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How Decentralized Business Models Can Serve India’s Rural Communities During – and After – COVID-19
Centralizing business operations can improve efficiency, but it can also hinder a company's ability to innovate and tailor products for local markets. Mahesh Yagnaraman at Acumen shares how two companies used their decentralized models to quickly address COVID-19's challenges and adjust their offerings accordingly. He explores how these agile models can better identify the needs of their communities, no matter how remote, and reach them effectively.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Entrepreneurship
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Frontier Innovators: A New Roadmap for Social Impact
In recent years, there have been growing calls for businesses to focus more on their social impact. Until recently, Silicon Valley had been held up as the paragon of high-impact business models, but its star has dimmed. Social enterprise has long offered an exciting alternative, but the movement isn’t scaling. Now, a new model is emerging, driven by innovators from lesser-known places, explains Alex Lazarow, venture capitalist and author of the new book: "Out-Innovate: How Global Entrepreneurs – from Delhi to Detroit – Are Rewriting the Rules of Silicon Valley."
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship
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Mobile Money Providers Score a Major Win – But Are They at Risk of Losing it All?
According to the GSMA’s recently launched 2019 State of the Industry report, mobile money achieved some major milestones last year: There are now more than 1 billion accounts, and for the first time, the majority of transaction values are digital. But according to Arunjay Katakam, mobile money providers will soon face a new challenge that could upend their industry, as internet-based "over-the-top" payments providers are poised to transform the competitive landscape.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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A Future Beyond Short-Term Profit: A Movement Builds for Mission-First Business Structures
Business as usual is not working to solve major world problems—in many cases it’s actually causing them, due to flaws built into the foundation of conventional business and investing structures. Jasper van Brakel of RSF Social Finance discusses how this realization is sparking a grassroots global movement behind mission-first business, rooted in stakeholder governance and seeking profit as an engine for creating social, cultural and ecological good.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship
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Is Vertical Integration Good or Bad for Off-Grid Energy Access? Let’s Get Specific
Pay-as-you-go off-grid energy business models are often vertically integrated, including elements of manufacturing, distribution, consumer financing, payment collection and after-sales service. But some believe it's more cost-effective to outsource many of these aspects of the business model to service providers. Paul Clyde and Colm Fay at WDI argue that vertical integration is neither inherently good, nor bad: They explore its history, and its advantages and disadvantages for the nascent off-grid energy industry.
- Categories
- Energy, Entrepreneurship
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Do Inclusive Business Models Need a ‘Safe Space’ to Survive Within Multinational Companies?
Though many are skeptical when multinational corporations proclaim devotion to social impact, Tom Harrison of Business Innovation Facility sees numerous success stories. But these approaches raise an interesting question: Should inclusive initiatives within a corporation be treated the same as any other innovation? Or does their social impact focus justify – and perhaps require – a more lenient approach? He explores both sides of the issue in this thought-provoking post.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship
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Beyond ‘Take-Make-Waste’ Supply Chains: MIT Solve Seeks Circular Economy Solutions
Most of the products we use today — clothing, furniture, electronics and more — come from “take-make-waste” linear supply chains. These systems result in 2 billion tons of solid waste each year, produce major carbon emissions, and often involve toxic working conditions. MIT Solve is seeking new models through its Circular Economy Challenge, which will give $10,000 grants to the eight most promising solutions - the application deadline is July 1.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, Environment
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Pulling Back the Curtain on a Social Enterprise Merger: Practicalities and Surprises as Two Companies Become One
When Pollinate Energy began executing its recent merger with a former competitor, Empower Generation, some stakeholders doubted they would succeed. But as its CEO Alexie Seller describes, though the two companies were based in different countries, their models and missions were similar. Even so, they faced multiple challenges – and more than a few surprises – in the merger process. In this revealing post, Seller explores what has worked, and what hasn’t, as the companies have combined.
- Categories
- Energy
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