Breaking Ground in Latin America

Harvard Business School is scheduled to open its new Latin America Research Office by August 2000 in Buenos Aires. The office will provide support to HBS faculty conducting research in Latin America. Dean Kim B. Clark visited Latin America last fall and met with a number of alumni and prominent business leaders. A faculty advisory group on Latin America is now meeting regularly to iron out the details of the new research center, and Latin America Advisory Committee is being created.

“Latin America is a fascinating region,” said Clark after his trip to Brazil and Argentina. “I was thoroughly impressed by the tremendous entrepreneurship and energy there. HBS is eager to be involved in a mutually beneficial way.” The new office in Latin America will serve as “home away from home” for HBS faculty members and a facilitation point for research in Latin America. While the School has been involved in the region in a number of ways over the years, the center will leverage the School’s research, course development, and impact in Latin America.

Professor Howard H. Stevenson, a pioneer in the area of entrepreneurship, leads the HBS faculty advisory group. Other members include James E. Austin, Rafael Di Tella, Pankaj Ghemawat, Herminia Ibarra, Rogelio Oliva, William A. Sahlman and Steven C. Wheelwright. The Latin America Research Office will cover the 12 countries in South America and the 7 countries in Central America. Research and activities in Mexico–which Clark visited last December–will be covered primarily from Boston. The Buenos Aires office will serve as a hub for research conducted throughout the region and will be staffed by a local director and research associates.