The Cultural Differences between Mexicans and Americans

The world’s population is obliged to understand the way of life subject to the cultural Mexicans before engaging in business or visiting Mexico. From the country’s political perspective, Mexico is a renowned Republica Federal. The country has geographically segmented its territories into thirty-two states. Mexico City is the nation’s capital, and the language spoken officially by the Mexicans is Spanish (Global Edge, 2018). The Mexican natives can easily get identified through their diverse sixty-two forms of languages.

            Historical documents point out that it was in 1521 when Cortez landed in Mexico from Spain. Cortez exploited the region’s political gap and its unstructured governance system to rule over Mexico (Global Edge, 2018). Further, he modified the cultural perspectives subject to the Mexican natives by introducing new lifestyles. Since the Spanish under the rule of Cortez ruled Mexico for the sake of immersing wealth, Mexico had no significant territorial settlements like other American regions (Ramos & Yannakakis, 2014). During the nation’s colonial era, Mexicans suffered from poverty.

            Currently, Mexico’s population gets approximated to be 110 million people. Moreover, Mexico has a mix of both the affluent areas as well as the impoverished regions just like other world’s countries (Weiner, 2015). Visiting Mexico may spark distinct instances of cultural shock among the county’s visitors because Mexico, a third world country has segments of poor territories in the world.

            Having the mastery of the Spanish language or learning simple introductions and phrases of this language assists visitors and business oriented people who get to interact with the Mexicans. Therefore, anyone whose focus is to visit or trade with Mexicans should learn some Spanish basics as this exposes respect as well as the efforts of a foreigner to learn their language (Coria-Sánchez, 2012). Many Mexicans who operate as dedicated people in business have mastery of the English language and often, most of them typically subject to English speaking upon introducing themselves. Such an approach creates a great initiative to establish a direct relationship with the Mexican traders.

            Mexicans have no perception which makes them view their private lives and work as separate entities. According to the Mexican way of life, doing business entails understanding colleagues from a differentiated perspective (Campos & Kim, 2017). Most business-oriented persons frequently succeed because of the trust of the credentials of the business partners who get to collaborate. Whenever a Mexican businessman lacks confidence and close relationship with the associates working under the same roof, then, the business managed by the Mexican counterparts will never succeed into the foreseeable future.

            Furthermore, the cultural values practiced by the Mexicans differ from the life of other worldly-related people (Coria-Sánchez, 2012). First, the Mexican families believe in Godly values, and the family comes as their second priority. Friends form the third most significant resource among the Mexican’s. Lastly, the Mexicans view work to be a least essential priority. Hence, this kind of cultural background would expose the fact that Mexicans value their job. However, they would consider other aspects before thinking of what their job needs from them.

            In most circumstances, Mexicans would acknowledge different priorities and values (Coria-Sánchez, 2012). For instance, a manager who asks his employees to go beyond their production working hours may receive a negative response. The Mexican employees would primarily refuse to work overtime because of significant commitments that bond them with their friends and family. The fact that more money acts as remuneration for extra work, Mexicans will never compromise their cultural values even if they had financial constraints.

            Whenever employers have to initiate an immediate association with the Mexican worker, it is significant they first understand the workers’ values (Campos & Kim, 2017). Striking an apparent work-life balance, knowing the workers’ families, and helping them out in case of any need have significance. Hence, whenever employers focus on having the Mexican workers participate in overtime work, a positive response would become inevitable. The workers volunteering to work for a specified duration can highly get determined. Typically, the Mexican employees would have internalized the apparent fact that their employer or manager is not their boss but their friend. Mexicans believe in the art where they have the duty of assisting their friends because of their built relationship.

            Understanding the personality of the cultural Mexicans is essential (Campos & Kim, 2017). The Mexicans are naturally polychromic people. In most circumstances, they execute varying tasks, shifting from one to another task simultaneously. Such an approach contradicts the conventional method where most humans prefer finalizing one shift before thinking about another activity the next day. The procedure of handling tasks by the Mexicans may make project finalization difficult due to the deadline challenge. Hence, the Mexicans tasked with the duty of accomplishing specific international duties may end up not honoring the deadline.

            Mexicans believe that “tomorrow” is always the appropriate day to finish any project assigned (Ramos & Yannakakis, 2014). They hold the fact that completing a plan according to their set deadline and standard is the way which should get considered. Mostly, Mexicans do not acknowledge strict penalties whenever they fail to meet an already set deadline because time is a natural resource which never ends.

            Moreover, having a deep understanding of the different aspects of Mexican traditions, for instance, eating habits and having information about la comida is essential. The Mexican families usually honor la comida on a daily basis and during specific times. Mostly, the family members subject to the Mexican cultural heritage would dine together.  La comida forms the most significant table which pools all family members living together (Campos & Kim, 2017). Typically, this practice has to occur within a day.

            The Mexican meal time has the power of integrating family members and makes them enjoy each other’s company. In the socio-cultural Mexico, family time has significance and members who fail to associate with their family are considered rude (Global Edge, 2018). Work would never get regarded as a priority among the Mexican family members. Instead, Mexican families spend time talking about the day’s events, friends, and other families.

            Apart from acknowledging the traditions and values cherished by the Mexicans, business people are required to exhibit an appropriate presentation. Mexican families usually dress professionally and nicely when doing business or going out for dinner. While out, Mexican families always prepare to create good impressions and see colleagues as well as acquaintances.

An individual’s dress code, sufficient eye contact, body language are appropriate during the process of meeting for business deals (Coria-Sánchez, 2012).  Placing business cards in a little box or a safe place ensures business cards retain a good shape. It is not permissible to present a dirty or as ripped business card to someone. When issuing a business card, writing on that business card is inappropriate since professionalism has to prevail.

In Mexico’s poverty-stricken areas or smaller cities, the wearing of very expensive is not allowed. Instead, one should focus to have decent attires. For women, wearing of aggressive clothing is not permissible since not all Mexican women can afford to run businesses in Mexico. When traveling around, Mexicans are required to be conscious of their environment by responding appropriately in every current situation (Global Edge, 2018). Mexico’s minimum wage is about sixty-three pesos. Most Mexican industries pay their employees an average of forty dollars at the end of the working day. It sometimes becomes challenging for Mexicans to get better jobs and again respond to their family’s needs.

            Migrant workers working in the sugarcane plantations have to depart from their homes to live and operate as employees in a different town. Most families affected by this situation would always suffer from poverty (Weiner, 2015).  These families live in low-class Mexican states and cities where getting employed has become an extreme challenge. The weekly earnings drawn from working in the plantations is about 700 to 800 pesos. Their children attend school until the sixth grade, a level which sometimes gets regarded to be higher compared to their parents’ education. The Mexican government would pay for its citizens’ education.

            Mexico’s extreme poverty sometimes makes most Mexicans think of migrating illegally into America (Ramos & Yannakakis, 2014). The Coyotes who undertake the risky duty of shipping Mexican illegally to the U.S. usually assure migrants of a better life. Despite their adverse operations, the Coyotes usually charge the low-class Mexicans a lot of money. They would later inform about the fortunes which await them over the Mexican border. However, the journey to shift residence from Mexico to America is always treacherous and long.

            Mexicans intending to change their residence to America sometimes have the challenge of understanding the nature of the journey they should expect. Many Mexicans die when trying to penetrate illegally into the American territories. Their death happens because of inadequate drinking water and adverse environmental conditions. Such migrations frequently disintegrate most Mexican families and death would make it difficult for family members to bond again. Therefore, when contemplating the need to enforce viable business deals in Mexico, first, it is significant to have in mind the welfare subject to the Mexican people (Weiner, 2015). Exploiting the readily available cheaper labor offered in the country has no significance.

            Overall, the naturally cultural Mexicans usually exhibit a life approach which differs from the living standards set by other countries. Consequently, before engaging in trading operations with the Mexicans, especially its students, one has to direct focus to learn about the people, history, traditions, history, and the Spanish language before engaging in any traveling within Mexico’s boundaries. Without exploiting such basic knowledge that is readily available, an individual’s opportunity to navigate in Mexico may become either a story associated with failures or success. People around the world desire to receive constant help. The fact that Mexico has a large population affected by poverty implies that appropriate measures to counter the spread of poverty have to get considered to ensure that such a challenge ends in the long-run.

Reference

Campos, B., & Kim, H. S. (2017). Incorporating the cultural diversity of family and close    relationships into the study of health. American Psychologist, 72(6), 543.

Coria-Sánchez, C. (2012). Lived Experiences in a Mexican Business Context. Global Business          Languages, 17(1), 5.

Global Edge (2018). Mexico: Culture. Retrieved on October 28, 2018, from,             https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/mexico/culture

Ramos, G., & Yannakakis, Y. (Eds.). (2014). Indigenous Intellectuals: Knowledge, power, and      colonial culture in Mexico and the Andes. Duke University Press.

Weiner, R. H. (2015). Politics and Culture: Influences in Humboldt’s Appraisal of Mexico’s         Natural Wealth. Terceras Jornadas de Historia Económica.