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In a “living lab” in Kuppam, India, Hewlett- Microcapitalism Packard is helping people overcome barriers to social and economic progress. and the It’s also learning how to compete better in the region Megacorporation and around the world.
by Debra Dunn and Keith Yamashita
Reprint R0308C
In a “living lab” in Kuppam, India, Hewlett-Packard is helping people overcome barriers to social and economic progress. It’s also learning how to compete better in the region and around the world.
Microcapitalism and the Megacorporation
More than a hundred miles from Bangalore, prompted Hewlett-Packard to choose Kuppam India, the dusty road that runs through Kup- as one of its first “i-communities,” initiatives pam is bustling with cars, carts, auto rick- where the company creates public–private shaws, and pedestrians. The people from the partnerships to accelerate economic develop- rural areas surrounding Kuppam often travel ment through the application of technology for hours to use what’s here—to shop, to catch while simultaneously opening new markets the bus that travels to towns beyond, to access and developing new products and services. By government services and resources. assembling an ecosystem of public and private But the services here are not enough to meet partners, HP hopes to turn the Kuppam region the region’s growing challenges: Of the nearly into a thriving, self-sustaining economy where 300,000 people who call the villages around greater access to technology permanently im- Kuppam home, more than half live below the proves literacy, creates income, and provides poverty line. When wage earners can find access to new markets, government services, work, it’s usually as migrant laborers or farm- education, and health care. (For a glimpse into ers. One in three citizens is illiterate, more than that ecosystem, see the sidebar “An Hour in the 50% of households have no electricity, and in Life of an Information Center.”) Andhra Pradesh, the Indian state where Kup- It’s still early in the project’s intended pam is located, more than 4 million children do three-year life span—the Kuppam i-commu- not attend school. These problems are com- nity has just celebrated its first anniversary. pounded by a high rate of AIDS—more than (For a description of the project’s four phases, 400,000 residents of Andhra Pradesh, includ- see the exhibit “Making a Sustainable Contri- ing many who were among the most able-bod- bution.”) But progress has already been made
© 2003 BY HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL PUBLISHING CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ied earners, are HIV positive. and much has been learned. As multinational It’s exactly this challenging atmosphere that companies, governments, nongovernmental
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organizations (NGOs), and communities join a week-long launch event. to drive economic and social change in a vari- That “solutions week” culminated in an in- ety of nations, the Kuppam i-community auguration ceremony presided over by Chan- project can serve as a place to test new ways of drababu Naidu, the chief minister of Andhra working and achieving results for communi- Pradesh. Seeing how people loved having their ties around the world. pictures taken with their elected representa- tive, Saraswati and Gowri seized on a business A Better Way to Make a Difference opportunity: They followed Naidu on his This i-community project represents a new rounds, selling inexpensive photo ops. In the breed of initiative that fuses HP’s global-citi- course of just a few days, both women earned zenship strategy and its business strategy. the equivalent of a month’s income. Today What does that mean? For one thing, it means they continue to earn money, if at a less fre- HP’s efforts there do not fall under the head- netic pace, selling photo IDs. Positioning them- ing of philanthropy. Philanthropy is impor- selves in front of a government office at peak tant to Hewlett-Packard, but we at HP want hours, they are Kuppam’s equivalent of an in- our contribution and involvement in global- stant-photo booth. They also photograph en- citizenship initiatives to have a far greater im- gagement ceremonies, public works in pact than simply writing a check would. progress, and a wide variety of other events and Consider the impact Hewlett-Packard is hav- scenes that in the past were not documented ing on the lives of two young women in the vil- because photography was too expensive for lage of Thodialyellagatti. Saraswati and Gowri anything but very special occasions. are both intelligent and energetic, but they had For Saraswati and Gowri, the additional to drop out of school after completing seventh source of income will mean a better education and fifth grade, respectively, because their fam- for their children, not to mention the prospect ilies could not afford their schooling. Today, of a water tap at home. But the experience has both are members of a self-help group in their had an even larger impact than that. Recently, village that has equivalents in other areas of the two women were talking excitedly about the country. Members of such groups, almost their upcoming meeting with the manager of a all of whom are women, put aside small sums co-op bank; the plan was to discuss a line of of money each week; the pooled money is then credit for their self-help group. This, they said, available for loans to members. Once a group’s would not have been conceivable before they assets reach a certain point, the government had found success as photographers. They matches the money for loan-making purposes. would not have had the confidence. Some self-help groups have grown large This inspiring story grew out of HP’s com- enough to fund business start-ups, such as food mitment to what we call “e-inclusion”—using processing and textile companies, that require technology to close the economic and social di- capital equipment. vide as a matter of both global citizenship and When HP decided to pilot a new solar-pow- business strategy. Taking on citizenship initia- ered digital camera and printer setup small tives that make sense in terms of our business enough to fit in a backpack, the company went strategy means we become a better global com- to the self-help group in Thodialyellagatti. The petitor in the process. It also means greater so- idea was to test the digital photography solu- cial impact, because we can bring HP’s business tion as a vehicle to generate new jobs for Kup- strengths to bear. Debra Dunn is the senior vice presi- pam residents. We wanted to determine what dent for corporate affairs at Hewlett- kind of revenue could be generated for holders Applying Management Practices Packard, with leadership responsibility of the new jobs and find out whether there was One effect of aligning our global-citizenship for HP’s global-citizenship efforts. a sustainable business model that HP could strategy with our business strategy is that we Keith Yamashita is a cofounder and replicate more broadly. Saraswati and Gowri are applying the rigor and processes of a well- principal of San Francisco–based Stone were among ten women chosen to be trained as managed company to problems that need to Yamashita Partners, which consults to village photographers and given free cameras, be solved. It’s partly an issue of mind-set: Be- companies undergoing large-scale printers, and other equipment. After two cause we have clear strategic objectives for strategic change. He worked closely weeks of training, they were able to serve as the the initiative, we approach the project as busi- with Dunn to design the fused strategy official photographers for the debut of the first ness managers. It’s also a matter of Hewlett- described in this article. round of i-community solutions and services at Packard’s particular capabilities; we follow
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Microcapitalism and the Megacorporation
certain practices very well. We’re employing tures an iterative cycle. When we unearth a seven of these practices in Kuppam, as de- need, we rapidly prototype a solution to it. We tailed in the following pages. deploy that solution on a limited basis and Unearthing Customer Needs. In the tech- closely observe Kuppam residents’ experience nology industry, breakthrough products and with it. Based on what we learn, we make mod- services rarely come about as a result of asking ifications, allowing the solution to evolve— customers what they want. Customers are no- then we begin the cycle anew. As a result, each toriously unable to envision what doesn’t ex- generation of solutions is more sophisticated ist. Instead, successful companies divine the than the last, and over a short period, solutions needs of their customers by probing at under- become tightly matched to what citizens truly lying problems and transferring that under- need. It’s a methodology we refer to as a “living standing to the innovation process. Few com- lab,” and it’s based on the methods we use in munity development initiatives benefit from HP Labs to develop new products and technol- this line of thinking, however. Perhaps it’s be- ogies. In Kuppam, we’ve made it possible for cause these programs are funded as purely local entrepreneurs to build community infor- philanthropic endeavors and the relationship mation centers where residents can tap into on- between the companies making the donations line government services. As they are rolled and the communities being targeted typically out, the centers are refined based on the re- depends on an intermediary nonprofit. What- sponses of the citizen-customers. ever the reason, this phase is usually ad- Fielding a Diversely Talented Team. Envi- dressed in a cursory manner or bypassed alto- sioning a solution tailored to unmet customer gether. needs is only part of the challenge. We also From the start, HP has approached the eco- have to scale those solutions to the larger com- nomic and social challenges in Kuppam by in- munity. That requires a diverse set of talents. vesting in a needs-finding process, which fea- Here again, we take what we’ve learned in
An Hour in the Life of an Information Center The community information center in Kup- tries. The three joined forces for the first time Before Chelliah has left, an application for pam is located downtown, a stone’s throw in starting this venture, which is funded by a the program for retired teachers has been sub- from the main bus terminal. Surrounded by loan offered under the auspices of the chief mitted electronically and acknowledgement houses, fruit sellers with pushcarts, and stalls minister’s Employment of Youth program. of the submission has been received. The ap- and stores offering utensils, bangles, and flow- Hewlett-Packard provided much of the equip- plication for the benefits will have to be ap- ers, it’s in the heart of the central bazaar. Its ment in the center and designed many of the proved at the district level; he can expect to large sign features the yellow and red “PCO” Web-based services on the i-community portal have a response within a week. Uma Rani in- that is ubiquitous in the Indian landscape to- that can be accessed at the CIC. forms him that, as it happens, her partner day, indicating that it’s a public call office— Chelliah is a typical walk-in customer. This Suresh will be in Chelliah’s village the follow- people can go there to make phone calls. The 65-year-old native of the adjoining village of ing week, leading a team of high school stu- sign also announces that customers can make Kankundi retired a year ago after serving as dents reading electricity meters after school photocopies and use various communication the headmaster of the only school in his vil- hours. Uma Rani will ask Suresh to pass on the services, such as faxes. lage. He is visiting Kuppam to follow up on a word about the application’s outcome. A narrow flight of stairs leads to a 400- petition he presented to the government re- Meanwhile, in the station next to Uma square-foot office with a neat line of four work- garding his land records. He needs to photo- Rani’s, her other partner, Krishna, is handing stations, each housing one computer. Users copy documents that have to be submitted. As a check to Lakshmiamma, a pregnant woman. can obtain information about services and Uma Rani begins the copying, she strikes up a Lakshmiamma’s scenario was similar to programs by using the computers to access conversation with Chelliah about his family Chelliah’s in some ways: She had happened the HP-built i-community portal. and life in Kankundi. She also takes a moment into the CIC last week to make a phone call Uma Rani, the 25-year-old high school to apprise him of new services he can apply for while visiting Kuppam for her monthly graduate who is one of the three co-owners of at the CIC via the HP i-community portal. She checkup at a hospital. She is entitled to bene- this CIC, is on-site this morning. She and two asks if he has heard of the government’s pro- fits through a government program aimed at other first-time entrepreneurs were chosen gram for retired teachers. He hasn’t. After get- helping pregnant women below the poverty after a rigorous selection process by World ting a little more information from him, Uma line. But she had not even known that such a Corps, an organization whose mission is to Rani is able to print out a list of programs he scheme existed—until she walked into the generate employment in developing coun- might avail himself of. CIC. harvard business review • august 2003 page 3 of 9
Microcapitalism and the Megacorporation
business and apply it in the community. Tradi- in the information technology industry that to tionally, most multinational companies en- achieve effective solutions, a company must trust their community-engagement and devel- address the full value chain: the set of product opment initiatives to professionals with and service providers that, taken together, sat- backgrounds in philanthropy and develop- isfy a customer’s need. The best way to serve ment. We know we need to tap such experts, customers—and therefore to fuel profitable but we also want to see other perspectives and growth—is to design a value chain that will capabilities on the team—like deep business deliver a total solution, not simply provide acumen, line-management skills, expertise in point solutions. This is not to say that HP be- government affairs and policy analysis, and a lieves it should provide the entire value chain rich understanding of the specific culture in on its own. Instead, we work to develop a plat- which the initiative will be deployed. The i- form to which partners can add technologies community project in Kuppam is led by HP’s and applications. Emerging Market Solutions team and pow- In Kuppam, we are similarly finding that ered by HP employees from HP Labs, Philan- there are many benefits to creating a leading thropy, Education, Government Affairs, and platform. The platform we’re creating consists HP’s e-inclusion team. The effort also encom- of a 2-megabit-per-second network, five com- passes the local leadership and employees of munity information centers, and on-line ser- HP India, along with volunteers there. It’s a vices—health information, literacy programs, complicated undertaking to assemble and information for farmers, assistance to people manage such a diverse team, but we believe applying for government programs, and so this model of engagement is essential for cre- forth—that we are developing with the govern- ating maximum economic and social value. ment. The platform has succeeded in attracting Because we have clear Taking a Systems Approach. In HP’s own additional partners and developers. World reinvention efforts as a company, the leader- Links (a global network for the improvement of strategic objectives for ship team has taken a systems approach—that teaching and learning through the use of infor- the initiative, we is, rather than isolate parts of the system and mation technology), Digital Partners (an orga- attempt to improve their performance sepa- nization that links entrepreneurs in the IT approach the project as rately, we consider the parts in context and realm with social entrepreneurs, foundations, work to optimize the whole. We’ve framed all and development institutions), and other for- business managers. of the elements of our business—strategy; profit and not-for-profit organizations are now structure and process; metrics and rewards; coming to Kuppam to build their own solutions and company culture and behavior—and we on top of it. We expect that the benefits of HP’s are working every aspect simultaneously to initial actions will be greatly multiplied by the drive results. We’re taking a similar systems organizations that leverage the platform. approach in Kuppam, and with a similar Building an Ecosystem of Partners. From frame. We’re simultaneously examining the the get-go, we’ve structured the initiative to strategy of sustainable development in India; draw on the strengths of the Andhra Pradesh the structure of the team and community to government, Kuppam’s municipal leadership, make progress; the metrics that help us assess local businesspeople, informal networks how we’re performing; and the culture we within the community, health care profession- need to instill in the HP i-community team als, NGOs, local and international technology and in the Kuppam community. partners, and the community as a whole. Any- The point is that although technology is cen- one who has led a large community initiative tral to making progress in Kuppam, far more is for a multinational will tell you that this isn’t required to ensure a sustainable contribution. the easiest path to take in the short term. Bal- Community leaders must advocate for the solu- ancing the interests, work methods, and pref- tion, trusted individuals within the community erences of the various groups is a challenge. must lend their reputations to the effort, Kup- Each participant has its own core motivation, pam businesses must get involved, and other metabolism for change, tolerance for risk, and technology companies must integrate their scorecard for what constitutes success. That’s technology into the solution. That brings us to probably why, for all the talk about public– another aspect of our approach. private partnerships, there are still remark- Creating a Leading Platform. It’s a truism ably few examples of highly successful models harvard business review • august 2003 page 4 of 9
Microcapitalism and the Megacorporation
in developing nations. But we are convinced create a self-sustaining initiative—and to sig- that, as in the technology industry, the most nal that, you must make clear from the outset sustainable communities are those in which how long you intend to take part in it. (The many different players have a vested interest Kuppam project, as we’ve mentioned, is a in perpetuating a given solution. So instead of three-year commitment on the part of HP.) attempting to drive all the value ourselves, we Such a time limit has two positive effects: are trying to create a healthy ecosystem of First, urgency keeps all the participants in the partners, all dedicated to solving the problem. partnership focused. Second, it biases the initi- Setting a Deadline. To improve the likeli- atives toward action, not rhetoric, encourag- hood of productive results, we believe it’s im- ing participants to find points of highest com- portant for us or for any multinational corpo- mon purpose rather than to focus on the ration to set a time limit for participation in a differences between them. community-based project. It’s critical to state Solving, Stitching, and Scaling. Finally, we from the beginning that your objective is to bring to Kuppam the pragmatism that HP has
Making a Sustainable Contribution
The four phases of HP’s Kuppam Quick start Ramp up Consolidation Transition i-community project
time in 0135106 12 2434 36 months
Quick start Ramp up Consolidation Host conversations with Gather resources required Evaluate the intellectual property, representatives of the for prototyping. relationships, and practices full community. generated to date. Create prototypes of Web-based Stage a “visioning”exercise, in services and solutions in areas such Help local partners decide which which a graphic facilitator depicts as education, health, and agriculture. solutions to deploy more widely the community’s ideas and hopes within the community. Involve partners and “users” in a rich, vibrant mural; that approach (community members) throughout Take the best ideas to scale; enables broad participation, regardless the process to test the validity of stop projects that are not likely of language and literacy, and keeps each approach. to reach their goals. the focus on overarching goals. Evaluate solutions for their usefulness Figure out how to replicate the Reach agreement on areas that would in the community and their potential successful parts of the initiative be well served by enhanced information for success in other developing markets. in other communities. and communications technology. Design and build the necessary Gain high-level alignment with partners Transition communications infrastructure. in the private and public sectors. Identify leaders in the community. Train stakeholders so they can begin Develop a prioritized list of Web- and Transfer power, know-how, and to own the initiatives and assume other technology-based solutions. process skills to local participants. leadership of them. Outline projects to prototype, touching Ensure that the solutions are Turn the ecosystem of global and on all of the community’s focus areas. sustainable without HP’s day-to-day local partners into a true coalition, involvement. Establish credibility and momentum with defined expectations and by achieving some quick successes. performance metrics for all parties. harvard business review • august 2003 page 5 of 9
Microcapitalism and the Megacorporation
learned through years of taking generations of leader Anand Tawker, who was chosen to lead new products to market. With a new technol- the i-community effort in India. Marshaling ogy solution, it often makes sense to focus the and focusing the talent of diverse groups re- first prototype on one high-profile customer’s quires insight, vision, cultural understanding, version of the problem, rather than try to pro- and business acumen. HP was confident that vide, out of the box, for all the forms the prod- Tawker would bring strong business-planning uct will eventually take. Such a first customer skills to the project; he had run several business is known as a “lighthouse account” because, if initiatives at HP and other technology compa- it is well served, the customer will point others nies. He was fluent in technology development toward you. It serves as proof of concept and a and innovation processes. Perhaps just as im- shining example. In Kuppam, we are not at- portant, Tawker, who is of Indian descent, tempting to solve the entire problem from the could ensure that Hewlett-Packard would oper- outset. Instead, we are focusing on solving ate in a culturally appropriate way within the i- parts of it well—and, in the process, building a community. Yet even with all these past suc- collection of subsolutions. As we make cesses and capabilities on his side, Tawker says progress, we stitch those together to create a his current post as the director of the Kuppam total solution and then take it to scale. That i-community effort has challenged him. “In so approach isn’t unique to Hewlett-Packard in many ways, I think my previous experience was the business world. What distinguishes our just a prelude to this job,” he says. “But in the method is that we apply our usual pragmatism same breath, I’ll tell you that Kuppam pushes to global-citizenship initiatives. me in so many different, unexpected ways— calling on every fiber of what I know so we can Kuppam’s Business Value to HP invent new things, new solutions, and new Living labs like Kuppam We’ve been discussing what HP brings to the ways of working.” table in Kuppam, the organizational ap- The mark of successful companies in our in- offer an unmatched proaches and strengths that enable us to be a dustry is that they can reinvent themselves, and opportunity for valuable partner in that community’s efforts. that requires capable, resilient leaders. Living But by design, the exchange of value is two labs like Kuppam offer an unmatched opportu- managers to develop the way. HP has also been a beneficiary, gaining nity for managers to develop the skills they knowledge and contacts that will make the need to lead businesses in the twenty-first cen- skills they need to lead company a stronger competitor in the global tury. More can be learned in three years in a businesses in the twenty- economy. living lab than in virtually any leadership-de- The Kuppam i-community will lead to new velopment program or graduate course. In- first century. kinds of technology solutions that will prove deed, though it wasn’t among the primary valuable in India and other areas too. We’ve al- goals of the i-community, teaching leaders new ready mentioned our project involving solar- ways to lead may be one of the largest compet- powered digital photography. That particular itive benefits of the initiative. Ultimately, it’s solution—the photo studio in a backpack, as it the knowledge that these leaders and their were, with its potential for creating jobs and in- teams gain in places like Kuppam that will come—grew out of conditions and needs ob- allow HP to become a stronger competitor. served in Kuppam, where it’s simply not realis- tic to expect that many people would buy PCs, A New Framework for Global cameras, and color printers for personal use, as Engagement they do in the United States. Many of the on- Fusing our global-citizenship and business line services we’re developing are similarly strategy is about doing good and doing well in promising for applications beyond Kuppam. In the same activities—as opposed to doing well addition to new products, we are creating in- in order to do good. This hasn’t been our tradi- tangible assets—like new networks and in- tional approach. Certainly, like many multina- creased familiarity with new markets—that tional companies, HP has a history of philan- will have an important impact on our bottom thropic efforts. In 1939, founders Bill Hewlett line. and Dave Packard donated a portion of their In the process of accomplishing all this, we first year’s profits to local causes. In the years are also developing world-class leaders. Con- since, HP has contributed more than $1 billion sider the responsibility that now belongs to HP in gifts, in-kind donations, and time to causes harvard business review • august 2003 page 6 of 9
Microcapitalism and the Megacorporation
around the world. A few years ago, however, in regions that rank user and organizational we realized that while our philanthropic ef- needs very differently from the way estab- forts were generating results, the results were lished markets and customers do. Finally, suboptimal. We saw that we could achieve Kuppam is a community on the move, led by a much more if doing good and doing well were particularly ambitious network of govern- mutually reinforcing (and with recent world ment officials, business owners, and social events, we felt we needed to be doing more). leaders who want to create change for the cit- At the same time, we thought we could izens of the region. In fact, it was because Kup- achieve more for HP’s business in the pro- pam has such strong, willing leadership—and cess—a vital consideration for our sharehold- the fundamental institutions required to sup- ers as well as for our competitiveness. port change—that HP chose to put its first i- This is why we developed the HP Global Cit- community project there. izenship Framework. (See the sidebar “A Focus No question: We are placing the highest pri- for Global Citizenship Efforts.”) We wanted to ority on communities where we can “engage map out and clearly communicate our priori- the engageable.” In Kuppam’s case, Chandrab- ties in this area and help our organizations abu Naidu, the chief minister of Andhra align around this new way of thinking. Pradesh, has a powerful vision for his constitu- The Kuppam i-community initiative dem- ents, and the use of information technology is onstrates our commitment to e-inclusion and central to that vision. Among his other goals is community engagement and makes a great achieving a 100% literacy rate within a three- deal of business sense for Hewlett-Packard. As year period. Naidu and his team have played an a high-priority growth market for HP, India active role in selecting community leaders in has many potential customers for new HP Kuppam to anchor various parts of the initia- technologies, products, and solutions. We also tive. chose Kuppam because of what it could help A multinational corporation is not a govern- HP learn about nascent or “white space” op- ment—we are always mindful of that. We portunities—the high-potential opportunities know we can have an impact only if there’s a that lie between markets or outside HP’s cur- base level of functioning systems, institutions, rent focus areas. We believe HP’s richest op- and programs. Change is not possible until portunities and best chances for innovation lie there is a capable network to support it. When A Focus for Global Citizenship Efforts What does it mean to be a good global citi- ing rules for transfer of consumer data nomic opportunities. Our goal is not simply zen? At Hewlett-Packard, we now use a sim- across international borders. On the envi- to participate, but to be a leader, in each of ple framework to answer that question. At ronmental front, we have an explicit goal of these areas. its core are values that must never change. designing new products so as to minimize Finally, the outer edge of the framework Strong ethics and appropriately transpar- their ecological impact, from production highlights three key competencies or assets ent governance form the platform of integ- through disposal. Our e-inclusion and edu- that we deploy. We work with the U.S. gov- rity on which all our policies and decisions cation program focuses on using technol- ernment and governments around the must be based. And deep engagement with ogy to give people access to social and eco- world to shape and influence policy. We key stakeholders in the communi- make philanthropic contributions of ties where we do business is essen- funds and resources. And we com- tial to ensuring a positive impact. municate broadly, to raise con- More particular to our industry sciousness of the problems we see and the current moment are the and to increase awareness of effec- three burning issues we’re focused tive solutions. Privacy Philanthropy on: privacy, the environment, and Deceptively simple, the frame- “e-inclusion” (which has a strong work reflects many long hours of Community component of education). Regard- engagement complex analysis and discussion. It ommunications ing privacy rights, we were the first C Governance/ allows us to easily communicate the company in the Fortune 50 to join Ethics new strategy to employees and part- Environment E-inclusion Safe Harbor, the international ners so that they can align their ac- data-protection agreement outlin- Policy leadership tions with ours. harvard business review • august 2003 page 7 of 9
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global-citizenship efforts and business efforts beginning to use computers to track the perfor- are being fused, it’s important to choose initia- mance metrics that enable members to qualify tives based on the strength of local leadership. for financial aid and government services; Naidu will take full advantage of the i-commu- they’ll no longer have to rely on complicated nity to improve the effectiveness and reach of ledger systems that require specialized book- government services, use technology to dissem- keepers. There’s the village photographer help- inate information about public health, and use ing farmers by transmitting snapshots of crop the pilot project to generate new jobs and eco- pests to distant experts who can advise on how nomic opportunities. We picked Kuppam be- to control the damage. There are stories of par- cause we knew HP could be a catalyzing force ents using a Web-based service to find the basic for his initiatives. health information they need to care for their children. The Long View The results of this living-lab approach are Kuppam’s i-community now encompasses five specific solutions that meet the needs of the physical community information centers— Kuppam community. But more than that, the with more on the way—where students, solutions are proof of an approach that we be- teachers, parents, and others can learn skills lieve will unearth ways to solve the needs of and get access to information and services via governments, businesses, communities, and in- the Internet. It features a government por- dividuals in emerging markets in other areas of tal—usable from any Web-enabled device— the world. that gives Kuppam residents access to govern- These are the kinds of projects that corpora- ment Web sites and services. The i-community tions must collectively embark on—weak econ- also features a mobile service center with omy or no. They are not about short-term prof- We chose Kuppam wireless access and new technology-empow- its but about the opportunity of achieving long- ered social programs such as Naidu’s literacy term growth and, in the process, fundamen- because of what it could program. These are the kinds of tools Kuppam tally improving the human condition in the re- help HP learn about needs to unleash its talents and ambitions. gions where companies do business. The journey of the next two years is to scale nascent or “white space” these nascent solutions to meet the needs of Reprint R0308C the full community. To order, see the next page opportunities that lie But we are already hearing that Kuppam’s or call 800-988-0886 or 617-783-7500 between markets. people are thinking inventively to improve or go to www.hbr.org their lives. There’s the self-help group that is
harvard business review • august 2003 page 8 of 9
Further Reading This article is from the HBR special issue, Leadership in a Changed World. Additional articles from this August 2003 issue include: Harvard Business Review OnPoint articles enhance the full-text article Trouble in Paradise with a summary of its key points and Katherine Xin and Vladimir Pucik a selection of its company examples Product no. R0308A to help you quickly absorb and apply the concepts. Harvard Business In Search of Global Leaders Review OnPoint collections include Stephen Green, Fred Hassan, Jeffrey three OnPoint articles and an Immelt, Michael Marks, and Daniel Meiland overview comparing the various Product no. R0308B perspectives on a specific topic. Abraham Lincoln and the Global Economy Robert D. Hormats Product no. R0308D
The New World Disorder Nicolas Checa, John Maguire, and Jonathan Barney Product no. R0308E
To Order
For reprints, Harvard Business Review OnPoint orders, and subscriptions to Harvard Business Review: Call 800-988-0886 or 617-783-7500. Go to www.hbr.org
For customized and quantity orders of reprints and Harvard Business Review OnPoint products: Call Frank Tamoshunas at 617-783-7626, or e-mail him at [email protected]
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