Creating competitive advantage by serving marginalised communities: UK multinationals and inclusive development in Latin America

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to explore how Multinational Enterprises from advanced markets can contribute to the achievement of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals by addressing the needs of underserved populations in emerging markets, while also providing expectations of long-term economic return to their shareholders. We aim to uncover the mechanisms and actions employed by these companies to serve disadvantaged communities. To do so, we build from stakeholder theory, social entrepreneurship and value creation literature, and offer a qualitative cross-country study in Latin America. We will focus specifically on the experience of UK multinationals in Brazil and Colombia. We will collect data through focus groups and in-depth interviews with multiple actors (such as multinationals' executives, Non-Governmental Organisations, underserved consumers, community leaders, local government representatives, investment promotion organizations, and local entrepreneurs). We will use pattern matching and case comparison to analyse the data and draw conclusions. Based on our findings, we will provide guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and other stakeholders as to how inclusive development can be achieved. (AU)