Purpose of the Firm

By: Debora L. Spar and Julia M. Comeau

Format:Print
| Language:English
| Pages:7

Abstract

Purpose of the Firm (PoF) is a short module designed to explore how, and under what circumstances, business leaders can harness the power of capitalism and markets to “make a difference in the world”—that is, to address a significant societal problem as a commercial endeavor. This Module Note summarizes the themes discussed in PoF. Together, the cases taught in PoF are designed to study entrepreneurs and business leaders who are tackling some of the world’s most complex problems and understand 1) how to identify the problems or challenges that have both commercial potential and a positive impact on society; 2) the opportunities and limitations of the private sector’s role in systems change; and 3) how to collaborate with other societal entities to operate most successfully in a cross-sectoral fashion.