Award for Commitment to Excellence at Columbia University, and she is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She holds an M.B.A. from Northwestern University and Ph.D. from Yale University. Dr. Jerry Haar is Director of the Inter-American Business and Labor Program at the Dante B. Fascell North-South Center, University of Miami, as well as Senior Research Associate there and at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Haar has held visiting appointments at Harvard and Stanford and has been a Fulbright Scholar at the Fundacao Getulio Vargas in Brazil. He has also served as director of Washington programs for the Council of the Americas, a New York-based business association of more than 200 corporations comprising a majority of U.S. private investment in Latin America. Dr. Haar has written eight books and numerous articles that appeared in such publications as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Financial Times (London), and BusinessWeek. He holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University.