From outsider to insider: A Western SME’s journey to inclusive innovation in a base-of-the-pyramid market
研究了芬兰医疗中小企业如何通过与NGO合作进入肯尼亚金字塔底层市场，实现包容性创新，克服信任缺失和市场知识不足等挑战，并提出国际化概念框架。
• Western SMEs can enter a BoP market by providing inclusive innovation. • Inclusive innovation contributes to the livelihood improvement of a BoP community. • Challenges include lack of trust and market knowledge. • Different environment requires financial and operational adaptation. • Partnership with an NGO facilitates the operations on a BoP market. This study provides an in-depth look at how small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the healthcare sector can enter a Base-of-the-Pyramid (BoP) market and foster inclusive innovation (ININ), an innovation meant to offer growth in BoP communities. The study stems from the intersection of internationalization and BoP literature by exploring how companies can internationalise and gain insidership in a BoP market through ININ. This qualitative case study uses primary and secondary data from a Finnish SME and non-governmental organization (NGO) to understand how this partnership led to inclusive expansion into Kenya. This study resulted in a conceptual framework for SME internationalisation through ININ. The findings identify challenges, including a lack of trust and market knowledge, the need for operational and financial adaptation, and antecedents, such as market exploration, partnership, and community inclusion. The study highlights the importance of collaboration with NGOs and suggests five propositions for further research.