--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we stop thinking of the poor as…" description: "\"If we stop thinking of the poor as victims or as a burden and start recognizing them as resilient and creative entrepreneurs and value conscious consum..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6c/c-k-prahalad-33140_burden_if-we-stop-thinking-of-the-poor-as-victi_2846281.png" --- # If we stop thinking of the poor as victims or as a burden… ![“If we stop thinking of the poor as victims or as a burden and start recognizing them as resilient and creative entrepreneurs and value conscious consumers, a whole new world of opportunity will open up.” quote by C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6c/c-k-prahalad-33140_burden_if-we-stop-thinking-of-the-poor-as-victi_2846281.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6c/c-k-prahalad-33140_burden_if-we-stop-thinking-of-the-poor-as-victi_2846281.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6c/c-k-prahalad-33140_burden_if-we-stop-thinking-of-the-poor-as-victi_2846281.png) > “If we stop thinking of the poor as victims or as a burden and start recognizing them as resilient and creative entrepreneurs and value conscious consumers, a whole new world of opportunity will open up.” [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Viewing the poor as resilient entrepreneurs rather than victims opens new economic opportunities **In simple terms:** See the poor as creative, value‑driven participants Key Takeaway Recognize entrepreneurial potential in underserved markets Themes poverty alleviation entrepreneurship innovation Mood optimistic serious Type analytical visionary When to use this quote - economic development - social policy - business strategy Key Concepts social entrepreneurship human capital Questions to Reflect On - How can businesses support resilient entrepreneurs? - What policies foster inclusive innovation? A Different Perspective Structural barriers may limit entrepreneurial growth ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious/) [Consumers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumers/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative Entrepreneurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-entrepreneurs-3468043/) [Entrepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneur/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Land of opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land-of-opportunity/) [New world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-world/) [Opening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opening/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Opportunity knocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity-knocks/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poor Victims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-victims-1361186/) [Professors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professors/) [Recognizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognizing/) [Resilient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resilient/) [Resilient Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resilient-creative-683242/) [Stopping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stopping/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Window of opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/window-of-opportunity/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-opportunity-624186/) ## Related quotes > [Disabled people are often some of the most resilient, creative and determined people you will ever likely meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mccausland/disabled-people-are-often-some-of-the-most-resilient-creative-and/) [Chris McCausland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mccausland/) > [Men are good. But they are poor victims making themselves miserable under the false belief that they are doing good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/men-are-good-but-they-are-poor-victims-making-themselves-miserable/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [At most project meetings, everyone has a seat at the table except the poor victims who will have to operate the technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakob-nielsen/at-most-project-meetings-everyone-has-a-seat-at-the-table-except-the/) [Jakob Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakob-nielsen/) > [“He wondered at the atrocities human kind was capable of committing. 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It's a movement to spotlight and support the next generation of creative entrepreneurs who are turning their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/american-made-is-not-just-an-event-it-s-a-movement-to-spotlight-and/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) > [Everywhere I go, I always look for creative entrepreneurs, whether it's artisans and craftsmen, small farmers and gardeners, or restaurateurs who use fresh, locally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/everywhere-i-go-i-always-look-for-creative-entrepreneurs-whether-it-s-2/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) > [“One of the graces of this world is that there is always some opportunity to show through our actions-be they ever so small or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-marsh/one-of-the-graces-of-this-world-is-that-there-is-always-some/) [Katherine Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-marsh/) > [Harman International's dedication to research and development, as well as its strict adherence to quality manufacturing, are well known throughout the corporate world. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-paliwal/harman-international-s-dedication-to-research-and-development-as-well/) [Dinesh Paliwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-paliwal/) > [We're all working together; that's the secret. And we'll lower the cost of living for everyone, not just in America, but we'll give the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/we-re-all-working-together-that-s-the-secret-and-we-ll-lower-the-cost/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [My hope is that more and more investors around the world see an opportunity to do business in Greece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/my-hope-is-that-more-and-more-investors-around-the-world-see-an/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Occasionally all you need is a minute of courage to break into a world of opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-secora/occasionally-all-you-need-is-a-minute-of-courage-to-break-into-a/) [Sara Secora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-secora/) > [Education will equip you to do something worthwhile in the great world of opportunity that lies ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/education-will-equip-you-to-do-something-worthwhile-in-the-great/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) ## More by C. K. Prahalad > [Assume responsibility for outcomes as well as for the processes and people you work with. How you achieve results will shape the kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-prahalad/assume-responsibility-for-outcomes-as-well-as-for-the-processes-and/) [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) > [If your aspirations are not greater than your resources, you’re not an entrepreneur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-prahalad/if-your-aspirations-are-not-greater-than-your-resources-you-re-not-an/) [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) > [Executives are constrained not by resources, but by their imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-prahalad/executives-are-constrained-not-by-resources-but-by-their-imagination/) [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) > [With wolves, solidarity is first but when they hunt, they change roles. The implicit hierarchy depends on who does what. In an organization one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-prahalad/with-wolves-solidarity-is-first-but-when-they-hunt-they-change-roles/) [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) > [Invest time in languages and intercultural awareness. Focus on becoming part of global citizenry. In exchange for the opportunity to participate everywhere/anywhere in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-prahalad/invest-time-in-languages-and-intercultural-awareness-focus-on/) [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) > [Strategy is about stretching limited resources to fit ambitious aspirations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-prahalad/strategy-is-about-stretching-limited-resources-to-fit-ambitious/) [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) > [Dividing meager resources across a host of medium term operational goals creates mediocrity on a broad scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-prahalad/dividing-meager-resources-across-a-host-of-medium-term-operational/) [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) > [The real source of market promise is not the wealthy few in the developing world, or even the3 emerging middle-income consumers. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-prahalad/the-real-source-of-market-promise-is-not-the-wealthy-few-in-the/) [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) > [If we took the mission statements of 100 large industrial companies, mixed them up while everyone was asleep, and reassigned them at random, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-prahalad/if-we-took-the-mission-statements-of-100-large-industrial-companies/) [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) > [How we ask the question is extremely important to how we find the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-prahalad/how-we-ask-the-question-is-extremely-important-to-how-we-find-the/) [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) > [The future lies with those companies who see the poor as their customers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-prahalad/the-future-lies-with-those-companies-who-see-the-poor-as-their/) [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) > [The resource allocation task of top management has received too much attention when compared to the task of resource leverage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-prahalad/the-resource-allocation-task-of-top-management-has-received-too-much/) [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) > [There is an important distinction between barriers to entry and barriers to imitation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-prahalad/there-is-an-important-distinction-between-barriers-to-entry-and/) [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) > [Imagining the future may be more important than analysing the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-k-prahalad/imagining-the-future-may-be-more-important-than-analysing-the-past/) [C. K. Prahalad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) [Explore all 15 C. K. Prahalad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-k-prahalad/) ## More Burden quotes > [Everything I do is more memorable and I understand music more than ever now. It's not a burden to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungri/everything-i-do-is-more-memorable-and-i-understand-music-more-than/) [Seungri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungri/) > [I am at a point in my life where everything I have worked for starts to look like a burden, a weight on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-abou-samra/i-am-at-a-point-in-my-life-where-everything-i-have-worked-for-starts/) [Simone Abou Samra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-abou-samra/) > [Trump's enduring appeal is a resource to be harnessed by the Republican Party, not a burden to be jettisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-devine/trump-s-enduring-appeal-is-a-resource-to-be-harnessed-by-the/) [Miranda Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-devine/) > [We want to free our citizens from the burden of excessive paper documents in every office. We want paperless transactions. We will set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/we-want-to-free-our-citizens-from-the-burden-of-excessive-paper/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [We cannot go back in time and change the past, but we can repent. The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-cannot-go-back-in-time-and-change-the-past-but-we-can-repent-the/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/) [Jeffrey R. 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It probably takes more out of you trying to hold it and keep it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/it-s-a-burden-trying-to-keep-a-secret-it-s-hard-it-probably-takes/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) > [I've always liked artists like Chris Burden, who would take performances, put them in galleries, and then do things that were on the edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blaine/i-ve-always-liked-artists-like-chris-burden-who-would-take/) [David Blaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blaine/) > [Our office...subjects us to great burdens and labors, dangers and temptations, with little reward or gratitude from the world. But Christ himself will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-office-subjects-us-to-great-burdens-and-labors-dangers-and/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [The debt immense of endless gratitude, So burthensome, still paying, still to owe; Forgetful what from him I still receivd, And understood not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-debt-immense-of-endless-gratitude-so-burthensome-still-paying/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) [Browse all 2,567 Burden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we stop thinking of the poor as victims or as a burden and start recognizing them as resilient and creative entrepreneurs and value conscious consumers, a whole new world of opportunity will open up.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C. K. 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