Use of the Base of the Pyramid model to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development goals: a study of the B4MD Papua New Guinea Southern Highlands Produce poverty project
Creators: name: Castricum, Rodney
Publisher: name: RMIT University
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 350704
subject: Entrepreneurship

description: Within the framework of a qualitative case study of Business for Millennium Development (B4MD), an Australian-based non-governmental organisation, this thesis examines how the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) acts as an overarching framework for a new market-based approach to achieving social development. This series of case studies was undertaken in the context of B4MD’s Highlands Fresh Produce (HFP) Base of the Pyramid (BoP) project, based in the Sothern Highlands province in Papua New Guinea (PNG).<br><br>Seven B4MD executive board members were interviewed, resulting in three interrelated case studies, leading to the development of a BoP Poverty MDG conceptual model of a Social Business Enterprise (SBE). This market-based co-creative model provides multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in developing countries with a framework to alleviate poverty. The success of a BoP project is dependent upon organizations such as B4MD to assemble and lead a consortium of MNCs that leverage each company’s core business skills (e.g., VISY as experts in packaging; Agility Logistics Australia in logistics; and Goodman Fielder in food manufacturing).<br><br>Similarly, a consortium needs to build upon the existing resources (e.g., rich farming land) and infrastructure (e.g., road access) available in the host country. In addition, collaboration with community elders (e.g., who represent 20,000 women farmers in PNG) to understand local practices and cultures is crucial to achieving social development and poverty mitigation. The value outcomes not only positively impact developing nations, but also help MNCs expand into new markets. Moreover, MNC employees experience a sense of self-reward as an outcome of supporting local communities.<br><br>This thesis spawns a number of critical insights pertinent to the development of a BoP poverty MDG conceptual model of a Social Business Enterprise. For example, highlighted was the need for NGOs, such as B4MD, to pipeline the core skill of all stakeholders required for a BoP poverty MDG venture. By acting as an infrastructure for discourse, this NGO is well-appointed to foster and channel a triad of stakeholders’ (NGO, MNC consortia, and the economically disadvantaged) core business skills to frame a BoP poverty MDG venture. Other key insights include the formation of foreign MNC consortia in developing nations is pivotal to mitigating poverty and achieving the UN MDG 8; by tapping into a developing country’s extant resources and infrastructure, foreign MNCs can develop a platform for continued business growth; and co-creation is key to successful BoP ventures. Highlighted in this case is the critical role of including the Southern Highlands communities in the design of the BoP project, thereby ensuring that the poverty MDG could be achieved in a culturally and sensitive manner.