Emerging Markets: Product and Service Opportunities for Middle and Upper Middle Class

Abstract

The middle and upper middle class population in the often termed emerging markets is typically a less investigated target as most consumer research and development efforts for such markets are primarily focused on rural communities as well as the lower to middle class population. We believe that, in a context where emerging markets are in constant transformation and the middle to upper middle classes are on a substantial growth path, it is important to explore appropriate ways to address these market segments as they represent an opportunity space for technological research and development. This paper discusses and shares results of a recent case study where a number of concepts and products were developed for such market segments in emerging markets and subsequently tested in China, Egypt, India and Brazil. This paper is an extended version of “The rise of middle and upper middle class in emerging markets: Products and service opportunities”, published in Proceedings of the 20th Australian Conference on Computer-Human Interactions: Designing for Habitus and Habitat, OZCHI, 2008 [1].