UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI Joseph Ganitsky

MIAMI HERBERT BUSINESS SCHOOL Office: Jenkins 417 J

MGT-371 P–DOING BUSINESS IN LATIN AMERICA Hours: T-TH 2-3 & 5:30 – 6:30 pm
T - TH, 11a.m. - 12:15 p.m. or by appointment
Spring, 2020 jganitsky@gmail.com

Course Syllabus

1- Course Description

This is an exciting managerial-oriented elective course for undergraduate students interested in developing
skills essential for being an effective manager of businesses in or doing businesses with Latin America (LA),
as well as in understanding how foreign-based companies may profit (and protect) from the region’s ongoing
profound social, economic, political, technological and legal/institutional changes.

Our discussion of readings and cases will be centered on identifying, analyzing, comparing, and understanding
the impact that key factors defining the region has upon organizations, managers and business practices, so as to
formulate winning strategies. Moreover, each student will conduct an in-depth study a topic of interest to
him/her.

2- Learning Objectives

Overall, by the end of the course, students should be capable to:

1. Explain the key local, regional and global SEEPTL factors and forces affecting the main LAn
markets (recognizing within each the importance of their unique drivers):

 Social History, geography, political, demographic, religious, and cultural;

 Environmental Land, water, mother-nature, transportation, telecom, and energy infrastructure;
 Economic Advantages, productivity, trade and investment terms, inequity, and informality;
 ---Financial Capitalization, markets, incentives, taxes, stability, and time horizons;
 Political Biz-Gov. Rels., power, corruption, collaboration/confrontation, and transparency;
 Techno-talent Human capital, education systems, organizations and managerial capabilities;
 --Industry Structure, conduct—concentration, coop-competition—, and performance;
 Legal-Order Institutions, leaders, rules, regulations, sovereignty, security, and protection;

2. Identify and explain what are the leading agreements, institutions, coordinating or regulating
mechanisms, and political-economic processes affecting LA’s current business environment.

3. Identify sources and research more updated and current information/data on all of the above, given
that the information discussed in this course changes constantly rapidly becoming obsolete

4. Identify and evaluate the practical impact of such factors upon those doing a given type of business
in and with one of those markets in LA

5. Develop sensitivity to other LAn cultures and business environments, and hence, in practical terms,
students will:
 Be capable to identify the limits and applicability to LA of current managerial models or practices
and their assumptions (mostly conceived under conditions prevailing in more stable environments);
 Be able to make recommendations and decisions as to how a business will need to adapt its offer,
modus operandi, and/or organizational behavior, in order to work effectively in such different
 cultures and environments; and
 Be apt to contrast prevailing practices of firms and managers operating in LA and in the rest of
the world, and thus to make predictions, recommendations and decisions, when given a
comparative scenario or business problem

3- Required Readings

Readings: Those from the web listed in the last column of Exhibit A

Cases: Those in an online Case Pack (16 cases from the Harvard Business School). You should order it directly
from Harvard Business School’s Publishing (Case Clearing House). To order go to
https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/696340

Exhibit A presents the course’s Schedule, including for each session its case or reading that you need to prepare.
We might need to adjust schedule to accommodate guest speakers or other last minute changes.

4- Projects

Each student will undertake a project focusing on a topic of his/her interest. Each project has three phases:

First: Definition— On January 30, each student will email me a one page summary identifying either a
country, sector, company, function, challenge, opportunity, or question which he/she will research (from
secondary sources) in order to understand the extent to which their unique features affect how businesses
define/implement their strategies in LA. This will be followed by a 10-minutes feedback-meeting in my office
to be held during the first week of February, at a mutually convenient time.

Second: By the latest, on March 5 each student will email me a report (no longer than 3 pages) summarizing
findings from secondary sources, analyses of data/evidence collected, as well as the name, position,
organization and contact information of the executive (or expert) he/she will interview, as well as at least his/her
10 key questions he/she will ask in order to identify key lessons for businesses that practitioners must take into
account to successfully take advantage of relevant opportunities or cope with related challenges associated with
the chosen topic. This will be followed by a 10-minutes feedback-meeting in my office to be held during the
week of March 17, at a mutually convenient time.

Third: Presentations of Projects:

Oral: Each student will present in class for up to ten-minutes his/her findings, and answer questions for up to
five minutes, for a total of no more than 15 minutes. Time limit strictly enforced. Presentation days: April 9 to
23 (5/session), plus remaining students during scheduled final exam (April 28). Students will sign up for these
presentations before Spring Break. The feedback received during these presentations will help you improve
your written report.

Written: In addition to the Power Point supporting your oral presentation, you should email me no later than
May 1st a brief written report (no more than 5 pages for the main text, and as many Exhibits supporting your
main text’s analyses and conclusions).

5- Guidelines to prepare for class discussion of assigned

Readings Cases

 Start by reading the evening’s website reference. It provides a broad view of the evening’s topic
 Read the case twice: once for familiarity (try to identify the controversy to be resolved and/or the key decision
or evaluation that needs to be made); the second time around for deeper understanding and critical analysis
(focus on the key strategic issues identified above).
 Focus on questions within the case. You might need to consider more options than those identified in the case.
 Study Exhibits carefully to help identify (and quantify) critical issues.
 Apply concepts and analytical tools learned from readings and previous class discussions/courses.
 Adopt a critical perspective. Identify conflicting opinions and make judgments about the validity of the
decisions and actions you see in the case.
 Do some number-crunching. Even simple calculations can yield fresh insights.
 Prepare answers to case questions before class. You’ll gain confidence for class discussion.
 If necessary, develop charts, tables, or graphs to illustrate main points.
 Develop and prioritize your recommendations; assess their costs and consequences to the organization.
 Meet with members of your (voluntary) study group to discuss each case.
 Make notes in case you are called upon in class.

The cases in this course are complex and require considerable time to analyze. Plan on a minimum of two hours
for each case. (Some will require more.) In return, I will try to make the value you receive from the course
commensurate with the workload. As a rule, the better you know a case, the more interesting and valuable you
will find the discussion to be. In almost every case we study there are "hard" numbers issues and "soft" people
issues. Human nature is such that each of us tends to focus on one or the other, but the most successful
managers are able to balance both. Cultivating this kind of balanced viewpoint should be a major objective for
each student and within each study group.

6- Evaluation Policies and Standards

Final grades will be based on your performance on the case analyses, class contribution, project presentations,
and attendance. Based on the sum of the points earned on each of these dimensions, students will be rank-
ordered with final grades based on natural break points in the overall total point distribution. Of course, you
should feel free to talk to me at any time about your performance in the class or any other aspect of the course
or subject area. The following figures indicate the importance attached to each grade component.

1. Midterm Case Analysis 20% 4. Project (Written Report) 20%

2. Final Case Analysis 20% 5. Contribution to Class Discussions 10%
3. Project (Oral + PP) 20% 5. Class Attendance 10%

7- Class Contribution

A class is a learning community in which we all are learners and teachers. Class contribution includes--but is
not limited to--participating in class. It can also include posting relevant articles, case updates, or other
contributions that enhance our collective learning experience. I evaluate and record each student’s contribution
to the class’s collective learning experience on a regular, frequent basis; final evaluation of contribution is at my
discretion and is not negotiable.

7- Attendance

MGT 371 is a discussion-oriented course. The value of the course lies in preparing for, listening to, and
participating in case discussions, and in sharing insights, opinions and experiences.

Therefore, I expect you to attend every class, arriving on time so that we can start promptly. Please keep in
mind that 20% of your grade is based on class participation and attendance; while no one absence is critical, the
accumulation of several can seriously affect your final grade. (Significantly late arrivals or early departures will
be considered partial absences.)

80% Rule: A student who fails to attend at least 80% of class sessions (i.e., 12 out of 15 sessions in this format)
DOES NOT QUALIFY AS HAVING COMPLETED THE COURSE and will not receive a passing grade.

8- Other course policies

1. This is a NO-LAPTOP COURSE. Before entering class, please turn off and put away phones, laptops,
tablets, and all other devices. Your undivided attention and contributions to class discussions are essential, and
you cannot be distracted while checking your devices. Yet, you might use them only if asked to gather / verify
some information in the Internet.

2. When emailing me, please summarize your message in the subject line and include ‘MGT 371’, and in the
message your real name. Please be sure your Blackboard email address is current.

3. All assignments submitted in this class must be original work and cannot be submitted in more than one
course. Your grade in the course and student status may be affected by such actions.

4. Please respect me, your fellow students, and the learning process in this class by avoiding the following
behaviors:
A. Walking in and out of the room. (Please use rest rooms, water fountains, etc., before class.)
B. Talking with other class members, texting, etc.
C. Doing homework or reading material from this or another class.
D. Habitual late arrivals or early departures.
E. Eating or sleeping.
F. Packing up to leave five minutes before the end of class.

9- Sources

You need to treat your first project as if it were a term paper. This is a true research project, not a “cut-and-
paste”, elementary type of project. Although I want you to have fun, and I am providing you with enough
freedom to exercise creativity and to have such fun, please treat this assignment very seriously and
professionally. In terms of the sources of research, after picking a topic, you should research its basic facts.
There are many sources at the library and on the WWW, and you are REQUIRED to use several secondary
AND primary sources, such as interviews with people familiar with that topic.

Regarding secondary sources, some interesting official sources are:

http://www.imf.org/external/pubind.htm
http://www.worldbank.org/data/
http://devdata.worldbank.org/data-query/
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/weorepts.htm
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
http://www.commerce.gov/sitemap.html
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html
http://www.state.gov/www/background_notes/index.html
http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/sitc1/2003/ (You can build the series you want by changing the year on the
URL)
Other unofficial sources are:
http://globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/ibrd.asp
http://www.bspage.com/1netiq/Netiq.html
http://www.bspage.com/address.html
http://www.holidayfestival.com
http://publications.worldbank.org/ecommerce/
http://www.ethics.ubc.ca/resources/business/
http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html
http://www.embassy.org/
Each project should include academic sources to supplement the Internet sources and the interviews. Thus, you
need to take advantage of the academic periodical databases available in the library. If you have questions
about these databases, contact the librarians for assistance.

10- Getting Acquainted

See my bio in Exhibit B. Please e-mail me yours before January 30.

 Exhibit A: Tentative Course Schedule (subject to change) as of January 12, 2020
Date Opportunities Cases Activity and Select readings in the web
1-14 Introduction, Why are you taking this course? What are your links with Latin America?
Course Scope Read Course Syllabus
1-16 The 2020 What are Latin America’s main opportunities? Challenges?
Outlook https://bulltick.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/LatAmStrategy01-09-20.pdf
https://americasmi.com/insights/2020-latin-america-regional-forecast/
1-21 Social Gilberto Dimenstein and Community
Empowerment in Brazil
1-23 Your initial ideas for your course project: Draft 1 page and share it in class
1-28 Environmental Global Climate Cooperation and Conflict:
Brazil and the Paris Agreement
1-30 Energy Untapped Potential: Renewal Energy in https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/oil-and-gas/our-insights/global-energy-
Argentina perspective-2019?cid=other-eml-ttn-mip-
mck&hlkid=5810a6d231e7410594d9b6871ed14ba5&hctky=2404697&hdpid=7
d90901a-d6e3-4c0d-8a7c-609a2217ae8c
2-04 Economic Soybean Production in Argentina: The Duhau
Group
2-06 Political Should Political Turmoil in Latin America worry Investors?
https://americasmi.com/insights/political-turmoil-in-latin-america-should-worry-
investors/
https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/americas/latin-americas-missing-
middle-of-midsize-firms-and-middle-class-spending-power
2-11 Entrepreneurial Aflore and Polymath Ventures: Two Sides of https://americasmi.com/insights/which-latin-american-businesses-are-
The Coin vulnerable-to-disruption/
2-13 Financial GENTERA: Facing the Digital Age
2-18 Competitive Sky Airline: Business Model Transformation
and Future Challenges
2-20 Legal Doing Business in Brazil after Operation Car
Wash
2-25 Ethical Anti-Corruption, Transparency and Integrity in the Americas: Is it for real?
https://www.thedialogue.org/wp-
content/uploads/2019/12/AnticorruptionSymposiaSeries-1.pdf
2-27 Sustainable Leaks, Dumps and Whistleblowers: Tax https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_Development_Goals
Development Havens and Wealth Inequality
3-03 Technological Cinepolis S A de C V and KLIC: Raising to
the Streaming Challenge
3-05 China How should Latin America respond to China’s rapid growth and power?
https://theglobalamericans.org/2019/12/latin-america-and-china-choos
ing-self-interest/
https://www.thedialogue.org/map_list/
https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/innovation-and-
growth/globalization-in-transition-the-future-of-trade-and-value-chains?
cid=other-eml-ttn-mip-
mck&hlkid=997a46ce17a540dd9a57d705e3955f5f&hctky=2404697&hdpid=7d
90901a-d6e3-4c0d-8a7c-609a2217ae8c
3-10 Spring Break: No Classes
Transformations Cases
3-17 Digital Digital Transformation in Latin America:
Leapfrogging and Social Impact
3-19 Urban Medellin’s Transformation: Towards a More
Equitable, Innovative and Participatory Urban
Society
3-24 Educational International Expansion of Escuela Nueva: A
Transformative Pedagogy on a Global Scale
3-26 Organizational Stefanini and the Digital Revolution:
Transforming and Being Transformed
3-31 Innovation Innovating at Arauco: Chile’s Largest Forestry
Company
4-02 Agribusiness Nestle’s Commodity Systems Approach in
Venezuela: Laying the Foundation of Shared
Value in a Time of Crisis
4-07 Mkt Development
Project Presentations
4-09 4/session
4-14 4/session
4-16 4/session
4-21 4/session
4-23 4/session
4-28 5-7:30 p.m. Presentation of remaining projects
 Exhibit B: JOSEPH GANITSKY
Professor of Professional Practice, Department of Management, Miami Herbert Business School
Academic Director, Master of Science in International Business (MIB)

I received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Universidad de Los Andes (Bogotá, 1968),
a M.S. in Industrial Management from The Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta,
1970), and a D.B.A. (Doctor of Business Administration), in International Marketing, from
Harvard U. (Boston, 1974).

My academic experience has taken place, among others, at the Central American
Institute of Management, Managua; Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá (first Dean of its
Business School); Jerusalem Institute of Management, Tel Aviv; Instituto de Empresa,
Madrid; Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administración, Caracas; China-Europe
International Business School, Shanghai; Tulane and Loyola Universities, New Orleans;
and University of Miami. I have taught undergraduate, MBA and Executive courses in
Marketing, Multinational and Global Strategy, Research Methods, Agribusiness, Global
Entrepreneurship, Management in Developing Nations, and Latin American Business. I
have received numerous teaching awards from my students, and distinguished with the
Bank One and Chase Minority Entrepreneurship Professorships. I transformed Loyola’s IB
area into its most important; and directed 6 research grants. I directing for nine years
UM’s Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), funded with a
grant from the U. S. Department of Education.

My service to the profession includes contributions to BALAS (Business Association of

Latin American Studies) (Program Chair, 1999 Conference, 2000-2001 President); AIB
(Academy of International Business) (Placement Coordinator for 7 years), and BALAS-AIB
Liaison for 3 years; Reviewer of the CIBER Program & Fulbright-Hays National Screening
Committee for Graduate Scholarship Competition.

My public service experience includes having served in the Boards of Directors of

Colombia's Agricultural Bank, Agricultural Marketing Institute, and Efficiency
Improvement Advisory Committee for the Public Sector; IB Committee of the WTC of New
Orleans (received its ‘06 President’s Award); and U. S. Department of Commerce’s South
Florida District Export Council.

My general management experience includes (1) Divisional Manager and President of

family firm operating in the agribusiness, computer and office equipment, financial
services, retail, apparel, and textile sectors; (2) promoting new ventures; and (3)
consulting to senior executives of corporations (e.g., Shell, PVDSA), management
education centers, and development projects.

My research interests focus on competitive strategies of multinational and local firms

in Latin America; the strategic roles and challenges of foreign investors in Latin America;
global startups; strategic alliances; immigrant entrepreneurs, strategic responses to
terrorism, and corporate governance. My publications in leading management journals
relate to the role of businesses and investors in promoting Latin America's growth;
human resource and marketing strategy issues of international joint ventures;
managerial lessons emerging from experiences of non-traditional exporters; succession
process within family firms; and internationalization of business schools. I have trained
European and Latin American faculty and researchers in case research through “Case-
Writing Workshops.” These build upon my vast case writing experience, including
“Martin Varsavsky,” winner of the 2001 Best Entrepreneurship Case, EFMD.

Born in Colombia; married to Sarita; we have three sons and five grandchildren; for 22
years lived in New Orleans and for 15 in Miami (after Katrina); U.S. citizen; and speak
Spanish and English 1/20