"Social Innovation and Business Models" module lead by Nikhil Sareen from ISB (Diffusion Pune - 2 day residential workshop for non-profit and social enterprises)

1. Sponsored by
Social Innovation
and Business
Models
Nikhil Sareen

2. Focus of the session
• Brief discussion of concepts
• Sharing of real life examples
• An extremely interactive session
• A dedicated Q&A session at the end

3. What is Social Innovation
• Definition
• Why is it important ?
• How does it apply in today’s world ?
• Why set up a social enterprise ?

4. Social Innovation - Definitions
• Definition 1:
Social Innovation refers to new strategies, ideas and organizations that meet social
needs of all kinds – from working conditions and education to community development
and health – and that extend and strengthen civil society.
• Definition 2:
Even more simply, a social innovation is an idea that works for the public good
• Definition 3:
Social innovation refers to innovations in those fields - education, healthcare, mobility,
poverty, social exclusion, environmental sustainability, and other public goods. - which
are usually deemed to fall under the responsibility of governments (the Public Sector),
but which have increasingly been addressed by the Third Sector (such as charity
organizations)

5. Why is Social Innovation important ?
• Earlier commercial businesses and social service were distinct
• Ex – Tata’s social wing, CRY etc worked solely on donations and completely
relied on money being given to them, which caused problems and forced them
to be heavily dependent
• The next logical step was bringing innovation in order to create self sustaining
entities
• Hence, social innovation has become so important today

6. What is the difference between a for-profit, non-profit
and social enterprise ?

7. Difference between for-profit, non-profit and social
enterprise
• For profits work towards maximizing shareholder value
• Nonprofits came into existence because for-profits weren't addressing social needs.
• Nonprofits rely primarily on charitable contributions, public funding to support their
programs and cover their administrative overhead.
• Nonprofits are often confused with social enterprises. Over the years, nonprofits
have increasingly been unable to achieve sustainability and achieve their intended
purposes.
• Ex: Google has created a charitable arm-Google.org-which has committed over 100
million dollars in grants and investments to advance social causes. Does this make
Google a social enterprise?
• To the extent that Google.org is operated as a separate entity, a case could be made
that Google.org is a social enterprise but the parent company-Google-is not.

8. Difference between for-profit, non-profit and social
enterprise
• Social entrepreneurs build profitable business models in which doing good is an
intrinsic part of the business and not just a philanthropic sideline.
• Social enterprises also have a double bottom line: social impact and financial
viability.
• Nonprofits are often confused with social enterprises. Traditional nonprofits and
citizen groups have been mainly distinguished by their benevolent intent.
• In contrast, social entrepreneurs stand out by their pragmatic emphasis on getting
results. The results driving the social enterprise are achieved through the revenue
model.

9. Social Enterprise
A social enterprise is an organization that applies commercial strategies to
maximize improvements in human and environmental well-being, rather than
maximizing profits for external shareholders. Social enterprises can be
structured as a for-profit or non-profit, and may take the form of a co-
operative, mutual organization, a social business, or a charity organization.

10. List of Social Enterprises
• Aravind Eye Hospital
• BRAC
• Grameen Bank
• Pratham
• Acumen Fund
• Others

11. Social Enterprise Business Models
Social enterprises apply business solutions to social problems. The ultimate goal
is to achieve sustainability by enabling non-profits to support themselves
financially in innovative ways instead of relying solely on grants and donations.
Since there are no shareholders in a non-profit organization, the profits from the
related social enterprise are completely re-invested in the work of the
organization.
Essential to the success of a social enterprise is an effective business model. A
business model includes two key elements:
• an operating strategy that includes internal organizational structure and external
partnerships that are crucial for creating the organization’s intended impact; and,
• a resource strategy that defines where and on what terms the organization will
acquire the resources (financial and human) it needs to do its work.

12. Social Enterprise Business Models (Cont)
A social enterprise can be integrated with the non-profit organization in one of several ways:
Embedded:
• The enterprise and the social program are one and the same. The business is created to serve
clients (central to the mission)
• The principles characteristic of the two types of enterprise have merged at the levels of strategy
and execution
Integrated:
• The business activities overlap with the social programs and the business is created as a funding
mechanism and to expand/enhance the mission of the organization
• The flow of benefits becomes bilateral as resources are exchanged and learning becomes mutual
External:
• Social and business activities are separate and may or may not be related to the mission of the
organization and the business is created mainly as a funding mechanism to support social activities
• the relationship is one-sided, as one between a charitable donor and a recipient; there are no
elements of integrated strategies or management functions.

13. Social Enterprise Business Models (Cont)
• Social enterprises can be classified by their mission orientation, by the level of
integration between non-profit social programs and for-profit business, and by their
intended target markets.
• Three stages can be distinguished in the process of integration between profit-oriented
and non-profit businesses. They largely correspond to the philanthropic, transactional,
and integrative collaboration.
At the external stage, the relationship is one-sided, as one between a charitable donor
and a recipient; there are no elements of integrated strategies or management functions.
At the integrated stage, the flow of benefits becomes bilateral as resources are exchanged
and learning becomes mutual.
At the embedded stage, the principles characteristic of the two types of enterprise have
merged at the levels of strategy and execution such that social programs are managed
with the efficiency typical of private business, and for-profit projects are designed with
responsibility and care for others

14. Social Enterprise Business Models (Cont)
If there are 3 types of mission-orientation, 3 types of
integration between not-for profit and for-profit
activities, and 5 types of target markets, there would
be 3×3×5 = 45 possible combinations. However,
mission-orientation and type of integration are highly
correlated, and a business unrelated to mission
should not count as a social enterprise. This reduces
conceivable combinations to 2×5 = 10.
According to the logical structure of social relations,
H (x, y, L), x = social enterprise, y = target population (or
beneficiaries), L = goods or services transacted on
markets on which they are otherwise traded, and H is
the specific model that results from the combinations
between the three arguments.
The options have been further consolidated into 9
fundamental types of business models for social
enterprises which are feasible and indeed widely
implemented

15. Social Enterprise Business Models (Cont)

16. Social Enterprise Business Models (Cont)
Model Example
Entrepreneur Support model Micro lending on the Grameen model has facilitated the emergence of a new class of
business owners in less developed countries
Market intermediary model Handicraft organizations
Employment model Providing work opportunities in landscape, cafes, printing, or other business
Fee for service model Membership organizations, museums, and clinics
Low income client as market Healthcare, utility programs
Cooperative model Bulk purchasing, collective bargaining (union), agricultural coops, credit unions
Market linkage model Import-export or broker services
Service subsidization model Consulting, counseling, employment training
Organizational support model Similar to service subsidization– implement any type of business that leverages assets

17. Social Enterprise Business Models (Cont)
Business Model How it works Examples Key Success Factors
Entrepreneur support Sells business support Microfinance Appropriate training for
to its target population. organizations, the entrepreneur
consulting, or tech
support
Market intermediary Provide services to Supply cooperatives like Low start-up costs,
clients to help them fair trade, agriculture, allows clients to stay
access markets. and handicraft and work in their
organizations community
Employment Provide employment Disabilities or youth Job training
opportunity and job organizations providing appropriateness and
training to clients and work opportunities in commercial viability
then sells its products or landscape, cafes,
services on the open printing, or other
market. business

18. Social Enterprise Business Models (Cont)
Business Model How it works Examples Key Success Factors
Fee-for-service Selling social services directly Membership Establishing the
to clients or a third-party organizations, museums, appropriate fee structure
payer. and clinics vis a vis the benefits
Low-income client Similar to fee-for-service in Healthcare Creative distribution
terms of offering services to (prescriptions, systems, lower
clients but focuses on eyeglasses), utility production and
providing access to those who programs marketing costs, high
couldn’t otherwise afford it. operating efficiencies
Cooperative Provides members with Bulk purchasing, Members have common
benefits through collective collective bargaining interests/needs, are key
services. (union), agricultural stakeholders, and
coops, credit unions investors

19. Social Enterprise Business Models (Cont)
Business Model How it works Examples Key Success Factors
Market linkage Facilitates trade relationships import-export, market Does not sell clients’
between clients and the research, and broker products but connects
external market. services clients to markets
Service Sells products or services to an Consulting, counseling, Can leverage tangible
subsidization external market to help fund employment training, assets (buildings, land,
other social programs. This leasing, printing services, employees) or intangible
model is integrated with the etc. (expertise,
non-profit organization; the methodologies, or
business activities and social relationships)
programs overlap.
Organizational Similar to service Similar to service Similar to service
support subsidization, but applying the subsidization– subsidization.
external model; business implement any type of
activities are separate from business that leverages
social programs its assets

20. Grameen Danone
• What is Grameen Danone ?
• How did it come into being ?
• How does it sustain as a social enterprise ?
• Other projects ?

21. Role of the for-profit organizations in setting up
successful social enterprises
• Why is their role very important ?
• How do they fit in ?
• Can for-profit organization set up social enterprises ?
• Some examples ?

22. Transition from a non-profit to a social enterprise
• Is it possible ? If yes ? How ?
• How can this be achieved ?
• Challenges ?
• Some examples ?

23. Acumen Fund
Acumen Fund was incorporated on April 1, 2001, with seed capital from the
Rockefeller Foundation, Cisco Systems Foundation and three individual
philanthropists. Since then its network of investors and advisors has grown to
include a wide range of individuals and organizations who share our belief in
using entrepreneurial approaches to solve the problems of global poverty.
• Mission is to create a world beyond poverty by investing in social enterprises,
emerging leaders, and breakthrough ideas.
• Vision is that one day every human being will have access to the critical goods
and services they need – including
affordable health, water, housing, energy, agricultural inputs and services – so
that they can make decisions and choices for themselves and unleash their full
human potential. This is where dignity starts – not just for the poor but for
everyone on earth.
•

24. Acumen Fund (Cont)
Acumen Fund’s presence around the world:

25. Acumen Fund (Cont)
Acumen Fund’s presence around the world:
Portfolios of investments:
• Agriculture
• Education
• Energy
• Health
• Housing
• Water

26. Acumen Fund (Cont)
Acumen Fund Projects in India: (A total of 17 investments in India)
 Avani Bio Energy
 Drishtee
 Husk Power Systems
 Spring Health
 d.light design
 Ziqitza Health Care Limited
 Orb Energy
 Edubridge

27. Acumen Fund (Cont)
Ziqitza Health Care: ZHL operates the Emergency Medical Response (Ambulance)
Services under two models:
1) Dial '1298' for Ambulance: This model works on principle of cross subsidy
wherein the Ambulances are owned by ZHL and are made self sustainable by
charging the end user a charge which differ basis on the choice of the destination.
The principle of cross subsidy is used wherein:
• Full charge to a patient going by choice to a private hospital.
• Subsidized charge to a patient going by choice to a government / municipal
hospital.
• Free service to accident victims, unaccompanied unconscious individuals and
victims of mass casualty incidents

28. Acumen Fund (Cont)
2) “Dial '108' in Emergency” (popularly called 108 model):
This model is in public private partnership (PPP) with State Governments, this
could be either free to patient or on a user fee as per the contract with State
Government. The service is provided to emergency victims.
Currently ZHL is operating 860 Ambulances across the state of Bihar,
Rajasthan, Punjab, Mumbai, Kerala and Odisha.

29. Acumen Fund (Cont)
Drishtee
 Drishtee establishes kiosks that offer affordable Internet access, consumer
products and community services to rural Indian villages. Local entrepreneurs
manage these kiosks. The Drishtee network is vast, with more than 14,000
entrepreneurs registered to date and kiosks operating in three states.
 Offerings include computer education, English education, e-governance,
health check-ups, and a wide range of consumer goods such as groceries,
cosmetics, mobile phone recharge coupons, and rechargeable torches and
batteries.
 With Acumen Fund's investment, Drishtee is increasing the number and reach
of the entrepreneurs and expanding its health-related services.

30. Book Recommendations
• Building Social Business - Muhammad Yunus
• The Blue Sweater – Jacqueline Novogratz

31. THANK YOU
My Contact Details:
Nikhil Sareen
Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad
Nikhil_Sareen2013@pgp.isb.edu