Engage in cutting research projects and pilot projects to generate evidence and impact improving the lives of those at the BOP
- Assessing what has and has not worked in business model innovation at the base of the pyramid (BOP). This involves in-depth and longitudinal case studies of NGOs, social entrepreneurs and large and small enterprises. For example, case studies have been completed on Microfinance Institutions in India and South Africa, and are underway with Tata in India and GE in Ghana and Brazil.
- Identifying which elements jointly form a business model, which is the process (ie sequence of steps) of business model innovation at the BOP and which factors facilitate or hamper the process of business model innovation.
- Forming partnerships with NGOs, social enterprises and businesses to develop and test new business models with a focus on how to take them to scale. For example a partnership is underway with universities, cooperatives and NGOs in Sudan to design new business models to assist fighters returning from the war. A further project is underway assessing how entrepreneurs in emerging markets can leverage networks
Build the capacity of universities, organisations and entrepreneurs in developing countries to develop innovative business models at the base of the pyramid
- Developing a toolkit on business model innovation (BMI) for NGOs, small enterprises and social entrepreneurs to be disseminated via an online open-access toolkit and workshops for stakeholders in developing countries, in addition to academic publication.
- Workshops with NGOs and entrepreneurs in Dehli, India to build capacity and develop new business models in the maternal care, eye care and microfinance. Subsequent workshops are upcoming in Kerala, India and Kampala, Uganda.
- Collaborations with LSE Africa Initiative, which engages with African institutions and talent to develop connections, encourage accessibility and promote knowledge exchange, and the LSE India Observatory as well as LSE Health and Development Studies.
- Partnerships have been forged with universities in Africa, for example the University of Cape Town, the University of Ghana and the Ahfad University for Women in Sudan.
Create a networked community actively engaged in improving the lives of those at the base of the pyramid
- A Masters course at LSE, involving students with multi-sector experience, has been developed to increase knowledge and focus on business model innovation at the base of the pyramid.. Many of these students have gone on to undertake internships with social entrepreneurs (e.g. via Ashoka and the Schwab Foundation) and other are undertaking placements with companies and NGOs.
- Planning an innovation forum (early 2011) to link researchers and practitioners to share experiences and broker new partnerships
- An online platform, to link practitioners around the globe, is currently under discussion and is likely to be implemented in partnership with DFID’s business innovation facility.
