Various Corporate Citizenships in Bop markets. An Interdisciplinary Approach

Abstract

Of recent origin, the concept of 'Bottom of the Pyramid markets' (Prahalad, 2010), close to concepts such as 'social innovation', 'inclusive innovation' (Mendoza & Thelen 2008 ; Mair & Marti 2009) or 'frugal innovation' (Bhatti & Ventresca 2012; Sehgal & al. 2010), describes a set of initiatives taken by private investors, and among them by multinational companies, linking the development of innovative products/services to the fight against poverty (Dalsace & Ménascé, 2010 ; Mair & Marti, 2009). Although they are assimilated to a market strategy that does not require financial aid, most of the firms' BoP projects are developed in the framework of CSR policies. Based on in-depth empirical research in partnership with Schneider Electric, the analysis follows how actors of a BoP project face various political concerns in the multiple demands for reconciling responsibility and mass consumption, ecological norms and low-cost criteria, sustainable development and poverty.