Social Entrepreneurship: International Perspectives

1. Social Entrepreneurship: International Perspectives Steven Lux Maxwell School of Syracuse University

2. Learning Objectives • Review key Concepts in this course • Broaden your perspectives on how Social Entrepreneurship (SE) concepts are applied in the international domain • Analyze constraints and opportunities for SE in the international frame

3. Your Interests

4. My perspectives on this • Regional Director of an Asian NGO • Teaching – (http://faculty.maxwell.syr.edu/sjlux/) • NGO Management in Developing Countries • Governance and Global Civil Society • Research • Transnational NGO Study

5. Case Studies, Data, Experiences • Unfortunately, not a whole lot of data or literature to say that SE is the right thing for international development • Plenty of Case Studies to share that suggest it works, perhaps as many that worry about SE ineffectiveness • Will provide personal war stories that provide insights to the points I want to make

6. SE definition for the International If you believe . . . “Process of creating value by bringing together a unique package of resources to exploit an opportunity” (Morris, M.) What is different about the international dimension? - nothing in terms of process - everything in terms of actors and context

7. Identifying an Opportunity Develop the Concept Determine Required Resources Acquire Necessary Resources Implement and Manage Harvest the Venture Entrepreneurship as a Process (Morris, M.)

8. International Social Entrepreneur • So what is so different . . . • Beyond one’s national borders • Imbedded in other cultures, languages, etc. • Social, political, economic environment different than one’s own

9. Elements Required for Entrepreneurship (Morris, M.) The environment 1 The entrepreneurial process The entrepreneur The organizational context The resources The concept

10. Examples • CARE Packages

11. What complications do we find with SE in the International Realm?

12. Do you remember who wrote this famous phrase? “ . . . pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will“ A. Antonio Gramsci

13. A Few Common Issues • Overcoming Guilt • Understanding Problems and Needs • The Nature of Politics • Economic Influences

14. 1. Getting beyond Guilt • Lazarus and the Rich Man – what does this mean in terms of actions • Don’t neglect the Poor, but . . . • Handouts are not necessarily empowering, they can create dependency • Cutting off our own consumption may not help the poor, they may rely on exports • “The poor cannot eat our guilt. We screwed them with colonialism and our guilt will not solve that history.” (senior VP, PATH)

15. 2. Problems and Needs • Who determines what they are? • How do we set priorities? • Where do we find mismatches between the SE and the target groups?

16. s s e e l l f f - - t t r r a a n n s s c c e e n n d d e e n n c c e e P r o g r a s s e e l l f f - - a a c c t t u u a a l l i i z z a a t t i i o o n n C o l l e g e s c h o l a r s h i p s a a e e s s t t h h e e t t i i c c T h e a r t s c c o o g g n n i i t t i i v v e e A c a d e m i c p r o g r a m s s e l f - e s t e e e e m m E E m m p p o o w w e e r r m m e e n n t t p r o g r a m s b e l o n g i n g e s s C C o o m m m m u u n n i i t t y y p p r r o o g g r r a a m m s s s a f e t y a n d s e c u r i t y S S c c h h o o o o l l a a n n d d n n e e i i g g h h b b o o r r h h o o o o d d s s a a f f e e t t y y p h y s i o l o g i c a l P P r r o o p p e e r r n n u u t t r r i i t t i i o o n n Maslow's Hierarchy (Review) m s t o c r e a t e m e n t o r s Maslow’s Hierarchy Example enterprises

17. Needs - SE vs Target Group Self-transformation Self-transformation Self-actualization Self-actualization Aesthetic Aesthetic Social Entrepreneurs Target Group

18. 3. Political Realities • Does government accept your presence? • Who is on your side, who is against? • Do we understand the state of development and rules of engagement be it related to civil society, NGOs, Gov

19. The Bullshit Project • Phu Xieng Thong National Bio-diversity Conservation Area Project • Objective – reduce forest use through alternative livelihood development • Major Activities – higher yield rice production, animal husbandry, improved health, birth spacing, and education Real need: cheap, natural fertilizer Most difficult barrier: local government

20. Who Profits and Who Loses “And it ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new.” The Prince, Chapter 6,Nicolo Machiavelli

21. Role as Source of Tension THEN NOW Religious based Work Social Work & Charity Develop- ment Advocacy and Rights Focus.

22. Then and Now

23. 4. Economic Realities • Is the SE working with or against the predominant economic system? • What forces might undermine the solution proposed?

24. For example . . . • In the 1980s http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3543059.stm Vs. Poverty and Famines, Amartya Sen

25. Exercise • What types of work represent the greatest challenge for International SEs?

26. My hope for you . . . • Everyone of you will become a “smart” international SE • Starting orgs • Supporting orgs • Volunteering oversees • Take calculated risk, learn, and be willing to make mistakes • The hope for SE is that we might get out of the traditional aid trap that does not recognize or value failures

27. Hopeful, Critical, Effective • Social Entrepreneurs provide great hope for international development dilemmas • BUT face a variety of critical questions about their effectiveness: • Empirical evidence, can you prove its worth? • Are market forces, migration, urbanization, demographics more important?

28. Hopeful, Critical, Effective Let’s make our International SE’s smarter, more in tune with then needs and risks of the work they propose. Critical thinking and analysis will transform hope into effectiveness.

29. What must International SE’s learn? • Understanding the needs • Understanding the risks • Understanding transformation, which means . . . . Your analysis determines your action!

30. Organizations that have done that well or are trying to do so! • PDA - Cabbages and Condoms Campaign • PATH Idea Factory • Ashoka Foundation

31. PATH Idea Factory • http://www.path.org/about.php • http://www.path.org/awards.php • http://www.path.org/media/product-development-tour.php