Abstract:
Mexico went through a major political transition in 2000, when Vicente Fox was elected President. Change was in the air throughout the country, and especially in government entities. One such entity was NAFINSA, the national development bank that had a stellar history in the first half of the twentieth century building the Mexican stock exchange and financing public projects. Its more recent history was less impressive, with charges of political influence, inefficiency and major problems in leadership. Fox had special plans for NAFINSA, however, wanting it to be a preeminent player in stimulating small and medium-sized business. He hired Mario Laborin, previously responsible for successful management of a private sector bank in Mexico, to turn NAFINSA around and advance this new policy mandate.
Learning Objective:
The case, in two parts, centers on the approach Laborin and his team took to address this challenge. It intends to provoke discussion about the role of strategic management in complex contexts, the way different technical interventions can be used to facilitate change, and the question about where money should come from to facilitate change processes.
