Legal, historical, and demographic factors all play a role. The lack of a swift and just legal system in Latin America creates a business environment fraught with mistrust. It can therefore be difficult to obtain valuable information until a relationship has been developed with the information source. Business does not trust government in Latin America, and many companies take measures to avoid onerous tax levels. Efforts to obtain corporate financials or operating costs may confront obstacles.
Middle management tends to lack decision-making authority.
This results in reluctance to divulge even basic information without the proper authorization, and valuable market intelligence is guarded closely by the business elite. Access to that information is possible but can be time consuming and expensive. In government, where salaries are notoriously low, information is a valuable currency. Though less common, similar information hoarding can be found in industry associations, large companies, and even academia. .