The growth in developing markets has created a need for businesses to re-look their strategies and become players in the emerging economies. With the advancement of growth in the developing countries, new opportunities are created with innovative solutions coming from developing countries and being sold to developed countries. Besides the projected growth and opportunities in the developing countries, the majority of people living in poverty are found in these countries. They are also faced with challenges such as lack of infrastructure and lack of property rights. Firms that want to successfully serve these markets will need to develop innovative business models that will create value for the shareholders, communities and other stakeholders.The purpose of this study is to explore business models developed for the Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) in different industries and to understand what makes them successful despite facing the institutional voids experienced in developing countries with the intention to provide a high-level generic business model template that can be used for firms that are targeting the BOP markets. The objective of this report, hence, was to explore the differences in business models developed by firms serving the BOP market; identify the challenges of doing business in developing countries and explore how those challenges are met; and identify the critical success factors in serving the BOP markets. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / pagibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

Thesis (M.Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2011 / The study focused on the existence of Extended Public Works Projects (EPWP) and beneficiation in the village of Croquetlawn and Tsemamarhumbu village of Mkhuhlu in the Bushbuckridge Municipality. Many rural households live in situations of high unemployment and abject poverty, especially in the rural neighbourhoods of South Africa. The introduction of labour intensive projects of government in infrastructural development, under the auspices of the Department of Public Works, has brought a great relief in redressing unemployment and poverty in the country. While the provision of these short-term based jobs is life-saving, the question is whether or not these projects (EPWP) will provide a sustainable solution to unemployment and poverty with the skills and information they provide to the employees. The methodology used in this study was both qualitative and quantitative in nature. A small sample size of 40 people was selected using purposive sampling, targeting mainly beneficiaries of EPWPs, Municipal officials, CBOs, traditional leaders (indunas) and Ward Councillors. It is worth pointing out that the study findings indicated the positive impact of the EPWPs on beneficiaries; even though challenges were still enormous. At the delivery or grassroots point, the institutional arrangement of the Programme is virtually weak and non-existent in most instances resulting in poor governance. It is recommended that during the programme design stage, institutional arrangements and mechanism must be improved by the involvement of community structures to enhance good governance. It is recommended that gender mainstreaming forms part of the project management and programme design. This implies that vulnerable people such as women and orphaned children are given a special status in the programme. The programme design should also in the main address human basic needs related to infrastructural projects. Labour intensive programmes can create a greater demand for local products and services than do high technology programmes which may heavily rely on imported technology and equipment.