COURSE OBJECTIVES

At the end of the course, students can expect to:

¶ Have gained a solid understanding of social entrepreneurship from a theoretical perspective;

¶ Be familiar with the overall strategic space and possible points of insertion for those who wish to work with social entrepreneurs (rather than becoming social entrepreneurs themselves); and

¶ Have met several of its leading practitioners, highly successful social entrepreneurs who have combined innovation, resourcefulness and opportunity to address complex social problems around the world.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

¶ Part one sets the stage. Before getting into the intricacies of the plot of a Greek drama, one must develop a basic understanding how actors, chorus, and stage relate to each other. Likewise, to pace our work effectively, the course first sets the stage by introducing social entrepreneurs and the actors they routinely interact with: corporate citizens and philanthropists. We also examine the broader field of forces that contributes to the rise of social entrepreneurship.

¶ Part two highlights select social entrepreneurs. To provide a practical introduction, the course looks at examples of social entrepreneurship through a variety of case studies. To ensure rigor, four thematic threads structure the discussion. 

Ÿ Innovation. Social entrepreneurs are innovators who create systemic change. Which factors do they rely upon to accelerate the diffusion of their innovations?

Ÿ Performance. Measuring outcomes is very important. Which are the tools available to measure the impact and effectiveness of social enterprises?

Ÿ Leadership. If it were not for their leadership skills, social entrepreneurs would never manage to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. What are the characteristics of social entrepreneurs’ leadership?

Ÿ Identity. Social entrepreneurship provides a new identity for social sector leaders who do not fit into any of the existing “boxes.” What is distinctive about social entrepreneurs’ identity?

¶ Social entrepreneurs increasingly benefit from a growing number of organizations whose mission it is to specifically support their work. Part three examines new trends in the foundation landscape as well as corporate and individual philanthropy. We first analyze the niches and strategic choices of players in the intermediary space such as  Acumen, Ashoka, and the Schwab Foundation. Two subsequent sessions look at dynamics in two capital transmission channels which social entrepreneurs can access to raise funds, corporate and individual philanthropy.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: UNDERSTANDING THE NEW STRATEGIC SPACE FOR SOCIAL VALUE CREATION

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Social entrepreneurs draw on market-based mechanisms to create positive change in the domains of education, the environment, fair trade, health, human rights and other social issues. Combining their passion to solve social problems with an entrepreneurial outlook on life, they find innovative ways to leverage scarce resources in the pursuit of social value.

As a novel approach to solving intractable issues, social entrepreneurship has begun to attract substantial attention. A decade after first beginnings in the U.S., the concept of social entrepreneurship has sparked media interest and is subject of government policy and think tank papers in the U.S. and the U.K. Interest in social entrepreneurship is rising worldwide, and a corresponding support and research infrastructure is emerging fast. Social entrepreneurship has become a new strategic space that is increasingly seen as a powerful alternative to traditional social policy and development interventions. 

Young professionals aiming for careers in international and non-profit organizations, corporate citizenship units, and innovative wealth management divisions are therefore well-advised to familiarize themselves with this new space and the options it offers to those who want to combine professionalism and entrepreneurship with the pursuit of a social purpose.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to social entrepreneurship. It is divided into three parts.

Experto dice que seguimos retrasados en el tema RSE

En un foro organizado por la Cainco y bajo la presencia de 190 empresarios, Gonzalo Muñoz, experto internacional y cofundador del "Sistema B" de empresas que superaron la frontera de la Responsabilidad Social Empresarial (RSE), dijo que aún Latinoamérica está lejos de superar este eslabón que tiene que ver con la solución de los problemas sociales y ambientales. "Yo creo que el diagnóstico en Latinoamérica es bastante peor que solo el daño ambiental. Es también un problema de pobreza, desigualdad y de bajo bienestar. Por tanto, los desafíos que tenemos son enormes", señaló. Un modelo nuevo. El foro, más que una reflexión fue un conocimiento de nuevas técnicas y experiencias orientados a un nuevo concepto de hacer empresa exitosa y competitiva a nivel de los negocios y la RSE. "Es un tema bastante novedoso esto de empresas B. Primero, que no es una fundación, ni una corporación. Es una empresa desde un punto de vista de estructura legal que define su visión para resolver problemas sociales y ambientales. Lo importante, eso lo coloca los estatutos, de manera obligatoria y vinculante para cada uno de los directivos de una compañía", explicó Muñoz, de nacionalidad chilena. En su exposición ha dejado en claro que el reto de ser empresas innovadoras hoy pasa por ser socialmente responsables. En ese sentido el Sistema B se ha convertido en una herramienta efectiva que posibilita entre otros aspectos generar valor a todos sus diferentes grupos de interés de la empresa, no solo a sus accionistas sino a sus "stakeholders". Experiencias cercanas. Una de las características de este sistema ya viene siendo aplicado en Chile. Según su gestor del nuevo modelo, se utiliza el poder del mercado, entiende y alienta los rendimientos financieros, sin que ello sea la más importante de ser de la empresa. "Chile tiene en ciertos ámbitos buenos estándares, en otros aspectos son muy malos. En términos de desigualdad es uno de los peores del mundo. Y para los niveles económicos que tiene esa brecha pasa a ser mucho más dura", enfatizó. Dice que es mucho más comprensible esta situación en países como Bolivia, donde los niveles de pobreza son generales. Pilares de cambio. "Lo primero es no tener responsabilidad social empresarial. El solo mencionar significa que algo está mal", precisó Muñoz. Ante esa reflexión el foro de ayer culminó con el desarrollo de un conversatorio sobre el rol del Gobierno, la empresa y la sociedad. Los participantes abordaron la problemática a través de cómo comportarse de manera ética y con responsabilidad al interior de los negocios. Al final concluyeron señalando que el éxito y la rentabilidad de las empresas en el futuro es pensar en la vida y no solo en el mundo frío y calculador de los negocios.

Question Bloc 3: Promoting Social Entrepreneurship

“Short” questions:

9. What is venture philanthropy? Please define the concept and explain its role in the promotion of social entrepreneurship.

Answer:

OR

10. What is corporate social responsibility? Please define the concept and explain its role in the promotion of social entrepreneurship.

Answer:

“Long” questions:

11. Should entities wishing to promote social entrepreneurship cite the Grameen Bank as a stellar example of social entrepreneurship? Why or why not? Please support your claims with evidence from the readings.

Answer:

OR

12. On a flight to London, you happen to sit next to the well-known analyst who writes for the Financial Times (FT), Martin Wolf. You manage to excite Wolf about social entrepreneurship, and he agrees to consider writing a FT column on the subject. However, Wolf insists that you first clarify whether the model of

social entrepeneurship differs with respect to the provision of public and private goods. Please provide your answer below.
Answer:
Good luck !

Question Bloc 2: Strategic Challenges for Social Entrepreneurs

“Short” questions:

5. Please define the concepts of “scaling up” and “scaling deep”. Provide a set of rules to guide an entrepreneur in assessing when to scale deep, and when to scale up.

Answer:

OR

6. Please compare and contrast the economic drivers behind microinsurance and microfinance.

Answer:

“Long” questions:

7. Should Gisèle Yitamben accept the funds for the HIV/AIDS project (as outlined in the case study on ASAFE)? Why or why not?

Answer:

OR

8. Please explain the core elements of David Dror’s innovation. In taking his innovation to market, which three suggestions can you give him based on the course readings on innovation?

Answer:

Question Bloc 1: What is Social Entrepreneurship, and Why Do We Need It?

“Short” questions:

1. Please clarify the difference between social enterprise and social entrepreneur, and define both concepts.

Answer:

OR

2. What are the main differences with respect to the functioning of the boards of business enterprises and social enterprises?

Answer:

“Long” questions:

3. You have agreed to address a dinner chaired by Larry Summers, the President of Harvard. Larry has asked you to make the three most relevant points about social entrepreneurship, and to be accessible to people who are brilliant in their academic fields, but may have never even heard the term “social

entrepreneurship.” Please type your dinner speech below.

Answer:

OR

4. Is social entrepreneurship a recent or a perennial phenomenon? Make sure you provide the pros and cons you consider most important. You may want to refer to the handouts that were provided in class to guide you in constructing a well-written and well-substantiated argument.

Answer: