Winter 2011

Issue

Winter 2011

Volume 9, Number 1

The winter 2011 issue of Stanford Social Innovation Review features one of the publication’s most popular articles—“Collective Impact.” This article, written by John Kania and Mark Kramer of the consulting firm FSG, lays out a clear framework for how organizations across all sectors can work together to achieve a common goal, such as improving K-12 education or cleaning up a river. The Collective Impact approach has been adopted by hundreds of organizations around the world.

Features

Microfinance

Microfinance Needs Regulation

By Aneel Karnani 11

The microcredit industry needs to be regulated through policies that address high interest rates and abusive loan recovery practices.

Essentials of Social Innovation

Collective Impact

By John Kania & Mark Kramer 115

Large-scale social change requires broad cross-sector coordination, not the isolated intervention of individual organizations.

Nonprofit Management

Disseminating Orphan Innovations

By Susan H. Evans & Peter Clarke 3

Disseminating innovations takes a distinct, sophisticated skill set, one that often requires customizing the program to new circumstances, not replicating.

Technology & Design

The Dragonfly Effect

By Jennifer Aaker & Andy Smith 10

Two veterans of consumer psychology, marketing, and entrepreneurship provide a guide to using social media for social change.

What’s Next

Education

Curling Up with E-Readers

By Suzie Boss 3

Worldreader.org is using electronic reading devices to catalyze a new culture of global literacy.

Urban Development

Here Comes the Neighborhood

By Suzie Boss

A low-income Cleveland neighborhood works together to revitalize the community in an environmentally responsible way.

Education

Mentoring India’s Youth

By Suzie Boss

The Indian higher education system centers on one test. Avanti Fellows seeks to make the system more accessible to talented but underprivileged students.

Human Rights

Stopping Child Porn

By Suzie Boss

Computer imaging technology gets put to work to fight child porn fast—five-millisecond-fast.

Field Report

Nonprofit Management

Creating Engaged Citizens

By Tamara Straus

Break Away connects campuses and communities to promote service-learning trips that inspire lifelong citizenship.

Health

Employment Power

By Laura Gehl

How a private-public-academic partnership is helping people with serious mental illnesses find and keep jobs.

Government

Integrating Youth Services

By Sam Scott 1

Governmental agencies in Oakland, Calif., are collaborating to serve at-risk children better, with good results.

Case Study

Impact Investing

Market-Minded Development

By Hima Batavia, Justin Chakma, Hassan Masum, & Peter Singer 5

Acumen Fund uses impact investing to tackle global poverty. It's approach has garnered attention, but does it change aid?

Viewpoint

Nonprofit Management

Effective Partnerships

By Saphira M. Baker

How local governments and nonprofits can work together for large-scale community change.

Business

An Unusual Merger

By David Grayson 1

A housing and health care charity for the elderly makes British history when it acquires a for-profit care company.

Socially Responsible Business

Investing at the Bottom of the Ladder

By Jody Heymann 6

Companies that invest in their lowest-level employees are more productive and more profitable.

Nonprofit Management

The Power of Many

By Layli Miller-Muro

The Tahirih Justice Center multiplies its impact by creatively using pro bono attorneys.

Research

Environment

Bring Polluters Back In

By Jessica Ruvinsky

Research reveals why low-income minority neighborhoods are often the site of the worst environmental polluters.

Health

Can’t Buy Me Laughter

By Jessica Ruvinsky

While more money may translate to a higher valuation of oneself, but when it comes to happiness, money is no indicator.

Nonprofit Management

Generation Me at the Office

By Jessica Ruvinsky

Young workers are, on average, less self-less than previous generations. How will this affect the nonprofit sector?

Philanthropy

Volunteering for Number One

By Jessica Ruvinsky

Study suggests that for young volunteers, it's not just about résumé padding.

Civil Society

One Villager, One Vote

By Jessica Ruvinsky

Direct participation by Indonesian villagers proves that process matters, even when outcomes don't change.

Health

Virtual HIV Prevention

By Jessica Ruvinsky

Health education is at a crossroads, and interactive computer games may be a guiding force.

Book Reviews

THE IMAGINATIONS
OF UNREASONABLE
MEN: Inspiration,
Vision, and Purpose
in the Quest to End
Malaria
Bill Shore

Review

Social Entrepreneurship

When Good Is Just Not Good Enough

Review By Jane Wales

The Imaginations of Unreasonable Men: Inspiration, Vision, and Purpose in the Quest to End Malaria by Bill Shore

CLIMATOPOLIS:
How Our Cities
Will Thrive in the
Hotter Future
Matthew E. Kahn

Review

Environment

Climate Speculations

Review By James L. Sweeney

CLIMATOPOLIS: How Our Cities Will Thrive in the Hotter Future by Matthew E. Kahn

Review

Food

Food Solutions

Review By Janine Yorio

The Coming Famine: The Global Food Crisis and What We Can Do to Avoid It by Julian Cribb

A FISTFUL OF RICE:
My Unexpected
Quest to End Poverty
Through Profi tability
Vikram Akula

Review

Economic Development

The Quintessential Entrepreneur

Review By Jonathan C. Lewis

A FISTFUL OF RICE: My Unexpected Quest to End Poverty Through Profitability by Vikram Akula

Q&A

Environment

Manish Bapna

By Eric Nee

Manish Bapna, managing director of World Resources Institute, is helping China manage its environmental problems.

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