February 2012
8 posts
3 tags
Why Tech Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries... →
“So what can entrepreneurs in the developing world do? Follow the model of most South African companies — incorporate your business in Europe or the U.S. and run it from your own country. Doing so positions you to legally tie your assets to highly-liquid funding environments, and your exit path will be expanded. What’s more, if you incorporate in these markets, it will be easier for...
Feb 29th
3 tags
The World Needs More Social Entrepreneurs →
“We need to teach our youth that they can help people; that they can lead; that they can make lasting and important change in their communities and across the globe. Society, employers, educators, and parents need to recognize that our kids’ successful personal and social development must start with a mastery of several complex skills — empathy, teamwork, leadership, and change...
Feb 27th
2 tags
The Lean Startup Methodolgy →
“Startup success can be engineered by following the process, which means it can be learned, which means it can be taught.”   - Eric Ries
Feb 21st
1 note
2 tags
Why Social Change Is Good for Business (via... →
“What’s the best way for your company to have more influence on the social issues that are affecting its business?  Consider asking yourself these questions: What social issues are most relevant to who we are and what we do? What social issues are containing our growth or hurting our competitive positioning? What issues can we address directly by improving what we’re already doing, and...
Feb 20th
1 tag
Mobile Money Slowly Turning East Africa into... →
“In an analysis of the national payment systems in the region, the value of transactions done through cheque and other debit and credit instruments is far larger than the payments through credit cards. In Uganda, payment by real time gross settlement (RTGS), which allows for funds in accounts in two different banks to be transferred in an hour or less, posted the highest value as a payment...
Feb 15th
2 tags
The Future of Corporate Social Responsibility →
“What are some of the trends you’ve observed in corporate social responsibility and corporate citizenship? Stephen Jordan: There are many, but let me zero in on three.  One is a huge shift toward transparency and communication.  In 2000 there might have been a dozen Fortune 500 companies who issued a CSR or sustainability report.  Now almost all of them do.  Second is a big shift away from...
Feb 10th
3 tags
Are Mobile Solutions for Combating Global Poverty... →
“There are now over 5 billion mobile phone subscriptions worldwide, according to the International Telecommunications Union, with global mobile penetration at 87 percent. In the developing world, where landlines are especially scarce in rural areas, mobiles have been used for governance, banking, agriculture, education, health, commerce, reporting news, political participation, and reducing...
Feb 8th
2 tags
Is the Social Enterprise Bubble About to Burst? →
“Over the past two months, GOOD has profiled organizations in Africa using market solutions to solve water and sanitation challenges, improve agriculture, and promote public health. Social enterprises like these are transforming development work, and social entrepreneurs are being hailed as rock stars.  But social enterprise isn’t the first trend to hit the development sector. From women’s...
Feb 6th