Doing well by doing good: Direct selling as a viable and sustainable source of income for base of the pyramid populations

Previous research shows the direct selling system helping BOP populations in South Africa. We seek to extend this by examining if countries typified by large "base-of-the-pyramid" (BOP) are fertile ground for direct selling? Can direct sellers do well by doing good for BOP populations and the environment? Using data from a sample of 51 developed and developing countries representing over 90% of world GDP, we found that direct selling market penetration is positively related to gender inequality, income inequality, and less financial freedom. Implications for MNEs, as well as national and policy makers in subsistence markets are discussed.