Abstract:

The paper describes the use and limitations of local socio-economic classifications in Latin America, most notably the inability to use these definitions for cross-country, regional and sub-regional comparisons. The creation of pan-regional services and the trend toward more homogenized economic models that originated in the 1990s further supports the need for using a regional criteria when analyzing and targeting consumers across different countries. The results are based on a regional definition developed by Dr. Roland Soong and that allows authors to benchmark each local classification to a standardized regional one.