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Building Social Business
Book

Building Social Business

The New Kind of Capitalism That Serves Humanity's Most Pressing Needs

Public Affairs, 2010
First Edition: 2008 more...


Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Innovative

Recommendation

Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, a microcredit lender, won the Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to fighting world poverty. Although the government of Bangladesh eventually forced him to leave the bank (possibly for political reasons), his views still convey great force. Yunus espouses an economy that embraces humanity as a pool of positive potential. His book, written with Karl Weber, lays out a blueprint for “social business.” It details compelling case studies of how various Grameen enterprises handle everyday market problems. getAbstract recommends it to executives who want to enfranchise good works, and to garage-office entrepreneurs and public policy technocrats who believe in a world with less poverty, but who need a little guidance to get there.

Take-Aways

  • People are as motivated by the desire to help others as by personal greed.
  • The world’s economic system creates and perpetuates poverty by denying credit opportunities to the poor.
  • Targeted business practices can address seemingly intractable social problems.

About the Author

The 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus, founded Grameen Bank.