The entrepreneurship process of nonprofit organizations developing base-of-the-pyramid ventures

Alfred Vernis and Roberto Gutierrez analyze the entrepreneurial process in bottom-of-the-pyramid (BOP) markets. They start with a very interesting comparison of the commercial versus the social entrepreneurial process. Two case studies in Chile (Inacap) and Peru (Ciap) are used to illustrate the different steps of the social entrepreneurial process: social sensitivity intertwined with market alertness, problem definition, advancement of solutions, and scaling up. Alfred and Roberto formulate four propositions highlighting the assets of and challenges for nonprofit organizations throughout these four steps. The discussion that follow go in several directions.