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This blog is part of an Erasmus Mundus, international research and curriculum design project, which aims to provide opportunities for higher education students to study social enterprise. Here are some personal reflections on my motivations for co-writing and participating in this project.
The economy reached crisis point in many countries in 2007-8. However, I do not believe this was a matter of bad luck, as the economic models building up to this have had serious limitations. The imperative for economic growth on a macro level and over a short time scale have caused collateral damage which far outweighs its advantages. In the UK, for example, we have systemic unemployment, with the psychological devastation caused to communities by this, and a chasm between the highest and lowest paid in society which threatens social cohesion.
I would argue that exploring ways in which all in society can have meaningful work is an urgent problem to which higher education needs to make a thoughtful contribution. The equitable distribution of the benefits of the fruits of economic activity should be accessible to all, after all ‘equality is better for everybody’ (Wilkinson and Pickett 2010). I take the standpoint articulated by Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank and pioneer of micro credits to those in developing countries with no access to capital: ‘Mainstream free-market theory suffers from “conceptualisation failure”, a failure to capture the essence of what it is to be human’ (Yunus 2007, p.18).
In the video above, Muhammad Yunus explains that ‘Economists have misunderstood human beings’. He suggests how businesses can put the creativity and innovation of capitalism to uses other than making money. He talks about how his model of social business has worked in Bangladesh and looks forward to a world where no one will be known as ‘an unemployed person.
In response to a question to leading economists by the Queen in which she asked why economists had not seen the crisis coming, Hodgson, et al (2009) stated:
“We believe that the narrow training of economists – which concentrates on mathematical techniques and the building of empirically uncontrolled formal models – has been a major reason for this failure in our profession. This defect is enhanced by the pursuit of mathematical technique for its own sake in many leading academic journals and departments of economics”.
The economy was being run on mathematical models and people had been left out of the equation. Furthermore, higher education was perpetrating this dogma.
In the project we aim to challenge the one-dimensional view of economic well-being and human motivation for work which has dominated the economic ecosystem, causing impoverishment and collapse. The ecosystem needs to be re-populated with ideas. The spectrum of economic beliefs and activity, previously disregarded or discredited, needs to be understood, taken seriously and to take its place in studies about business and the economy and to become more mainstream in thinking about how we manage our affairs.
If you would like to sign up as a friend of the project and receive our newsletter 3 times a year, please do so here.
Margaret Meredith
References
Hodgson, G. et al (2009) Letter to the Queen of England. Available http://www.feed-charity.org/user/image/queen2009b.pdf Accessed 15th April 2013
Wilson, R. and Pickett, K. (2010) The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone. London. Penguin.
Yunus, M. (2007) Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism. New York. Public Affairs.
Thank you to our Associate Partner ENSIE (European Network of Social Integration Enterprises) for sending us this information. (See associate partners of the Erasmus Mundus social economy project here)
 The Business for Peace Foundation, Oslo, has awarded an Honour to a Danish social entrepreneur. Telehandelshuset is a social firm, functioning both as telemarketing bureau and as a telemarketing education unit. The telemarketing consultants of Telehandelshuset, of which most are blind or visually impaired, work as role models and coaches to the students in the daily training.
 The Business for Peace Foundation report that Ms. Connie Hasemann, Denmark, founder and CEO of Telehandelshuset AS. Hasemann is a strong advocate for social change through sustainable business. With a mission to help disabled people show they are a valuable labour resource on equal standing with others, Hasemann established what is now one of the leading social enterprises in Denmark. Her drive and dedication break down barriers, and are appreciated across national borders. Connie Hasemann has developed a business model that demonstrates a new concept of comprehensive rehabilitation of disabled people, where the outcome is employment. This business model is both scalable and adaptable across sectors and national borders.
Congratulations to Connie Hasemann!
See this year’s other awards here. They include Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee Company: more than 25 years on development issues in indigenous communities, including coffee-producing villages around the world. The enterprise shows that businesses can promote positive economic, social and environmental change in developing countries, and be profitable at the same time.
This week I have had conversations with 2 people at York St John University who have commented that the landscape is changing for the public sector in the UK. Many of our students are on teacher education or health sector professional courses. My colleagues have suggested that now is a very good time to be helping them to think about starting a social enterprise using their professional knowledge as a strong foundation. Many of our students wish to go into the public sector because they want to ‘put something back’ into society. These are the values that motivate many people to open a socially-focused business or enterprise. The Students’ Union at York St John is really interested in promoting social enterprise and have written this article.
‘Labelled’
‘Labelled’ is a wonderful example someone from the public sector using her knowledge and experience in a business for social benefit.
This new Community Interest Company (CIC) in the North-East of England is preparing to launch its very first fashion shop aimed entirely at young people.
After months of trading at markets and festivals all over the region, Darlington-based Patchwork People has recently opened its first shop, ‘Labelled’.
‘Labelled’ will be run by young volunteers from the region and will offer a high-street facility to sell on quality fashion items, jewellery and accessories, some of which are made by the volunteers working with Patchwork People.
This social enterprise offers employment and training to young people in a commercial environment on either a full or part-time basis. It was set up by former Children’s Services worker Gill Walker, who wants to help young people by preparing them for a more successful future.
See the full article here
Best of luck to all the staff involved in this social enterprise! It would be great if Gill or any of the young people working at ‘Labelled’ (maybe somebody in the photo?) could let us know how it’s going and what it means to you. I’d love to get an insider’s view! Please post a reply below.
Margaret
“Supporting leaders in social entrepreneurship education”
(Thanks to Catalina Quiroz in the Erasmus Mundus Social Economy project team for drawing my attention to this information)
Curriculum, Courses, & Masters
Diploma in Social Innovation
Resources
Documentary: WHO CARES?
WHO CARES? Trailer of a documentary that crosses the globe in search of the most innovative social entrepreneurs who are imagining a better planet. Featuring stories of 18 social entrepreneurs, including: Bill Drayton, Muhammad Yunus, Mary Gordon and Rodrigo Baggio.
Step-By-Step Strategies and Funding Platform for Social Action Projects
Through Social Action Projects, the World We Want Foundation offers a comprehensive, step-by-step strategy for addressing a social problem and creating positive social change. Gain access to a funding platform, where anyone can support and donate to your Social Action Project.
Competitions, Awards, & Prizes
Enterprise + Social Impact: Midwest Social Innovation Start-Up Challenge
2013 Higher Education Civic Engagement Award
US: The Washington Center, an independent nonprofit education organization, invites nominations for its 2013 Higher Education Civic Engagement Award. The award recognizes institutions that are achieving breadth and depth of civic engagement. The 2013 Award winners will be featured at the AAC&U annual meeting. Learn more and submit nominations by May 24th here.
Fellowship
$10,000 Bluhm/Helfand Social Innovation Fellowship for Young Leaders
The Bluhm/Helfand Social Innovation Fellowship recognizes young, socially conscious leaders who have developed sustainable social ventures. Fellows receive $10,000 in funding, access to nationally recognized leaders, and a platform for growth. Apply here by June 6th.
 The Power of Ted in the Classroom and Beyond
Guest post from Tina Lee Odinsky-Zec, Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Zagreb School of Economics and Management, www.zsem.hr
The series of TED and TED related events are a great tool for the classroom. In less than 20 minutes, each video posted on the ted.com site affords a students’ a way to connect to “ideas worth spreading”. Since many themes on Ted meet at the interface of the world’s greatest problems with today and tomorrow’s most innovative minds, they offer a glimpse into emerging social enterprises at various stages of developments.
I first started to incorporate TED talks into the classroom while on a visiting professor assignment at Rouen Business School in France (1 of 100 ZSEM partner schools) in May 2010. The class was organized for 28 Master’s in Global Management students and the course offering was titled Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The assignment was simple but the results were nothing short of amazing. After establishing a base for understanding what is innovative and some inspirational examples of entrepreneurs pursuing multiple definitions of profit (money, mission, and mother earth), we did a brainstorming session to decide challenges facing the world today they felt needed the most urgent attention. We clustered the issues into categories and then groups of students were assigned to find ted.com talks that were addressing those areas. The next day each student would have 15 minutes to make a presentation that would retell at TED talk of their choice and they could use a short excerpt from the original video. Due to the number of students in the class it ended up being a marathon day. The classroom was filled with laughter and tears from 9 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. It has to be one of the most memorable days of my teaching career.
I can share with you some of the favorites of that day…
| Theme |
Student |
Title |
| Environment |
Najoua Gueddari |
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind |
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| Healthcare |
LIU Juan & LUO Wanrong |
The Warm Embrace |
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| Children |
Li Yang |
Five dangerous things you should let your children do |
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Inspired by the success of this first experiment with putting students in the driver’s seat to co-construct course content, I have modified and adapted the use of TED resources on take-home exams for undergraduates, case studies for master’s students, and post-watch-comment scenarios for life-long learners to name a few variations. The Ted series has so inspired me as a teacher but also the alumni of the course I teach. One such student is Sofia Sharkova, who now works for Google in Poland. Sofia has gone on to not only attend many live TED events around the world, but has been in an instrument of change by organizing live events herself. She continues by not only sharing worthy ideas but also creating platforms that inspire youth and recognize budding social entrepreneurs in the making.
If you have used ted.com or other sites to stimulate social entrepreneurship in higher education please leave a comment. Or if you would like more information from Tina about this, post your question below:
The University of Northampton has received international recognition for its commitment to social innovation and entrepreneurship by being designated a ‘Changemaker Campus’ by Ashoka U.
Ashoka U is the global association of the world’s leading universities supporting social entrepreneurs – people working together to create solutions for the world’s most urgent social problems.
The University of Northampton is the first in the UK to be awarded this honour, and one of only 22 in the world to receive the designation, joining prestigious institutions such as Cornell University, Duke University, the University of Colorado and Tulane University. By showing an exceptional level of understanding and commitment to social innovation and entrepreneurship, the University of Northampton proved its dedication to producing social entrepreneurs and change makers of the future.
Michele Leaman, from Ashoka U commented: The University of Northampton’s commitment is so powerful it can be seen everywhere you look across the institution. For particular attention the panel highlighted the University’s strength in leadership, commitment to the student experience and curriculum and its efforts to measure impact on society as a result of this commitment. Social innovation and entrepreneurship is on every corner at Northampton, offering a unique example of a Changemaker Campus.
Read more
The University’s Vice Chancellor, Nick Petford, talks about social enterprise in universities here:
Riara University near Nairobi in Kenya is offering a new course for social entrepreneurs. The rationale for launching the course is explained by the Business School:
 Amidst us though albeit informally, social entrepreneurs have sprung up to create sustainable change for improvement of the social conditions, quality of work life and dignity of people by harnessing opportunities that supports communities, improve environment, increase fairness and improve livelihoods. These enterprises focus on economic, social and environmental good of a community. Rather than leaving societal needs to the government or business sectors, social entrepreneurs find what is not working and solve the problem by changing the system, spreading the solution, and persuading entire societies to take new leaps. Although most social enterprises are small, the sector has generated growing interest from policymakers, young people, entrepreneurs, funders and established businesses. Today it is emerging that social enterprises are generating more jobs than the business sector by far, yet most of the available academic curriculums have neglected the area. The higher diploma in social entrepreneurship attempts to fill this gap by focusing on various aspects of starting and managing social enterprises.
The program aims to:
- Enable learners to develop a systematic understanding of knowledge and a critical awareness of issues relating to the operational aspects of managing a social enterprise including strategy, governance, financing, staffing, and their social impact.
- Provide a basket of opportunities to learners to start own for-profit social enterprises to serve a social cause.
- Equip learners with skills on how to prepare a suitable business plan and provide information on how to seek required funds to start a social enterprise.
Prof. Abel Kinoti, Dean of the School of Business and Friend of the Erasmus Mundus Social Economy project, explains who would benefit from the course: “The programme is ideal for budding entrepreneurs intent on setting up social enterprises, social workers, environmental activists, corporate and non-profit sector managers, philanthropists, central and county governments’ employees and natural resource managers”.
It is very encouraging to see a university responding to local need and providing opportunities for social entrepreneurs to gain the expertise they need to lead and manage their enterprise. We would be very interested to hear of the plans and experiences of others in higher education in promoting and enabling social enterprise.
Margaret Meredith
Mondragon Corporation, which includes our partner in the Social Economy project, Mondragon University, has won the Financial Times Boldness in Business award for ‘Drivers of Change‘. Mondragon uses democratic methods in its business organisation, the creation of jobs, the human and professional development of its workers and a pledge to development with its social environment. Leo Johnson from the Financial Times reports that its record “quietly refutes the conventional wisdom that to be co-operative is to be uncompetitive”. It is one of the 10 largest companies in Spain. Employing 83,000 workers worldwide, it is the largest co-operative in the world.
Its business philosophy is contained in its corporate values:
- Co-operation.
- Participation.
- Social Responsibility.
- Innovation.
Mondragon University is closely linked to the labour market, and tailors its offer of courses according to the needs of enterprises and organizations needs.
‘Certified B Corps‘ are a new type of corporation in the US which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. Their website argues that,
“Government and the nonprofit sector are necessary but insufficient to address society’s greatest challenges. Business, the most powerful man-made force on the planet, must create value for society, not just shareholders. Systemic challenges require systemic solutions and the B Corp movement offers a concrete, market-based and scalable solution”.
The B Corp legislation gives businesses the freedom and legal protection to pursue the ‘triple bottom line‘ (financial, social, environmental) instead of the current legal requirement in the US and UK to maximize profit for shareholders (at the expense of any other consideration). They are the same as traditional corporations except for three vital things that make them game-changers: higher standards of purpose, accountability, and transparency. Some international examples include: Ben & Jerry’s and Couch Surfing International. See the full list of 700 B Corps here
The legislation for B Corps has been passed in 14 US states
European parliament has today voted overwhelmingly in favour of a bill enabling the creation of a new label identifying social entrepreneurship investment funds (EuSEF), as well as introducing Europe-wide regulation of venture capital.
The changes to the law regarding the creation of the framework will take immediate effect, creating a brand new kind of European investment fund for the social economy.
Commissioner Barnier has welcomed the vote, saying “These new EU initiatives will increase opportunities for innovative start-ups or social businesses to find capital.
“Better funding for smaller companies is key for Europe’s economy and it is now up to enterprising fund managers to seize the new opportunities as a matter of urgency”.
Sven Giegold, German Green MEP and vice-president of the Intergroup for Social Economy, has hailed today’s decision as a great success:
“The EuSEF legislation has for the first time created a fund that lays the foundations for the strengthening of the social economy. A social economy is the right response to one of the key problems that has pushed us into the current crisis: the short-term pursuit of profit.”
Giegold further predicts that the amendments will lead to positive outcomes in areas such as social housing, and will unlock potential for improved fair-trade agreements with developing countries.
Filippo Addarii, Euclid Network executive director and member of the expert group on social business, hosted by DG Market, said:
“We are excited by this new development. The Commission is taking the lead in fostering a European market for social investments. We have been part of the process from the beginning and intend to support Brussels in its efforts to connect social investors from across Europe. Our ambition is to encourage the EU to extend this policy beyond the single market, applying its social investment framework to enlargement policy, aid policy and global financial markets.
See more information in Civil Society Finance
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