Why Small Jurisdictions Need a Different Transformation Approach

If you're leading transformation in Isle of Man, Jersey, Gibraltar, or Malta, you've probably noticed: most consultancy advice doesn't fit your context.

The playbooks are written for UK central government or large organizations. The case studies feature 500-person programmes. The methodologies assume resources you don't have.

Here's why small jurisdictions need a different approach.

The Resource Reality

Large government:

• 20-person PMO
• Dedicated change team
• Specialist procurement function
• Internal audit capability
• Multiple concurrent programmes

Small jurisdiction:

• 2-person "PMO" (who also do other jobs)
• Change capability = 0
• Procurement = 1 person covering everything
• No internal audit
• Running 5 transformations with 3 people

Standard advice: "Establish a 15-person programme board."

Your reality: "We don't have 15 people in the whole department."

The Political Visibility

Large government:

• Ministerial oversight
• Parliamentary questions
• National media attention

Small jurisdiction:

• Minister knows you personally
• Tynwald/States members are your neighbors
• Local media covers everything
• Opposition knows your team socially

Implication: No hiding. No anonymous delivery. Every decision is visible and personal.

Standard consultancy doesn't prepare for this. We do.

The Procurement Challenges

Small market + high visibility + limited competition = procurement complexity.

Challenges:

• 3-5 viable suppliers globally (not 20)
• Small contract value = low supplier interest
• Data sovereignty rules out many solutions
• Procurement thresholds designed for larger markets
• Limited internal commercial expertise

Consequence: You can't just "run a competitive procurement." The market doesn't work that way.

The Collaborative Culture

Large organisation: Formal processes, documented decisions, hierarchical authority.

Small jurisdiction: Personal relationships, informal networks, consensus-building.

Example:

• Large org: Schedule meeting, send papers, get formal approval
• Small jurisdiction: Conversation in corridor, WhatsApp group, agreement over coffee

Standard consultancy doesn't understand this isn't unprofessional. It's how small jurisdictions work effectively.

The Skills Challenge

Problem: Limited local talent pool + external opportunity pull = constant skills drain.

Large org solution: Recruit specialists.

Small jurisdiction reality: Can't recruit specialists. Need generalists who can learn.

Implication: Capability transfer isn't nice-to-have. It's essential for survival.

What Works Instead

1. Pragmatic, not comprehensive - Build what you can sustain, not what looks impressive
2. Generalists over specialists - Train people broadly, not narrowly
3. Reusable over bespoke - Tools you can use again, not beautiful one-offs
4. Relationships over process - Work with the culture, not against it
5. Capability transfer as core - You won't find these skills locally, so build them

The Lumina Difference

We're one of the few consultancies that specializes in small jurisdictions.

We understand:

• Your resource constraints are real
• Your political context is unique
• Your procurement challenges are legitimate
• Your collaborative culture is a strength
• Your skills retention problem is existential

We design for your reality, not a textbook.

Related:

• Our Small Jurisdictions Expertise
• Case Studies from Isle of Man, Jersey, Gibraltar, Malta