Factors of Competitiveness for Successful Business in a New and Strong Emerging Market Mercosul is sucessfully passing through a new stage in its project of a Commom Market, and is advancing, in a firm and secure manner, towards the creation of a Customs Union. And it advances strengthened by the welcome arrival of new partners, Chile and Bolivia, and the Andean countries. This renders the market potential of the regional bloc even greater and more attractive, broadering the range of opportunities for the companies. This book, prepared by SIMONSEN ASSOCIADOS staff, records the progress made with the process of regional integration, analyzes the tendencies of globalization and the forming of hemispheric blocs, identifies the opportunities existing and provides the businessman with several appropriate tools for taking decisions. In addition to the data about the markets and the economies of the countries involved, this text presents five true case histories of Brazilian companies which invested and have their own operations outside Brazil, in Mercosul. SIMONSEN ASSOCIADOS always believed in the success of Mercosul. So much so that, besides expanding, it consolidated its presence in this important regional bloc through offices and/or correspondents in the principal centers of decision in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. SIMONSEN ASSOCIADOS is the largest and oldest company providing intelligence about markets and companies, in Brazil and Mercosul, and helping clients use this intelligence to enhance strategic market positions, frequently through association with or acquisition of going concerns. For the last 31 years has been very active in orienting and aiding both foreign and Brazilian companies to invest, expand and operate in the Brazilian market, and Brazilian companies to enter and operate in foreign markets. The reader may know more about SIMONSEN ASSOCIADOS from its Internet Web site: http://www.simonsen.com.br.