Spring 2011

Issue

Spring 2011

Volume 9, Number 2

One of the questions that social entrepreneurs confront early is whether to incorporate as a for-profit, a nonprofit, or something in between. In the spring 2011 issue of Stanford Social Innovation Review we feature two articles that tackle that subject. The first, “For Love or Lucre,” provides a series of questions that helps social entrepreneurs think through this issue. The second; “A New Type of Hybrid,” explains the ins-and-outs of organizations that combine for-profit and nonprofit legal structures.

Features

Energy

Picking Green Tech’s Winners and Losers

By Clayton M. Christensen, Suman ("Shuman") Talukdar, Richard Alton, & Michael B. Horn 9

Unless clean tech follows well-established rules of innovation and commercialization, the industry’s promise to provide sustainable sources of energy will fail.

Foundations

Letting Go

By Kristi Kimball & Malka Kopell 4

Two insiders explore why foundations micromanage how social problems are solved and explore what grant makers can do to foster high impact strategies.

Social Entrepreneurship

For Love or Lucre

By Jim Fruchterman 25

A veteran social entrepreneur provides a guide to those who are thinking through the thorny question of whether to create a nonprofit, a for-profit, or something in between.

Social Entrepreneurship

A New Type of Hybrid

By Allen R. Bromberger 9

Social entrepreneurs have taken the hybrid model to a new level, crafting it into a single structure that can operate as both a for-profit and a nonprofit.

What’s Next

Socially Responsible Business

Retailing with Heart

By Suzie Boss 10

At Panera Cares cafés, there’s a donation box where customers pay on the honor system.

Impact Investing

A Toniic for Start-Ups

By Suzie Boss 1

Impact Investors at Toniic aim to create an ecosystem for investing in social entrepreneurs that mirrors the Silicon Valley way of doing deals.

Technology & Design

City Hall 2.0

By Suzie Boss

Code for America enlists young tech talents in a year of service at city halls across the country.

Economic Development

In India, Banking of Self-Service

By Suzie Boss

New micro-deposit ATMs are being deployed to reach India's unbanked.

Field Report

Human Rights

Under One Roof

By Suzie Boss 1

One-stop centers offer a safer future for victims of domestic violence.

Socially Responsible Business

More than Beans

By Brandon Keim

Sustainable Harvest grows a new supply chain.

Human Rights

Positive Distraction Workforce

By Meredith May

Habitat International has grown its bottom line using a largely disabled workforce.

Case Study

Social Entrepreneurship

Better Vision for the Poor

By Aneel Karnani, Bernard Garrette, Jordan Kassalow, & Moses Lee 10

Several social enterprises are attempting to provide eyeglasses to the 500 million to 1 billion poor people who need them. Why haven’t any of the organizations succeeded on a large scale?

Viewpoint

Civil Society

It Takes Three to Tango

By Johan Van de Gronden 6

A European perspective on American civil society. A quick glance at the latest
thinking about not-for-profit management and philanthropy
reveals some profound differences between the ways American and
European practitioners look at today’s major societal challenges.

Nonprofit Management

Increasing Civic Reach

By Paul Vandeventer 7

Nonprofits must have influential board members who connect them to the communities they serve.

Socially Responsible Business

Beyond the Purple Berry

By Ryan Black & Jeremy Black

Sambazon’s commitment to social entrepreneurship creates a fair market for farmers in the Amazon

Economic Development

Building Bridges

By Neil Ghosh

Ending poverty is beyond the reach of any single sector or actor

Research

Civil Society

Online Gaming Is the New Bowling League

By Jessica Ruvinsky

A recent study showed that online game communities provide access to social capital.

Fundraising

Money Makes People Stingy

By Jessica Ruvinsky

The more money a person has, the less generous, helpful, compassionate, and charitable he is toward other people.

Economic Development

Welfare Works Better than Bootstraps

By Jessica Ruvinsky

In Britain, the social safety net allows people who fall into poverty to pull themselves out. Americans who become poor are more likely to stay that way.

Socially Responsible Business

Turning a Profit by Helping the Poor

By Jessica Ruvinsky

Politically radical social workers didn’t expect to be working in a bank any more than white-collar bankers expected to be holding meetings in a crowded public market.

Education

Economic Influence

By Jessica Ruvinsky

Private foundations that finance education in developing countries need to be more transparent in their mission and impact.

Nonprofits

Combining Warmth and Competence

By Jessica Ruvinsky

People tend to perceive organizations as being either warm or competent, not both—and they are much more likely to do business with the competent one.

Book Reviews

AMERICAN GRACE:
How Religion Divides
and Unites Us
Robert D. Putnam & David
E. Campbell

Review

Civil Society

One Nation Under Gods

Review By Rhys H. Williams

American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us by Robert D. Putnam & David E. Campbell

JOIN THE CLUB:
How Peer Pressure
Can Transform the
World
Tina Rosenberg

Review

Civil Society

People Power

Review By Peter Walker

Join the Club: How Peer Pressure Can Transform the World by Tina Rosenberg

DRIVING SOCIAL
CHANGE: How to
Solve the World’s
Toughest Problems
Paul C. Light

Review

Social Entrepreneurship

Who Are the Change Makers?

Review By Vanessa Kirsch

Driving Social Change: How to Solve the World’s Toughest Problems by Paul C. Light

Review

Arts

Passing the Mic

Review By Marc Vogl

20Under40: Re-Inventing the Arts and Arts Education for the 21st Century Edited by Edward P. Clapp

GIVE SMART:
Philanthropy That
Gets Results
Tom Tierney & Joel L.
Fleishman

Review

Individual Giving

Think Hard

Review By Melissa A. Berman

Give Smart: Philanthropy That Gets Results by Tom Tierney & Joel L. Fleishman

Q&A

Technology & Design

Richard Jefferson

By Johanna Mair

Richard Jefferson believes that biotechnology can be used to benefit the poor and disenfranchised, but only if the R&D process is democratized.

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