How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas
By David Bornstein; 336 pages; published by Oxford
University Press
In the nonprofit sector, most people are familiar with the term 'social entrepreneur'.
Many probably know one (or might be one) and some likely work for an organization
that was founded by one. Despite a familiarity with this term, it's not always
clear what being a social entrepreneur entails, or what makes these people
tick. Unlike a business entrepreneur, who is often driven by a desire to successfully
develop an idea and profit personally from it, social entrepreneurs are propelled
by a vision that will ultimately benefit others, not themselves. Author David
Bornstein delves into their world, profiling social entrepreneurs from around
the globe, including Bill Drayton, founder of Ashoka, an organization that
supports social entrepreneurs in the work they're doing.
While it is certainly inspiring to learn about such people as Fabio Rosa,
who helped provide electricity to hundreds of thousands of rural Brazilians,
or Veronica Khosa, who developed a home care model for AIDS patients in South
Africa, How to Change the World also offers something more. Drawn from
the experiences of successful social entrepreneurs, Bornstein highlights innovative
practices that all organizations in the 'citizen sector' can and should embrace.
These include making a strong commitment to listening, paying attention to
the exceptional, designing real solutions for real people, and focusing on
the human qualities when hiring and managing staff. There are also lessons
here for budding social entrepreneurs, with an entire chapter on the six qualities
that successful social entrepreneurs possess. As Bornstein points out, "For anyone who gets a kick out of challenging the status quo, shaking up the system, or practicing a little entrepreneurial 'creative destruction' - these are propitious times."
Buy the book:
Canada: buy through Amazon.ca: CDN$27.97
International: buy through Amazon.com: US$18.90
