Do citizen sector organizations (CSOs) have a role to play in the “Base of the Pyramid” trend?
Although for many years corporations have ignored low-income communities or have not considered them as a priority, the seminal articles of C.K. Prahalad and Stuart Hart on the “Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid” (BOP) are increasingly creating awareness of the business opportunities to serve low-income markets among multi-national companies. This is therefore a critical time for social entrepreneurs and their organizations to help shape this new trend to create true social impact in low-income communities together with “enlightened” companies. Goods and services alone will not create social transformation. Low-income populations need integrated solutions which social entrepreneurs can play a key role to co-design and implement. Our vision is that together, business and social entrepreneurs can transform low-income communities from passive recipients into empowered consumers who can voice their needs and ambitions, resulting in a competitive market for products and services that tru
