2006 Social Enterprise Conference: Convergence Across Sectors

The 7th annual Social Enterprise Conference, held at HBS in early March, brought together more than 800 students, academic leaders, and practitioners to discuss the convergence of the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Conference cochair Caitrin Moran (HBS '06) describes this convergence as a major movement in social enterprise. "More than ever, social problems are being addressed not just by nonprofits, but by organizations and people in all sectors," Moran explains. "Involvement in social enterprise is not limited to those who pursue nonprofit careers; it includes those who work in big corporations, in government, and in nonprofits.

"The conference also celebrated the convergence of best practices among sectors and the acceptance of career path movement throughout once-divergent sectors. According to Moran and her counterparts Manisha Shetty and Dave Jachym (both HBS '06), whether it's the nonprofit sector adapting the balanced scorecard or the private sector realizing how it can successfully do business with the "bottom of the pyramid," the sectors are influencing each other's thinking and operations. It has also become more common for individuals to transition between sectors during the course of their careers, bringing experiences and perspectives from the privatesector to the nonprofit sector or vice versa. Others, who spend the majority of their career in the private sector, may become significantly involved in the social sector through cross-sector partnerships or personal involvement withsocial sector organizations, in which they contribute their time, resources, and/or expertise.

Keynote speaker Jeff Swartz, president and CEO of Timberland, talked about understanding the role of business in effecting social change. David Gergen of Harvard's Center for Public Leadership interviewed Bill Drayton, founder, CEO, and chairman of Ashoka, about the past, present, and future of social entrepreneurship. Drayton said the goal for social entrepreneurship is the day when everyone is a change-maker. Overall, the conference included 17 panel sessions focused on issues ranging from education and emerging markets to microfinance, technology, and venture philanthropy.The conference was presented by the HBS Social Enterprise Club and the Kennedy School of Government. In addition to the speakers and panelists, the conference included a career fair, the "Pitch for Change" competition (a 30-second elevator pitch of new social enterprise venture ideas), and an alumni networking luncheon.