Social Enterprise
Social Enterprise
HBS pioneered the concept of “social enterprise” with the founding of its Social Enterprise Initiative (SEI) in 1993. Under the early leadership of James Austin on the importance of collaborative relationships to the success of nonprofits and Allen Grossman and V. Kasturi “Kash” Rangan on new directions in nonprofit strategy, we adopted a problem-focused approach toward understanding the challenges associated with driving sustained, high-impact social change. Current research focuses on leadership of socially mission-driven organizations; the role of business leaders and corporate citizenship in driving social change; business models that address poverty; management of high-performing K-12 public school districts; and financing models for the non-profit sector.
Initiatives & Projects
The Social Enterprise Initiative, Business & Environment Initiative, and Health Care Initiative apply innovative business practices and managerial disciplines to drive sustained, high-impact social change.
Social EnterpriseBusiness & EnvironmentHealth CareRecent Publications
Dasra: From Strategic Philanthropy to Field Building
- March 2021 |
- Case |
- Faculty Research
Yellow Digital Retailers, Ltd.: Providing Solar Electricity to Transform Rural Africa
- February 2021 |
- Case |
- Faculty Research
How Transparency into Internal and External Responsibility Initiatives Influences Consumer Choice
- February 2021 |
- Article |
- Management Science
iOpenEye: Theater and #MeToo in Nigeria
- January 2021 |
- Case |
- Faculty Research
Nonprofts in Good Times and Bad Times
- 2020 |
- Working Paper |
- Faculty Research
Arcos Dorados: A QSR Recovery Plan
- December 2020 (Revised January 2021) |
- Case |
- Faculty Research
Wes Hall and the BlackNorth Initiative
- November 2020 (Revised February 2021) |
- Case |
- Faculty Research
After an initial burst of positive reactions to the BNI, Hall was left with the questions that confront every entrepreneur: What problem am I addressing? What solution should I pursue? Am I the right person to take on this challenge? Who do I need on my team? Hall wants BlackNorth Initiative to have lasting impact after the momentum of the BLM fades. Just two months after launching BNI, Hall faced a dilemma: a leading Canadian businessman and philanthropist offered to donate $1,000,000 to the BNI if they would establish a cultural center for Black Canadians. As Founder and Chairman of the BlackNorth Initiative, Hall had a decision: should he accept the funds and build the center? Could a cultural center help dismantle anti-Black systemic barriers from the bottom up and help legitimize BNI with community activist groups? Or would the costs of establishing and running a center ultimately dilute his focus and diffuse the power of his initial idea?
Nonprofit Boards: It Is time to Lift Your Gaze and See the System
- 2020 |
- Working Paper |
- Faculty Research
BRAC in 2020
- November 2020 |
- Case |
- Faculty Research
Accounting for Product Impact in the Airlines Industry
- 2021 |
- Working Paper |
- Faculty Research