Companies with teams dedicated to innovation, organizational structures that allow for agile decision making and that quickly migrated to teleworking, are those that have best adapted to the new commercial reality.
The pandemic brought about a scenario of changes in the business models, the companies had to apply radical changes in an accelerated way in order to successfully face the challenges represented by the changes in people's habits.
After the first case of covid-19 was reported in the country, the private sector is asking authorities to close the borders partially or completely and to have people entering the nation examined and quarantined if necessary.
Jose Adan Aguerri, president of the Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP), explained that among the measures taken by the companies for this emergency is the creation of a critical department so that the companies that the staff is working in three different places in case any of them is affected, have guns to measure the temperature of customers who come to the company and not allow them to enter with fever.
From July 7-10, Guatemalan companies focused on mass consumption will meet with Dominican buyers to learn about local market trends.
The event is organized by the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (Agexport) and is aimed at national companies interested in marketing mass consumption products, food service and private brands.
Guatemala's annual exports to the Dominican Republic amount to nearly $120 million, and among the main products marketed are sugar, several types of medicines, palm oil, and personal hygiene items, among others.
In Guatemala, about 2% of the total vehicle fleet units are registered on behalf of 30 companies, including Tropigas, Seguros G&T and Arrendadora Centroamericana.
From the report "Vehicle fleet in Central America, with details of the business fleet", the unit of Trade Intelligence of CentralAmericaData collects the most updated information of the automotive market in Central American countries.
From 5 to 10 October, Guatemalan businessmen from the agricultural sector will travel to Madrid to make several business appointments with potential Spanish buyers, and also know the trends in the supermarket sector.
Spain is a market with an interest in export products such as mango, avocado, roasted and green coffee, fresh vegetables and exotic fruits, some of the products most demanded by Spanish buyers, reported Agexport.
From July 22nd to 25th, Guatemalan companies focused on mass consumption will meet with Dominican buyers, and will learn about market trends through visits to major supermarkets.
The mission, organized by the Guatemalan exporters' guild, is aimed at national companies focused on mass consumer products, who will have the opportunity to have business appointments with Dominican buyers, hold meetings with institutions in the destination country, and learn about market trends.
After December 2018, the Confidence in Economic Activity Index in Guatemala reported an 8% year-on-year increase, in January the variation was -3% regarding the same month in 2017.
The Bank of Guatemala Report summarizes that "... An inflationary rhythm of 3.34% is forecast for January, 3.47% for February and 3.56% for March 2019. Regarding December 2019 and 2020, the Panel foresees an inflationary rhythm of 3.95% and 4.19%, in that order.
The determination of how much and how the minimum wage should be regulated, something that occasionally seems to be done in an arbitrary manner and for political purposes, continues to be one of the factors that most confront Central American businessmen and governments.
In Costa Rica, a 3% increase in the minimum wage was approved for 2019; in El Salvador, an increase is expected to be discussed, and in Guatemala, the commission in charge of the issue reported that no increases will be made this year.
Entrepreneurs feel that corruption in the public administration is the State's main problem, and they affirm that a high percentage of companies have been exposed to bribes.
The Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial and Financial Associations of Guatemala carried out the "I Survey of Business Perception 2018", and among the main results that were obtained, were that "...38% of entrepreneurs said that corruption in public administration is the state's main problem which prevents development, while 43% say that their companies have been exposed to bribes."
44% of directors of companies affiliated with the Cacif reported an interannual reduction in sales in the third quarter of this year.
Another result from the III survey on business perception carried out bythe Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial and Financial Associations (Cacif) is that 43% of the business people consulted said that the investment decisions were made in the III quarter of 2017. In addition, 61% of those interviewed revealed stability in employment in the third quarter of 2017, a variable that maintained this trend in the same period in 2016 (54%).
With the reform of the Commerce Code approved by Congress the process has been simplified and costs reduced for inscribing a corporation, among other changes.
Main changes in the new Commercial Code:
- A business may be incorporated with ($28) Q200.Each shareholder must pay, at least, 25 percent of the nominal value of each share subscribed.
The Guatemalan business union has warned about the negative impact of the lack of legal certainty on the economic, political and social environment.
From a statement by the Cacif:
We would like to draw the public's attention to the serious impacts that may arise from the various cases in which ILO Convention 169 has been invoked, and in which the country's courts have issued rulings that contradict each other, to the extreme - in one case - by ordering the suspension of operations of a company.
As has been reiterated in previous communications, it is important to provide Convention 169 with a standard of consultation so as to allow compliance with its provisions clearly and with certainty in regards to its procedures. In so far as this occurs, it is necessary that in the cases that are heard in the different courts of the Republic, fundamental aspects for legal security should be present, such as:
a) That Convention 169 is an instrument whose purpose is to foster dialogue in good faith, not to stop projects or to irreversibly affect the national economy.
The business sector is questioning the decision made by the Constitutional Court to suspend the operation of two hydroelectric stations and is asking for decisions to be made based on legal criteria, giving priority to the national interest.
From a statement issued by Cacif Guatemala:
February 28, 2017.The events that have occured in recent days have caused uncertainty and concern in various sectors of the country, including the productive sector.
Business management is the resource which determines the success or failure of a business, and the quality of that management determines, unfailingly, the market.
EDITORIAL
In Costa Ricaastate run bankand anagricultural cooperativehave once again been rescued from insolvency and the mismanagement of their managers, using, as it would not have been possible any other way, money belonging to taxpayers.
Officials from the Foreign Ministry of the South American country are looking for business and investment opportunities in Guatemala, and are organizing a visit of entrepreneurs for the first half of 2017.
From a statement issued by Agexport:
A delegation, consisting of three specialists from the Department of Foreign Investment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Chile, met with 6 companies who are members of AGEXPORT on October 25, 2016.
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