Strategies for Serving the Base of the Pyramid – Lessons from Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Though the base of the pyramid has received an increasing amount of attention in the literature, few multinational enterprises have been able to build a sizeable business serving this market. In addition, most of what we do know seems to focus on India; little is known about sub-Saharan Africa. By analysing a case study of a firm that has achieved success in serving the base of the pyramid in sub-Saharan Africa, this paper identified that in the majority of cases the strategies identified are consistent with the current literature on the topic. The study did, however, identify partnering with national government and serve both the top as well as bottom of the pyramid in an attempt to maximise returns as two new strategies for serving the base of the pyramid.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p702