ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the design for the base of the pyramid and discusses its main sustainability benefits, limitations and unresolved issues, as well as its current and future research directions. The design philosophers Papanek and Bonsiepe were among the first to initiate the discussion on the role of design in supporting the needs of people in low-income countries. From the second half of the 2000s, the design debate has become more articulated, focusing in particular on developing principles, approaches and tools for design for the base of the pyramid. The overall approach has gradually moved from design for low-income countries to design in and by low-income countries. Looking at the evolution of the approach, after an initial emphasis on product design, the research focus of design for the base of the pyramid has moved to product–service system design, and more recently to social innovation and social entrepreneurship. A number of design methodologies and tools have been proposed in past years, providing a set of different and complementary approaches for designers.
