Overview of Inclusive Business Approaches: Addressing Challenges Facing Poor and Vulnerable Communities

Abstract

This rapid evidence review looks at reports issued by different development agencies, government bureaus and some academic publications – regarding inclusive innovation policies that target poor and vulnerable groups across emerging countries as well as within specific regions/sectors of a country. Some of the key findings gathered from different inclusive innovation policies from emerging countries include: the Prototypes of Social Innovation programme in Chile that has been launched to assist vulnerable communities and regions through the adoption of innovative solutions; The National Action Plan for Scientific Literacy programme in China that has been working to enhance innovation through advancing scientific literacy especially among poor/disadvantaged groups and lagging areas of the country; The Ideas for Change Programme in Colombia that has sought to find innovative solutions to different problems faced by vulnerable local communities in the energy and environment sector; The Productive Territories Programme in Mexico that assists the creation or scaling up of business opportunities for poor rural households; the Thuthuka programme in South Africa that aims to boost inclusive social innovation by funding researchers from vulnerable groups; The Spark Programme and Envoy System in China that supports the development of social innovation and entrepreneurship for rural/farming populations; The Royalties for Science, Technology and Innovation programme in Colombia that works to boost innovation and competitiveness in regions of the country with weak innovation; The Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development programme in India that promotes inclusive social innovation through financial support to microenterprises in poorer regions of the country; and the Special Economic Zones programme in Mexico that promotes inclusive innovation in the poorer southern regions of the country through fiscal incentives, trade facilitation and infrastructure development.