
Purposeful Business A CoBS Research Pod on download.
Ever heard of the “poverty penalty”? In Brazil, covering the last mile to reach this market is the toughest, yet some companies have made it. In recent years, businesses have developed new strategies and purposeful business models to reach this demographic in an efficient manner, which has had a two-fold impact.
For a business, performing well in tough-to-reach markets at the Base-of-the-Pyramid implies a distinct competitive advantage, while for the population itself, it implies a reduction in vulnerability, improvement in well-being, and access to basic products. Base-of-the-Pyramid DNA takes a look at how large companies can create purposeful win-wins with local stakeholders and tough environments. By Profs Edgard Barki and Juracy Parente of FGV-EAESP.
Other crucial sectors face their own set of problems in reaching this set of customers. Health, financial, and education services across Brazil have all seen the development of new purposeful business models and innovative alternatives to reach the base-of-the-pyramid consumers.
Purposeful Business: A CoBS Research Pod is the second in a series of Council on Business & Society condensed learning capsules inspired from internationally published research in the fields of CSR, management and leadership, HR, finance and reporting, social enterprise, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and sustainable business practices.
For managers, entrepreneurs, leaders, instructors and those with an interest in research with an impact. Ramp up your knowledge, improve your teams, gain in leadership, reshape your business or give your teaching, training or coaching a new dynamic.
The “3 Ps” in a Pod

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Learn more about the Council on Business & Society
The Council on Business & Society (The CoBS), visionary in its conception and purpose, was created in 2011, and is dedicated to promoting responsible leadership and tackling issues at the crossroads of business and society including sustainability, diversity, ethical leadership and the place responsible business has to play in contributing to the common good.
Member schools are all “Triple Crown” accredited AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA and leaders in their respective countries.
- ESSEC Business School, France-Singapore-Morocco
- FGV-EAESP, Brazil
- School of Management Fudan University, China
- IE Business School, Spain
- Keio Business School, Japan
- Stellenbosch Business School, South Africa
- Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
- Warwick Business School, United Kingdom.
