Customer Reviews

How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

So many of us share a palpable hunger to make the world a better place. You can sense it in vigorous retirees still aching to contribute; and in restless baby boomers ready to marry the idealism of the '60s to all their practical skills gained since then. And you can easily detect it in young people. They refuse to inherit such hollow, bankrupt ideas as slavishly working and consuming being either their destiny or patriotic duty.

Without question, many people are ready to roll up their sleeves and dig in to fix, or at least substantially address, the very problems that evade governments and established institutions.

Some folks, David Bornstein shows us, are doing that all over the world already.

This thoughtful, well-researched book serves up plenty of hope replete with case studies from around the globe. Dig in to this book and you will believe that people with imagination and commitment can make substantial contributions. (Though, despite the author's assertion, it still helps, in a major way, to have connections to those with money or power.)

The book makes the case that a few driven people (who, as Bornstein points out, are not selfless) can make a major impact when more powerful players are either not willing or not capable to do what needs doing.

STORIES OF SOCIAL ACTION

The tapestry woven by Mr. Bornstein is mostly a collection of enlightening biographical profiles of social movers (in India, Brazil, South Africa, Hungary...). You'll find chapters on Florence Nightengale (yes, the 19th century British nurse), Bill Drayton, the founder of Ashoka (the organization that provides much of the foundation for Bornstein's interest and research), and others who've made great contributions with little notice.

Interspersed with the biographical profiles are essays about the phenomenon of social entrepreneuring. There is a chapter describing the "Six Qualities of Successful Social Entrepreneurs" (placed between an account of India's movement to provide access for the disabled, and a profile of former Unicef head James P. Grant).

GRAND MISSIONS, A PRACTICAL OMISSION

Quite surprisingly, what's not to be found in the book is the content promised in its very title: HOW TO. For all the delights to be found in this far-reaching and well-documented work, that's a glaring gap. The title (probably the publisher's fancy) more accurately should have been: "Changing the World" or "People Who Are Making a Difference" or anything else that neither stated nor implied HOW TO.

The book's title is accurate in regard to its reference to changing the world. Bornstein's "How to Change the World" focuses on grand schemes that do demonstrably change parts of the world.

And that's a shortcoming for most of us readers. Profiling extraordinary social entrepreneurs -- whom the book describes as being "possessed" -- is a bit like using the biographies of Ted Turner, Richard Branson, and Bill Gates to make the case that starting a business can make a major impact on the world. You certainly must agree, but you don't really know what to do about it. (Unless the "HOW TO" is to hope and pray that more possessed people step forward to do good works rather than chase more lucrative traditional careers.)

"How to Change the World" definitely is not a primer on how to do good works on a modest scale. In fact, there isn't so much as a sidebar distilling lessons for the aspiring social entrepreneur (something such as "How to Convert Your Own Stirrings Into Social Action"). A quasi-practical-sounding chapter on "Blueprint Copying" essentially says that it's a good idea not to reinvent the wheel if you don't have to.

So I left the book as I started it, still hungry for actionable advice on how to give birth to my own nascent, modestly ambitious, do-gooding idea (creating a tradition -- and mechanism -- whereby every December 26th people donate their unwanted holiday gifts to charities that can redistribute them or otherwise mine them for value. "Gift Back Day" would be a charitable version of England's Boxing Day.)

CONCLUSION

Reading this book, I did come to believe that:

1) Exceptional people with neither high office nor deep pockets (but with unusual drive and maybe some well-placed connections) can accomplish great things -- and are doing that with very impressive results. And

2) The mass media, destructively obsessed with tragedy and failure, has ignored social entrepreneuring while lazily traipsing around the old, familiar bastions of power.

Interestingly, Mr. Bornstein notes in his Conclusion:

"To be sure, some social entrepreneurs seem hard-wired. But countless other people, perhaps less single-minded and obsessive in their focus, share the desire and possess the talent to build and support citizen organizations at all levels."

Yes. And we'll be here waiting for a book that addresses us.

[A related article on the social entrepreneur phenomenon
appeared in the New York Times, December 20, 2003.]

My takeaway from this highly inspirational book is: Dare to care. In a self-obsessed world, where the "I" reigns supreme, along comes a book that has the potential to change that for ever. I would be surprised if this book did not serve as a catalyst for all those people who are aching to leave their mark on the earth's future by altering the world for the better.

In How to Change the World, author David Bornstein presents short biographies of ordinary citizens who have cared enough to actually go out and change what is wrong in society. The nine stories of social entrepreneurs or innovators, dubbed 'transformative forces' by the author, have the power to inspire readers to want to do something. The fine examples of social entrepreneurship within the pages of this book make one realize that there is hope for the planet after all.

To quote Bornstein, "Across the world, social entrepreneurs are demonstrating new approaches to many social ills and new models to create social wealth, promote social well-being, and restore the environment." What is tremendously energizing is that so many of these change agents already exist and are moving mountains for you and me, and for our children.

The major contribution of the book is that it underlines that one doesn't have to be rich or powerful to alter the current reality. What is required is to feel empathy and concern in high doses, and to recognize and understand a problem. The stories trace how, if one is sufficiently charged, creative ideas for `getting around' problem areas -- be it public apathy or bureaucratic indifference -- flow naturally. The hallmark of a true social entrepreneur really shines through at the next stage, when these ideas are converted into reality.

For Bornstein, these illuminating stories are merely the fireworks display. What he goes on to do is to distill for us the factors that ensure success of any venture -- the do's, the don't's, the must-watch-out-for's, the how-to's. Everything that you ever needed to know about entrepreneuring, but didn't know where to start, is in here. What is the citizen sector and what have been its achievements thus far? What are the qualities of successful social entrepreneurs? What is so cutting-edge about their work that makes their strategy stand apart? Are they really effecting a systems change as against providing band-aid? What are the Four Practices of innovative organizations? Whom do you turn to if you want to become a social entrepreneur?

Bornstein attempts to answer all these, and more. For the very first time ever, we have been given a viable, highly sophisticated blueprint for pattern-changing social action. Bornstein has done the world a service by putting this into the easy reach of anyone who has a conscience.

Policy makers should make note of the book as it offers insights on how to look at problems and problem solving. It is particularly enlightening to note that all the social entrepreneurs in the book have facilitated some form of cross-sectoral partnership, be it with municipal-level governing bodies, state-level government departments, or businesses.

The book also spotlights win-win models of strategic convergence between social good and businesses. Original and ingenious examples of the entrepreneurship process, and its effectiveness of strategy, could serve the business sector well.

For academia, the book throws up diverse areas of social and economic concern that beg a relook and analysis.

The media, saturated as it is with reports of a world gone horribly wrong, could infuse fresh hope and energy with incisive stories on the work of social entrepreneurs.

And for young people, who hold the keys to the world's future, this book is a must-read. At an age when cynicism is almost a virtue, it will inspire them, and hammer home the realization that there is an alternative route to getting meaning from life. By changing others' lives.

This account of one man's efforts to revise the defintion of "entrepreneur" demonstrates the capacity of what can be achieved from small beginnings. Bill Drayton has created a "consulting" firm that girdles the world. Creator and promoter of Ashoka, a foundation dedicated to social change, Drayton uses a highly selective arrangement to locate and encourage people desiring social change. Their efforts, rarely, if ever, depicted in either mainstream media or even specialty publications, are here explained and endorsed. As is Drayton's unorthodox methods. Yet those methods, and the people adapting them to local conditions, have been demonstrably successful. They need further study and application.

Drayton, through Bornstein's depiction, has redefined the term "entrepreneur" from its narrow economic framework into a broader and more flexible environment. Money "profit" is no longer the basis for evaluation. Instead, how widely can a new idea and its promoter[s] affect betterment of the people shunted aside by pure capitalism? Is the multinational the sole or even the major means for offering employment and economic gain? Must the values implied by major infusions of capital, often with restraints tied to the investment, be limited to what firms successful in developed countries decide? Drayton argues that instead of "top-down" economic structures, change for the better should come about by local initiative. How far this idea has spread is exemplified by the map opening the book. From Brazil to Bangladesh, people with drive, patience and talent have made, and are making substantive changes within their communities, regions and entire nations.

The book provides real examples of people who identified a problem, then set about to improve conditions that had come to be accepted by social inertia. His opening example, that of Fabio Ruiz of Palmares, demonstrates how effective one person can be. Ruiz, living in a depressed area in Brazil, discovered how greatly something most of us take for granted, electrical power, could influence a local economy. Ruiz observed the condition of the rice farmers in the state. A steady supply of water would allow growth of successful crops. Erratic natural supplies, often interdicted by highland farmers, meant turning to groundwater supplies. Groundwater means pumps and petrol-driven pumps were expensive. Ruiz instituted an inexpensive method of distributing electricity throughout the area. The farmers provided the minimal investment and performed much of the labour. As electrification spread, farmers produced steady crop returns, reaching a level that led to marketing co-ops and economic independence. The programme meant dealing with banks, bureaucracy and competiton. Ruiz and his associates doggedly promoted their success, finally seeing it adapted to other regions. It's an object lesson for many rural farmers in the developing world.

Drayton's methods require a draconian approach to assessing ideas, programmes and the people behind them. Once an idea is presented, the obstacles and restraints must be planned for. A good suggestion isn't enough. The people seeking Ashoka's support must demonstrate they can follow through and adapt to changing conditions or outright opposition. From Brazil, through Africa, into the Subcontinent of India and its neighbours, back through Europe and North America, his evalution teams are constantly assessing, inquiring, and selecting those individuals and their plans for improvement. Money, of course, must be stretched to the limit. Government funding is a bane to most NGOs, since too many conditions are generally tied to resource allocation. Drayton's entrepreneurs must demonstrate their proposals are good enough to use with local resources. Only that way can they be launched into a project with Ashoka support. These projects aren't limited to developing countries alone. Bornstein shows how these examples may be applied to any community feeling their social advancement is under restraint. The models are clearly spelled out in detail. The only thing lacking in your community is the individual who can clearly identify the problems and find innovative ways of implementing the solutions. Is that you? [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

David Bornstein's new book How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas offers a superb introduction to the burgeoning field of social entrepreneurship, which has gained prominence in the past two decades but is still awkwardly explained. Rather than group radically different projects under the umbrella term "social entrepreneurship," Bornstein goes to the root and describes what makes a social entrepreneur. While well-known figures such as Florence Nightingale and Unicef head James P. Grant are described, most of the individuals profiled in the book are active, independent entrepreneurs found through the network resources of Bill Drayton's organization Ashoka: Innovators for the Public. Ashoka has broke new ground as a venture capital firm for social betterment, investing in carefully selected individuals and projects that promise long-term, sustainable returns - that is, positive social change - and more than any other organization promoting the ideas of social entrepreneurship around the globe.

It is telling that, on the surface, the entrepreneurs described have little in common. Vera Cordeiro, for example, grew up comfortably in the pampered upper strata of Brazilian society, while AIDS worker Veronica Khosa was orphaned at an early age in an impoverished village in South Africa. Fábio Rosa is a born tinkerer and engineer who built dams and irrigation systems in his backyard as a child, while Erzébet Szekeres was a mid-level tradesswoman who never considered the changing Hungary's treatment of the disabled until the birth of her disabled son. The variety of conditions and approaches Bornstein describes may appear bewildering at first, but in fact this breadth is perhaps most effectively drives the book's point home: Bornstein highlights the lateral thinking and tenacity of the entrepreneurs, who recognized and devoted themselves to solving problems others did not even acknowledge. Most of the entrepreneurs arrived at their methodologies through trial and error, never realizing at the time that others were engaged in analogous work in vastly disparate fields.

Many entrepreneurs conceive of projects in modular or franchise terms, eschewing top-down fixes by fiat. Creating a hotline and crisis center for street children in India and promoting rural electricity and irrigation in Brazil have little in common, but both Jeroo Billimoria and Fábio Rosa saw that sustainable, long-term solutions would have to incorporate local interests and involvement. In this way projects can maintain core principles while adapting to local circumstances and needs, and entrepreneurs who struggle for years with a particular local problem hammer out a replicable and portable model that spreads quickly. The results surprise Bornstein himself on occasion:

"When I read about [Tomasz] Sadowski's work, my first thought was that Ashoka had made a mistake. If ever there was an idea that was destined to remain local, this was it. How many stable, self-managed, partially self-supporting homes made up of former prison inmates, alcoholics, and homeless people can you have?

"The answer, as of early 2003, was twenty and counting."

Bornstein's writing is brisk and energetic, using a wry wit to strike a fine balance between the gravity of the work and the infectious energy of the entrepreneurs. This style of writing befits the entrepreneurs themselves, who do not dress up their language in niceties when bluntness is more effective. The reader is struck with both admiration and amusement, for example, reading how Indian disability activist Javed Abidi took advantage of physicist Stephen Hawking's visit to India to excoriate the government's reluctance to promote widespread disability access.

"I would be absolutely grateful to Dr. Hawking," Abidi told reporters, "if he would want to go to different parts of Delhi, like Janpath, Connaught Place, the public loo, and to any of the government offices or shopping centers and hotels and embarrass the authorities."

In this way the book avoids the pitfalls of excess piety and preachiness and instead reads like a collection of exciting and incredible life stories. Bornstein wisely lets the entrepreneurs' works and words speak for themselves whenever possible, and thus the book feels genuinely moving and inspirational rather than overwrought.

I would recommend this book to anyone involved in policy-making or curious about the global potential of individual action. The ideas discussed in the book appear to be gaining momentum on a global scale, not merely that social entrepreneurship is an idea whose time has come, but because selfless and driven social entrepreneurs are bringing the idea to our time.

Bornstein's book might not be what people are looking for when they initially pick it up, however, overall it has a diverse plot. The sections are all very different and cover a variety of different people and places. One of my favorite chapters was chapter 10, Are They Possessed, Really Possessed, by an Idea? I liked where the writers bring up a strong point about the term, 'social entrepreneurs.' The term social entrepreneur is new to many people around the world, I remember saying it to my roommates and they looked at me like I was mildly crazy. However, the term is relevant to a lifestyle and purpose of life for many people who live it. The lifestyle explained by Bornstein in this chapter explains the character of the entrepreneur doesn't announce themselves, they work hard to gather important and relevant information for the good of the project, not for the good of themselves. They want this earth to be a better place for the earth, not for themselves. This was a great point and helped me to view the book as extremely helpful. It shares a variety of different stories, and helps to put cultural differences into perspective. I am enjoying this book very much!

Every person Bornstein discussed has the inspired capacity for solving intricate social problems resourcefully and efficiently, and they are able to maneuver around seemingly insurmountable obstacles to accomplish their goals.

James Grant of Unicef is particularly striking. His story illustrates how the provision of social services on a grand scale will be met with resistance, even if it is an easy one to distribute, is relatively inexpensive and could save thousands of lives. Grant never faltered, and activated his limited resources. As a result, he changed the world. Yet, there is a long road ahead on the mission towards immunizing all children against preventable diseases. Governments, investors, and all concerned citizens want to know the value of enterprises such as Unicef. Bornstein emphasizes in his conclusion that metrics for analyzing social value need to be developed in the civic sector in order to accurately evaluate the organization's ability to create social value. In the public health world, value is created in the number of sick individuals. The statistics that followed Grant's initiatives indicated lowered child mortality and improved qualities of life across the globe, which speak to the value of his work.

Each entrepreneur exemplifies the nature of their work in different ways. Bornstein succeeds in drawing connections between each Ashoka fellow and teases out a skeleton of what an effective social entrepreneur might look like. A new generation could be in the grooming process of inheriting the legacy that these fellows have built from scratch.

How to Change the World, is an insightful book focused on people who strive to make this world a better place. Each chapter brings you a new a story about a passionate soul who implemented a program that bettered the lives of the people around them. This novel is an eye opening adventure with destinations and stories from all over the world.

First of all, David Bornstein is an excellent writer. This book is very readable and without jargon, but it is not "dummed down" whatsoever. It is very thorough in both describing how various "social entrepreneurs" from around the world have succeeded in realizing their dreams to make the world a more liveable place and in laying specific guidelines for what it takes to become a successful social entrepreneur. He also alternates chapters from specific case studies to more general and practical tips on what one needs to do to succeed, thereby making it all the more interesting. In other words, after reading a case study, I would find myself inspired and wondering what I could do to put myself on the path towards social entrepreneurship. The next chapter would answer a lot of those questions and by the end of that chapter I couldn't wait to read more about real people and what they were doing to change the world.

Before reading this book, I thought the title may too much hyperbole or perhaps a little "cheesey", but after finishing the book, the I think the title is perfect. In short, I highly recommend this book to anyone who's ever wished they could change the world for the better.

David Bornstein's book How to Change the World is worth reading if you
a) prefer action instead of stagnancy
b) prefer good solutions instead of persisting problems
c) prefer justice and opportunity instead of poverty and neglect, or,
d) prefer good writing, period.

Bornstein accurately writes, "Anyone who has ever dreamt of solving a problem or making a positive change in his or her environment will find encouraging and instructive stories here." He takes us around the world to visit social entrepreneurs and find out what makes these people tireless fighters for their causes.

Each profile is like an episode of VH1's Driven - we see what inspires these people, how they overcome obstacles, and why they succeed - but instead of following a pop star to a record deal and a fleet of Escalades, we watch social entrepreneurs achieve rights for people with disabilities, compassionate home care for HIV / AIDS patients, and electricity for the rural poor. Unlike celebrities or CEOs, these folks have no interest in fame and fortune. We are lucky indeed that Bornstein has taken it upon himself to describe their efforts; they are far too busy pursuing their dreams of a better world to stop and promote themselves. Many advocate endlessly for their causes, but as Bornstein points out, they have in common a willingness to work quietly, to share credit, and to plow through their own savings and time to make progress. Social entrepreneurs have a greater attachment to finding solutions than to being right, rich, or recognized.

These and other common traits are highlighted throughout the book. We see that social entrepreneurs don't start with the perfect plan, they just have a complete commitment to solving a problem. Like a river they flow around obstacles of status quo, regulations, lack of funding, program design flaws, and changing needs, always adjusting and maneuvering to still reach their goals.

The book is especially appropriate now because:

1) Many people are questioning their ability to create change. No matter what your political leanings, it is easy to feel far from positions of power and authority. These profiles demonstrate that there is no stopping the power of a good idea in the hands of a passionate individual. Javed Abidi spent a year and a half lobbying for legislation that would ensure the rights of people with disabilities in India. With three days left of the government's session, the political parties were at an impasse. Abidi organized a protest of 300 people, got media attention, met with leaders, and the bill was signed into law. Abidi said, "India is a country where rallies of hundreds of thousands of people are not uncommon. Here was just a handful of people. But because they didn't stay home, it happened." Because Abidi called them, they didn't stay home.

2) Many people question the meaning and richness of their lives and careers. For people who are looking for a more rewarding and fulfilling sector, there is endless opportunity in being or supporting a social entrepreneur. Jeroo Billimoria was headed for a career in accounting, but when her father died she rethought her plan and moved into social work. Billimoria started Childline, a toll-free number that street kids in India can call for help. Former street kids answer the phones (learning skills through the work) and connect those in trouble with the agencies that can help them. Childline gets 1.5 million calls a year, and is spreading to 57 cities, and now, internationally. You could be another Jeroo Billimoria. Or one of the social workers who helped her. Or an employee who works in her program. Or a politician who is spreading her ideas. Or a donor who is funding them.

3) Many people are more aware of global problems. It's easy to get depressed upon realizing the widespread poverty, disease, and disadvantages that are so pronounced in the developing world. And it's easy to get even more depressed when you see that well-funded, top-down, international aid programs aren't really working. This book doesn't overwhelm with bleak statistics, but instead makes you realize that there are people with answers. You can be one of them, or you can help one of them, and that will make the difference. The book shows that this is a global phenomenon, and one that can be nurtured by global communication and access. Veronica Khosa didn't set out to change healthcare of AIDS patients globally. She wanted to help those who were not receiving treatment in her township in South Africa. Her homecare model was spotted by the World Health Organization and UNAIDS, and is now being supported and replicated.

For those who are looking for real change, Bornstein offers this: "One of the most important things that can be done to improve the state of the world is to build a framework of social and economic supports to multiply the number and the effectiveness of the world's social entrepreneurs." The first step is to get this book.

This inspirational book should be in the hands of every career development person in every high school, college, and university. If I had known in my twenties or thirties (quite a while ago) that the field of "social entrepreneur" existed, it would have influenced my career path. Bornstein gives full credit to Bill Drayton's pioneering work with Ashoka in identifying the skill and character set necessary to succeed as a social entrepreneur and then finding and supporting these people in numerous countries around the globe. Readers can begin to assess, perhaps with feedback from friends and colleagues who know them well, whether or not they have what it takes to make it as a social entrereneur. By publicizing this field, which up until now has largely been flying under the radar of media attention, Bornstein has provided a significant public service. As more people learn about this new profession, more people with the skill and character set will get into it. As a result, more social problems in more countries will be addressed in ways that work and that can be replicated regionally and nationally. Just as social entrpreneurialism is a powerful leverage point for positive social change, I predict this book will be a leverage point for the development of social entrepeneur as a new career option. IF, and this is an important "if", it gets into the right hands, namely, people who influence career choices. After reading this book, if you agree, you can amplify the public service by recommending it to any career development professionals you know. Some future social entrepeneurs and the future beneficiaries of their work will thank you.