News & Highlights

  • November 2023
  • EVENT

Alumni Event with HBS Club of Brazil

LARC and the HBS Club of Brazil jointly organized an exclusive event with Professor Michael Chu in São Paulo in November. During the session "Income Inequality in our Region: A Dialog on What to Do About it," Prof. Chu engaged with alumni, leading a group discussion highlighting the importance of addressing inequality. He emphasized that it is not only a moral imperative but also crucial for fostering economic growth, social stability, and sustainable development. Prof. Chu highlighted that by addressing the root causes of inequality and promoting inclusive policies, societies can create environments where individuals have better opportunities to thrive, contributing to the well-being of the entire community.
  • SEPTEMBER 2023
  • EVENT

Nubank: Democratizing Financial Services Case Discussion

In September 2023, Professor Michael Chu taught the case Nubank: Democratizing Financial Services to a Latin American faculty group. A total of 45 professors attended the session and discussed Nubank’s expansion to Mexico, its business model, and its use of technology. To wrap up the event, Professor Chu shared his insights on how to teach a class, showing his teaching plans and objectives. Faculty from Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Guatemala, Colombia, Argentina, and Chile enjoyed this unique interaction.
  • AUGUST 2023
  • EVENT

Professor Paul Gompers's Visit to Latin America

In August 2023, Professor Paul Gompers travelled to Latin America with the primary objective of exploring the region's entrepreneurial ecosystem. During his stay in Latin America, Professor Gompers engaged with numerous entrepreneurs, policymakers, as well as private equity and venture capital firms. His itinerary included visits to key countries in the region, such as Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Mexico. Additionally, he capitalized on the opportunity to reconnect with HBS alumni and friends of LARC, visiting with the HBS Club in Brazil, the Harvard Club in Argentina, and the HBS Club in Mexico. The insights gathered during his visit will be integrated into his upcoming course and book entitled Entrepreneurship Outside the Valley.
  • MAY 2023
  • COMPANY VISIT

Professor Michael Chu Meets with Ceibal

Professors Michael Chu and John Kim co-authored a case in 2022 about Ceibal, an organization within the Ministry of Education of Uruguay, devoted to educational innovation. In May 2023, Professor Chu visited Ceibal and held a stimulating case discussion with Ceibal's management, encouraging them to pursue their mission and be a key factor to leverage the country's opportunities in the global context.
  • APRIL 2023
  • ALUMNI EVENT

Professor Christina Wing's Visit to Brazil

In April, Professor Christina Wing traveled to Brazil to develop a case study on a family business. She also seized the opportunity to meet with OPM participants. Additionally, as part of her trip, the Latin America Research Center and Young Presidents' Organization collaborated to organize a breakfast meeting with young leaders. The purpose of this gathering was to explore strategies for effectively preparing companies for the challenges and opportunities of the next generation.

New Research on the Region

  • March 2024
  • Case

Doing Business in São Paulo, Brazil

The case gives readers an overview of key factors of doing business in Brazil, including Brazil’s economic transformation since its colonial years until 2023, when leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was sworn in for his third term, after the most polarized elections in the country’s recent history and having to deal with an attack against government buildings in Brasília. The case’s ultimate goal is to foster a discussion about how political and economic uncertainty impacts consumer behavior and companies operating in Brazil. For that, it summarizes the key obstacles faced by these businesses, such as the country’s logistical bottlenecks, complex bureaucracy and arcane tax system. At the same time, the case sheds light on the sectors that are thriving despite these difficulties and on some valuable opportunities offered by Brazil’s huge consumer market and diversified economy.

  • March 2024
  • Case

Doing Business in Buenos Aires, Argentina

By: Alan D. MacCormack, Nori Gerardo Lietz, Leonard A. Schlesinger, Karina Souza and Zeke Gillman

This case examines the challenges and opportunities of doing business in Argentina. It highlights Argentina's economic and political transformation in the decades leading up to 2024. The case gives an overview of some of the main obstacles faced by businesses operating in the country, contrasting these with the efforts undertaken by the government to improve the country's business climate. This is illustrated through the discussion of a business dilemma in which Latam Airlines considers re-entering the Argentinian market.

  • January 2024
  • Case

Runa

By: Paul Gompers and Carla Larangeira

In early 2022, Courtney McColgan, founder and CEO of Runa, a human resources and payroll Software-as-a-Service platform, faced an unexpected tech market downturn. Founded in 2018, Runa catered to small and medium-sized businesses in Mexico, offering an affordable and easy-to-use cloud-based solution. McColgan, a serial entrepreneur from Southern California, firmly believed the platform could disrupt Mexico's vast industry, and become a billion-dollar business. After an initial period of rapid growth during its first 18 months of operations, and amidst hiring a new executive team, Runa’s growth began to falter as attracting new clients became increasingly hard, and customer acquisition costs increased. In August 2021, Runa raised more funds amidst an unprecedented expansion in venture capital investment in Latin America, and it deployed additional marketing strategies and developed new products to entice customers. However, by early 2022, the venture scenario grew gloomier, and tech companies began to take cautionary measures. How should Runa adapt to a potentially more limited funding scenario and perhaps even less favorable growth prospects in the short run? Would dramatic structural and strategic changes be needed? Or should McColgan consider shutting down her business and create a new venture?

See more research

Montevideo Staff

Fernanda Miguel
Christopher P. Torto Executive Director
Mariana Cal
Associate Director, Research
Jenyfeer Martínez Buitrago
Senior Researcher
Maria Martha Ruiz Melo
Office Manager
Karina Souza
Senior Researcher

Mexico City Staff

Carla Larangeira
Senior Researcher

São Paulo Staff

Patricia Thome
Assistant Director, Educational Programs
Pedro Levindo
Senior Researcher