Costa Rica: The Business Environment

The Costa Rican economy is changing rapidly, with agriculture being downgraded and clothing factories declining in the face of cheaper competition from Asia. The country is now trying to remodel itself as a suitable location for high technology industries, Costa Rica real estate, foreign companies operation centers for human resources, call centers, conferences, and conventions.

Costa Rica is a very business card-oriented culture, and everyone from your taxi driver to a company president will whip out a card at the slightest opportunity. Costa Ricans, however, set a great deal less store on formality than many other Latin countries. While many of these cards will show the person's educational status, for example a graduate or doctor, this is not the norm, and you are not expected to greet anyone in a business setting in this fashion as you would do elsewhere in Latin America.

Personal relationships and conversation are still valued more highly than punctuality, and there is usually quite a bit friendly chitchat before meetings get seriously started. There are few topics off-limits when talking with Ticos, but don't waste the opportunity to strengthen your new business relationships by moaning about their country, bureaucracy, or government. Ticos may well do this themselves, but if a foreigner starts carping too much they may take offense.

As with everything else in tiny Costa Rica, networking is the key, so you should have a good people skills. Although many Ticos, especially in the business community, have been educated abroad and speak excellent English, any effort to speak some Spanish on your part will definitely be appreciated. You should try to learn at least enough to be polite.