Fostering Collaboration and Growth in Guatemala
Written by Ethan McComb
Business platforms have emerged as a catalyst for fostering entrepreneurship in economically disadvantaged nations. The resources, services, and opportunities that they provide prove to be an invaluable asset in allowing entrepreneurs to surmount obstacles and grow their businesses. Online business platforms like Slack, and ASANA, as well as agile and scrum management types, have successfully provided platforms allowing entrepreneurs and artisans to flourish.
HSP focuses on epistemological transformation in Guatemala, meaning the transformation of the local beliefs of knowledge. HSP strives to create long-lasting and positive relationships rather than exploitative and extractive ones. For instance, a primary goal of HSP is to create a platform that allows for the co-collaboration of small businesses, primarily those run by women, in an effort to allow for their expansion and globalization.
One instance of this is found in the beauty sector. First, there are female artisans who produce inputs for beauty products, such as honey and yogurt. There are also women who engage in homeopathic and natural medicine. Then there are other women who are beauticians. HSP wants to develop a proprietary platform/product that combines all of these parts. The then-created organization, composed of many small businesses and producers, will sell the value-added product. The aim is to create a platform with both in-person and virtual training sessions with local Guatemalan artisans. The platform will include an online marketplace with an online payment system, digital marketing and promotion strategies, training and workshops, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and networking events and collaborations. The key objectives of the platform will be to expand market access, ensure fair pricing and transparent transactions, facilitate skill development and training, and foster networking and collaboration opportunities.
Scrum and Agile are two interconnected approaches used in project management, often applied in software development and other industries seeking adaptability and efficiency. Agile is a broader philosophy emphasizing iterative, customer-centric development. It promotes flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Instead of rigidly following a fixed plan, Agile encourages teams to work in short cycles called sprints, delivering small increments of the project frequently while gathering feedback to adapt and refine the final product. Scrum, on the other hand, is a specific implementation of Agile principles. It provides a structured framework with predefined roles and ceremonies. Within Scrum, projects are divided into fixed-length iterations known as sprints. A Product Owner defines and prioritizes the work in a backlog, and a Development Team collaboratively tackles tasks in each sprint. A Scrum Master facilitates the process, removing impediments and ensuring the team can work smoothly.
Scrum or Agile management can be effectively utilized to teach entrepreneurs the intricacies of business by adopting an iterative and collaborative approach to learning. In an educational setting, the instructor can act as the Product Owner (the person responsible for the outcome of the project), defining the learning objectives and prioritizing topics based on their relevance. During sprints, they engage in active learning, where they tackle specific business concepts, challenges, or case studies. Regular retrospectives enable reflection and improvement, while continuous feedback loops allow for adjustments to the learning process. This Agile approach promotes adaptive learning, encourages open communication, and fosters a deeper understanding of the business landscape, enabling entrepreneurs to become more effective problem solvers and decision-makers in their entrepreneurial endeavors.
In essence, Agile is a mindset that fosters customer collaboration, flexibility, and continuous learning, while Scrum is a concrete methodology following Agile principles with defined roles and ceremonies. Together, they empower teams to deliver high-quality products efficiently through collaboration, adaptability, and incremental progress.
When looking at existing platforms that allow for the collaboration of small businesses, I found that scrum and agile management were used frequently. Scrum management and Agile management offer distinct advantages and disadvantages when it comes to globalizing small businesses. Scrum/Sprint management's iterative approach allows for efficient adaptation to diverse market conditions and enhances communication within teams. However, its rigid time constraints and resource-intensive nature may pose challenges for small businesses seeking international expansion. On the other hand, Agile management provides flexibility and a continuous improvement mindset, but its lack of structure and potential for scope creep could hinder the effective management of international projects. In the context of female artisans in Guatemala, Agile management seems more appropriate. It enables them to respond quickly to changing market demands and tailor their products to different regions or cultural preferences. Moreover, the focus on collaboration and engagement aligns well with their cooperative efforts, fostering a cohesive and supportive network of artisans. Agile management stands out as a more user-friendly approach compared to Scrum management due to its versatile and accommodating nature. Unlike Scrum, which follows a rigid framework with defined roles and ceremonies, Agile provides a more flexible methodology that can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of various projects and teams. Agile's core emphasis on constant customer collaboration and continuous feedback fosters a user-centric development process where customers and stakeholders actively participate throughout the project's life cycle. By not enforcing fixed-length sprints, Agile allows teams to adapt quickly to changing priorities and unpredictable requirements, resulting in a more user-friendly experience. This adaptability empowers teams to be responsive to user feedback and adjust project deliverables accordingly, ultimately leading to improved outcomes.
There are some real-world examples of agile management being used: Initially following the traditional waterfall, or top-down method, Cisco, the communications company, encountered some issues with its Subscription Billing Platform project, such as slow development, extended-release cycles, missed delivery dates, quality issues, and increased overtime. To address these issues, Cisco transitioned to the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) and introduced three agile release trains for SBP—namely capabilities, defects and fixes, and projects. This shift allowed for collaborative development and testing of small features within a single SaaS component, leading to efficient delivery to the system integration and testing team. As a result, Cisco successfully delivered the new SBP release on schedule, without requiring overtime. Defects were significantly reduced by 40% compared to the previous waterfall approach, and the defect removal efficiency saw a notable increase of 14%, all attributed to the improved team collaboration under SAFe.
Cascade vs Agile
There are several examples of cascade and agile management being used in grassroots organizations. That being said, Agile management may prove to be a better approach compared to cascade management. Cascade management, also known as traditional or waterfall management, follows a linear, sequential process where each stage of a project must be completed before moving to the next. This may not be ideal for artisans who often work in dynamic and unpredictable environments, where requirements can change or evolve throughout the project. In contrast, Agile's adaptive and iterative nature allows artisans to embrace changing customer demands and rapidly respond to emerging trends or challenges. Agile empowers artisans to collaborate closely with customers, gain feedback early and often, and prioritize work based on customer needs, fostering a more efficient and customer-centric approach to product development. This flexibility can lead to quicker market responsiveness, improved product quality, and enhanced customer satisfaction for small Guatemalan artisans.
The platforms of Slack and ASANA can play crucial roles in facilitating small business collaboration, particularly for female artisans in Guatemala. Slack, with its real-time messaging and file-sharing capabilities, can serve as a central communication hub for artisans to discuss projects, share ideas, and coordinate tasks efficiently. It allows for seamless remote collaboration, overcoming geographical barriers and enabling artisans from different regions to collaborate effectively.
ASANA, on the other hand, offers a powerful project management platform that can help female artisans in Guatemala streamline their workflows and track progress on various initiatives. With its task assignment and deadline tracking features, ASANA ensures that everyone stays on the same page and remains accountable for their contributions. It provides transparency and clarity in project management, which is essential for globalizing efforts that involve multiple stakeholders.
By establishing an online marketplace, a business platform empowers female artisans by expanding their market access and connecting them with a broader customer base both nationally and internationally. Transparent and fair pricing ensures that artisans receive reasonable compensation for their handmade products, fostering trust and loyalty among customers. Additionally, the platform offers skill development and training programs, enhancing the artisans' business knowledge and techniques. These improvements allow them to produce higher-quality products, adapt to changing customer preferences, and experience increased self-confidence and empowerment. Through networking events and collaborations, artisans can connect with fellow entrepreneurs and industry experts, leading to valuable partnerships, mentorships, and knowledge exchange. The combined impact of these initiatives contributes to the socio-economic empowerment of female artisans, as they achieve financial independence and invest in education and healthcare for themselves and their families. Overall, the platform creates an enabling environment for their growth and contribution to a more inclusive and thriving economy.
Works Cited:
https://techbeacon.com/app-dev-testing/10-companies-killing-it-scaling-agile
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1041608020300662#:~:text=Changing%20epistemic%20beliefs%20(beliefs%20about,diverging%20information%20(conflicting%20evidence
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/11/01/500093608/you-asked-we-answer-can-tiny-loans-lift-women-out-of-poverty
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/1/15/18182167/microcredit-microfinance-poverty-grameen-bank-yunus
https://brightly.eco/blog/how-buying-fair-trade-empowers-you-artisans-around-the-world
https://techbeacon.com/app-dev-testing/10-companies-killing-it-scaling-agile