Drawing the Line Between Necessary and Complimentary

Andrea Wood | July 27, 2006, 10:01 AM

The Indian Ministry of Education’s decision to pushback on the One Laptop Per Child initiative should serve as an eye opener for marketers. While the initiative is altruistic, there is also profit motive (however slim it may be). Once a market is open for business, there is unlimited opportunity to create and sell products. However, just because a project is altruistic does not mean it will be accepted with open arms. Unfortunately, some nations are so poor that hard choices must be made – effectively closing the opportunity to expand into a new market. Sure, access to a computer certainly enhances childhood education and prospects for future well being. India’s Education Secretary told the press "We cannot visualize a situation for decades when we can go beyond the pilot stage. We need classrooms and teachers more urgently than fancy tools." There’s no way Indian children can benefit from the one laptop project until basic education requirements are met. Unlike the developed markets, where nifty new products are introduced on a regular basis, the developing market can’t bare too many unnecessary innovations. Much more basic steps must be taken to open a market up. Initiatives to introduce educators to would be a good first step, though admittedly straying from most technology company’s core competencies. Bill Gates’ Foundation could easily provide funding for a project of this nature, which would ultimately create growth opportunities over time. That way, both the developing nation and the tech company win. It’s just not going to be very easy to achieve.