Complex Social & Ecological Challenges

1. RMIT Microfinance & Development s3351691 (HUGHES) Opinion Blog ‘MIND MAP’ Social Finance & Social Innovation Nexus Article by Moore et al (2012) Complex Social & Ecological Challenges Traditional Responses ‘Binary System’ (Breaking Down) Government & Community Organisations Conventional Finance & Economic Sectors Alternative ‘Innovative’ Responses (Emerging) • Allocation of capital for Financial Return • Limited allocations of financial resources to create social/enviro value • Deterred by High Risk for low Financial Returns • Market ‘failure’ to support social outcomes • Barriers/disincentives (eg tax, legal, skills) • Rely on Grants for Governments & Donors • Resources under strain and diminishing • Conventional systems with low motivation to change/innovate • Diminishing Effectiveness? Social Finance & Social Entrepreneurship • New forms of Capital seeking Social & Ecological Returns • Lower emphasis on Financial Returns • Requires New institutions/instruments for collecting/deploying financial resources • Transformative ideas/initiatives and projects/programs to create social/ecological value Social Finance as Innovation Social Finance supporting Innovation Theory of Social Finance • Challenging & Re-inventing traditional Investment ‘Rules’ • Incremental/adaptive change • Radical/disruptive change • New ethos for how money is used/valued • Stimulates new approaches to problem solving • Challenges traditional rationalities • Encourages Social Entrepreneurship • Frameworks for bridging Social Innovation Theory and Social Finance Practice • Understanding conditions conducive to successful social/enviro outcomes • Promote Scholarly Research & Discourse • To define new performance measures/metrics