Innovation and Technology for Social Enterprises

Excerpt: The social enterprise has emerged as a key actor in efforts to address the many complex issues facing the world today. Its focus on providing a benefit to society as a whole rather than just the owners of the enterprise makes it ideal for addressing the global concerns of the environment, healthcare, education, economic growth, and poverty alleviation. Traditionally, a social enterprise was structured as a not‐for‐profit organization, but increasingly, for‐profit institutions have realized the value and importance of incorporating the concepts of the social enterprise into their own operations. As a result, today’s generation of social enterprises embrace both not‐for‐profit and for‐profit mindsets; they understand that social improvement and profits can be complementary. This chapter will highlight how today’s social enterprises drive social and economic value.

Link: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/egms/docs/2013/ict/innovation-technology-s…