A Social Enterprise Venture (SEV) is defined as an organization, initiative or startup that has a strong social innovation characteristic focusing on a scalable and sustainable social wealth creation or sustainable living at the individual or community level. Most books that deal with SEVs, unfortunately still focus on non-profits. Current market trends indicate non-profits need more sustainable funding mechanisms for survival. This book focuses on the growing need to build a business with purpose.
With the growing role of the private sector in the development arena, as highlighted by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, all firms need to relook entrepreneurship from a 'business-with-purpose' lens. The fact that venture capitalists/private equity firms are acquiring social ventures (like Bain Capital and TOMS), or that SEVs are being divested (L'Oreal and Body Shop), reinforces the need to understand which business models work. One of the biggest barriers for growth of SEVs is scalability and internationalization. This book fills the present gap between research and practice; and the non-profits and for-profit worlds.
Contents:
- Foreword
- Reviews
- Acknowledgements
- Social Enterprise Ventures: An Introduction
- The Social Enterprise Ecosystem
- The SEV Lifecycle
- The Support System
- Managing Resources
- Internationalization: Brands, Social Innovation, and Power of Networks
- Measuring Impact and Control
Readership: Students, researchers and academics in the field of Entrepreneurship and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); practitioners in the field of Social Enterprise.
"This book was written with great passion by Professor Melodena Stephens, and provides a comprehensive view on Businesses for Purpose. With the world today facing complex challenges, social entrepreneurs have been tackling these head on whilst addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In this book, you will find a variety of exciting cases that will inspire you. It will help you navigate your way in this ecosystem in order to create a positive impact in the world."
Sheikha Shamma Bint Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan
CEO and Founder
Alliances for Global Sustainability, UAE
"Melodena's traits for successful social entrepreneurs — passion, perseverance, purpose, plan, people, path — greatly resonate her own personality, which led to produce this masterpiece: Business with Purpose. A great effort and resource capturing the true examples and values of social entrepreneurship, public-private partnership and innovation.
This book is a classic case of encompassing global landscape and challenges, highlighting ground realities and showcasing successes — from across the markets as well as key issues — to propose innovative solutions for a sustainable world. Melodena has read the pulse well and convincingly captured the need for innovations and innovative financing, engagement of the public sector and the entrepreneurial mind-set to resolve international humanitarian aid and development challenges in order to achieve the SDGs.
Are Social Enterprises the new norm/future and problem solvers for a developed, thriving and sustainable world? Or NGOs have to change the way they operate? Readers have abundant material and varied examples to ascertain successful mechanisms for better and sustainable international humanitarian aid and development.
Finally, Melodena's deep understanding and simple narration of how social enterprises are envisaged, set up, governed, managed, run, with example from various sectors, is super authentic. She also gave justice to her work through clearly reminding the challenges, risks and failures social entrepreneurs face. This honesty, with facts and figures, makes it a great source to anyone who is willing to pick up even a loose chance or idea and drop a very strong impact on humanity. Questions at the end of each chapter are great re-cap and rethink source."
Faisal Gilani
Senior Manager for Middle East & Africa Resource mobilisation
Private Sector Partnership & Innovation Finance
Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, Switzerland
"I congratulate the author, Melodena Stephens, for providing fresh and informative insight into the challenges of setting and operating social enterprises venture. The case studies encapsulated in the book is based on highly erudite research which will hopefully inspire future generation of social entrepreneurs."
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak
Founder
Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement, India
"The logic of the social enterprise, its focus on purpose and meaning, is going to become the dominant rationale for organizations and their management. Within these pages, management practitioners and scholars alike will find a plethora of examples and insights how to apply this logic to their own fields of practice as well as research."
Prof. Dr André Reichel
Professor for International Management & Sustainability
International School of Management, Germany
"This book provides invaluable insights on the intricacies of building and running a social enterprise and the enabling environment for a thriving ecosystem. At a time where no government on its own can tackle the complex economic, social and environmental challenges we are facing, this book is providing us with real life examples on how businesses can and must play an instrumental role in the economic and social progress of our societies."
Reem Khouri
Co-founder and CEO
whyise, an impact analytics software solution, Jordan
Founding Partner at Kaamen, an impact design firm, Jordan
"This book is no academic study. It is a practical, accessible and provocative look at what allows great enterprises solve great challenges and opportunities in real time ... This book is a wonderful contribution, and will help entrepreneurs build and change their worlds."
Christopher M Schroeder
co-founder, Next Billion Ventures and
Author, Startup Rising: The Entrepreneurial Revolution Remaking the Middle East
