Navigating the BOP business landscape : a framework for strategically engaging the BOP

There is a growing body of literature on the importance of marketing to the (BOP) and on the challenges faced by firms that either serve or intend to serve this market. There is a consensus on the potential that exists for firms to serve the market at the base of the pyramid (BOP). However, there is a gap in the literature on how firms should effectively engage the BOP that involves identifying supporting structures and systems that need to be put in place to serve the market given the constraints that firms and their potential customers face when conducting business in that market. Whilst these constraints are well documented in previous literature, there is a need to revisit these constraints. This is because they impact on consumers, require firms to adjust their approaches when marketing to the BOP and influence the coping strategies of both firms and consumers when doing business at the BOP. We conclude by proposing a framework that firms can implement to effectively serve the BOP market.