News on The Edge
Welcome to the Social Edge update! “Muhammad Yunus, the undisputed founder of micro-finance, is someone for whom I have a great deal of admiration,” writes Rod Schwartz, “especially for his insight into innovation at the base of the pyramid and the benefits of lending to women.” But as he was reading the Nobel Peace Prize winner’s latest book, he felt somewhat concerned by the unnecessarily rigid limitations on what a social enterprise could be. Then he noticed that the Wikipedia definition for social business was simply a promotion for Grameen. “Such historical revisionism gives me a slightly Orwellian chill,” says the London-based CEO of ClearlySo, who points out that the concept of social enterprise dates back at least 150 years in the UK. Do you think there is room for several definitions of what a social enterprise could be? Are opportunities for social investment in Europe and the US different from those in Bangladesh, where Grameen was founded? Join Rod Schwartz in another provocative conversation. Then off to Hong Kong where Yvonne Li explores the state of innovation in social enterprises in the Asia Pacific region. This week: the story of Japanese social entrepreneur Masao Ogura. In Mongolia, Amber Barger reflects on what it takes to start a career in international development. To be on the safe side, she joined two volunteer programs that are perfect stepping-stones into the field: she is both a Kiva Fellow and a Peace Corps volunteer! Having breakfast on his deck in sunny California, Untangled writes about the future of newspapers: “Instead of having to clean newsprint off my fingers before picking up a
muffin, I have to clean muffin bits off my fingers before touching my iPad.” Ending global poverty is not about doing good, but about doing smart, says Jonathan Lewis: “Government and private donors will never have enough money to remake the ghettos, barrios and slums of the world; hence, private investors are being enticed with profits to take up the cause of economic justice.” That’s social business.
Join this Week's Live Discussions  Muhammad Yunus and Social Business
Is there room for several definitions of a social enterprise? Is there more than the Grameen approach to enabling the social economy? Join Rod Schwartz, CEO of ClearlySo, in a provocative conversation.
Travel Tips for Social Entrepreneurs
How do you stretch your travel budget? Jim Fruchterman, CEO of Benetech, shares his travel tips and wonders how you can reduce your environmental impact while getting the job done. Join him on his quest! New Education for New Leaders
To solve poverty, disease, and environmental degradation, we need to transform the education system, says Eric Glustrom, Executive Director of Educate! Join him in a conversation on how to unlock the potential of the next generation. Assess Risk, Insurance, Contingency Planning
What kind of insurance do social entrepreneurs require? When should risk assessment influence your vision and what contingencies should you plan for? Join Charles (Hipbone) Cameron in a conversation on risk assessment and contingency planning. Social Entrepreneurs in Asia
Social entrepreneurs from the Asia Pacific region are numerous but often underrepresented in the global scene. Yvonne Li and her Beijing and Hong Kong teams suggest three main reasons: language, culture, and history. Join them in the conversation.
Do you have suggestions for Social Edge or for this newsletter? Send us feedback. You can remove yourself from this list at any time. Hope to see you on The Edge and on Twitter @socialedge! Victor d’Allant
Executive Director, Social Edge
250 University Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94301 | 
"When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world." George Washington CarverWhat is Social Entrepreneurship?Statement of Faith
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home