A call for contributions for a book on the topic of ‘Base of the Pyramid'
Greenleaf Publishing invites contributions for a book on the topic of
‘Base of the Pyramid’ to be edited by Prabhu Kandachar (Delft University of
Technology, The Netherlands) and co-edited by Minna Halme (Helsinki School of Economics,
Finland).
Although the Base-of-the-Pyramid opportunity and strategy announced few years back has unleashed an extensive and generally enthusiastic response from academics, businesses, NGOs and governments, the knowledge domain around this concept is still in the early stages of development. Towards facilitating an exploration of this domain a multi-step project on Base of the Pyramid has been started with the following outputs:
- A special issue of Greener Management International (GMI), to be published in June 2007, coinciding with:
- A BoP Session during the Greening of the Industry Network Conference 2007, which serves as a platform for:
- A book on BoP with latest insights (planned date of publication is May 2008).
Rationale
On similar lines to the special issue, the book focuses on three interrelated fields:
- Base of the Pyramid (BoP) as customers and BoP as a strategy to alleviate poverty by means of entrepreneurship, including the poor as entrepreneurs and the role of social entrepreneurs.
- The role of technology and innovation (technological, social, and business) to meet the needs of BoP customers.
- Sustainability: Balancing economic growth and ecological pressures on the planet.
Around the turn of the millennium it had become strikingly evident that development aid, charity or ‘global business-as-usual’ would not deliver solutions to poverty as had been expected. Today, there is little dispute that poverty is the most pressing global problem calling for innovative solutions. One of the recent strategies is the so-called Base-of-the-Pyramid (BoP) concept, which relies on entrepreneurial activity to alleviate poverty. Innovations, in several disciplines: technological, social, and business, are needed to facilitate this process.
Poverty is indirectly related to another global concern: the state of the environment. Tragically, the poor are the ones that are hardest hit by the adverse effects of environmental deterioration such as water shortages or destruction of habitats. While the economic welfare for the poor cannot be denied, the BoP approach is also feared to encourage consumption with possible consequences on ecological sustainability. The link between the BoP approach and sustainable development makes this topic highly relevant.
The BoP field is a new knowledge area with many questions unanswered. Our aim both with the special issue and the book is to contribute to BoP knowledge not only in general terms but particularly as regards the needs of the users as a starting point for BoP products and innovations.
Coverage
1. The voice of the poor
Much of the current BoP discussion emphasises targeting products precisely to the needs of the poor. But do we know what the real needs of the poor are? For this book, we are looking for examples that truly engage the poor in BoP product and service development.
2. Needs assessment methodologies
Prahalad argues that BoP people are ‘value-conscious by necessity’ and, contrary to what might be assumed, are ‘very brand-conscious’. What types of needs assessment methodologies are needed considering the cultural differences in BoP countries? Are the existing methodologies adequate? Do they need to be redefined and redeveloped?
3. Sustainability
How can we balance poverty alleviation and stimulate economic growth without stressing the ecosystem?
4. BoP and innovation
What kind of ‘bottom-up’ innovation (open source, technological, social, and business) supports BoP initiatives (and sustainable development)?
5. Development assistance and BoP approach
The favoured strategy to alleviate poverty in the past decades has been via developmental assistance through philanthropy, pity or self-interest. Prahalad and Hart recommend seeing the poor as an opportunity rather than considering them as problems. Is BoP strategy an antithesis to development aid or can these two co-exist or even complement each other? In the same vein, should policy-makers, governments, funding agencies revise their strategy and abandon the existing models of developmental assistance in favour of the BoP approach? Or should they utilise both models?
6. The implications of BOP approach to corporate responsibility
Is BoP a new form of neo-colonialism exercised by multinationals or a new form of corporate responsibility? Prahalad believes that turning the people at the BoP into consumers will raise their standard of living and in the long run eradicate poverty. Is it really moral for the business world to turn its considerable powers of inducement and persuasion on people who have so little to begin with? How does this relate to corporate responsibility?
Contributions
The above list is by no means exhaustive, and contributions on other relevant topics will also be considered. This project is an attempt to develop a comprehensive understanding of this relatively new field, and as such welcomes submissions based on a variety of approaches, be they reflective, empirical, practical or applied theoretical work. Given the intended practical nature of these publications, contributions from practitioners in businesses, social entrepreneurs, NGOs and government are very welcome. Theoretical papers should be between 5,000 and 8,000 words and case studies between 3,000 and 5,000 words in length. The paper submissions should follow editorial guidelines, which can be obtained from Greenleaf Publishing (see below).
Conference
The GMI special issue will be published in June 2007 coinciding with GIN (Greening of Industry Network) 2007 conference in Canada (15–17 June 2007). This conference will focus, among other things, on ‘The Role of Corporations in Ecological Stewardship and Fostering Social Sufficiency at the Base of the Pyramid’. There will be a special session on BoP. More information on this conference.
Schedule for the book
Deadline for abstract submission is 31 July 2007. Contributors whose abstracts are considered appropriate for the book will then be requested to submit full papers before 30 September 2007. They will be informed of the acceptance of their contributions or be invited to submit final revised papers. Deadline for revised papers is 31 December 2007. The planned date of publication of the book is May 2008.
Contact
For further information, to discuss ideas for contributions and to submit abstracts/manuscripts, please contact:
Prabhu Kandachar,
PhD
Chairman, Design Engineering
Associate Professor
Faculty of
Industrial Design Engineering
Delft University of
Technology
Landbergstraat 15
2628 CE Delft, The Netherlands
Tel: +31 15
278 3034
Fax: +31 15 278 1839
Minna Halme, PhD
Associate
Professor
Helsinki School of Economics
Dept of Marketing and
Management
PO Box 1210
00101 Helsinki, Finland
Tel : +358 9 4313
8650
Mobile : +358 50 5292 682
Fax : +358 9 4313
8777