The End of Corporate Imperialism

by C.K. Prahalad, Kenneth G. Lieberthal

Hundreds of millions of people in China, India, Indonesia, and Brazil are eager to enter the marketplace. Yet multinational companies typically pitch their products to emerging markets' tiny segment of affluent buyers, and thus miss out on much larger markets further down the socioeconomic pyramid -- which local rivals snap up.

By applying the authors' recommendations, you can position yourself to compete innovatively in developing countries -- and to unlock major new sources of revenue for your business.

Genres: Economics

66 pages, Paperback

First published October 7, 2008

About the author

was the Paul and Ruth McCracken Distinguished University Professor of Corporate Strategy at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business in the University of Michigan, USA.

Reviews

[Evangelina Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book answers a lot of questions about integration of global markets and there are many interesting ancedotdes narrated. Given that it was originally published in 2003 and I am reading it in 2018, it gives a glimpse of the journey from the late 1990s.

[Mohd Rahman]

A good book

[Paul Bard · Rating 1 out of 5]

The middle class in India and China are different from the middle class in Europe and America, is the basic observation of this piece. The details of HOW they are different is fascinating, despite the silly anti-colonialist rhetoric in the title.

Obviously it is not "imperialist" to make the simple mistake of imaging that the middle class in developing nations are the same as rich nations. It's just a mistake. But it creates a nice sense of rhetoric that seems to appeal to folk.

The author says Indians expect lower price and poorer service, and global businesses are changing their expectations of both. Of course, that simple mistake isn't considered "imperialist"!

Essentially, one needs to reflect on the entire process and redesign it with Chinese or Indian customers in mind, and this is at once a bother and at the same time a market opportunity.

Look, the racist rhetoric of the article is altogether too much, but the confidence that multinationals can adapt to diversity is both touching and naive in its endorsement of neoliberal economics. I think the author completely underestimates the cultural differences between China/India and the West, and does so because of inherent and unquestioned neoliberal biases.

[Greg K · Rating 2 out of 5]

After 11 years the write up seems obvious, almost banal. Also some of the predictions didn’t pan out. Complete failure to see India and China as independent economic powerhouses in their own right is painful to watch. Kudos for the effort, though I question the necessity of spreading this over 66 pages, instead of having a 2 page article in the HBR.

[Sukhamaya Swain]

Amazing examples which comes from the mind and thoughts of C K; gives many aspects of MNC business and their mindset.