Resource Management in BOP contexts: Toward a Social Resource Orchestration Theory (SROT)

Abstract

Research in global supply chains increasingly covers the highly resource constrained, poverty-stricken, bottom of the pyramid (BOP) context as a potential market for revenue growth opportunities. Still, how firms can design and manage material and support flows across the global supply chain to overcome the constrained resources and enable social, environmental and economic value creation for stakeholders, remains a challenge. Qualitative data was collected via expert interviews and field visits with representatives of key stakeholders serving the BOP. Preliminary findings imply that companies need to dynamically engage and manage capabilities both internally and externally in order to be successful in BOP contexts. This research identifies intermediaries as a key stakeholder group who either engage in physical material flows or support flows. These intermediaries show specific stakeholder management and context shaping capabilities that focal firms can leverage in the BOP context. The emergent integrated framework suggests a move toward a social resource orchestration theory (SROT).