APPLICATION OF BOP

[DR. SYED MD. ZAINUL ABEDIN]

MICRO-CREDIT

As The Economist reported on August 11, 2005, one example of “bottom of the pyramid” is the growing microcredit market in South Asia, particularly in India. With technology being steadily cheaper and more ubiquitous, it is becoming economically efficient to “lend tiny amounts of money to people with even tinier assets”. The firm discussed in the article, Sa-Dhan, argues that the availability of credit to the poor “helps the poor but allows banks to increase their business”.

AGRICULTURE

Another example of the bottom of the pyramid targeting at work is eChoupal in rural India. ITC manages an agricultural trading company. To eliminate the inefficiencies in its supply chain caused by corrupt middle men at local rural markets, it created a network of “e-Choupals” (choupal = village square) in rural communities. Through these e-Choupals, individual farmers have been able to check the market trading price of their produce and sell it directly to ITC. Both the individual farmers and ITC have increased their revenues, because the layers of ineffiency no longer have a role in the transaction between seller and buyer.

MARKET-SPECIFIC PRODUCTS

An example of product that is designed with needs of the very poor in mind is that of a shampoo that works best with cold water. Such a product is marketed by Hindustan Lever.

BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

As Fortune reported on November 15, 2006, since 2005 the SC Johnson Company has been partnering with youth groups in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya. Together SC Johnson and the groups have created a community-based waste management and cleaning company, providing home-cleaning, insect treatment, and waste disposal services for residents of the slum. SC Johnson's project was the first implementation of the Base of the Pyramid Protocol.

[Gonzalo Giambruno P]

Saludos,
Mi inglés no es claramente bueno, por eso prefiero escribir en español.
La bop, crea oportunidades, pero como incluimos no solo como consumidores a las personas, si no como ciudadanos formados en esto?

GG