Argentina
Rodolfo Viegener
- Former President, FV S.A.; Former Chair and CEO, Ferrum S.A. (Faucets and plumbing products)
Born Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1939. BSc. Engineering, Universidad de Buenos Aires (1966); Owner/President Management Program 28, Harvard Business School (1999).
“[W]e strove to change the company’s culture, moving from a more authoritarian scheme to build an atmosphere where diversity was welcomed and autonomy was encouraged, letting people manage issues without checking their every move…”
Summary
Rodolfo Viegener relates the history of his family's Argentina-based company Ferrum, which expanded from a small entrepreneurial venture founded by his father to the country’s leading manufacturer of sanitary ware. Viegener explains how the firm responded to political and economic turbulence in Argentina by building strategic partnerships and developing an international business. He also discusses the role of external advisors and consultants at crucial moments. Finally, Viegener discusses the opportunities and challenges faced by family businesses through growth and internationalization, and makes a case for the merits of stakeholder forms of capitalism rather than an exclusive focus on shareholder returns.
Additional Resources
- Bernardo Kosacoff, "Les entreprises argentines à la recherche d’une place dans le monde," Gestion 26 (Feb. 2001)
- Roberto Bisang, Mariana Fuchs, and Bernardo Kosacoff, “Internacionalización de empresas industriales argentinas,” Desarrollo Económico 32, no. 127 (1992): 323-356
Interview Citation Format
"Interview with Rodolfo Viegener, interviewed by Andrea Lluch, May 23, 2008, Creating Emerging Markets Project, Baker Library Historical Collections, Harvard Business School, http://www.hbs.edu/creating-emerging-markets/."