From impactful research to sustainable innovations for subsistence marketplaces

This special issue on sustainable innovation for subsistence marketplaces results from the Third Subsistence Marketplaces Conference organized by the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois, Chicago in July 2010. The conference brought together researchers, managers, government officials, and nonprofit directors for lively exchanges on how to better serve, understand, and innovate in sustainable ways for bottom of the pyramid markets. Some of the papers from that conference are presented here, building on prior conferences and adding to a growing body of knowledge about these dynamic and complex markets. Topics range from entrepreneurship and strategic alliances to consumer literacy and new product development. As this special issue brings new insights on subsistence marketplaces, the hope is that all who live in these geographies will see the promise of economic inclusiveness and quality of life realized.