A small team of Canadian managers from a large financial institution is faced with the challenges of managing a recently acquired Mexican operation. Managers must cope with a language barrier and cultural differences as they try to restructure the over-staffed Mexican financial institution. A second teaching note (5A97L01) discusses how to use this case from a cross-cultural orientation perspective.

Looking for a creative option to promote 3M products to medical professionals, a 3M Chile sales manager developed the idea of a first-aid kit or botiquin that could be used as a promotional gift. Managers at the company's world headquarters had not previously focused on branded first-aid kits. It was the same all over the world, a plain white box with the red cross in front. You just can't brand a first-aid kit! they replied. At the same time, .....more

Looking for a creative option to promote 3M products to medical professionals, a 3M Chile sales manager developed the idea of a first-aid kit or "botiquin" that could be used as a promotional gift. 3M Chile launched the product with a limited promotional budget. Sales quickly exceeded their expectations. Now 3M Chile must decide whether a more aggressive promotional campaign will work. (This case is a sequel to 3M Chile - Health Care Products .....more

Executives of a telecommunications corporation are wondering what they can learn from an experience to develop managers to run expanding Latin American operations. The corporation signed a letter of intent to purchase control of a leading telecommunications provider in Mexico with 2,300 employees. Senior executives knew that one of their most pressing issues would be finding the right people to manage their Latin American operations. The 14 managers .....more

The nature of the banking environment differed greatly across the regions of the Americas. This note discusses the regulatory background and recent trends in the banking industries of the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America. The note is also intended for use with Grupo Financiero Inverlat, case 9A97L001.

The managing director's approach to team based selling, was not being received as well as he expected. It seemed that top executives, members of his Management Operating Committee, were suggesting stopping his changes before they got out of hand. He found himself starting to have doubts about what he was doing.

The Mexico-U.S. border environmental situation is outlined in this note which provides background information on the region. The nature and extent of the pollution problem and a brief overview of the current system of environmental regulation and enforcement in Mexico and under the North American Free Trade Agreement is also reviewed. The note also provides two caselets of companies operating in the border region. The principle objective of this note .....more

Teaching note for product 9A97D013.

The Bank of Nova Scotia has decided not to increase its ownership in Grupo Financiero Inverlat. Details of the deal between the Bank of Nova Scotia and the Mexican Government are provided together with updated information about the Mexican economy and changes in the Mexican banking sector. This case provides material about events that follow the decision outlined in "Bank of Nova Scotia: The Mexico Decision (A)", case 9A96H001.

Management is faced with a broad range of opposition and criticism after closing the telemarketing operation. Labor organizations force legal proceedings, the primary telecommunications workers union in Mexico demands action under the Labor Side Agreement of the North American Free Trade Agreement and, ultimately, a court ruling demands that the company rehire and compensate employees displaced by the closure of the operation. This case was written .....more