Hitachi Center for Technology and International Affairs

Speaker Series

Japan Business and Technology Roundtable:

Japanese Corporations and Bottom-of-Pyramid Business

Friday, April 2, 2010

3:00 – 5:30pm ASEAN Auditorium

The Fletcher School

160 Packard Avenue, Medford, MA 02155

Bottom-Of-Pyramid (BOP) strategy has recently gained much attention as a way for Japanese Corporation to reach out to the 4 billion of the world’s poorest population to help them address pressing issues such as environment degradation and GHG emission reduction.

BOP strategy is a new type of marketing strategy that tries to combine shareholder value creation and grass-roots solution to the various problems faced by less developed countries. It targets the world’s poorest population as potential consumers of technology products and services that also alleviate some of its social, economic and environmental issues.

An exceptional example of a successful BOP marketing is Philips introduction of low-price stoves into Indian market. The introduction of cheap and affordable stoves to India’s rural population helped to curb the rampant deforestation that was going on.

Japan with its advanced technology has been very timid in its attempts to enter these markets despite its potential. The primary reason claimed by Japanese corporation is the limited local knowledge and lack of local partnerships to open access to these markets.

It is for this reason that the students at the Fletcher School are holding this conference. Fletcher School offers vast experience and expertise in development and NGO work in LDC that can be leverage to create a forum for cross-sector discussion on how Japanese companies can enter the BOP business.

Many researchers and students with interests in NGOs, Business, Technology, Development and Sustainability are expected at the seminar, as well as professionals from Japanese companies engaged in BoP technology transfer activities. Through both the seminar and the reception the event should provide an ideal opportunity for those attending to interact with Japanese Corporations and to open opportunities for world-class technology to reach those in need, but without the means.

Speakers include:

Professor Partha Ghosh, Visiting Professor of Strategic Management in the Fletcher School

Mr. Toshihiro Nakamura, Co-founder of an NGO Kopernik, an on-line store of appropriate technology for the developing world

Mr. Yushi Akiyama, Senior Manager and Representative, Hitachi Corporate Office

and more speakers are to be announced. For more information, please contact jbtr2010@gmail.com .

Sponsored by The Hitachi Center of Technology and International Affairs and The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy

Supported by Consulate-General of Japan in Boston, The International Business Center, The Center for Emerging Market Enterprises and Tufts Gordon Institute

Light refreshments will be served