1. Katsumi Tanamachi, Luckey Beltrán, Carlos Leal, Victor
Guerra, Johnny García

2. Key Negotiating Pointers
 Colombian negotiators are gracious
formal. Colombians are generally
receptive to Western businesspeople.
 Be punctual even though your
counterpart may not be. Colombian
negotiators stress individuality more
than punctuality.

3. Key Negotiating Pointers
 Be prepared for sometimes
long discussions over black
Colombian coffee before
serious business is
transacted.
 The pace of negotiation is
slow.
 Focus on the top person in
the negotiation team,
probably the head of the
family firm.

4. Key Negotiating Pointers
 Avoid embarrasing your
counterpart in front of
others. Try to find ways
to make him/her look
good.
 Put flair (instinct) into
your presentations.
 Get a written agreement
that summarizes the
key aspects of agreed-
to points. Expect
contracts to be fairly
lengthy and detailed.

5. Day to Day Pointers
Table Manners and
Business Food
Entertainment  Social conversation
Guidelines over meals
 Courtesy and  Overeating is
etiquette impolite
 Business sometimes  Popular dish:
in meals chicken with rice
 Lunch in the main
meal (2pm)

6. Also remember…
 Leading cofee
 Colombia is a producer but North
developing country-- Americans drinks
- economy depends more cofee than
in agriculture Colombians.
 Progress is limited  Wealthy Colombians
by illegal drug trade send their children
and violence. to U.S. colleges and
universities.

7. Flag
 Yellow :
represents the
gold Colombia
had until the
arrival of the
Spanish,
 Blue: the country's
contact with two
oceans
 Red: represents
the blood that
Colombians spent
in their struggle for
independence
from Spain.

8. Salary per cápita
(US$ actual currency )
USdll6.110 in 2011
Bancomundial.org, 2012.

9. Fast Facts:
 Monetary Unit: Peso
 Major Industries: Textiles, food processing, oil
 Primary Trading Partners: United States,
Venezuela, Ecuador, China, Mexico, Brazil
 Key Exports: Petroleum, coffee, coal, bananas,
flowers
 Key Imports: Industrial equipment, transportation
equipment, consumer goods, chemicals

10.  Major Cities: Bogotá (Capital) (7.6 millions), Cali
(1.7 millions), Medellín (1.6 million), Cartagena
(745,000).
 Ethnic Groups: Mestizo (Spanish- Indian Mix)
(58%), Caucasian (20%), Mulatto (Black-
Caucasian mix) (14%), Black (4%), other (4%)
 Primary Religions: Roman Catholic (90%), is the
state religion, although freedom of religion is
guaranteed
 Languages: Official language is Spanish; English
is widely spoken in business

11. Countries Related
Free agreements:
 Mexico-Colombia TLC
 MERCOSUR
 Colombia-Cuba
 Colombia- USA
 CARICOM
 CAN

12. Companies
 OXXO Colombia: 23 Stores in Colombia
 Business system: Franchise
 CLARO Colombia: Service of Internet,
Movil, Telephony

13.  Juan Valdez: Coffe Companie
Bussines System: Offer their products in
big stores (Sams, Walmart..)
 Studio F: Fashion Retail
Bussines System: Have stores in mexican
Mall and sell their products in big Stores
(Sears, Liverpool, Palacio de Hierro…)

14. Taboos
 Making an O.K. sign and then
placing it over your nose
signifies that someone is a
homosexual.
 Using your two fingers to
indicate length of something is
an obscene gesture. Instead,
extend your right arm and use
your left hand to mark off
distance.

15. Taboos
 Avoid making jokes about
drugs, or drug consumption
as they will not be taken
likely. For Colombians it’s
not a taboo to talk about
this issue, but be sure to
approach it as a serious
conversation, not as a
stereotyped joke.
 Homosexuality is not widely
accepted or understood,
especially by older
generations. If you are
homosexual, it might be
best to keep a low profile.

16. Reducing Communication
Noise
Greetings:
 Shake hands with men upon meeting, but not too
vigorously. Women offer a verbal greeting and may
kiss each other on the cheek if they are acquainted.
 Abrazos (hugs) are common among close friends
and relatives only.
 Addres people by title (señor, señora, or doctor)
when being introduced. First names are not used
among strangers.

17.  Individuals bear two family names: The last
name is the mother’s family name, and the
middle name is the father’s family name and the
official surname. Therefore, a person named
Pedro Muñoz Gomez is called Señor Gomez.
 Common terms are Buenos días (Good day),
Cómo está? (How are you?), and Adios (Good-
bye). Chao! And Nos vemos! Are informal
parting phrases. Smiles are particularly valued in
Colombia.
 Bring plenty of business cards.

18. Conversation:
 Colombians are proud of their history of democracy and
independence. Othergood conversation topics include
Colombian art, coffee, and the beautiful countryside.
 Soccer (fútbol) is the most popular sport. Bicycle racing,
swimming, track and field, and bullfights are also popular.
Auto racing and bullfights draw large crowds. Wealthy
Colombians belong to golf or tennis clubs.

19. Sensitivities:
 Avoid discussions of current politics or drugs.
 Don’t be critical of bullfighting.
 U.S. foreign policy is often seen as overbearing.

20. Gender issues
 One-third of the
workforce are
womens
 An overrall receptivity
for internacional
business women

21. Gender issues
 The tradicional values in columbia is that
 The father in the family is the provider
and the mother takes care of the home.

22. Videos from Colombia
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-
vbAnRyr5M ( Describes people)
 http://www.youtube.com/user/colombiatr
avel?feature=results_main ( Olympic
Colombian Salsa Closing ceremony:
London 2012)

23. Commercials from
Colombia
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-
3YzecSRBbY
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21vT4
Zx7St4
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBM7
FDVsinY

24. Sources consulted
 «Colombia». Banco Mundial. 20011.
1/11/2012.
http://datos.bancomundial.org/pais/colo
mbia
 Frank L. Acuff. How to Negotiate
Anything with Anyone Anywhere around
the World. USA; AMACOM, 1997.