The role of the Atlantic corridor project as a form of strategic community of practice in facilitating business transformations in Latin America

Purpose – This paper aims to summarise the scope, methodology and main findings of a doctoral thesis about business transformation in Latin America taken from a project management (PM) and communities of practice (CoP) perspective. Design/methodology/approach – The project adopted a case study approach in which the candidate was a consultant, embedded as a member of the business transformation entity. Data were gathered using public and private documentation, unstructured interview data, and observation and were validated through review of evidence with participants. Findings – The concept of the strategic CoP is supported as a useful means to help facilitate trust and commitment as well as knowledge sharing and how this facilitated greater understanding trust and commitment building mechanisms through effective leadership. The trigger to allow willingness of former rivals to cooperate through this entity is acknowledged as being a set of external pressures in the Latin American region coupled with deregulation at the regional level. This provided the necessary stimulus and the mechanism for effective business transformation is the strategic CoP. Practical implications – This model could be more broadly useful and suggest that it could be adapted to other geopolitical contexts. The research project also has implications as opening up a program and PM perspective on business transformation. Originality/value – There has been little focus on business transformation from a joint PM and CoP perspective so this thesis provides a useful vanguard research project.