Social Entrepreneurship

What a Few Individuals Can Accomplish

The small group of hijackers who committed the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks showed the world what immense destruction a few focused individuals can accomplish. Conversely, small groups also can do immense good. Across the globe, teams of dedicated individuals are focusing on and solving intractable issues, including hunger, poverty, human rights violations, disease, political corruption and environmental destruction. The members of this “citizen sector” use “powerful ideas and new tools” to address the world’s most daunting problems. They “unleash human potential” by helping people in distress help themselves, allowing them to “live with dignity.”

In the past, people labeled these progressive individuals as “visionaries, humanitarians, philanthropists, reformers, saints or simply great leaders.” Today, “social entrepreneurs” emerge from every walk of life. They found and run “social enterprises,” organizations that use entrepreneurial business techniques to address pressing public issues. A social entrepreneur can be an “intrapreneur,” someone who sparks positive activity within an existing business or organization, or...