Areas of Project Expertise
Latin America
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CHILE: REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CLUSTERING IN THE 8 REGIONS OF SOUTHERN CHILE (2008-2009)
In a contract for Chile’s lead economic development agency, CORFO, ETG staff are working with Dalberg Global Development Advisors in implementing Chile’s new strategy to support economic development at the regional level. The team is implementing ETG’s “fast-track” clustering approach to demonstrate to Chile’s regional development agency staff how to launch clusters and support local business entrepreneurs to develop and implement action initiatives. During the first eight months of 2008, nine new clusters have been launched and more than 250 action initiatives have been developed, with co-financing of initiatives by the private sector, regional governments, national government agencies, and the support of the Inter-American Development Bank. |
ARGENTINA: CLUSTERS OF MENDOZA (2006-2008)
ETG is supporting the development of nine clusters in the Province of Mendoza, Argentina and the Inter-American Development Bank . ETG is leading a consortium of four companies in launching Argentina’s first cluster-based economic development program. The project team is undertaking cluster mapping and analysis, and process design and implementation to accelerate development of nine industrial clusters, including four agricultural clusters, two tourism clusters, and three industry and services clusters. |
GUYANA: NATIONAL CLUSTERING POLICY AND ECONOMIC SUMMIT (2005-2006)
The Government of Guyana and the Inter-American Development Bank hired ETG to develop and initiate the implementation of a National Clustering Policy and Public-Private Dialogue. The project team analyzed and mapped Guyana’s economic clusters and designed a new cluster-based economic development strategy and public-private collaborative approach. The strategy development process involved working with 300 government and private sector leaders of Guyana. The team developed detailed model for identifying, mapping, and selecting clusters for inclusion in Guyana’s national competitiveness strategy. ETG helped to “kick-start” clustering activities in aquaculture and call centers. The Aquaculture cluster established the Guyana Aquaculture Association (www.aquaculture.org.gy). ETG also supported Guyana in identifying policy recommendations and associated investments that helped to facilitate dialogue and cooperation between the public and private sectors to improve competitiveness for Guyana. ETG designed and facilitated a major Economic Summit that brought together more than 400 leaders to take action for Guyana’s development. www.summit.org.gy |
MEXICO: CHIHUAHUA NUEVO MILENIO (2004-2005)
Twelve years after supporting the State of Chihuahua to launch Mexico’s first economic clustering project in 1992, ETG was called back in 2004 to support the new Governor’s initiative Chihuahua Nuevo Milenio Program to relaunch a statewide competitiveness strategy project for the eight regions in the state. ETG staff worked with regional leadership groups ranging from the state’s two largest metropolitan areas (Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua City), to its 6 mid- and small-sized cities to a rural development areas. ETG provided training, support to more than 300 regional leaders to define next steps in their regional development projects. ETG is supporting leadership groups to launch regional cluster initiatives and begin early stage implementation in each region. |
Mexico: Tabasco in Action (2002-2004)
In 2002, the new governor of the state of Tabasco (in Southeast Mexico) hired the Economic Transformations Group to revitalize the state’s economy using an action-oriented, cluster-based approach. The clustering process was launched in early 2002 with the formation of eight clusters, and the involvement of more than 600 business leaders throughout Tabasco. At the end of the first year, more than 60 action initiatives were in implementation. The project, Tabasco in Action, created a specific fund to support early stage initiative development (e.g., feasibility studies and benchmarking trips). The fund required co-participation by the initiative leaders and private sector in all initiative financing. The Fund has been very successful in converting initiatives from good ideas on paper to executable business plans and joint projects, to early stage implementation and financing. By 2004, more than 42 project have received funding, totally $1.1 million. The estimated investment potential is more than $80 million and generating 4,170 jobs. The results of the leadership and clustering process of Tabasco in Action have resulted in the formation of dozens of new companies, new jobs in aquaculture, light industry, agricultural processing, a reorientation of cacao production to organic markets, and the beginning of a whole new mindset shift from ”the government has to solve our problems” to ”we can do it!”. |
Panama: Compite Panamá (2002-2003)
In March of 2002, the Government of Panama in collaboration with the private sector and with the financial and technical support of the InterAmerican Development Bank, launched a cluster-based economic strategy program called Compite Panamá (Panama Compete). ETG was hired to facilitate the process and put into action a collaborative strategy process that would accelerate business competitiveness in Panama. One of the most important accomplishments was the development of a shared vision for the future economy developed by a public-private leadership team. Four key sectors were targeted for accelerated development (agro-industry, logistics/transportation around the Panama Canal, information technology, and tourism). Five cluster working groups were organized and put to work, leading to the development of more than 40 action initiatives. The program is now in its second phase with the development of the Compete Panama Fund to support initiative development. |
Mexico: Transformando Campeche (1996-98)
In April 1996, business leaders in the state of Campeche, Mexico arranged funding for and launched a 15-month cluster-based economic strategy project. This unique, private sector-led project has three phases: Phase I provides a diagnosis of the strengths and weaknesses of the state’s economy, while in Phase II ETG staff developed strategic options for Campeche’s future using a process-intensive, working group approach. In the third and final phase of the project, specific initiatives will be launched under the guidance of the consulting team, which includes Mexican sub-contractors with direct experience from the Chihuahua Siglo XXI project, in addition to ETG staff. Campeche’s economy is currently dominated by resource-extraction industries such as fishing and agriculture, with some secondary contributions from tourism. Aside from fish processing, the state has no well established industrial activities, and the key strategic question is whether Campeche should strive simply to extract natural resources more efficiently and competitively, or whether a broader transformation into manufacturing is desirable, and if so, how it can be accomplished given Campeche’s assets and challenges. The business community is acutely aware of the trade-offs involved, and by the time the Transformando Campeche project is completed, the private and public sectors will have settled on a joint, focused vision of the state’s future and the means for implementing that vision. Since 1998, Campeche has achieved a major transformation of its primarily agriculture and fishing economy into a diversified one with a boom in both light industry (8,000 new industrial jobs from 1997-2000, the highest growth (48% increase) in Southeast Mexico. www.repcampdf.gob.mx/Ejecutivo/T_Campeche/ResumenEjecutivo/RETCampeche.html |
Chihuahua Venture Capital (1997)
Professionals from ETG were invited by Chihuahua to plan and facilitate an economic development summit on Chihuahua in 1997. One of the primary objectives was to develop a collaborative process to design and implement mechanisms to support local entrepreneurship and wealth generation. ETG worked to develop an approach and help implement in the most effective way to mobilize local investment, support high growth enterprises, and position Chihuahua to become the most advanced high value-added economy in Mexico. Chihuahua, Mexico: Mexico’s First 21st Century Economy (1993-95) The Chihuahua Siglo XXI Project is a long-term, comprehensive effort to design and implement new economic development strategies for Chihuahua. In 1993, the ETG team with DRI/McGraw-Hill examined the external and internal economic environment for the state, developed a vision of a new kind of economy to guide the decisions of policy makers and leaders in the private sector and developed strategies and tactics for moving the economy in new directions. Then, via a comprehensive set of “cluster working group” meetings, ETG staff assisted group participants in identifying a set of concrete action initiatives on trade, investment, education, infrastructure, finance and other issues. These initiatives are still in the process of being implemented under the leadership of the project organization: Chihuahua Siglo XXI. The transportation and distribution cluster was one of nine clusters identified. A transportation/ distribution cluster working group was formed and five new action initiatives emerged from a six month intensive working group process, including: a joint purchasing collaborative among trucking companies, the formation of a trucker’s credit union (bank), the development of a new local airline with direct passenger and freight connections between Dallas/Fort Worth and Chihuahua airports. Chihuahua created a very pro-active and positive business climate and became one of Mexico’s leading states in job growth, foreign direct investment, and high tech infrastructure.
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