Bottom of the Pyramid

The Next 4 Billion presents a wealth of material to be Read, and I may pursue a great deal of it; my Blog-Server bots having defined me as a Spammer, and precluded my Posting until my Blog is reviewed. It seems even the Software is turning against Me; an unusual form of Critic if I do say so myself. The above published Paper has much to tell, even if some elements may eventually turn out poorly; presentation of information in itself is valuable. The Paper does present a huge Market which is poorly served by Business–having only access only to what the Paper describes as an informal economy. Here the inhabitants lack Communications, Financial Services, accessible Job opportunities, and effective Products for purchase.

The basic thesis of the Paper appears to be that elements of the formal economy need to develop strategies to reach the great mass of People of the informal economy, and present them with the Products and Services designed for this Market segment. I have some doubts such a strategy will succeed, as elements of the formal economy have already adopted their Business formats, and will find the Profit Margins within this lowered-Income class too slight to make a difference; one cannot achieve Business success under Business formats where cheap Product has to be produced and marketed by a Work force paid a Wage-scale equal to Those extended to the formal economy. Transfers between Job Skill levels decree a Wage spectrum impossible to maintain. There are numerous examples in the Paper highlighting where this has been effected, but in every (I believe) case, it revolves around turning bulk Production capacity into individual Sales units of minute size.

The real threat which must be countered lies in the area of Energy, as alternate methods must be devised to serve for Cooking and Heating. Garbage and trash foliage must replace the use of Wood and Propane, to forestall deforestation and the buildup of Greenhouse Gases. Electrification must also be provisioned, the probable Outcome being charitable construction of the infrastructure, with pressure on Electrical Suppliers to supply such endeavors at the bulk rates extended to heavy users. The next biggest Threat comes in Population Growth, and Health provision must be coupled with Family Planing at the least. lgl