Intervention(s)
The first phase is common to all firms, and includes a detailed diagnostic of 5 different areas (Logistics, Human Resources, Finance, Marketing and Sales, and Production) implemented by a team of 6 consultants, 5 of them specialists in each specific area analyzed and one team leader coordinating the process. This diagnostic phase lasts 2 full-time weeks and is completed by a report that analyzes both managerial practices for each one of these areas and key performance indicators associated with each one of the areas analyzed
There are two interventions being piloted, which will be received by different treatment groups:
1) Individual consulting services support: Firms assigned to this group will receive individual support of a team of 5 consultants for 5 different processes: Logistic, Human Resources, Finance, Marketing and Sales, and Production during a period of 4-6 months to implement a set of improved managerial practices prioritized for their potential impact on growth and productivity of the businesses based on the diagnostic performed in phase one.
2) Group consulting services support: Firms assigned to this group will receive group support of a team of 6 consultants for 4-6 months to implement a set of improved managerial practices prioritized for their potential impact on growth and productivity of the businesses based on the diagnostic performed in phase one. The difference with the individual support is that groups of 5 or 6 firms located in the same region receive a group intervention. Leaders from the firms in a group sign an agreement to work together and help each other improve. Training in particular topic areas first occurs in a group class setting, with each firm sending the people in charge of that production process along. This is then followed up by in-person demonstrations, with group members being able to learn from each other, so that an improvement in practice in one firm can be observed and mimicked by others in the group. Groups are formed so that members are not direct competitors to one another, but instead are producing complementary products with similar management problems.