Pyramid Population Research Articles

Evolving Organizational Models: Microfranchises and the BOP 4.0 Paradigm in Post-Conflict Colombia

ABSTRACT Microfranchises (MFs), as an innovative organizational model, aim to enhance the productive capacity of the base of the pyramid (BoP) population in diverse contexts. We provide original insights into the underexplored role of MFs in the socioeconomic inclusion of victims of the conflict and former combatants in conflict settings while advancing theory-building in overlooked areas. To bridge these gaps, we use grounded theory in exploratory analysis of the total population sampling of 17 Colombian social enterprises/seven MFs financed by the United Nations Development Program and Inter-American Development Bank. Our results suggest that MFs were the most adopted organizational model in post-conflict Colombia, promoting the inclusion of victims and ex-combatants who collaboratively create contextualized solutions and prioritize community well-being, which has led to the development of a new iteration of the BoP model – BoP 4.0 - closely aligned with MFs, an innovative sustainable business typology developed. Its focus on Colombian social enterprises in post-conflict settings delimited this research. Thus, generalizing these findings beyond this context should be approached with caution. This study marks a significant contribution by revealing the pivotal role of MFs in promoting socioeconomic inclusion for victims in conflict-affected regions. Furthermore, it introduces the innovative concept of BoP 4.0, representing an evolution in sustainable business typology within the BoP framework.

Situation Analysis on the Applicability of a Communist Approach in the Delivery of Refractive Error Services in Kenya

Background: Refractive error is the leading cause of visual impairment globally. Different models are being applied to aid in the delivery of refractive error services. However, there is still a challenge when it comes to delivery of the services to the base of the pyramid population. As a result, there is course for an alarm to adopt a communist approach where each and every one will be able to access the services. Methodology: This was a prospective study in which respondents received the survey through online platforms. The survey was sent to 200 groups with each group having 150 participants. The Helsinki Declaration was adhered to. The response rate was 80% (24,000 out of 30,000). Results: Out of the 24,000 respondents, 60% were living in urban areas with 40% residing in rural areas. There was an association between the region of residence and access to refractive error services (t-test, p=0.04). The private sectors were 2.56 (95% CI 0.17–0.22) times likely to deliver refractive error services to the middle class living in urban areas compared to those residing in rural areas. The human resource remains a challenge as over 70% of the eye care providers are distributed within urban areas with less than 15% willing to work in rural areas.

The importance of health spending in the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) population from Norte de Santander, Colombia

The importance of health spending in the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) population from Norte de Santander, Colombia

Revisiting supply chain drivers for greater marketing outcomes of handicraft sector

PurposeThe handicraft sector is unorganized, with tremendous opportunities for generating employment, particularly for the non-urban and bottom of the pyramid (BOP) population. The aim of this paper is to revisit the existing supply chain of the handicraft sector to identify the gaps that can help generate better marketing outcomes for the sector when addressed.Design/methodology/approachA mixed method of qualitative and quantitative research has been used. Empirical observations from artisans have been collected to identify different variables impacting the functioning of the handicraft value chain.FindingsDifferent variables were identified and grouped into six important dimensions through the mixed-method research. The components were ranked based on importance, which can help in developing a robust supply chain at BOP for the handicraft sector.Originality/valueStudies on the supply chain of the handicraft sector are rare, and none has tried to understand issues in an integrated way directly from the artisans. This study has captured the voices of the artisans, and through qualitative and quantitative data analyses, the main reasons for the artisans' pain points were identified. This can give directions to a viable business model for the handicraft sector.

Sustainable innovation and inclusive business in Latin America

PurposeThis exploratory research aims to analyze sustainable innovation in the context of inclusive business in Latin America.Design/methodology/approachThe study performs a summative content analysis of 22 inclusive businesses (IBs) of current Business Call to Action (BCtA) members in Latin America. Codes were created to identify the modification or introduction of sustainable products/services/processes. Data were analyzed using NVivo 12.FindingsResults show a prevalence of Colombian examples within Latin American inclusive business, and a more significant proportion in the agricultural sector, consistent with reports found in the literature. The authors found that sustainable innovation takes place when introducing new products/services/processes that respond to the needs of the bottom of the pyramid (BoP) population, or modifying existing processes and services to make them more sustainable.Originality/valueAs most sustainable innovation literature is product-oriented and technically dominated, these results contribute to the newer works adopting a more comprehensive conception of innovation, providing empirical evidence at the product, service and process levels. The results provide insights on how inclusive businesses make adaptations to improve the sustainability of their supply chains to bring their products/services within reach of isolated and disadvantaged communities. The findings also suggest that sustainable product innovation in an inclusive business goes beyond a cost reduction objective. Tailored design reveals a hybrid socioeconomic goal with a high degree of local context embeddedness and precise attention to nascent specialized demand. The results could be of practical use for organizations that want to operate an inclusive business in BoP markets.

Technology-enabled knowledge management for community healthcare workers: The effects of knowledge sharing and knowledge hiding

The objective of this study is to explore different facet (dark and bright sides) of technology-enabled knowledge management (KM) for rural lay healthcare workers who belong to the bottom of pyramid (BoP) population in India. Data were collected through multiple rounds of engagements and semi-structured interviews with 37 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs). Findings indicate the existence of spirals of value that are shaped by KM practices in such settings. Technology-enabled KM through knowledge-sharing is supporting an upward spiral of value creation at three different levels, i.e., the micro-level in the form of empowerment of ASHAs, the meso-level in the form of better healthcare for the rural Indian population, and the macro-level in the form of an effective public health policy outcome as envisioned by the government. Contrary to the technology-enabled KM through knowledge-sharing, technology-enabled KM through knowledge-hiding is eroding value resulting in failed attempts to use technology and reduced self-efficacy of ASHAs at the micro level. Technology-enabled KM through knowledge-hiding at the macro level is promoting stratification and marginalization within rural communities in India. Study leaves key implications for healthcare researchers, policymakers and businesses.

Impact of Covid-19 on Bottom of the Pyramid Population – An Empirical Study

The Covid-19 pandemic has triggered a lot of studies on its impact, the way in which countries managed or coped with the issues arising out of the pandemic, and so on. While countries had several lessons to learn in terms of speed and thrust on leapfrogging digital capabilities and also creating a super-fast crisis access team in health considering the intensity and surge in numbers that needed critical care globally, the fact of the matter is that it is the low income category of the population of every country that had to suffer the most hardships. In this paper, the researchers study a set of this base of the pyramid population through a mixed approach, to understand the severity and impact that the pandemic and its associated restrictions and government measures had on the population.

Designed for the bottom of the pyramid: a case study of a Chinese phone brand in Africa

Through the case study of itel, a low-end Chinese phone brand, this article examines the cross-cultural design for the bottom of the pyramid population in Africa. Focusing on the process that an artifact comes into existence, this article shows that itel’s design practice has been shaped by local culture, infrastructure, and social structure, which may challenge, modify, and reshape global design norms. Being cost-sensitive, context-conscious, and demand-driven, itel develops a place-based design approach and business model. Through mapping and elaborating itel’s design network, this article demonstrates that design is not only about making artifacts but also about designing ways of knowing, seeing, and being. This study calls for a Southern perspective of design to acknowledge the heterogeneity of design culture and rethink the geopolitics of design.

Status and Challenges of Financial Inclusion: An Evidence from Rural Gujarat

The benefits of economic development must reach to the bottom of the pyramid population. Therefore, it is imperative that population in rural areas is brought in the formal financial system in an economy like India. People whose living in rural or semi urban areas are deprived and underprivileged to get necessary formal financial products and services almost in all developing countries like India. Those living in rural areas still find it difficult to avail appropriate financial services in time, which act as an impediment in their effort to lead a healthy and better life. In any part of country supplying financial services to this vast and underprivileged segment of society is a challenging task. The paper is an attempt to study status of challenges of financial inclusion in selected rural areas of Gujarat. This study is intended to analyze current status of demand and supply side barriers of financial inclusion in selected rural areas of Gujarat state. The efforts for financial inclusion, through policy formulation and programme implementation will be studied and an attempt will be made to identify challenges in promoting financial inclusion in rural areas of Gujarat. The study will be based on primary data, Secondary data have also been used to substantiate results and identify government efforts in financial inclusion. Collected data have been analyzed using frequency analysis, percentage and use of SPSS. The conclusion will be used to suggest policy implications as well.

A Novel Mobile App for Oral Cancer Awareness amongst General Population: Development, Implementation, and Evaluation

To develop a mobile app for education and screening regarding oral cancer in the general population. A mobile app titled Prayaas-Oral Cancer Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation was designed and developed to be installed on a basic mobile handset with or without internet. It was aimed for the common public, patients as well as healthcare providers. The contents included all information in the pictorial format as well as videos regarding oral cancer awareness, tobacco de-addiction, self-oral examination, various surgeries, and rehabilitation options. It was pilot tested in 50 factory workers of rural set-up. Participants' feedback was recorded using a self- report questionnaire. Overall feedback was very positive, they found the app easy to operate, enhancing knowledge regarding oral cancer and they recommended this to be used for the general population. Within limitations of this pilot study, it can be inferred that mobile technology can be successfully used to reach out to bottom of the pyramid population residing in inaccessible rural population for creating public health issues such as oral cancer. Oral cancer is preventable through risk factor intervention especially tobacco de-addiction. The self- oral examination can be a very critical factor in early diagnosis of oral cancer. Access to care is a major issue in our country owing to low levels of education, lower income and exposure to risk factors such as tobacco. The fact that today there is widespread use of mobile technology by people belonging to all socioeconomic groups can be harnessed for this public health awareness initiative. This app can be used as a tool for patient education for prevention as well as early detection of oral cancer, both of which can be key to reduce oral cancer morbidity and mortality in India.

Museum Genomics Confirms that the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect Survived Extinction

The Lord Howe Island stick insect, Dryococelus australis, was once common on the island but was driven to extinction after the arrival of ship rats in the early 20th century [1, 2]. It was thought to be extinct for decades, until a tiny population of similar-looking stick insects was discovered 20km away, on the islet of Ball's Pyramid, in 2001 [2]. Individuals from this population are currently being reared in Australia and elsewhere in the world, with the eventual goal of recolonizing Lord Howe Island [3]. Recent surveys of the wild population on Ball's Pyramid suggest that it is among the world's rarest species. However, there are significant morphological differences between Ball's Pyramid and museum specimens, and there has never been a genetic confirmation of the rediscovered population's species identity. Because Dryococelus is monotypic, there are also no known extant relatives for comparison. Using shotgun genomic data from the Ball's Pyramid population, we assembled a draft genome and the complete mitochondrial genome. We found that the genome is massive, over 4 Gb in size, and is most likely hexaploid. We re-sequenced mitochondrial genomes from historic museum specimens collected on Lord Howe Island before the extinction event. Sequence divergence between the two populations is less than 1% and is within the range of intraspecific differences between the museum specimens, suggesting that they are conspecific and that D.australis has successfully evaded extinction so far. This work highlights the importance of museum collections for taxonomic validation in the context of ongoing conservation efforts.

VP174 Atlases Of Quality: Assessing Integrated Care In Chronic Diseases

INTRODUCTION:The Comprehensive Public Healthcare System of Catalonia (SISCAT) Atlases of Quality aim to evaluate the quality of care in relation to specific diseases or procedures in the Catalan territory with a focus on outcomes of care in order to promote best practices. The first Atlas of Quality aimed to assess the quality of integrated care for chronic patients.METHODS:Methodology was articulated in four stages:(i) Establishment of a conceptual framework of reference specific for each intervention/technology being assessed, (ii) Definition and consensus of the assessment indicators, and (iii) Implementation of indicators using the Basic Health Areas (ABS) of Catalonia as a unit of analysis, comparing ABS with vs without the intervention (such as integrated care for chronicity). Indicators were obtained from the SISCAT databases and implemented through risk adjustment models. For performance assessment, we calculated the observed and expected indicator rates for each ABS, and for the benchmarking analysis, these ratios were represented in funnel plots (Confidence Interval, CI 95 percent and 99.8 percent for exclusion zones). (iv) Evaluation of the intervention and identification of specific success factors.RESULTS:For the assessment of integrated care interventions for chronicity, the defined framework in stage 1 was base on the Kaiser Pyramid (population distribution), and the Porter and the Donabedian's approaches (structure, processes, outcomes) (1). In stage 2 more than 500 experts, using several qualitative techniques, considered 18 indicators as relevants and feasibles for the assessment (2). Ten of them were implemented in stage 3 for congestive heart failure and pulmonary obstructive chronic disease. Significant values were found both in ABS with and without chronicity care programms (phase 3).CONCLUSIONS:The subsequent analysis (phase 4) will allow identification of practices of each ABS that best explain these results. Some limitations must be considered such as the availability of the consensued indicators in the SISCAT databases.

Consumption Characteristics Mapping of the Base of the Pyramid (BOP) Population in Brazil

The objective of this study is to outline a diagnosis of the BoP's population in Brazil, regarding their size and consumption characteristics. This is a relevant and current issue, considering that BoP needs to be understood as a large potential market with its own logic, also representing a large productive potential, which, if well developed, will bring very positive impacts to these communities. To achieve this, a theoretical survey was made. After, search was made based on secondary data about Brazilian BoP population participation and a mapping of their consumption profile, identifying main categories of goods consumed. This research generated meaningful results for society, companies and the Academy, hopefully consolidating a relevant line of research and management education.

Strategizing Value Co-Creation with Poor Farmers in a Mexican Agribusiness

While recent research has established businesses can benefit from engaging with the Base of the Pyramid (BOP) population, we know little about the processes through which managers strategize these opportunities and turn them into action. To address this gap, we report a detailed action research study in which we collaborated with the managers of a Mexican agribusiness to expand the firm’s market through value co-creation with the poorest farmers. To inform the strategizing process, we combined dynamic capability theory with options thinking and a framework for identifying the needs of the BOP population. As a result, we offer a detailed account of how the management team collaborated downstream with distributors and farmers and upstream with suppliers to grow a new franchise business that would increase the well-being of the poorest farmers and create additional business opportunities. Based on these empirical results and extant theory, we offer an integrated process model for how managers may strategize and implement BOP opportunities. In conclusion, we discuss our research in relation to the theory and practice of business ethics.

The influence of marketing on consumption behavior at the bottom of the pyramid

Purpose– This paper aims to explore the nature and degree to which marketing affects consumption behavior of bottom of the pyramid (BOP) population. The objective of the study is to examine, identify and explain aspects of consumption behavior that evidences the influence of marketing practices on the BOP consumers.Design/methodology/approach– The study uses a long interview-based approach for an in-depth qualitative investigation of consumption behaviors of BOP consumers.Findings– Key findings that emerged from the research are: widespread usage of international brands and expenditure on products outside of the core bundle of consumption, susceptibility to sales promotions, need to look and feel good and use “fairness” creams, susceptibility to advertising and celebrity endorsements and influence of store personnel.Practical implications– For managers, this research suggests a careful examination of the likely consequences of their marketing actions. A set of guidelines are provided to them for doing business in a responsible manner at the BOP markets.Social implications– Recommendations for public policymakers are offered that stress on the need for ethical marketing exchanges to address the concern over possible exploitation of this vulnerable population.Originality/value– Extant literature on BOP has largely been conceptual in nature, relying on various case studies. This study empirically examines the nature and influence of marketing in the purchase behavior of BOP consumers. This is perhaps the first study providing empirical support to the argument that the poor consumers divert their scarce financial resources from fulfilling basic needs to purchasing non-essential discretionary products under the influence of BOP marketing.

Socio Economic Impact of Mobile Phones on the Bottom of Pyramid Population- A Pilot Study

The proliferation of mobile phones has contributed in reducing the rural urban differential across several developing nations around the world. India is second to China in terms of mobile phone usage with ever increasing rural penetration of hardware and mobile service providers. The mobile phone technology has created a positive impact on, enhancing job prospects, improving literacy and healthcare and thereby contributing in poverty reduction. It has also enabled superior social network. In this work we report the results of a pilot study executed to understand the socioeconomic impact of mobile phones on the bottom of pyramid (BOP) population.

Designing A Framework To Design A Business Model For The 'Bottom Of The Pyramid' Population

This article presents a framework for developing and designing a business model to target the bottom of the pyramid (BoP) population. Using blue ocean strategy and business model literature, integrated with research on the BoP, the framework offers a systematic approach for organisations to analyse and understand all aspects of the BoP and their environment, and then design a business model that minimises the risk of failure and fulfils the core requirements of the BoP. A case study on Capitec Bank demonstrates how the framework can be applied to the real world. The case study shows the practical examples that Capitec uses to target the BoP successfully, and the logic behind these actions. Further validation was done through interviews with experts in the relevant fields used in this study.

Development of solar home systems for home lighting for the base of the pyramid population

Low level of rural electrification rate is attributed to the high cost of grid expansion combined with the insufficiency of energy resources and lower demand for the energy. Furthermore, populations in rural areas in developing countries are characterized by their low incomes and savings. About 4 billion people live at the base of the pyramid (BoP), having an income of US$1–4/day/person at the local purchasing power parities. Usually, villagers use home lighting for 4–6 h per day and spend about US$5–10 a month on kerosene fuel in most parts of the world. Therefore, the motivation of the present investigation is to provide the modern lighting to rural populations and to replace the currently inefficient and unhealthy kerosene fuel illumination without any addition to the existing expenditure on kerosene fuel based lighting. We have developed a typical 12 V DC LED (light emitting diode) photovoltaic system and installed in CoureMbatar in Senegal and adopted fee-for services energy delivery model. The concept of LED solar lighting with no additional burden to the current cost of lighting is widely accepted by the villagers and may provide the guidelines for a targeted solution for the rural electrification.