Development Projects (PROFOS): Partnership in Chile, 1998
Description
The Ministry of the Economy in Chile originally outlined the concept of "Development Projects" (PROFOs) as an association of small and medium-size businesses from a given industry and location, pooled together to develop their international competitiveness. The State would subsidize part of the financing cost of those projects over a three-year period, considered as a minimum for business owners to learn the basics about the benefits of working jointly through an association. In time, the subsidy would be phased out and the businessmen could then take over independent management of the own organization. The partnership would be both among business owners and between them and government agencies (or a private entity accredited by the government) that in turn would channel the funds disbursed by the government and provide the basic procedural guidelines for collective action.
PROFOs in Chile (pdf, 155 kB)