New Strategies for Social Innovation

Market-based development strategies designed to help the world's poor receive significant support from advocates, academics, governments, and the media, yet frequently the perceived success of these programs rests on carefully selected examples and one-sided, enthusiastic accounts. In practice, these approaches are often poorly defined and executed, with little balanced, comparative analysis of their true strengths and weaknesses. This book is the first to assess emerging market-based social change approaches comparatively, focusing specifically on social entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility, fair trade, and private sustainable development. Steven G. Anderson begins by identifying the problems these programs address and then describes their core, shared principles. He follows with a general framework for defining and evaluating these and other development approaches. Separate chapters provide background on the historical development and application of each approach, as well as interpretations of the processes for implementation and the underlying behavioral assumptions related to successful outcomes.A final chapter compares each approach across a set of important program development dimensions and analyzes the utility of market-based approaches as part of a general consideration of social development strategies for the developing world.

A timely and original conceptualization, this groundbreaking book analyzes the most recent trends in market-oriented approaches to social development. Through a rigorous assessment of corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, private sustainable development, and fair trade, Steven G. Anderson delivers a sound understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches. A stimulating analysis full of invaluable insights, this work is a must-read for social change agents. -- Neil Gilbert, University of California, Berkeley This is a terrific book that brings social entrepreneurship into perspective as one of many ways to achieve social impact and innovation. Anderson has done a masterful job in pulling together the fragmented literature on social innovation. He avoids the standard cheerleading that characterizes so many market-based approaches to solving global poverty and other seemingly intractable problems. Not only does he offer a set of clear-headed recommendations for harvesting thoughtful interventions but he is respectful toward all sides of the ongoing debate about what does and does not merit consideration as social innovation. -- Paul C. Light, New York University There is nothing quite like this book. It should make an important contribution to the academic literature on markets and social change and to our broader thinking about social policy and the comparative advantages of businesses, nonprofit organizations, and hybrids. -- Diane Kaplan Vinokur, University of Michigan A useful guide for scholars who are interested in the implications of public-private partnerships and various market-based strategies for nonprofits or social service organizations. -- Wonhyung Lee Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly

Steven G. Anderson is professor and director of the School of Social Work at Michigan State University. He received a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan and has served as a Fulbright Scholar in China. His research interests focus on strategies for improving the well-being of the poor.