September 2012
Other Article
Academy of Management Learning & Education

An Interview with Michael Porter: Social Entrepreneurship and the Transformation of Capitalism

By: Michaela Driver and Michael E. Porter

Format:Print

Abstract

In this interview Michael Porter explores social entrepreneurship in the context of a larger transformation of capitalism. He suggests that social entrepreneurship is an important transitional vehicle toward the creation of shared value and a capitalist system in which meeting social needs is not just a peripheral activity but a core aspect of every business. Porter discusses the implications of this perspective on social entrepreneurship with a view to new opportunities but also responsibilities for educators in the field. I examine how this fits with but also extends current debates on social entrepreneurship. The paper concludes by examining where Porter's ideas may take us and reflecting on social entrepreneurship education as conversations about the social becoming more entrepreneurial but also the entrepreneurial becoming more social.