Peru Cultural Analysis

CULTURAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

Peru’s population is made up of mostly Amerindian, mestizo, and white descent with a small percent of people of African and Asian descent. There is a huge divide socially and financially between the rural and urban communities with the rural community seen as the lower class. Peruvians communicate indirectly and are open and lively when talking to people. Historically, Roman Catholicism was the religion deep rooted in the majority of the Peruvians culture with a slight percent converting to Protestantism in the mid 1900’s. Corruption has always been an issue especially when Peru was under the rule of President Alberto Fujimori who is serving jail time for his actions while in office. Corporate social responsibility is practically nonexistent. This is slowly changing with the help of various international organizations. Peruvians place great importance on family values, building relationships and trust. This is even more important than business deals to them. They will not move forward until they have spent enough time with you and you have gained their trust. The “machismo” style is still prevalent in Peru where the man in seen as superior and the woman is expected to stay home with the kids and take care of home. This too is slowly changing as more women are entering the workforce. Peru’s economy is driven by its agricultural and mineral imports and exports to major markets like the United States, China, Canada, Brazil and others. The US and Peru have a free trade agreement in place that removes all obstacles of trade. Their bilateral relationship has helped strengthen Peru’s economy, slowly reduce poverty, and attempt to eradicate drug trafficking of cocaine from Peru to the US.

Introduction

Peru is located on the western coast of South America covering about 500,000 square miles. It is broken up into three regions, the dry western coastal lowland (costa), the Andes located in the center (sierra), and the eastern...