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The process of entrepreneurial action at the base of the pyramid in developing countries: a case of vegetable farmers in Benin

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  • Ahoudou W. Yessoufou
  • Vincent Blok
  • S. W. F. Omta

Abstract

The assumption that entrepreneurship is a critical factor in expanding employment, creating wealth and contributing to poverty alleviation at the base of the pyramid (BoP) in developing countries has led to the development of many initiatives to strengthen the entrepreneurial activities of poor people. Despite the fact that entrepreneurship is seen as a strategy in combatting poverty, the process that leads to entrepreneurial action in a BoP context is still unclear. In this paper, we illustrate the possibilities a multi-layered perspective offers to understand the complexity of entrepreneurship in poverty settings. Based on five focus group discussions and 36 in-depth interviews with vegetable farmers in Benin, we examined the entrepreneurship of poor people. We learned that entrepreneurial action is the nexus of individual and exogenous factors in complex relationships. Based on this, we elaborate on the characteristics of the process model of entrepreneurial action. We provide a process-based view of entrepreneurship at the BoP, suggesting a need for consistency between individual, behavioural strategies and contextual elements. We discuss the implications of our findings for BoP practice and provide a framing perspective that we hope will encourage a greater focus on the complexity of entrepreneurship phenomenon.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahoudou W. Yessoufou & Vincent Blok & S. W. F. Omta, 2018. "The process of entrepreneurial action at the base of the pyramid in developing countries: a case of vegetable farmers in Benin," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(1-2), pages 1-28, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:entreg:v:30:y:2018:i:1-2:p:1-28
    DOI: 10.1080/08985626.2017.1364788
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Collier, Paul, 2008. "The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195374636.
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    Cited by:

    1. Per Davidsson & Jan Henrik Gruenhagen, 2021. "Fulfilling the Process Promise: A Review and Agenda for New Venture Creation Process Research," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 45(5), pages 1083-1118, September.
    2. Kaidong Yu & Yameng Zhang & Yicong Huang, 2023. "Entrepreneurship at the Bottom of the Pyramid: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-24, January.
    3. Soulé Akinhola Adéchian & Mohamed Nasser Baco & Luke Oyesola Olarinde & Ismail Moumouni & David C. Natcher, 2022. "Social Ties Development as Competitive Strategies in Vegetables Marketing: Evidence from Small-Scale Farmers in Benin," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(2), pages 1030-1049, April.
    4. Eduardo da Silva Fernandes & Inês Hexsel Grochau & Carla Schwengber Ten Caten, 2023. "Impact Investing: Determinants of External Financing of Social Enterprises in Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-21, August.
    5. Kumar, Avinash & Kumra, Rajeev & Singh, Ramendra, 2022. "Base of the pyramid producers’ constraints: An integrated review and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 115-129.
    6. Frederik Claeyé & Yosra Boughattas & Erno T. Tornikoski, 2022. "Formation of Social Entrepreneurial Intention: A Qualitative Grounded Approach at the Base of the Pyramid," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, February.
    7. Reed Nelson & Edmilson Lima, 2020. "Effectuations, social bricolage and causation in the response to a natural disaster," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(3), pages 721-750, March.
    8. Castellanza, Luca, 2022. "Discipline, abjection, and poverty alleviation through entrepreneurship: A constitutive perspective," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 37(1).
    9. Castellanza, Luca, 2019. "Discipline, abjection, and poverty alleviation through entrepreneurship: a grounded-theoretical inquiry," SocArXiv hmj7k, Center for Open Science.

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