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Chapter from: "Social Entrepreneurship: From Issue to Viable Plan"
Published by: Business Expert Press
Originally published in: 2013
Length: 18 pages

Abstract

This chapter is excerpted from ‘Social Entrepreneurship: From Issue to Viable Plan'. This book provides a guided deep dive into the early stages of venture development of social entrepreneurship. It introduces concepts that provide important insights necessary for social venture success. It introduces a set of entrepreneurial tools designed for the unique set of challenges faced in selecting and designing social entrepreneurial ventures. With this book as a guide, the reader can develop a feasible venture concept and communicate it effectively. A passion to address social and environmental issues is the motivation for a growing number of entrepreneurs. Yet, effective approaches addressing these societal issues can be difficult to discern. Approaches cannot be well formulated using the traditional market place framework of traditional entrepreneurship. For example, traditional market and target market analyses miss important aspects of potential customer behavior. Cultural traditions, family structures, and community norms significantly influence human behavior. Without the knowledge about a specific community the missing perspective is too often discovered too late in the process. Undiscovered competitors, cultural practices that block adoption, and homemade alternatives can result in the demise of a start-up. This book introduces concepts that frame new ways to approach information gathering and analysis for social entrepreneurial ideas. The book provides the reader guidance on: 1) how to move from heart-tugging issues to social entrepreneurial opportunities with high potential; 2) how to understand and assess the societal and policy environment in which the opportunity would be implemented; 3) how to analyze and select the best approaches for that circumstance; 4) how to frame a results focused approach; and 5) how to communicate the product or new approach to gain investors, grants and community engagement. Experienced nonprofit sector leaders have developed the concepts, principles, and application tools introduced here. A number of tools were developed by the authors and have been tested in communities across North America. Other tools introduced are modifications of standard business analysis tools that enable easier application in the social entrepreneurial environment. All the tools have been used in graduate courses and community settings. The intended audience for this book includes people with a passion to make the world a better place, college students and business students seeking new ways to address unmet needs, students and others studying entrepreneurship and innovation (undergraduate and graduate students), executive education programs and training programs reaching the nonprofit sector managers and leaders, and public, nonprofit, and private sector intermediary organizations focused on addressing local region or national social or environmental issues.

About

Abstract

This chapter is excerpted from ‘Social Entrepreneurship: From Issue to Viable Plan'. This book provides a guided deep dive into the early stages of venture development of social entrepreneurship. It introduces concepts that provide important insights necessary for social venture success. It introduces a set of entrepreneurial tools designed for the unique set of challenges faced in selecting and designing social entrepreneurial ventures. With this book as a guide, the reader can develop a feasible venture concept and communicate it effectively. A passion to address social and environmental issues is the motivation for a growing number of entrepreneurs. Yet, effective approaches addressing these societal issues can be difficult to discern. Approaches cannot be well formulated using the traditional market place framework of traditional entrepreneurship. For example, traditional market and target market analyses miss important aspects of potential customer behavior. Cultural traditions, family structures, and community norms significantly influence human behavior. Without the knowledge about a specific community the missing perspective is too often discovered too late in the process. Undiscovered competitors, cultural practices that block adoption, and homemade alternatives can result in the demise of a start-up. This book introduces concepts that frame new ways to approach information gathering and analysis for social entrepreneurial ideas. The book provides the reader guidance on: 1) how to move from heart-tugging issues to social entrepreneurial opportunities with high potential; 2) how to understand and assess the societal and policy environment in which the opportunity would be implemented; 3) how to analyze and select the best approaches for that circumstance; 4) how to frame a results focused approach; and 5) how to communicate the product or new approach to gain investors, grants and community engagement. Experienced nonprofit sector leaders have developed the concepts, principles, and application tools introduced here. A number of tools were developed by the authors and have been tested in communities across North America. Other tools introduced are modifications of standard business analysis tools that enable easier application in the social entrepreneurial environment. All the tools have been used in graduate courses and community settings. The intended audience for this book includes people with a passion to make the world a better place, college students and business students seeking new ways to address unmet needs, students and others studying entrepreneurship and innovation (undergraduate and graduate students), executive education programs and training programs reaching the nonprofit sector managers and leaders, and public, nonprofit, and private sector intermediary organizations focused on addressing local region or national social or environmental issues.

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