1.2 Traditional approaches to public problem solving

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En provenance du cours de University of Pennsylvania

Social Impact Strategy: Tools for Entrepreneurs and Innovators

307 notes

University of Pennsylvania

Social Impact Strategy: Tools for Entrepreneurs and Innovators

307 notes

This course offers an introduction to social impact strategy and social entrepreneurship, including key concepts, an overview of the field, and tools to get started as a changemaker. Students will learn how to innovate and design new ideas and new organizational forms to implement those ideas. Students who take this course will be better prepared to launch social impact organizations of their own invention. By moving through four stages, Define, Design, Pilot, and Scale, students will turn their passion for changing the world into concrete plans for launching a nonprofit or for-profit venture designed to achieve a social goal. This course will allow students to systematically think through problems; develop and test an innovative solution; assess risk, competition, and performance; and spread impact in a way that is financially sustainable. Students who complete the course become eligible to apply for an in-person educational experience, called the Global Social Impact House. GSIH is a seven-day residential program that provides fellows with the tools, community and training they need to advance their ventures. Workshops are customized to the needs of fellows and explore advanced concepts in business models, design thinking and leadership. The program is also designed to help fellows build meaningful, global connections while living together in an inspirational host location. For more information on the Global Social Impact House, please visit: socialimpactstrategy.org/residential/gsih

À partir de la leçon

Introduction

Learn about the key qualities of social innovation, social enterprise, and social entrepreneurs. How do social entrepreneurs approach problem solving? How might we identify social initiatives that are truly innovative in their approach to delivering on their mission, sustaining their venture, or scaling their impact? This module introduces the topic and offers examples of initiatives you might study as cases organizations throughout the course.

0.1. What to Expect in this Course1:50

1.1 Introduction to Social Innovation6:25

1.2 Traditional approaches to public problem solving4:49

1.3 A social entrepreneur's approach to problem solving6:17

1.4 Introduction to the social enterprise and the social enterprise spectrum6:28

1.5 The Importance of the business model1:21

1.6 Traits of social enterprise across the spectrum6:10

1.7. Meet Carlos and Coco2:46

1.8. Anatomy of a Social Entrepreneur2:40

Rencontrer les enseignants

Peter Frumkin
Professor
Nonprofit Leadership Program, School of Social Policy & Practice

[MUSIC]

I want to place this problem or this challenge of meeting public needs,

solving public problems, in a broader sectoral context.

We typically think of three ways in which public problems get solved.

One is the government enters and solves the problem.

The second is that the NGO or non-profit sector comes in and solves the problem.

And the third is that business may step in and offer its own solution.

We often draw a line between these

sectoral solutions thinking that government and

the NGO sector are focused on mission, public value, creation, social impact.

And the business sector is much more focused on the bottom line and on money.

But what's really interesting about the field of social entrepreneurship

is that it's blowing away that line, the dividing point between sectors.

It's saying that problem solving can occur in a lot of different ways

across a lot of different approaches.

And so what I want to do is, to start the sketch for you, something about why social

entrepreneurship has a distinct place in the world of public problem solving.

And the way I want to do it is, think about one problem.

And then we're going to walk through how each of the sectors might approach it.

And then how might social entrepreneurs approach it?

Just to get some difference out in the open about what

makes this feel so special.

So think about the problem of affordable housing.

How do we create housing for people who are on very limited means?

How do each of the sectors, the public sector, the business sector and

the non-profit sector go about providing affordable housing, and

then let's step back and say, how might social entrepreneurs do this work?

So let's start with the government approach to solving

the question of how do we provide affordable housing?

From New York to Chicago to Mumbai to Brazil,

all around the world, big projects have been built for housing the poor.

They share a number of features in common.

They are large scale.

They focus on equity and evenness of delivery of the service.

The apartments are similar.

The distribution of these units, it follows strict rules.

Government moves typically very slowly and cautiously in providing this help.

And because it's accountable to voters, government constantly has to check in and

make sure the solution provides is fair, equitable, and open.

When the business sector tries to solve the problem of public housing,

it goes in a different direction.

It says, how can we create housing that everyone could afford.

So you have module houses, trailers, small units that are very cheaply priced,

that allow people, at a very low entry point, to have housing.

Now even in Sweden, IKEA has developed a module house that you can snap together,

you assemble yourself.

Now, one might think that they provide a huge allen wrench with this, but no, they

actually provide a set of instructions and tools and you construct your own house.

What do all these approaches share in common?

When the business sector tries to solve a problem like affordable housing,

profit is a key consideration.

How can we construct the business model that will generate product?

Businesses are very market sensitive.

They want to meet demand, they're quick to respond if they see a need,

they will provide a solution.

They are very competitive in terms of looking at what are other people providing

and making sure that their position is strong.

And finally they are responsive to shareholders.

Businesses have to produce value for their shareholders.

So as a consequence,

they tend to produce tangible products quickly in a way that meets market demand.

Let's think now about how the nonprofit sector

tries to solve the problem of affordable housing.

Their approach is very different.

They'll say, what does the community need?

How can we construct a vision of public and

affordable housing that is appropriate to the local needs?

They'll take existing housing stock, renovate it.

They may build smaller units that are very affordable or mixed units.

They might develop housing for truly the most desperate, the poor and the homeless.

Whatever the approach is, the non-profit sector is almost always mission driven.

It operates under the non-distribution constraint that says money can not be

given away to shareholders and owners.

It must be retained for mission purposes.

It tends to be very creative and locally sensitive to needs, and

it's often shaped by deep convictions of value and faith.

Non-profit leaders do their work because they care deeply,

they want to solve a problem.

And they want to be responsive to the vast range of stakeholders that surround

non-profits including board members, community members, donors and

the general public.

[MUSIC]

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