IGNACIO GÓMEZ ESCOBAR - Medellín, Colombia
Original title. "The great leap, driving innovation from the bases of the pyramid", authors Clayton Christensen and Stuart L. Hart
The present article is a summary in Spanish of one more extensive written by Clayton Christensen and Stuart L. Hart referred to the advantages of the third world in the current moment. It is worthwhile to read it to realize like there are important advantages for those companies that decide to invest in the underdeveloped countries, forgetting the traditional mental models.
Poor's of the underdeveloped countries trillions aspire to participate in the economy of the world without being able to make it. The classic pattern of economic thought says that for it is necessary to develop products that are desirable to the eyes of the consumers of the first world in such a way that you/they buy the same ones.
This is difficult to carry out. To increase even more the problem for all sides complaints arise against the globalization, making the expansion of the multinational companies difficult also from the social point of view.
However that it should not be the only road, but still, there are examples that show clearly that to sell a cheap product to the millions of poor of the third world, making that these pass to enjoy a level of superior life, it can be the opportunity for many companies that are not giving economic results.
Two birds of a shot would be killed this way, on one hand economic growth it would be generated for the companies, for other more well-being would be generated for the countries of the third world.
The economist Joseph Schumpeter spoke of the "creative destruction" when referring to the economic growth, but that is alone a part of the truth since an also exists "creation creativa"1. For it is necessary to think in like the expansion processes are given. First point, is generated a product or service that initially is not as good as the one that is marketed in a mature market.
As consequence, their use is given in secondary markets, where the consumers are not so accustomed to the things of quality. Second point, the companies usually invest in markets of first level.
As consequence of both premises who believe and they invest in the possibilities "tercermundistas" they are who are willing to break the "statu quo", the trasgresores. This "trasgresión" of an accepted truth, it generates many work positions and it elevates the quality of involved people's life.
Of this way this "creative creation", it generates earnings for the involved companies. Traditionally this outline was given with poor people of the first world before ascending for the pyramid toward the classes but rich of the first world.
An example of this outline offers it the Deep company that began selling its autocycles in the poor areas of Japan, in the time that this was still destroyed as consequence of the war. When, after many years decided to enter in the American market, he could sell their autocycles to such a low price that the local makers of motos (for example Harley Davidson) they could not imitate them. Toyota and Sony made the same thing more or less. If Japan today it doesn't grow it is because these companies became in giant and they are no longer willing to transgress the traditional outlines of economic thought.
This not alone it is an advantage to be a model of adaptive business, it is also good because believes consumption in a place where there was not him. This way, consumption is generated in an underdeveloped country with relatively few difficulties while if it was tried to make the same thing in a developed market, the problems would be immense.
An example of this is what passes General Motors in China, where opened a plant of its mark Buick. The same one will compete with cars of quality (BMW, Lexus and Mercedes) aiming the Chinese of great purchasing power. Now then, although it is able to triumph in this difficult fight, will have problems to take place with the same quality that in it USES.
On the contrary if he was devoted to take place "minivehículos"(algo that announced and will make through a "joint-venture" with a local producer). it would Rot in that case to develop a car in the environment of the U$S 4000 for the enormous Chinese middle class that cannot consent to a vehicle. In turn, this would give him cause he stops then to make an exportable automobile to other emergent markets, as for example Russia and the countries of the This European one.
Something similar it happened with "Galanz" a small Chinese maker that was devoted to the market of the ovens of microwaves. In China, the kitchens are small for what the ovens sold in the first world are not successful. Galanz developed ovens but boys and efficient. It surrounded this way the market of the Chinese middle class. Then, once it dominated this segment, it flooded the world with cheap and very efficient products.
But there is but examples, and it is also necessary to think of the sustainable development, we could introduce this way ourselves in the topic of the energy in the third world. In the developed world, there is a dense one wired that it takes the energy to all the corners of each country.
This is not possible to be very onerous in the countries of the third world. However, the possibility exists of using products "local generators" of energy, for example the solar cells and the mills of wind, to generate energy locally, avoiding the one wired and contaminating less. This would be an alternative model of development.
It is not necessary to forget that if the Third World followed the same rules of the first one to be developed four lands they would be needed to absorb the generated contamination. In the mentioned outline it can be to Rolltronics, a company of California that tries to develop a new form of making semiconductors so that the photovoltaic cells are but cheap and accessible.
To summarize, the great jump that intends, represents the virtues that can conquer the feeling antiglobalización. The opportunities are in hands of venturesome as Galanz and Grameen2 that will be the Toyota, Sling and Sony of the future.
For it is necessary to keep in mind the necessities of the poor countries, to establish bonds with the local communities, the local companies and the ONGs. This will make that the companies grow at the same time that they take out the poor of the misery and they generate conditions for a sustained growth of the economy.
igomeze@geo.net.co
es tu BUSCADOR favorito, úsalo aquí
