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Being Aware of Cultural Differences
When Making an Offer to Buy Real Estate - Part One
By Harriet Cochran Murrray • Cochran Real Estate - June 2010

“Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things… I am tempted to think… there are no little things.” - Bruce Barton The three countries of North America share similarities and differences. There are many Canadian and US citizens vacationing and buying properties in Mexico. We all experience a convergence of these different cultures when we have an exchange, whether it is social or business. Authors Morrison, Conaway and Borden have written about the cultural and behavior styles of many countries. Their objective is to inform us on how to do business in different countries.

The following is a comparison of their cultural overview of Canada, the United States of America, and the United States of Mexico.

The topics covered are:

1. Cognitive Styles: How citizens of a certain country organize and process information

2. Negotiation Strategies: What citizens of a certain country accept as evidence or truth, or truth.

3. Value Systems: the basis for behavior is the predominate cultural influences dividing right from wrong, good from evil, and so forth.

The United States of Mexico

Cultural Orientation:

In Mexico, information is readily accepted for purposes of discussion, but little movement in attitude is seen. Mexicans process information subjectively and associatively, since most of their education is by rote.

They become personally involved in each situation and look at the particulars rather than using a rule or law to solve problems.

Subjective feelings form the basis for the truth, and this leads to the truth changing depending on what one is perceived to want. Faith in the ideologies of the Catholic Church, though pervasive, does not greatly affect their perceptions of the truth.

Objective facts are used by those with a higher education.

Negotiation Strategies:

The closeness of Mexico to the United States of America and a history of “bad deals” make them suspicious of its intent.

Value System:

The individual is responsible for his or her decisions, but the best interest of the family or group is a dominating factor. One must know a person before doing business with him or her, and the only way to know a person in Mexico is to know the family. Expertise is less important than how one fits into the group, so it is extremely important to cultivate personal relations with the right people in the right places.

Decision Making:

It is one’s role in the social structure and the presence of the extended family that gives a sense of stability to life. However, families exert pressure on the behavior of their members. Group members are bound by intense friendship and personal relations, and commit themselves to assisting one another in case of need. This network of relatives, friends and memberships is crucial to class affiliation and social mobility. All of these expect mutual support - a lifelong commitment.

There are extreme contrasts between rich and poor, but Mexico has the largest upper class of all Latin American countries - all interrelated in one way or another. Machismo is very strong. For women, femininity is stressed in dress, makeup and behavior.

Each of us is a mixture of our own personal experiences and cultural influences. When we make friends or do business with persons from another country, we need to realize that the way of approaching issues, from etiquette to negotiating a lease or a purchase, will be affected by our own perspective. Our counterpart’s perspective can be very different, not wrong, and just different.

Information for this article is from “Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands” by Morrison, Conaway, Borden. I recommend that each potential buyer or seller conduct his own due diligence and review when

Harriet C. Murray
E-mail: harriet@casasandvillas.com.

*Courtesy of Charles Simpson with “Invest in Mexico”
** “Mexico Premier”

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