Suggestions for More Information - websites, articles, blogs

[Niti Bhan]

Greetings,

I thought I would start a discussion board where we could add links to websites, articles, blogs and other material available online on the topic of sustainable innovation (or design) for the BoP.

I'll start with some blogs I track that cover the broad area of the 3P's - People, Planet, Profit

Triple Pundit - USA
TriplePundit.com is a conversation about conscious, responsible business in the context of today's environmental and social challenges. Economy, environment, and society are interdependent. For too long business has thought of itself as separate. We aim to change that.

MobileActive.org - USA
MobileActive.org is a community of people and organizations using mobile phones for social impact. We are committed to increasing the effectiveness of NGOs around the world who recognize that the 3.5 billion mobile phones provide unprecedented opportunities for organizing, communications, and service and information delivery.

We work together to create the resources NGOs need to effectively use mobile phones in their work: locally relevant content and services, support and learning opportunities, and networks that help MobileActives connect to each other. With these things on hand, tens of thousands of NGOs will be in a better position to enrich and serve their communities.

The MobileActive.org community includes grassroots activists, NGO staff, intermediary organizations, content and service providers, and organizations who fund mobile technology projects.

Core77 - USA
Since 1995 Core77.com has served a devoted global audience of industrial designers ranging from students through seasoned professionals. Core77 publishes articles, discussion forums, an extensive event calendar, hosts portfolios, job listings, a database of design firms, schools, vendors and services. Core77 provides a gathering point for designers and enthusiasts alike by producing design competitions, lecture series, parties, and exhibits.

World Bank's Private Sector Development blog - USA
The Private Sector Development Blog (PSD Blog) gathers together news, resources and ideas about the role of private enterprise in fighting poverty. The blog is informal and represents the quirks and opinions of the bloggers, not the World Bank Group. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Feedback, additions, recommendations, subtractions and critiques welcome! I'll continue adding as I am able and hope that you all will as well.

Best,
Niti

[Prabhu Kandachar]

It is heartening to note that so many of you are interested to join this new social networking community on BoP.

Let me add some links as well.

Mr Simon Jochim,

http://simon-tobias-jochim.blogspot.com/

is a business graduate from Germany, Otto-Friedrich University of Bamberg. He wrote his diploma thesis about "Management of cross-sector collaborations (CSC) in BoP-Markets - A cross-case analysis of business models". You can find thesis here:

http://www.diplom.de/Diplomarbeit-l11266/Management_of_cross-sector...

His presentation for SAP, a German software company planning to do a BOP venture in South Africa. Can be found here:

http://simon-tobias-jochim.blogspot.com/2008/06/thesis-presentation.html

You might be also interested in his blogs which explore other crucial success factors (according to him) or BoP-strategies:

1. Human resources for BoP strategies:

http://bop-manager.blogspot.com/

2. Logistics at BoP:

http://bop-logistics.blogspot.com/

3. Collaboration between Multinationals and Non-profit Organisations;

http://bop-collaboration.blogspot.com/

4. Innovation with BoP:

http://bop-novation.blogspot.com/


There are also 36 slideshows from 6 members at:

http://www.slideshare.net/group/base-of-the-pyramid

[Niti Bhan]

Muhammad Yunus on the Financial Crisis

The microfinance pioneer, of Bangladesh's Grameen Bank, advocates a free market solution, not government takeovers

A Nobel Prize-winning academic turned micro-finance banker for the poor has important advice for Washington. Muhammad Yunus believes that the government bailout of the banking system is but the first step in redesigning the global credit system. In the end, Yunus believes that a new self-correcting market system will have to be created.

[Ilona de Jongh]

And another social group right here on NING --- http://bopsource.ning.com/

[Anand Sheombar]

Some other resources are

Nextbillion.net
It gathers lots of information to be found on the Internet regarding the BOP.

http://www.bop-protocol.org/
The BoP Protocol is a pioneering business incubation process that enables multinational corporations (MNCs) to generate new business opportunities at the Base of the Pyramid.

http://www.bidnetwork.org/index.php?lang=en
The BiD Network sources and selects business plans of small and medium sized enterprises in emerging markets.

http://www.crdi.ca/en/ev-1-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html
IDRC is a Canadian Crown corporation that works in close collaboration with researchers from the developing world in their search for the means to build healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous societies.
Search for BOP on the site and you'll find some useful reports.

http://www.undp.org/gimlaunch/
UNDP resource

http://www.bop-protocol.org/
The BoP Protocol is a pioneering business incubation process that enables multinational corporations (MNCs) to generate new business opportunities at the Base of the Pyramid.

regards, Anand

[Seppo Sipilä]

Greetings to All,
Here are some sites I found of interest on our topic at large:

www.cipe.org : The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) strengthens democracy around the globe through private enterprise and market-oriented reform. CIPE is a non-profit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. CIPE’s key program areas include anti-corruption, advocacy, business associations, corporate governance, democratic governance, access to information, the informal sector and property rights, and women and youth. CIPE programs are supported by the National Endowment for Democracy, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Middle East Partnership Initiative.
www.multinationalmonitor.org If you want more criticism, this [corp-focus] is “Sharp-edged commentary on corporate power” . Corp-Focus is a moderated listserver which distributes the weekly column "Focus on the Corporation," by Robert Weissman, editor of Multinational Monitor magazine. The latest issue “Worst Corporations 2008” gives you insights on China and Dar-Fur, and also how the Burmese Junta has an oil connection.

ww.socialedge.org is on social enterprises such as “What the Community Sector can Teach the Corporate World”. Good discussions! But of course there is the NGO sector. Ahead of philantrocapitalism, this one could convince you: Just another Emperor, by Michael Edwards

www.EthicalMarkets.com provides news and perspective on socially responsible investing, global corporate citizenship through reports, articles, newsletters and video gathered from around the world with analysis by our editor-in-chief, Hazel Henderson

www.sustainableindustries.com calls itself “a high-caliber regional business publication focused on the rise of sustainable industries” They seem to have large editorial staff and other resources

www.innovation.cfed.org introduces American ideas, often branded ‘social innovation’, also from their poorest members of societies. Also their banking concept is societal. This link takes you to a recently launched competition on innovations: “Through an open and wide-ranging process, CFED will identify a number of promising innovative ideas and showcase them broadly. Innovative Ideas will be used to stimulate discussion and exchange, and speed changes that will expand economic opportunities for disadvantaged Americans”.

http://www.changemakers.net/ focuses on thematic innovation competitions, quite popular it is.

www.dev-zone.org , for development practice, is perhaps the best summary on development subjects; ‘kia ora’ from New Zealand.

All the best and Happy next year to all,
Seppo

[Anne Li]

http://innovation.cfed.org is the center of a learning community around innovations that will expand economic opportunity for poor Americans. The website offers two online opportunities, open from January 2009 to April 3, 2009: 1) to submit Innovative Ideas. Selected Ideas will be showcased in CFED publications, website and at the 2009 Innovation Summit, Fall 2009 in Washington, DC; and 2) to apply to become an Innovator-in-Residence. A few Innovators (in the U.S.) with sound, tested approaches will be selected to receive a U.S. $50,000 stipend and a virtual or in-person residency at CFED, a leading U.S. nonprofit with 30 years of experience in innovative approaches to expand economic opportunity. Visit the website to Sign Up as a member of the learning community and to take advantage of online application opportunities.

[Seppo Sipilä]

A good cross-cut over managerial issues among public utilities is Klaas Hendrik Schwartz’s doctoral thesis “Managing Public Water Utilities - An assessment of bureaucratic and New Public Management models in the water supply and sanitation sectors in low- and middle-income countries” (2006). Water sector is characterised by heavy regulation (mainly price controls) imposed by the owners and financiers as well as benchmarks (performance indicators) that are widely recognized throughout the industry. The book compares four utilities (from Brazil, Mexico, Vietnam and Uganda) and makes good reading for a managers, academic persons and water consultants to be. I have personal experience from HPWSCo in Haiphong, Vietnam 1998-2001, but the Finnish government support started long before, in 1991; there were at least five resident Team Leaders before me. At turn of millennium, delegations from other Vietnamese waterworks were frequent to see evidence towards HPWSCo sustainability. A popular version on their Phuong Model (characteristically high ownership among citizens) was presented at WB Urban Forum 2000 by Mr Lui, the then MD of HPWSCo: http://www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/urban/forum2000/papers/phuong.pdf

[Nathan Ketsdever]

What a great list!!!

The BOP Ning network has a fantastic list of best resources for social entrepreneurs. You may also enjoy these recommended resources for free social enterprise/base of the pyramid training, education, and case studies.

[Nathan Ketsdever]

What could help empower more social entrepreneurship globally? A great way to social network....

Did a little more researching and compiled a list of social networking sites for social entrepreneurs. Its heavily based on the work of Peter Dietz and summarizes a ***massive** thread from Social Edge.

[Seppo Sipilä]

http://www.frbsf.org/publications/community/wpapers/2009/wp2009-06.pdf . Here is a fresh study on Peer-to-peer lending; a relative of Community Financing, Credit Union or osuuspankki. Direct lending model a la MyC4.com is not in the study.
A good crosscut over the topic of Financial Innovation is "Innovating Development Finance: From Financing Sources to Financial Solutions" by Navin Girishankar at http://www.gpoba.org/gpoba/node/329 out in June 2009.

[Seppo Sipilä]

Financial Innovation: Heading by Calvert Foundation on the same was: "Impact Investing goes maistream".
See article on this BoP issue at the Economist http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14493098