Comments on: Social Enterprises http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2007/08/social-enterprises Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:00:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Nick Temple http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2007/08/social-enterprises#comment-476 Nick Temple Mon, 06 Aug 2007 09:49:46 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2007/08/03/social-enterprises/#comment-476 I'm strongly in favour of not dwelling on the debate over definitions. Particularly as, increasingly, the boundaries between sectors/legal structures are becoming more and more blurred. In the future, it will be about the clarity of your aims, the quality of what you do, and the transparency of how you act and communicate that is important, regardless of your legal structure/governance/earned income ratio. Still, if you are interested in the social entrepreneur / enterprise debate, there's a few posts on the <a href="http://socialentrepreneurs.typepad.com" rel="nofollow">SSE blog</a> (search for 'definition') and our <a href="http://del.icio.us/SSE/definition" rel="nofollow">del.icio.us</a>. Generally, we favour a broader definition of social entrepreneur / entrepreneurship, rather than one that excludes or could be accused of elitism. Entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes, and so do social entrepreneurs. I’m strongly in favour of not dwelling on the debate over definitions. Particularly as, increasingly, the boundaries between sectors/legal structures are becoming more and more blurred. In the future, it will be about the clarity of your aims, the quality of what you do, and the transparency of how you act and communicate that is important, regardless of your legal structure/governance/earned income ratio.

Still, if you are interested in the social entrepreneur / enterprise debate, there’s a few posts on the SSE blog (search for ‘definition’) and our del.icio.us. Generally, we favour a broader definition of social entrepreneur / entrepreneurship, rather than one that excludes or could be accused of elitism. Entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes, and so do social entrepreneurs.

]]> By: Jeremy Gregg http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2007/08/social-enterprises#comment-475 Jeremy Gregg Sun, 05 Aug 2007 00:32:09 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2007/08/03/social-enterprises/#comment-475 The only distinction about an NPO vs an LLC or other for-profit corporation is tax status, which is dictated by who "owns" the organization. I suggest "Community Owned Organization." It would be coo'. :) The only distinction about an NPO vs an LLC or other for-profit corporation is tax status, which is dictated by who “owns” the organization.

I suggest “Community Owned Organization.” It would be coo’.
:)

]]> By: Michael Vitali http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2007/08/social-enterprises#comment-474 Michael Vitali Fri, 03 Aug 2007 17:12:10 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2007/08/03/social-enterprises/#comment-474 What we call it influences what we do by casting a different kind of light on it. That light colors the reactions of those we are trying to affect or attract. Framing and reframing are often used to sway opinion in desired directions. Thus, "death tax" as a negative reframing of "estate tax." Obviously, action is more important than labeling. But what to call an endeavor is still quite important, particularly in a world where human attention is ever more at a premium. What we call it influences what we do by casting a different kind of light on it. That light colors the reactions of those we are trying to affect or attract.

Framing and reframing are often used to sway opinion in desired directions. Thus, “death tax” as a negative reframing of “estate tax.”

Obviously, action is more important than labeling. But what to call an endeavor is still quite important, particularly in a world where human attention is ever more at a premium.

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