Untapped: Creating Value in Underserved Markets

by John Weiser, Michele Kahane, Jessica Landis, et al.

Book Overview

Underserved markets--communities made up of low- to moderate-income consumers--represent a multi-trillion dollar opportunity that has been largely ignored by most companies. With tremendous production... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1576753727
• ISBN13: 9781576753729
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.7" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

A top pick for business executives

Can markets representing trillions of dollars still be ignored today? These are both international and domestic markets - composed of low- to moderate-income consumers in both developing and developed nations - and who they are and why they're untapped is the subject of a guide based on seven years of research and some fifty cases. Not only are the markets identified, but five key success factors to achieving success in these markets are outlined, making UNTAPPED a top pick for business executives who want to move their companies forward. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

Tapping into lower income markets

"This book provides a straightforward framework backed up by excellent case studies that vividly describe how new business models can profitably reduce poverty at the "bottom of the pyramid" (BOP). Unlike other volumes dealing with this subject which focus solely on emerging markets, Untapped is unique in providing a depth of examples drawn from the U.S. experience. It also eschews the reductionist view that the BOP is simply another market for cheap consumer goods; instead it dedicates considerable space to the role of business in providing work opportunities and goods and services that can truly unleash the productivity and economic potential of low-income men and women. V. Kasturi Rangan, Professor of Marketing, Harvard Business School

Good and Gold!

Untapped is aimed at practicing managers and its applications concern business functions. Especially appealing is its mix of examples from the U.S. and Europe along with cases from developing-and-emerging economies. I've recommended it to South Korean executives who saw its relevance in reaching poorer markets in prosperous Seoul and unlocking opportunities in backward northeast China. It was refreshing to read, too, about hidden market opportunities in inner city Washington, D.C. where analyses of incomes, taking account of multi-family housing and the cash economy, exceeds census figures by 33 percent. The African entrepreneur who moved me into my home in nearby Bethesda has found his own gold mine in that neighborhood.

Fabulous book uncovering how to succeed in untapped markets

This book does a wonderful job exploring the opportunities in 'untapped' markets -- markets that have traditionally been overlooked and underserved by business. The authors highlight the spectacular growth of these markets (for example, Hispanic and inner-city customers in the United States) and how to capitalize on the opportunity this presents. Through a series of fascinating case studies (ranging from Shaw's Supermarkets to Marriott Hotels to Hewlett-Packard), the authors explore the real, practical steps companies need to take to succeed in untapped markets. Beyond being an interesting read, the book is useful to business leaders looking for actionable strategies for how to succeed in these markets. In addition, 'Untapped' goes beyond other books that address some similar issues -- the most well-known of which is C.K. Prahalad's "Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid" -- by looking beyond sales and marketing to topics like recruiting and human resources, regulatory issues and stakeholder engagement. In sum, a great book covering an important emerging topic.