The Ecuador Ministry of Production has engaged the Agile Strategy Lab at the University of North Alabama to launch a new economic initiative in the country.
That makes Ecuador the first country to incorporate the Strategic Doing model of training, which is taught at the Agile Strategy Lab.
“We will be the first country in the world to use Strategic Doing at the national and sector level to reactivate our industries in the post-pandemic economy,” said Julio Jose Prado, minister of production and trade for Ecuador.
Strategic Doing is a leading methodology for forming teams and advancing strategy into action, and the Agile Strategy Lab at UNA is the premier provider of this process, according to Ed Morrison, the lab’s director. The work also supports the new Ecuadorian administration’s goal of growing their economy through public/private collaborations.
“We worked with 22 clusters across Ecuador so far — everything from metalworking to food and beverages,” Morrison said. “Progress continues as the clusters develop their collaboration skills.”
The link between Ecuador and the lab dates back to 2018, when Prado, who was a professor and leader of the Ecuador banking community, came to the United States to take a Strategic Doing course. A few years later, in 2021, Prado was named minister of production and trade by Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso.
Dr. Greg Carnes, dean of the College of Business and Technology, has been influential in the implementation of the Agile Strategy Lab at UNA.
“UNA is pleased to work on this instrumental project in Ecuador as well as on other initiatives in Alberta, Canada, North Carolina and with the Kauffman Foundation,” he said. “The Agile Strategy Lab is a key contributor in bringing emerging leadership and management skills to organizations, individuals, teams and communities.”
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