Management learning in the context of Mexican micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) : an exploratory study

This research was dedicated to the exploration of how learning about management could be facilitated among Mexican owner-managers of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The rationale for the research arose from the recognition that the vast majority of Mexican MSMEs struggle to survive, despite the fact they play an important role in the economy and society. The research was based on the assumption that it was managerial weakness which lay at the heart of MSMEs failure. In order to understand how management learning could be best facilitated in the context of MSMEs, some frameworks of ideas (management development, experiential learning, organisational learning, adult learning theory and situated learning) were reviewed in order to develop five theoretical dimensions of management learning (assumptions about the learners, assumptions about the learning process, preferred pedagogical setting, development orientation and learning mode orientation). The fieldwork of the research project (January - May 2002) was informed by the ideas of Action Learning and involved two learning sets of six participants each. The discussions of learning set participants' were analysed by disaggregating each transcript into the five theoretical dimensions of management learning. The analysis of the transcripts suggested that, in the context of Mexican MSMEs, it is appropriate to facilitate management learning by encouraging a guided approach (as opposed to a self-directed approach); by encouraging learning through the concept of “community of practice”; by encouraging the accomplishment of personal goals in group settings; by focusing on problems and projects as if they were related to the enterprise (rather than to the individuals); and by encouraging owner-managers to put into practice the managerial issues they learn. The research led to a range of contributions including recommendations for how learning about management could be facilitated among Mexican owner-managers of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)