Don’t Cry for Me Argentina: The Impact of Leadership on Culture
By Clark Roundy, Luxul Wireless VP of Marketing
For the past week I’ve been traveling in the land of the Gaucho, Che, and Evita. As anyone that has visited beautiful Argentina can attest, it certainly has its allures. It is a country extremely rich in culture, diverse landscapes, and vast resources. With so much going for it, it’s hard to understand why Argentina hasn’t become more of a player on the world stage. Interestingly enough, some decades ago Argentina was recognized as one of the wealthiest nations and considered an emerging world power—neck and neck with the United States. So what happened?
While the answer to that question is far too complex for a single blog entry, the simplest answer comes down to leadership and bad management. Truth be known, Argentina has made bad management an art form that starts with government policy and leaches into everyday life. If you want a good look at how government meddling in the free market and imperious leadership can impact the psyche and culture of an entire nation, Argentina is the perfect case study.
Argentina is renowned for producing some of the best beef in the world. The conditions are also favorable for virtually all kinds of agricultural production. With the right focus and mindset, Argentina is capable of feeding the entire world. Yet, bizarre government restrictions, unclear regulations and high taxes on many agricultural exports act as a deterrent to export many products to other countries. Government meddling in the ranching industry has kept beef prices low, while forcing many cattle ranchers to look elsewhere to make a living. When it comes to imports of technology products, high taxes have made modernization a real challenge. Likewise, outrageous taxes on items considered to be luxuries can mean double the price for an automobile that would hardly be considered a luxury in the U.S.
These governmental idiocies have had a trickle-down effect on Argentine business, society, and culture. Farmers have been known to burn their crops, rather than sell at government regulated prices. Argentine banks are magnificent architectural specimens, yet simple transactions can take hours due to bureaucracy or outdated methods and technologies. Labor strikes are commonplace—happening pretty much on a weekly basis. During another recent visit, I traveled to Rosario, a city of some 1.5 million residents located 150 miles northwest of Buenos Aires. Upon arrival, I immediately noticed something peculiar—there was not a single taxi to be found. Apparently, all the taxi drivers were on strike because a driver had been assaulted the night before. Are you kidding me? Welcome to Argentina, where nonsensical leadership has produced a citizenry where common sense is not always so common.
As business leaders, it’s important to remember that corporate culture starts at the top—YOU set the tone. Corporate culture is more a reflection of leadership style and policies than of the individuals that make up your team. Your leadership style will show in the culture you create—and will ultimately be reflected in the bottom line.
About Clark Roundy, Luxul Wireless VP of Marketing
Clark Roundy is VP of Marketing at Luxul Wireless. Throughout his 20 year career, he has worked extensively with early stage and emerging companies to identify core competencies and implement key growth strategies. Mr. Roundy has held key executive positions at Linux Networx, Penguin Computing, Parvus Corporation, Alta Technology, and the Eyring Research Institute. His roles have included sales and marketing leadership, strategic planning, international business development, product management, and professional services program development. In his role at Luxul Wireless, Mr. Roundy is responsible for marketing strategy and oversees all outbound marketing programs as well as product and brand management.
The content of this blog reflects the views and opinions of the author, and not necessarily those of Utah Business.
Tags: Argentina, Business in Argentina, Corporate Culture, Cultural Differences, international business, Leadership, Management Style