The Impact of Consulting Services on Small and Medium Enterprises: Evidence from a Randomized Trial in Mexico
对432家墨西哥中小企业的随机试验发现，获得一年管理咨询服务能提升全要素生产率和资产回报率，并在五年后使员工数和工资总额增加约50%。
A randomized control trial with 432 small and medium enterprises in Mexico shows positive impact of access to 1 year of management consulting services on total factor productivity and return on assets. Owners also had an increase in “entrepreneurial spirit” (an index that measures entrepreneurial confidence and goal setting). Using Mexican social security data, we find a persistent large increase (about 50 percent) in the number of employees and total wage bill even 5 years after the program. We document large heterogeneity in the specific managerial practices that improved as a result of the consulting, with the most prominent being marketing, financial accounting, and long-term business planning.