Faculty & Research
Prior Years
Business Solutions for the Global Poor:
Creating Social and Economic Value
In recent years, a growing number of businesses have redefined their interaction with the poor from a secondary activity to one integral to continued business growth and profitability. Their approach has been showcased by several prominent scholars whose work has awakened business attention to a potential "fortune" at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP). These authors argue that business can play a critical role in connecting the world's 3 billion underserved consumers to the economic mainstream, with tremendous social benefits to the poor themselves.
As more and more businesses begin to target their share of the BOP "fortune," there is ample need to critically examine the success factors and obstacles to operating in this market. What are the characteristics of successful enterprises and leaders? What steps have they taken to address the managerial, operational and cultural challenges of working with and serving the poor? Just what impact are these approaches having on the bottom line and on poverty itself? And finally, is business alone a sufficient force to help the poor climb the economic ladder?
