INCLUSIVE BUSINESS
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Chapter one<br />
BoP Global<br />
NETWORK<br />
The BoP Global Network is a learning community of academics and practitioners that engages in<br />
knowledge creation and dissemination about the theory and practice of creating sustainable businesses<br />
at the base of the economic pyramid. In addition, the BoP Global Network seeks to develop<br />
and implement win-win solutions that open new opportunities for business value creation while simultaneously<br />
expanding the development horizon of the world’s poorest people and communities.<br />
Over the past few years, BoP Labs have been established at other institutions in both the industrialized<br />
and developing world under the guidance of Dr. Stuart Hart at the Center for Sustainable Global<br />
Enterprise at Cornell University (for a listing of current and emerging BoP Labs<br />
visit http://www.bopglobalnetwork.org/bop-labs).<br />
Principles:<br />
Members of the BoP Global Network believe that:<br />
• BoP enterprise development has the potential<br />
to create great societal value and should<br />
be pursued in a way that enhances community<br />
capacity;<br />
• Action research is a key vehicle for stimulating<br />
this new field of work;<br />
• Collaboration between companies, NGOs,<br />
academics, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders<br />
creates beneficial learning for all;<br />
• Innovation is essential for driving economic<br />
growth in the BoP; and<br />
• Local community members are capable<br />
partners and resources for technology and<br />
business development.<br />
Purposes:<br />
The primary purpose of the BoP Global Network is:<br />
• To incubate innovative business models<br />
by identifying, designing, incubating and<br />
promoting innovation in business processes<br />
with companies, entrepreneurs and other<br />
stakeholders, aiming to achieve sustainable<br />
and inclusive business models that improve<br />
BoP lifestyles;<br />
• To generate knowledge by developing an<br />
action research focus that will allow each lab<br />
to make valuable and unique contributions to<br />
the Network and the World;<br />
• To disseminate knowledge by sharing learnings<br />
and “next practices” through workshops,<br />
seminars, webinars, conferences,<br />
case studies, blogs, publications, multimedia,<br />
among others.<br />
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