Diagnosis and Improvement Proposal for Entrepreneurship Management: The Case of the Economic Promotion Division of the Municipality of Montevideo
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57201/Keywords:
entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial ecosystem, public management, ; local economic development, entrepreneurship policiesAbstract
Departmental governments play a fundamental role in fostering local entrepreneurial development. This paper presents the results of a technical intervention carried out by the Entrepreneurship Center of the Faculty of Economic Sciences and Administration (FCEA) of the University of the Republic for the Economic Promotion Division (DPE) of the Municipality of Montevideo (IM). The objective was to diagnose the internal ecosystem supporting entrepreneurs and to propose a more efficient entrepreneurship management and coordination model. Using a qualitative approach based on participatory action research, a diagnosis of the DPE’s internal ecosystem was conducted, identifying organizational challenges such as service fragmentation, lack of process standardization, and the need for a comprehensive vision of the support system. The findings enabled the proposal of a “suggested map” of the internal ecosystem and a management model based on the “entrepreneurial pathway,” considering the different stages of the entrepreneurial process. The model facilitates internal referrals, unit specialization, and guidance centered on the entrepreneur’s trajectory. Recommendations include the need for strategic definitions regarding the types of ventures to be supported, internal training for technical teams, and improved coordination among organizational units.
References
Acs, Z. J., Stam, E., Audretsch, D. B., & O’Connor, A. (2017). The lineages of the entrepreneurial ecosystem approach. Small Business Economics, 49(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-017-9864-8
Berger, R. (2015). Now I see it, now I don’t: Researcher’s position and reflexivity in qualitative research. Qualitative Research, 15(2), 219–234. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794112468475
Burke, W. W. (2023). Organization change: Theory and practice (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Bygrave, W. D., & Hofer, C. W. (1991). Theorizing about entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 16(2), 13-22.
Bygrave, W. D., & Zacharakis, A. L. (2007). Entrepreneurship. John Wiley & Sons.
Cooperrider, D. L., & Srivastva, S. (1987). Appreciative inquiry in organizational life. In W. A. Pasmore & R. W. Woodman (Eds.), Research in organizational change and development, 1, 129-169. JAI Press.
Cooperrider, D. L., Whitney, D., & Stavros, J. M. (2008). Manual de indagación apreciativa: Para líderes del cambio (2ª ed.). Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Endeavor Uruguay. (2016). Modelo de Mapa del ecosistema emprendedor. Recuperado de https://www.endeavor.org.uy/
Gibb, A. A., & Ritchie, J. (1982). Understanding the process of starting small businesses. European Small Business Journal, 1(1), 26-45.
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. (2022). Global entrepreneurship monitor 2021/2022 global report: Opportunity amid disruption. GEM Consortium.
Hidalgo, G., Kamiya, M., & Reyes, G. (2014). Emprendimientos dinámicos en América Latina: Avances en prácticas y políticas. Corporación Andina de Fomento.
Intendencia de Montevideo. (s.f.). Promoción Económica. Recuperado de https://montevideo.gub.uy/institucional/dependencias/promocion-economica
Kantis, H., & Federico, J. (2012). Entrepreneurial ecosystems in Latin America: The role of policies. International Research and Policy, 1-19.
Kantis, H., Ishida, M., & Komori, M. (2002). Entrepreneurship in emerging economies: The creation and development of new firms in Latin America and East Asia. Inter-American Development Bank.
Kantis, H., Moori-Koenig, V., & Angelelli, P. (2004). Desarrollo emprendedor: América Latina y la experiencia internacional. Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo.
Kantis, H., Postigo, S., & Angelelli, P. (2019). Aportes para el desarrollo de ecosistemas de emprendimiento e innovación. Prodem.
Koltai, S., & Muspratt, M. (2016). Peace through entrepreneurship: Investing in a startup culture for security and development. Brookings Institution Press.
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE Publications.
OECD. (2009). Measuring entrepreneurship: A collection of indicators. OECD Publishing.
Portal Uruguay Emprendedor. (2019). Modelo de Autodiagnóstico. Recuperado de https://www.uruguayemprendedor.uy/
Schein, E. H. (1988). Process consultation: Its role in organizational development (2nd ed.). Addison-Wesley.
Sinergia. (2015). Modelo de Subte: Representación visual del ecosistema emprendedor. Recuperado de https://www.sinergia.uy/
Stam, E., & van de Ven, A. (2021). Entrepreneurial ecosystem elements. Small Business Economics, 56(2), 809–832. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-019-00270-6
Tedesco, M. S., & Serrano, T. (2019). Roles, valores y dinámicas sociales: Una nueva aproximación para describir y entender ecosistemas económicos. MIT D-Lab.
Timmons, J. A. (1999). New venture creation: Entrepreneurship for the 21st century (5th ed.). Irwin McGraw-Hill.
Whitney, D., & Cooperrider, D. (2011). Appreciative inquiry: A positive revolution in change. ReadHowYouWant.com.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Danny Freira, Patricia Guzzo, Santiago Aramendía

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.









