Resumo

The literature about the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) has evolved across the BoP 1.0 to 3.0 spectrum, necessitating novel theoretical frameworks to grapple with intricate and persistent social issues amidst resource constraints. This article scrutinizes the dynamic interrelationship between BoP markets and business ecosystems, probing the advancing discourse on business models tailored for BoP contexts.

Building upon the existing studies, this paper analyzes the literature on business models developed for BoP markets to uncover innovative mechanisms included to overcome contextual challenges. The examination of the extant literature is focused on answering the following question: What is the intellectual map around BoP ecosystems?

BoP is an acronym that alludes to the bottom tier of the world income pyramid, a group living in extreme or moderate poverty, with incomes ranging from 8 USD per person per day to less than 1.25 USD pppd. Adopted from the biological domain, the term 'ecosystem' denotes a group of loosely interconnected entities mutually dependent on each other for survival. An ecosystem is delineated as a community of actors within a specified scale, encompassing physical, market, and regulatory dimensions, wherein continual flows of knowledge, finance, and value occur interactively in an open manner.

The fundamental assumption posits that the business ecosystem, situated within a social and economic environment, facilitates resource, knowledge, and competence sharing among entities (Borchardt et al., 2022). This collaborative dynamic within the ecosystem results in the creation of more value than individual parties might achieve in isolation. Therefore, the business ecosystem may hold a key to develop and sustain BoP businesses.

This study delves into the intersection of Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP) markets and business ecosystems. The investigation reveals a growing interest in the relationship between BoP and ecosystems, particularly in recent years. The conceptual shift from traditional business models to business ecosystems reflects an increased emphasis on multi-stakeholder collaboration, diverse value creation, and societally transformative development.

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