Wednesday 7 November 2012

Where to study social enterprise?

I've been looking at options to study social enterprise in higher education. There seems to be many schools in the US and UK that offer such programs. For example, the Harvard Business School has an entire faculty for research and teaching social enterprise. It would be an interesting option for someone looking to pursue an MBA. The University of Oxford also Said Business School has a Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship. As one of Europe's fastest growing business schools, this is also an appealing option. The school is also where the Skoll World Forum takes place (it gathers social entrepreneurs from around the world to share ideas). In the search process I also came across a website dedicated to social enterprise news, which seems to be a great resource for learning about social enterprises and social entrepreneurship.

Tuesday 6 November 2012

What role does finance play in international development?

Recently, there seems to be more and more organizations creating investment funds that support businesses developing countries trying to improve society. These are called impact investments. It is about combining financial goals and social goals. The point is to make money and create social impact, with the latter being the main focus of these investments. This type of investment style seems to make a lot more sense than simply making money. By supporting businesses that are creating positive change for society, everyone benefits. I think that's why the idea is also catching on in European countries as a result of the economic crisis. I am looking forward to hearing more about them.