The Business Side

While I have been introduced to, examining, and looking at the architectural/landscape side of the sites we have visited and passed as a group, I have also been individually looking at Rio in a business perspective as well (my major). One of the first things that I’ve noticed is that a lot of the people in Rio are self-made. Self-made meaning that they are busy selling things themselves. No matter where you go whether it’s the beach, downtown, or even just walking on the sidewalks there is someone trying to sell you something.

In the business world, this would probably fall under the category of personal selling. All of the vendors are nice (even though the language barrier is hard) and it seems like they truly care about you. A lot of the business takes place in markets and fairs. One of my first experiences with this was the Hippie Fair. I was able to use my negotiating skills to bargain on some quality Brazilian items.

Another part of business in Rio that I have been looking at are the actual corporations. Subway, McDonalds, and Burger King are all the big names down here that are familiar from America. What is interesting is that they have offerings that are tailored to Brazilian culture like the picante burger. One food place that isn’t in the US but is big here is Bobs. It is similar to the other fast food restaurants that deliver burgers. Some other businesses that I have seen include Sherwin Williams and Pizza Hut. One thing I’ve noticed is that almost all of the buildings the businesses are in are connected. A lot of the buildings are also vacant. I will be interested in continuing to look at this side of the trip some more.