Technology, Globalization and the Poor
A GKD Focused Discussion
October 25 - November 19, 2004
"What is needed is a better approach...that involves sustainable win-win
scenarios where the poor are actively engaged and, at the same time, the
companies providing products and services to them are profitable."
- CK Prahalad
Dear GKD Members,
Technology and globalization: GKD members have discussed these twin
themes of the modern era. But where do the poor fit into the equation?
To grapple with that question, we are pleased to announce that GKD will
host a focused discussion on the theme of "Technology, Globalization and
the Poor" (10/25/ - 11/19/04) This discussion focuses on the role of ICT
in making globalization work for the poor. We will examine questions
that cut across sectors and industries: Can ICT and a business approach
create products and services that actually serve the poor? Does ICT open
new ways for all businesses to understand and serve local markets in
developing countries? Can ICT help entrepreneurs in poor countries enter
the global marketplace more effectively? Who wins and who loses when
businesses use ICT to penetrate the huge untapped market of the
worldwide poor?
The discussion leads up to the "Eradicating Poverty Through
Profits/Making Business Work for the Poor" Conference, sponsored by
World Resources Institute (San Francisco, December 12-14). Key messages
from the discussion will be presented at the Conference. In addition, a
CD-ROM citing the cases, projects, experience, success stories, and
recommendations presented by discussion members, along with summaries of
the main discussion threads, will be provided to all registrants of the
conference and widely circulated throughout the development community.
We seek concrete, specific cases, experience and recommendations that
business in all sectors, donors, NGOs, and governments can adopt. We
look forward to learning from GKD members' experience and information
regarding:
* Cases of companies in all sectors using ICT and a business approach to
engage the poor in marketing, innovation and operations
* Successful business models that use ICT to reduce poverty
* Challenges for business attempting to serve the low-income market, and
ways ICT can help them create successful products, business models, and
metrics
* Risks when international corporations engage in pro-poor business
activities, and the use of ICT to address those risks
* Opportunities and challenges in using ICT to offer the poor new
business opportunities
* Partnerships of government, communities, businesses, NGOs, and the
poor to reduce poverty, and the role ICT can play in building those
partnerships
Agenda
Week 1: Can Technology and a Business Approach Make Globalization Work
for the Poor? (10/25 - 10/29)
Week 2: Is Profitability Essential for Sustainability? (11/1 - 11/5)
Week 3: How Can ICT Create New Business Partnerships? (11/8 - 11/12)
Week 4: Tomorrow's Solutions: What New Technologies and Business Models
are on the Horizon? (11/15 - 11/19)
This discussion is sponsored by the USAID-funded DOT-COM Alliance and
World Resources Institute's Digital Dividend Project. The regular GKD
forum will continue after this focused discussion.
***WORLD WIDE WEB SITES FOR THE DISCUSSION***
The DOT-COM Alliance website provides information about this discussion
and other projects using ICT to support development:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org
http://www.dot-com-alliance.com/events/discussiongroup.htm
The World Resources "Eradicating Poverty Through Profits" Conference
website provides more information about the Conference:
http://povertyprofit.wri.org/resources/virtual.html
The DOT-COM Archive of this discussion (as of October 25) is available
at:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html
The GKD database provides an easy way to search messages of this and
other GKD discussions:
http://www.GKDknowledge.org
***FOR FURTHER INFORMATION***
For further information about the discussion, please contact:
Janice Brodman
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
For further information about the DOT-COM Alliance, please contact:
Barbara Fillip
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
For further information about World Resources Institute, please contact:
Robert Katz
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
------------
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