After having devoted my last posts to more abstract aspects of the base of the pyramid, Jim Rosenberg, from our sister organization CGAP, kindly brought me to the ground again with an e-mail about how to connect the BoP to Internet through their mobiles.

The beauty of the mobile phone phenomenon in developing countries (and the reason for its success at the BoP) is its capacity to build linkages between people and markets, thus helping generate wealth in the short and long term for the agents involved thanks to a connection that previously didn't exist. The growth of it has been dramatic: Since 2000, the yearly growth of mobile phone subscribers has averaged 24% and only a few weeks ago, the International Telecommunication Union (United Nations's branch dealing with telecom issues) stated that mobile phone subscribers were likely to reach 4 billion before the end of 2008.

The BRIC economies (Brazil, Russia, India and China) are expected to account for over 1.3 billion subscribers, with China alone representing more than 600 million. India, on the other hand was estimated to have 296 million subscribers back in July, yet its penetration rate is still around 20%, suggesting ample opportunities for growth.

Now, having a mobile phone represents not only an opportunity for generating connections between two users, but also an opportunity to connect with a network which is estimated to include 1.5 billion people, the Internet (about 26.6 billion pages). However, while the developed world is well served by extensive submarine fiber networks, how to connect the BoP to the Internet?

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One of the biggest differences between social ventures and traditional for-profit ventures is that social ventures have an explicit social mission.  This difference can be a significant reason why one person chooses to work for a social venture over a traditional for-profit venture, regardless of any difference in pay. Despite this, there are many who decide to work at a social venture for reasons other than the social mission. 

Shocking revelation, right?

During a discussion on talent management with the recently returned Acumen Fund fellows, one person made the comment to me which I found quite interesting:

One of the mistakes that management makes at a social venture is to think that all workers are drawn to the venture because of the social mission alone.  For some workers, this may be the case.  For others, the social mission is only a small reason why they join the social venture.

So what are these other reasons?  

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