Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, School of Management and Labour Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India is organizing an International Conference on Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development from February 04 to 07, 2015. DBS has partnered with the centre to promote young and budding social entrepreneurs who graduate from the Masters program with financial and non-financial support like mentorship, HR guideline and marketing strategy, while setting up their own social venture. Being a part of the initiative to promote social entrepreneurship and related research, DBS is equally enthusiastic about the outcomes of the conference. It believes that such a platform would provide an opportunity to contemplate, debate and discuss the different aspects of sustainable development of which innovation and entrepreneurship are an integral part.
Sustainable development as a concept, practice and an alternative for the existing economic order was proposed by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) known as Brundtland Committee, in 1987. Sustainable development is the kind of development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (WCED 1987). We have two major questions before us – (a) What needs to be sustained, namely, nature, life support system, and community (Parris & Kates 2003), and (b) What is to be developed, namely, individuals, the economy and society (Leiseroqitz, Kates, & Parris 2006). Sustainable development started as a debate on environment protection and has subsequently shifted to interrelation between production processes, environment and exploitation of resources for production. The challenge of sustainable development is to maintain balance between environmental imperatives and economic growth (Seelos & Mair, 2005) with equal attention to the social dimension to 'promote diversity, protection of human rights, reduce poverty, enhance workplace equity and social justice' (Rusinko, 2010).
Entrepreneurial innovation with sustainability have played a major role to preserve the eco-system (Cohen & Winn, 2007; Schaltegger & Wanger, 2010). Among them social entrepreneurs are in the forefront to create a sustainable society. They take up innovative practices especially in developing nations; enhancing education, productivity, socioeconomic status of the marginalised people, physical health, waste management, energy retention and self-reliance of individuals and societies are to name a few. They also operate in enterprise mode to address social or/and environmental problems while also being financially sustainable. Such initiatives function within the guided philosophy of sustainable development. As a result, the field of social entrepreneurship is receiving increased attention across the globe as a prominent approach to achieve sustainable development (Drayton, 2002b; Bornstein, 2004; Spear, 2006; Steyaert & Hjorth, 2006; Nicholls, 2006). Social entrepreneurs require an ecosystem with inclusive policy environment, markets, incubators, mentors, impact investors and other stakeholders involved (Hatch, 1997).
Against this backdrop, the International Conference on Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development would provide a meaningful space for interaction amongst the large number of participants, about 350 academicians, practitioners and students from across the South Asian countries especially India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka and also academicians from USA, UK, South Africa and Europe. The Conference aims to create a network of academicians, scholars, professionals, social entrepreneurs and students from across the globe especially among the South Asian countries to collaborate in solving social, economic and environmental issues for sustainability and overall well being.
Papers would be presented by academicians, researchers and prominent figures who have made significant contribution in the field of Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development. Some such prominent figures who would also be a part of this event are listed below.
Prof. Jay Mitra, a leading academic figure in the field of entrepreneurship is Professor of Business Enterprise and Innovation and Director of the International Centre for Entrepreneurship Research at Essex Business School, University of Essex, UK. Professor Mitra has acted as a Scientific Adviser to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and as the Head of the Scientific Committee on Entrepreneurship for the OECD’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and the LEED (Local Economic and Employment) Programme at its Trento Centre and in Paris. He also leads the International Entrepreneurship Forum, a unique network and forum for researchers, policy makers and business practitioners working on entrepreneurship, innovation and regional development issues.
Richard Bolwijn, represents United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNCTAD, Geneva (Switzerland). Established in 1964,UNCTAD promotes the development-friendly integration of developing countries into the world economy and has progressively evolved into an authoritative knowledge-based institution whose work aims to help shape current policy debates and thinking on development, with a particular focus on ensuring that domestic policies and international action are mutually supportive in bringing about sustainable development. Richard, who represents UNCTAD has previously worked with McKinsey & Company, KPMG Advisory, Milan and KPMG Consulting, London.
M K Nandakumar is Associate Professor, Strategic Management, Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (India). He has worked as Lecturer - Middlesex University and University of East London, United Kingdom. He is currently Chairman, International Exchange Programme, Strategic Management Area at IIM Kozikhode. He has participated in various conferences and talks and has several published work to his credit.
Anand Kumar, Founder Super 30 Ramanujan School of Mathematics, Patna (India). Super 30 is a highly ambitious and innovative educational program running under the banner of "Ramanujan School of Mathematics". It hunts for 30 meritorious talents from among the economically backward sections of the society and shapes them for India's most prestigious institution – the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). In the last seven years, it has produced hundreds of IITians from extremely poor background. During this program students are provided absolutely free coaching, lodging and food. They have successfully produced a generation of students who are going to be some of India's top technocrats.
Md Aminur Rahman representing Research Development Frontiers, Dhaka (Bangladesh) has a doctorate in Sociology and has 22 years of practical experience of working in the development sector on areas including social and human development, rights of marginalized people, gender, micro-finance, emergency preparedness, program development and monitoring and evaluation. Some of the stakeholders that he has worked for are NDI USA, FAO, Care BD, Muslim Aid, SSRC GOB, Alliance Forum Foundation Japan, South Asian Study Center.
Prof. Satyajit Majumdar is Chairperson, Centre for social Entrepreneurship, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. With a teaching experience of more than 10 years, Prof. Majumdar has dedicated himself to the field of social entrepreneurship and through his persistent efforts, he strives to make India a country of entrepreneurial talent. He has many published works in the field to his credit and is actively involved in consulting and research.
Dewan Muktadir-Al-Muki, a senior lecturer in Eastern University Dhaka(Bangladesh) has a strong academic work to his credit. He has participated and presented papers in various international conferences and co-authored various articles in reputed international journals. He has been an member of the editorial boards of various magazines and journals in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Gladys Idogo, from Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State (Nigeria) ; Gnanam Pillay and Dr Sylvia Kaye from Durban University of Technology (Durban) are some prominent international participants representing Africa, who would share their perspective on social entrepreneurship and sustainable development in the context of Africa.
The Conference will have three major segments – scholarly research, educational initiative on impact investment, and young social entrepreneurs’ meet. The first segment aims at knowledge creation, the second segment addresses the institutional systems and frameworks to support the dissemination of knowledge while the third segment attempts to interface with the target group for which the programme is being designed. Though indicative following research questions will be addressed covering almost all aspects of the Theme of the Conference:
iPreneur'15 to be anchored by the students and alumni of Masters Program on Social Entrepreneurship of TISS is an important event which is also aligned to the overall purpose of the Conference. Supported by DBS Bank, India, iPreneur'15 will be an event to celebrate Social Entrepreneurship as a phenomenon to pursue the agenda of sustainable development while keeping the stakeholder value intact. Various activities and events such as Social Venture Competition, Expert Lectures, Discussion Panels, Social Innovation Workshop, and Stalls for Social Ventures are part of this event. The students from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will also participate in the event.
The Conference would be an opportunity for social entrepreneurs, academicians and researchers who work in the field to collaborate more effectively in designing models of sustainable development wherein concerns of people and environment would be of utmost importance.
Social entrepreneurs are the reformers and revolutionaries with social mission. They make fundamental changes in the way things are seen and done in the social space (Dees 1998). Social entrepreneurs make social change with Innovative solutions for the societal problems they come across.
References:
Seelos, C., and Mair, J. (2005). Sustainable Development: How Social Entrepreneurs Make It Happen. Working Paper WP 611. IESE Business School
Dees,G.(1998) The Meaning of Social Entrepreneurship. Retrieved from Click Here on 10th September, 2008.
Rusinko, CA(2010). Integrating Sustainability in Management and Business Education: A Matrix Approach. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 9, 507-519.
Paris, TM, and Kates, RW. (2003). Characterizing and Measuring Sustainable Development, Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 28, 559-586.
Ashoka (u.d). Social Entrepreneurs: Doing Sustainable Development. Retrieved from https://www.ashoka.org/files/ashoka_0.pdf on 10th March, 2013.
Beckerman, W. (1994). 'Sustainable Development': Is it a Useful Concept?’ in Environmental Values, 3(3), 191-209.
Bornstein, D. (2004). How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Cohen, B. and Winn, MI. (2007). Market Imperfection Opportunity and Sustainable Entrepreneurship, Journal of Business Venturing, 22, 29-49.
Drayton, W. (2002b). The Citizen Sector: Becoming as Entrepreneurial and Competitive as Business. California Management Review, 44(3), 120-132.
Hatch, MJ. (1997). Organisation Theory: Modern Symbolic and Postmodern Perspectives. New York: Oxford University Press.
Leiseroqitz, AA, Kates, RW and Parris, TM. (2006). Sustainability Values, Attitudes and Behaviours: A Review of Multinational and Global Trends, Annual Review of Environmental Resources, 31, 413-444.
United Nations General Assembly. (1987) Development and International Economic Cooperation: Environment. Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development. A/42/427, 4 August 1987.
WCED. (1987). Our Common Future, Chapter 2: Towards Sustainable Development. Retrieved from http://www.un-documents.net/ocf-02.htm on 8th Nov, 2012.
