The Wealth at the Base of the Pyramid: Discovering Business Opportunities and Eradicating Poverty in a Market of Over 4 Billion Poor People

Author: C.K. Prahalad
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: C.K. Prahalad challenges readers to rethink their inherent assumptions: that there are business opportunities in relatively poor countries and among the people there. This book reveals new pathways to business success and social improvement, but it requires a rethinking of how to provide products and services to developing countries and the poor. Where are the most exciting and fastest-growing emerging markets in the world? In places you might not expect: the Base of the Pyramid (BOP). Overall, among the more than 4 billion poor people worldwide, there lies immense entrepreneurial potential and purchasing power. You can learn from this book how to serve them and earn substantial profits while helping them escape poverty. Such things are happening globally in many places and have already yielded results, demonstrating that sound business principles can positively impact the BOP population in innovative ways and foster the formation of new healthy markets. Whether you are a business leader or an advocate fighting poverty, the business master C.K. Prahalad will tell you why you cannot afford to ignore the BOP market. As a business operator, long-term neglect of the BOP market means committing a fatal error. The book is divided into three parts. In the first part, Prahalad builds a framework conducive to encouraging businesses to actively engage with the BOP, laying the foundation for win-win outcomes. The second part includes 12 cases covering many different industries and developing countries. In these cases, the BOP is emerging as a vibrant market, bringing far more than just products to the consumers involved. The third part is a video CD included with the book, recording footage and stories from field investigations to reflect the perspectives and feelings of BOP consumers.