Four primary tasks comprise the creation & preparation of the Core Team: the creation and training of a multi-disciplinary MNC Team, the identification of a BoP site, the selection of a representative set of community partners, and the creation of a “base camp”. It is important that all members of this Core Team be recognized and treated as equals.
Putting together the MNC Team
The firm should assemble a small, cross-functional team of people (e.g., R&D, Sales, Manufacturing or Service Delivery) with a passion for the idea, an affinity for the culture and/or a connection to the area chosen. An example might be someone on staff with Peace Corps experience. To prepare the Team for the co-learning and immersion process, the MNC Team should be trained in participatory techniques such as Rapid Assessment Process (RAP), participatory rural appraisal (PRA), and participatory action learning (PAL). These techniques build the Team’s skills and capability to engage in peer-to-peer, 2-way dialogues that are sensitive to differentials of power and wealth among the participants. Appendix 1 provides a number of sources of information on these techniques. There should also be a mechanism (reporting or otherwise) in place that allows the knowledge and insights gained by the Team to flow back to the corporation.
Selecting the Immersion Site
There are two perspectives on the criteria for site selection. One argument would suggest that a firm choose a location that is generally supportive or convenient. Thus, it might seek to find one that is geographically proximate to an in-country HQ or a larger metropolitan area, has a supportive local government and populace, has a pre-disposition to wanting the firm’s products, and/or has a (relatively) good infrastructure. Though this might increase the probability that a successful venture may at some point be launched, it also reduces the likelihood of more radical innovation and idea generation. An alternative argument would be to conduct the “opening up” phase in a location that is the most divergent from what the firm is accustomed to and which presents the greatest “obstacles”. By locating in an area least apparent to utilize or benefit the firm’s current products (i.e., umbrella manufacturer going to desert climate), the firm is more likely to “suspend disbelief” and engage in non-business specific immersion.
Selecting Community Partners
To help the MNC Team identify and select local community team members, the MNC Team should seek out individuals or organizations with extensive local experience and expertise (e.g., academics, embassy, local NGOs or enterprises). These persons or organizations would act as a bridge, helping to assemble a provisional team that reflects the local diversity as best as possible. This person or organization can also help create a common language and shared vision among the various team members. The Team should be viewed as flexible, as people will likely be added and others dropped as the process evolves.
Establishing a “Base Camp"
In recognizing that this process of co-learning is an effort jointly undertaken by the MNC and the local community, the process itself as well as the output should be viewed as co-owned by the community. Therefore, it is necessary that a local office or base camp be established that serves as an “open-source” hub where information is documented and made available to the community. This base camp also increases the transparency of the project, as it provides a means by which the broader community can engage with the Core Team and report back on the Team’s activities.