Project Management News from Argentina

What to Expect in Argentina in 2012 for the Project Management Profession

So it is time to make balances on the ending year, and set expectations for the new year. As I have been doing for the last five years, I would like to share my thoughts on the 2011 and expectations for 2012 related to the Project Management profession with readers. 

2011 began with a great amount of uncertainty in Argentina, due to political issues, mainly regarding economic measures. Due to the death of former President Kirchner at the end of 2010, and the election year that the country faced in 2011, there were some concerns on the continuity of the actual economical policy. But after the President Ms. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner won the primary elections for re-election with more than 50% it was more than clear that the country would follow the same path for the next four years. 

Argentina Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 8% on 2011, twice as was expected. According to United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean – ECLAC, the country will only grow 5% in 2012. But even though I understand that making a reasonable analysis of the country economy and the global situation it is impossible to expect something higher, I believe that the country will maintain a great performance in 2012.

As I have explained in many articles, the country economy is based mainly on commodities exports. And in a high level of internal consume, supported by high inflation. Argentina has the second highest inflation level of the world, according to World Bank. For 2011 it has been placed around 25% per year. Buying everything here, for example a pair of shoes, is much more expensive than in most places of the world, and salary wages are mostly lower. This sounds crazy. I am not an economist, therefore I would not try to explain how this country works and keeps growing. I just want to say that I have been living down here for 11 years, and it is clear that the country natural resources gives to it the means to overcome all crisis. 

Although 2012 will for sure bring some consequences of the European economic crisis, what I see is a country full of projects and investments.  So based on my business experience, I think 2012 will be a year full of projects in most industries.

How all this impacts the Project Management Profession?

Last year, in this same space I shared the thoughts of professional leaders in a wide variety of industries regarding their expectations for 2011. Most of them agreed that Project Management has been introduced in most industries, and will be a growing topic of interest in order to increase business results.
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