Samuel Doria Medina’s (SDM) Management

1. Emerging Strategy at the Beginning Lacking a formal business background, SDM started by relying on real-world experimentation, inductive learning, and intuition to navigate Bolivia’s volatile business climate—demonstrating that strategy often emerges in practice, not on paper. 2. A Hybrid Model of Strategy Making Afterwards, rather than following a purely planned or emergent strategy, SDM developed a hybrid approach. At corporate level, deductive thinking guided long-term direction, while business units operated inductively—adapting to context, testing ideas, and refining actions based on local realities. 3. Personality Meets Practice SDM’s leadership reflects a consistent alignment between personality traits. His methodical nature and tolerance for complexity made him particularly suited to leading in high-risk, high-ambiguity environments. His leadership was not pre-designed but evolved over time. Early instincts gave way to reflection, learning, and the shaping of a more conscious leadership philosophy. 4. Market Power and Market Imperfection as Assets In Bolivia’s imperfect markets, SDM leveraged scale and political savvy to exert market power—particularly in the cement sector. 5. From Entrepreneur to Institutional Builder SDM’s trajectory illustrates the transition from problem-solving entrepreneur to organisational strategist. Over time, he shifted focus from personal oversight to institution-building—crafting governance, culture, and professional teams beyond his direct control.