Charles and Chris

During our time in Argentina and Chile we came across several businesses, institutions and cultural experiences that captivated and intrigued us. Each business had carved out a niche in its respective country with a competitive business plan and while some were more profitable than others, each will surely remain in business for years to come, despite sometimes unsteady political environments and unsure economic times. Like the Amazon jungle, the ever-changing dynamics of business in South America lends its reputation to a carnivorous economic environment of corporate Darwinism. In order to stay competitive, each business must adapt to its cultural surroundings just as the German-Argentinean Chamber of Industry and Commerce did by adjusting to a climate that sometimes “promises A but delivers B.” Google Argentina on the other hand remained true to its parent office's co ... read more

After meeting with fellow business school ESE, we made our way over to Chile’s main privately-owned multinational electric power corporations, Enersis, to meet with their Chief Investment and Risk Officer. During the management presentation, we covered risk assessment strategies, energy product analysis, and macro economical and political factors concerning the feasibility of investing overseas. As a business model, investing in the energy sector requires understanding the industry paradox: a sophisticated product yet a simple demand. In energy, stability is key and the most successful energy companies utilize demand and a robust regulatory framework. Founded in 1921, Enersis has maintained a presence in Latin America (LATAM) throughout countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. During our presentation, we heard Argentina described as uninvestable since thei... read more

Now that we're in Chile, here's a few more awesome photos of the city, food, and our adventures!... read more

Due to my different flight schedule, I took a limo this morning to Buenos Aires to fly to Santiago, Chile, and leave beautiful Buenos Aires for another adventure. My driver, well dressed and driving a brand new fully tinted VW Jetta turbo diesel, was a joy to talk to despite our limited knowledge of each other’s language. We found ourselves conversing over Arnold Schwarzenegger's movies from Terminator to Predator, exchanging favorite impressions. I continued on my journey in the dark of the early morning and got through security without taking off my shoes, being checked excessively, or communicating with power hungry TSA officials. What a relief! Once through the airport, I watched a gorgeous sunrise over the Argentinean jungle.... read more

With our concluding evening of free time, Vas, Signe, Erica, and I ventured to see Buenos Aires’ excellent museums in the center of the city near Ricoleta. The first, MAMBAS, is an excellent museum of modern art featuring a traveling Andy Warhol exhibit. As a nice diversion from our typical P&L analysis, it was wonderful to be with fellow business students who appreciate art. We enjoyed experiencing Warhol’s iconoclastic obsession with power and America while in a different culture was particularly interesting but more time in the museum and observing other’s reactions would be necessary to glean any insights into the cultural reactions for Warhol’s work. The Argentinean and South American work provided some excellent contrast to the American work particularly interesting to notice a recent trend in the 1980s and 1990s towards neo-impressionism. With an ... read more

Hot, noisy and full of bread. That's an idea of what the factory floor was like at the Grupo Bimbo bread factory. After a brief tour through the factory (which was quite impressive) we sat and talked with Natalia Riasol, a brand manager for the company. Bimbo was started in Mexico by four founders, two of them brothers. Today it is one of the largest food manufacturers in the world; it even has a presence in the U.S.. In Argentina Bimbo is a relatively young brand, moving in only 15 years ago. Still, the company has over 40,000 distribution routes and over 5000 products with 200 factories. It faces stiff competition from local bread producers which traditionally produce bread and sell by the pound rather than charging a flat price. That way, someone with relatively ... read more