Graziella Comini

A three-pronged approach to social business: a Brazilian multi-case analysis

Social businesses present a new paradigm to capitalism, in which private companies, non-profit organizations and civil society create a new type of business with the main objective of solving social problems with financial sustainability and efficiency through market mechanisms. As any new phenomenon, different authors conceptualize social businesses with distinct views. This article aims to present and characterize three different perspectives of social business definitions: the European, the American and that of the emerging countries. Each one of these views was illustrated by a different Brazilian case. We conclude with the idea that all the cases have similar characteristics, but also relevant differences that are more than merely geographical. The perspectives analyzed in this paper provide an analytical framework for understanding the field of social businesses. Moreover, the cases demonstrate that in the Brazilian context the field of social business is under construction and that as such it draws on different conceptual influences to deal with a complex and challenging reality.Empresas sociais apresentam um novo paradigma para o capitalismo, em que as empresas privadas, organizacoes sem fins lucrativos e da sociedade civil criam um novo tipo de negocio com o objetivo principal de resolver problemas sociais com sustentabilidade financeira e eficiencia por meio de mecanismos de mercado. Como todos os fenomenos novos, diferentes autores conceituam negocios sociais com visoes distintas. Neste artigo, visa-se apresentar e caracterizar tres perspectivas diferentes de definicoes de negocios sociais: o europeu, o norte-americano e as perspectivas de paises emergentes. Cada um desses pontos de vista foi ilustrado por um caso diferente do Brasil. Conclui-se com a ideia de que todos os casos tem caracteristicas semelhantes, mas tambem algumas diferencas relevantes que sao mais do que apenas geograficas. As perspectivas analisadas neste trabalho fornecem um quadro analitico para compreender o campo dos negocios sociais. Alem disso, os casos demonstram que, no contexto brasileiro, o campo dos negocios sociais esta em construcao e, como tal, recorre a diferentes influencias conceituais para lidar com uma realidade complexa e desafiadora.

Aprendizagem e desenvolvimento de competências: articulando teoria e prática em programas de pós-graduação em formação gerencial

An analysis carried out in Brazilian programs of executive education reveals that the curricula and the pedagogic methods of these courses are not completely linked with particularities of the work environment, so they are apart of the conditions in which the competences will be developed. Based on surveys and interviews applied to around 300 students participating in 14 programs of managerial formation, this articles points out the contribution of some learning approaches: social learning systems, experiential learning, situated leaning and learning communities. The objective of this proposal is to build some references for competence development in programs of executive education.

Sustainable development: from responsibility to entrepreneurship

, Sociologa, e Professora Titular do Departamento de Administracao da Faculdade de Economia, Administracao e Contabilidade da Universidade de Sao Paulo (CEP 05508-010 – Sao Paulo/SP, Brasil), Diretora do Centro de Empreendedorismo Social e Administracao em Terceiro Setor (CEATS) e Coordenadora do MBA Gestao e Empreendedorismo Social da Fundacao Instituto de Administracao.E-mail: rfischer@usp.brEndereco:Universidade de Sao PauloFEA – Departamento de AdministracaoAvenida Professor Luciano Gualberto, 908 – FEA1Cidade UniversitariaButanta05508-010 – Sao Paulo – SP

The international growth of a social business: a case study

In developing countries, initiatives have often been undertaken in order to fight social and environmental problems. Since the 1990s, an increase can be seen in corporate social responsibility actions, as well as increasingly strong activities by civil society organizations. Tweenty years ago, companies and civil society organizations stood wide apart from each other, with often conflicting agendas and resistance to mutual collaboration. This reality has changed significantly. Besides the phenomenon of cross-sector partnerships, we can also observe the expansion of a particular organization type, i.e., the social business, which combines two objectives that were previously seen as incompatible: financial sustainability and the generation of social value. This article aims to discuss the factors that influence the results of a social business operating in three countries: Botswana, Brazil and Jordan. The results allow understanding the challenges involved in constructing social businesses in developing countries as well as a better understanding of the very nature of those businesses, considering the social realities where they operate.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SOCIAL BUSINESS: RETROSPECTIVE AND PROSPECTIVE RESEARCH

Social Entrepreneurship and Social Business (SE/SB), inclusive business, businesses with social impact and a higher purpose are becoming increasingly important both in academia and the busi -ness world (Sassmannshausen & Volkmann, 2013). Since the influential article by Dees (1998), many different perspectives about social entrepreneurship and social business have been dis-cussed in academia. On the management side, these types of businesses have also proliferated in the last decades. Yunus with his work leading Grameen Bank has inspired many other entrepre -neurs and organizations to create a new kind of business more embedded with a social purpose.The main purpose of the Social Entrepreneurship and Social Business (SE/SB) field is to diminish vulnerabilities and social inequalities in the world. Indeed, SE/SB are emerging as prac -titioners of market forces that play an integrative role in bridging sustainable business models with society needs, that still exist because of opportunities arising from government gaps.According to Yunus (2010), one of the goals of SE/SB is to reduce poverty. Therefore, another stream of thought that is aligned with SE/SB is the Base of the Pyramid (BoP). From the semi-nal article by Prahalad and Hart (2002) much has been debated about BoP and how businesses might have a social impact. From a first approach based on the idea of a market base, the BoP field has evolved to a more inclusive perspective that has some relations to the concepts of SE/SB and currently has some of the same challenges of creating more inclusive approaches.The purposes of this article are twofold: firstly to examine some of the main themes dis-cussed about SE/SB up to the moment and secondly to present some major themes that we believe will be the focus in the next years.

Continuities and change in Brazilian administrative reform

This paper analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the 1995 administrative reform proposal announced by the Brazilian government. The reform proposal, described in the Directive Plan on the Reform of the Governmental Apparatus – a document publicly released by the Brazilian authorities – argues that the need for reform springs from a “crisis of the state”, involving three aspects: a fiscal crisis resulting from the incapacity of the government to face current public services costs; the collapse of interventionist governments within a global economy; and the failure of the bureaucratic model in the delivery of public services. Adopting the theoretical reform strategy framework developed by Matus in 1996, this paper focuses on eight aspects of the reform in discussing strengths and weaknesses. Finally, the paper discusses the similarities of the reform proposal to the administrative reform undertaken by the Brazilian government in 1967, the effects of the current political environment on the reform proposal and the role of administrative reform in governmental policies. The overall conclusion is that, in addition to the lack of a clear implementation strategy, the administrative reform proposal over‐emphasizes the solving of the fiscal crisis and ignores the role of reform in addressing problems of inequality. Consequently, the reform may lack purpose if it is not strategically connected to wider and encompassing policies aimed at ameliorating acute social problems.

Construindo Redes e Comunidades Virtuais no Terceiro Setor: A Experiência do Congresso Latino-Americano contra o Trabalho Infantil

This article aims to present a model of virtual social intervention in the Third Sector, which used several resources and strategies of Information Technology to build communities on the Web. This paper presents both the methodology used in the development of virtual environment and also the results of this initiative. The experience presented here is well known as the Latin American Congress on Child Labor, a space created to promote discussion, reflection, exchange of experiences and collective actions between the people who work with this cause and, thus, prevent and eradicate the child labor.

Tres perspectivas para negocios sociales: un análisis de casos múltiples brasileños

Social businesses present a new paradigm to capitalism, in which private companies, non-profit organizations and civil society create a new type of business with the main objective of solving social problems with financial sustainability and efficiency through market mechanisms. As any new phenomenon, different authors conceptualize social businesses with distinct views. This article aims to present and characterize three different perspectives of social business definitions: the European, the American and that of the emerging countries. Each one of these views was illustrated by a different Brazilian case. We conclude with the idea that all the cases have similar characteristics, but also relevant differences that are more than merely geographical. The perspectives analyzed in this paper provide an analytical framework for understanding the field of social businesses. Moreover, the cases demonstrate that in the Brazilian context the field of social business is under construction and that as such it draws on different conceptual influences to deal with a complex and challenging reality.Empresas sociais apresentam um novo paradigma para o capitalismo, em que as empresas privadas, organizacoes sem fins lucrativos e da sociedade civil criam um novo tipo de negocio com o objetivo principal de resolver problemas sociais com sustentabilidade financeira e eficiencia por meio de mecanismos de mercado. Como todos os fenomenos novos, diferentes autores conceituam negocios sociais com visoes distintas. Neste artigo, visa-se apresentar e caracterizar tres perspectivas diferentes de definicoes de negocios sociais: o europeu, o norte-americano e as perspectivas de paises emergentes. Cada um desses pontos de vista foi ilustrado por um caso diferente do Brasil. Conclui-se com a ideia de que todos os casos tem caracteristicas semelhantes, mas tambem algumas diferencas relevantes que sao mais do que apenas geograficas. As perspectivas analisadas neste trabalho fornecem um quadro analitico para compreender o campo dos negocios sociais. Alem disso, os casos demonstram que, no contexto brasileiro, o campo dos negocios sociais esta em construcao e, como tal, recorre a diferentes influencias conceituais para lidar com uma realidade complexa e desafiadora.

Três perspectivas para negócios sociais: uma análise multicasos brasileiros

Social businesses present a new paradigm to capitalism, in which private companies, non-profit organizations and civil society create a new type of business with the main objective of solving social problems with financial sustainability and efficiency through market mechanisms. As any new phenomenon, different authors conceptualize social businesses with distinct views. This article aims to present and characterize three different perspectives of social business definitions: the European, the American and that of the emerging countries. Each one of these views was illustrated by a different Brazilian case. We conclude with the idea that all the cases have similar characteristics, but also relevant differences that are more than merely geographical. The perspectives analyzed in this paper provide an analytical framework for understanding the field of social businesses. Moreover, the cases demonstrate that in the Brazilian context the field of social business is under construction and that as such it draws on different conceptual influences to deal with a complex and challenging reality.Empresas sociais apresentam um novo paradigma para o capitalismo, em que as empresas privadas, organizacoes sem fins lucrativos e da sociedade civil criam um novo tipo de negocio com o objetivo principal de resolver problemas sociais com sustentabilidade financeira e eficiencia por meio de mecanismos de mercado. Como todos os fenomenos novos, diferentes autores conceituam negocios sociais com visoes distintas. Neste artigo, visa-se apresentar e caracterizar tres perspectivas diferentes de definicoes de negocios sociais: o europeu, o norte-americano e as perspectivas de paises emergentes. Cada um desses pontos de vista foi ilustrado por um caso diferente do Brasil. Conclui-se com a ideia de que todos os casos tem caracteristicas semelhantes, mas tambem algumas diferencas relevantes que sao mais do que apenas geograficas. As perspectivas analisadas neste trabalho fornecem um quadro analitico para compreender o campo dos negocios sociais. Alem disso, os casos demonstram que, no contexto brasileiro, o campo dos negocios sociais esta em construcao e, como tal, recorre a diferentes influencias conceituais para lidar com uma realidade complexa e desafiadora.