Skoll World Forum 2007 Review
This year's Skoll World Forum focussed upon Innovation in Social Enterprise. I attended a couple of academic presentations, but found that I learnt the most - as always - through informal chats with some of the remarkable people the Forum attracts every year.
Should social entrepreneurs stick around after their ventures have become institutionalized? An academic presentation illustrated how 'entrepreneurial energy' was only used in the start-up phrase of a venture. Four practising social entrepreneurs discussed exit strategies - Jeroo Billimoria tells her staff at the start of a venture that she will be leaving in three years time, and that seems to work well. Another panellist had more difficulties exiting his venture, perhaps because the people around him had not been prepared for the transition.
An academic from the University of Denver introduced me to the concept of 'benchstrength' as pioneered by Jack Welch at General Electric. Welch always promoted internally, and fostered competition between those managers immediately below him. I think social enterprise could learn much from his example.
The Forum is turning increasingly into a reunion event, and could do with some new blood in terms of speakers. I found the more informal, 'orange' session the most interesting. Martin Burt presented on how he had turned a school in Paraguay into a self-sustaining business college. Very cool.
As always, money was a big theme. Inevitably, many social enterprises are reliant upon outside funding, especially in the start-up phrase. Yet I feel more emphasis has to be placed upon accessing international markets, producing a product that can be sold, and creating organic revenue.
The best social enterprises are those which make their own money. As the ethical product market in the West is growing so quickly, I think social entrepreneurs need to try and access these markets as soon as possible.
Most of the people I spoke to preferred this year's Forum to the star-filled event last year. The theory was more practical, the presenters were doing things on the ground right now, and there was more collaboration in the sessions between audience and panellists (which makes the Forum unique, as it attracts so many qualified people that it is impossible to discriminate between teacher and student).
Should social entrepreneurs stick around after their ventures have become institutionalized? An academic presentation illustrated how 'entrepreneurial energy' was only used in the start-up phrase of a venture. Four practising social entrepreneurs discussed exit strategies - Jeroo Billimoria tells her staff at the start of a venture that she will be leaving in three years time, and that seems to work well. Another panellist had more difficulties exiting his venture, perhaps because the people around him had not been prepared for the transition.
An academic from the University of Denver introduced me to the concept of 'benchstrength' as pioneered by Jack Welch at General Electric. Welch always promoted internally, and fostered competition between those managers immediately below him. I think social enterprise could learn much from his example.
The Forum is turning increasingly into a reunion event, and could do with some new blood in terms of speakers. I found the more informal, 'orange' session the most interesting. Martin Burt presented on how he had turned a school in Paraguay into a self-sustaining business college. Very cool.
As always, money was a big theme. Inevitably, many social enterprises are reliant upon outside funding, especially in the start-up phrase. Yet I feel more emphasis has to be placed upon accessing international markets, producing a product that can be sold, and creating organic revenue.
The best social enterprises are those which make their own money. As the ethical product market in the West is growing so quickly, I think social entrepreneurs need to try and access these markets as soon as possible.
Most of the people I spoke to preferred this year's Forum to the star-filled event last year. The theory was more practical, the presenters were doing things on the ground right now, and there was more collaboration in the sessions between audience and panellists (which makes the Forum unique, as it attracts so many qualified people that it is impossible to discriminate between teacher and student).
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