Social Enterprise Initiative

Faculty & Research

Seminars


Systemic Change: An Exploration of a Tri–Sector Theory of Social Innovation and Change

The 2009–10 Social Enterprise Initiative Faculty Seminar Series, Systemic Change: An Exploration of a Tri–Sector Theory of Social Innovation and Change, is designed to examine social problems and the ways that society seeks to solve them through a system–level, or industry level, rather than a firm level of analysis. Through the exploration of specific topic areas, the series looks to uncover broad knowledge and frameworks that can have direct and practical application to the ways in which society addresses its pressing problems, whether the protagonist is a public agency, a civil society organization, a commercial enterprise, or a multi–sector collaboration.

Over the past few years, in approaching initiatives addressing societal problems, several faculty members have noted the inherent limitations of using the firm or organization as the unit of analysis—while this approach focuses attention on the success of a particular enterprise it does not necessarily lead to an examination of the effect of such success on the problem itself. This distinction between a “firm level of analysis” versus a “system–level of analysis” is particularly relevant in the context of various recent events both external and internal to the School. In 2008, a series of colloquia within the HBS Centennial celebration focused attention on the increasing importance of globalism and the kind of business leadership required in that global context. The 2008 Future of Social Enterprise Colloquium highlighted the necessity of multi–sector engagement in creating the conditions under which important social problems can be identified and resolved. And, the global financial crisis of 2008–09 ushered in a new era in which a variety of new forms of private/public partnerships and regulatory relationships are being constructed to adapt to the conditions of the day.

By shifting the perspective of the analysis to the solution of the problem itself, the 2009–10 Social Enterprise Initiative Faculty Seminar Series seeks to be part of the School's response to these issues that have been raised across multiple domains within the HBS community.

Seminars: