Rob Katz

Aspen Institute Takes a “Closer Look” at BOP Business Education

Pablo was kind enough to forward me the latest issue of A Closer Look, Aspen Institute’s monthly briefing on the latest in MBA education.? This month’s topic is BOP in the classroom — check out the PDF, which is posted online via Aspen’s Business and Society Program.

It’s a well-done issue, featuring short interviews with Stuart Hart and Aneel Karnani as well as descriptions of actual BOP classes offered throughout the world.? To me, it’s interesting to read about BOP courses offered at Stellenbosch (in South Africa), San Francisco State, Vanderbilt, and Thunderbird — usually I read more about the BOP programs at Cornell and Michigan.Kudos to Aspen for a job well done on this issue of A Closer Look.? If I have one complaint (and I’m bound to), it’s that they didn’t refer to The Next 4 Billion: Market Size and Business Strategy at the Base of the Pyramid report and specifically, the new data that were introduced back in March (Aspen claims that the BOP market is worth $14 trillion annually, when it’s actually more like $5 trillion).? On the other hand, it asks some tough questions, such as whether civil society is strong enough in some BOP communities to rebuff the introduction of inappropriate products.

Check it out, and thanks again to Pablo for pointing me towards this.

Categories
Uncategorized