Comments on: Social Entrepreneurs and SoCap ’09

By: E-Nyce

E-Nyce — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 12:37:01 +0000

Hash, I think the Wikipedia def describes your efforts to a tee, better than any other title I’ve seen assigned to you.

By: Muchemi

Muchemi — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:34:51 +0000

here is a definition I found compelling:
A novel solution to a social problem that is more effective, efficient, sustainable, or just than existing solutions and for which the value created accrues primarily to society as a whole rather than private individuals.
http://www.ssireview.org/images/articles/2008FA_feature_phills_deiglmeier_miller.pdf

By: Kojo Parris

Kojo Parris — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:52:30 +0000

I find it more useful to define a Social Enterprise – an entity that delivers social capital (infrastructure. good &/or services) using financially & operationally sustainable models. A social entrepreneur is little different from the traditoinal entrepreneur, save the purpose is to create/deliver social capital. Where I operate from (South Africa) the more esoteric (lets save the world and its mother) approaches are less relevant as we put our feet on Maslow’s lower rungs.

By: Jeff Mowatt

Jeff Mowatt — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:54:18 +0000

How about this – what is social enterprise?

http://www.p-ced.com/info/se/

Perhaps everything qualifies, but it’s the extent to which we’re prepared to help each other that counts most.

By: tms ruge

tms ruge — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 08:55:28 +0000

I’ll go with Rob’s definition as it describes me and my initiatives to a T. That definition can easily be applied to African Diaspora SEs. The projects we tend to work on are usually community-based initiatives, largely because of our proximity to said community.

The greater good is always secondary to profits in terms of priority. Which is not to say that satisfying the number one rule in business – making profit – is overlooked. In fact, it’s a necessary ingredient to sustainability. Rather that, merely satisfying that requirement is incomplete if it does not satisfy the greater good. A good SE satisfies both these requirements simultaneously.

A bad SE works for an organization funded by aid. #AfriFAIL

By: katrinah

katrinah — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:10:02 +0000

Hi Erik: really looking forward to your panel on innovation in Africa tomorrow at SOCAP09! I like Wayan’s definition of social entrepreneurship: “biz that measures impact w/social metrics first”. I enjoyed watching the video interview you did with Shara today! Wonderful, thank u!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YoNdSlEQ9I

By: Ofelia

Ofelia — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:01:23 +0000

By: Miquel

Miquel — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:44:57 +0000

The Rob Salkowitz and the Wikipedia definition just sound like what I would call an “innovator”, but I guess that’s too staid in this day and age. Honestly, prior to your mentioning it, I thought that being a “Social Entrepreneur” meant that you were able to socialize about your entrepreneurial endeavors; ie sell yourself to a broader audience. I mean, Salkowitz’s is insanely general to the point of my not knowing who does and who doesn’t fall under this term and why I was asking the same question as the PopTech post you’ve linked to, not just about Africa, but the world over.

By: Wayan @ Inveneo

Wayan @ Inveneo — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:56:41 +0000

Social enterprise: business (for or non) that measures impact with social metrics first. Financial aspects need to be there too, but not first.

By: David Rogers

David Rogers — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:43:24 +0000

Carey’s definition is an interesting one, as it’s similar to the ethos (pardon the pun) behind the Free Software Foundation and the Open-Source Software movement, but applied to the humanist sphere. Perhaps this is the counter-culture to the “profit as bottom-line” capitalism that we all grew up under but have seen so little benefit from…? What’s the age demographic in these circles, I wonder…