Center for Social Innovation

Solar Power's Bright Future

A conversation with Stefan Reichelstein on the economics of solar power.

Resource: News Article

Topic :

Stanford Researchers Help Predict the Oceans of the Future with a Mini-Lab

[photo - Predict the Oceans of the Future]

Scientists from Stanford and elsewhere joined to create a mini-lab in Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The device can simulate predicted future ocean conditions – such as rising carbon dioxide levels – and their effects on ecosystems such as coral.

Resource: News Article

Topic :

Reducing the Waste

A conversation on health care innovation with former Senate majority leader and surgeon Bill Frist.

Resource: News Article

Topic :

How Technology Can Improve Health Care

Abbott’s John Capek discusses health care device regulation, transparency, and the critical relationship between physicians and their patients

Resource: News Article

Topic :

Solar Power's Bright Future

A conversation with Stefan Reichelstein on the economics of solar power.

Resource: News Article

Topic :

Stanford Researchers Help Predict the Oceans of the Future with a Mini-Lab

Scientists from Stanford and elsewhere joined to create a mini-lab in Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The device can simulate predicted future ocean conditions – such as rising carbon dioxide levels – and their effects on ecosystems such as coral.

Resource: News Article

Topic :

Economic Development

Big Business in Bhutan: How the Humble Hazelnut Could Help Bhutan

Mountain Hazelnut of Bhutan has set its sights on a triple bottom line: financial gain for investors, alleviating poverty among farm families, and restoration of an eroded, hilly landscape.

Resource: News Article

Topic :

Reducing the Waste

A conversation on health care innovation with former Senate majority leader and surgeon Bill Frist.

Resource: News Article

Topic :

How Technology Can Improve Health Care

Abbott’s John Capek discusses health care device regulation, transparency, and the critical relationship between physicians and their patients

Resource: News Article

Topic :

The Holy Grail for Nonprofits

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Summer 2011

NONPROFIT SUSTAINABILITY: Making Strategic Decisions for Financial Viability by Jeanne Bell, Jan Masaoka & Steve Zimmerman

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

Topic :

Research: Making the News

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Summer 2011

The media introduce social movements to the masses, but how do social movements make it into the media?

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Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

Topic :

Government, Nonprofit Management

Being the Only B

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Summer 2011

The owner of the only certified B Corporation in Kentucky assesses the pros and cons of the certification.

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

Topic :

Government

Just Instincts

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Summer 2011

THE FAIR SOCIETY: The Science of Human Nature and the Pursuit of Social Justice by Peter Corning

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

Topic :

The Elusive Craft of Evaluating Advocacy

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Summer 2011

The political process is chaotic and often takes years to unfold, making it difficult to use traditional measures to evaluate the effectiveness of advocacy organizations. There are, however, unconventional methods one can use to evaluate advocacy organizations and make strategic investments in that arena.

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

Topic :

Government, Nonprofit Management

Giving Sector Making Wrong Turn in Crisis

Scared organizations are hording what they have instead of partnering with others to strengthen and streamline their operations.

Resource: Blog Post

Topic :

Philanthropy, Responsible Investing

Dead Men Read No 401(k)s

Wealthy philanthropists are putting off making new gifts, making estates, for the first time, the source of the majority of the year’s top donations.

Resource: Blog Post

Topic :

The Recession’s Effect on How to Appeal to Donors

During these tough economic times, appeals to the heart may replace quantitative metrics in successfully appealing to donors.

Resource: Blog Post

Topic :

Philanthropy, Responsible Investing

T-Shaped People & Philanthropy

For philanthropy to reach it’s potential, bodies of knowledge need to “jump together.”

Resource: Blog Post

Topic :

Arts, Culture, and Religion

Straws and Nets

The author poses the question whether or not there really is a difference between religious organizations taking x percent of a donation for their church and a nonprofit taking money out for operating costs.

Resource: Blog Post

Video/Audio : All | Audio | Video

Topic:

Government, Healthcare

The Role of USCDC Managing Global Health

Successes in global health, such as the eradication of small pox or lowering the rate of infant mortality, take an integrated approach, one that brings countries and agencies together to address the scope and intensity of these problems. In this audio lecture from the 2011 Global Health Series, Donald Shriber of the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) speaks about the agency's role in strengthening health systems through partnerships, innovation, and policy.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

Government, Healthcare, Nonprofit Management

The Role of the Voluntary Sector in the Era of Health Reform

Despite falling to number 49 on the list of countries ranked by life expectancy, the United States still spends roughly twice as much on health care per capita as other top-ranked nations. In this panel discussion, Dr. David Shern and Father Larry Snyder discuss the role of the voluntary sector in this period of necessary reform, and what their organizations specifically are doing to improve the quality of American lives.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

Corporate Social Responsibility, Leadership, Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy, Responsible Investing

Leveraging Business Assets in Nonprofit

Can business be a power for good? Jean Oelwang, CEO of Virgin Unite, would argue yes. Virgin Unite is the nonprofit foundation of Richard Branson's Virgin Group, a conglomerate of more than 400 world-wide companies. In this audio lecture, Oelwang discusses the need to address root causes of social and environmental issues, the unsustainable nature of the growing disparity between rich and poor, and the potential to make a difference by adapting existing product and service innovations.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

Investing in Africa

Despite negative media portrayals in the United States, Africa is ranked as a place where it is easier to do business than either China or India. So says Thomas Barry, founder of the Zephyr Management investment firm, in this university podcast. Speaking at the Stanford Africa Forum, Barry outlines what makes Africa an attractive place for investors, pointing to its natural resources and growing workforce.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

Corporate Social Responsibility

Stakeholders in Corporate Social Responsibility

What does it mean for a company to fully engage in corporate social responsibility and become a global citizen? In this audio lecture at Stanford, former Hewlett-Packard VP Debra Dunn talks about the opportunities and challenges of implementing a robust Corporate Social Responsibility strategy and aligning with the demands of numerous stakeholders. Dunn draws on her own experience working for the technology giant.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

Environment, Leadership

What It Takes to Be a Remarkable Leader: John Doerr, Venture Capitalist

What are the ingredients for great leadership and entrepreneurship today?

Resource: Video

Topic:

Education, Healthcare, Social Entrepreneurship

New Biodesign Book Tackles Innovation: Prof. Stefanos Zenios

Q&A with Stefano Zenios on his new book, Biodesign: The Process of Innovating Medical Technologies.

Resource: Video

Topic:

Networking Is More Than Lots of Names, Says Heidi Roizen

"Credibility and power don't necessarily translate into a different world," says Heidi Roizen. Sometimes entrepreneurs need to learn new skills to transfter success to another sector.

Resource: Video

Topic:

Leadership

Keeping Talent on Road to Success-Panel

How can major companies keep senior women in the workforce?

Resource: Video

Topic:

Education

Bridging the K-12 Achievement Gap

Faced with the high cost of eliminating the achievement gap, groups are reaching across the aisle to improve public education.

Resource: Video

Topic:

Education, Government

Addressing the K-12 Crisis

How can the Unites States get its K-12 schools out of their current crisis? In this panel, experts from various fields who are passionate about improving our kids' lives and our nation's future discuss why things are failing, what's working to make them better, and what the best options are, from teacher education to integrating technology. They spoke at the Global Education Conference at Stanford.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

Government, Healthcare

Changing Behavior and Changing Policies

The Veteran's Administration, Medicare, and Medicaid make up the largest repository of public health data in the world, and now it's being made available in appropriate forms for the use of patients and innovators alike. Todd Parks, CTO of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, wants to change the fee structure of healthcare from "Fee for Service" to something more efficient, and he's freeing up information on public health so everyone can see and help design better health systems.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

Environment, Government

EDF Future of Green Calls

Could it be that Defense takes the lead on climate change initiatives? An important DoD report cited climate change as a top national security concern. On this Future of Green Call, Daniel Kreeger explains how Defense is planning ways to avoid conflict over essential supplies such as clean water, resource consumption and keeping bases safe from predicted coastal flooding. Discussion also includes lessons learned from climate catastrophes and how to respond more quickly and efficiently to crisis.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment, Nonprofit Management, Social Entrepreneurship

Sustainable Excellence: The Future of Business in a Fast-Changing World

Businesses are in the business of business. But they are beginning to be in the business of doing social good as well. As companies shift to incorporate environmental, social, and welfare-based themes into business plans and products, Aron Cramer points out a trend of decreasing poverty and improving the environment as corporations look to increase both profit and human development.

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Resource: Audio

Topic:

The Future of the Healthcare Sector

How can the healthcare industry become more sustainable in the long term? In this university podcast, UnitedHealth Group executive Richard Migliori talks about what drives innovation in his organization, and how those lessons can be applied to the industry in general. Migliori spoke at the 2011 Stanford Global Healthcare Summit.

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Resource: Audio

Case Studies : All | Academic Cases

Topics:

Breaking New Ground: Using the Internet to Scale

Commissioned by KaBOOM! and authored by Katherine Fulton and alumna Heather McLeod Grant of the Monitor Institute, this case study looks at the challenges KaBOOM! faced and lessons the organization learned while pioneering an online strategy to scale its impact. This strategy involves giving away the nonprofit model online for free to empower others to act on KaBoom's behalf.

Resource: Practitioner Case

Topics:

Environment, Nonprofit Management

Prospect Colleges

Julie and her investor set up a holding company, Prospect Colleges, with which they plan to acquire and operate multiple small schools. As president of the first Prospect college, Julie faces challenges regarding ageism among her employees and whether to give in to her investor’s preference and hire an experienced COO.

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Strategic Activism: The Rainforest Action Network

The Rainforest Action Network works to protect the Earth’s rainforests and support the rights of their inhabitants. In April 2003, a new executive director began a review of the organization’s strategy and mission.

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Corporate Social Responsibility, Philanthropy, Responsible Investing

Corporate Philanthropy

What are the motivations for corporate philanthropy, and what forms may such philanthropy take? Is philanthropy good business, and can corporate efforts result in effective philanthropy?

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Education, Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy, Responsible Investing

The Sand Hill Foundation

Planned Parenthood is looking for funding to assess the Sand Hill Foundation’s Teen Success Program for replication. Those involved in the program hope to more constructively engage stakeholders in the evaluation process, monitor the program’s impact, and take action on evaluation results.

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Corporate Social Responsibility, Economic Development, Nonprofit Management

TransFair USA

TransFair USA, the fair trade labeling arm of the Fair Trade Labeling Organization, faced strategic challenges in 2003. The founder needed to convince uninformed mainstream consumers and skeptical large-scale coffee roasters to buy Fair Trade Certified coffee.

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Economic Development, Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy, Responsible Investing

The McKay Foundation: The Fight for a Living Wage in San Francisco

The McKay Foundation played a key role in convening the diverse constituencies that had a stake in the living wage issue. The executive director considered what to focus on next after a city ordinance authorized worker pay increases.

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Corporate Social Responsibility, Healthcare

Adiana, Inc., and the Development of a Female Sterilization Device

Adiana’s new female sterilization catheter had proven to be successful in preliminary trials in Mexico. The company president had to make decisions about subject consent and Adiana’s responsibility to participants in further trials.

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Environment, Nonprofit Management

Bozeman, Montana, and the Yellowstone Business Partnership

The economy of Bozeman, Mont., has grown rapidly, but concerns have arisen over the development of environmentally sensitive areas, impact on local businesses, and affordability. The Yellowstone Business Partnership could have a role in directing the city’s future.

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Corporate Social Responsibility, Healthcare

Merck's US. Managed Distribution Program for the HIV Drug Crixivan

Merck was grappling with how to distribute an HIV drug in limited supply. The decision team had chosen to manage distribution from one source, and was meeting to review the progress and success of its plan.

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Philanthropy, Responsible Investing, Social Entrepreneurship

Skoll Foundation: Empowering Social Entrepreneurs

The Skoll Foundation funds individuals and organizations with good ideas that can quickly grow in scale and impact. In 2002, as the leaders looked to the future, they pondered how they could act as leading social entrepreneurs themselves in terms of how they structured the foundation’s work.

Resource: Academic Case

Topic :

Economic Development, Social Entrepreneurship

Unitus (B): Microfinance 2.0 - Reinventing an Industry

Unitus focuses on accelerating the growth of the microfinance industry. While case A examined Unitus options to expand the capital it provides to partners, this second case reveals the decisions Unitus leaders made.

Resource: Academic Case

Topic :

Arts, Culture, and Religion, Nonprofit Management

Circus Oz

Circus Oz, Australia’s premier, international circus, was exploring offering the new development officer position a higher-than-normal salary. The case and its companion videocase cover the organization’s dilemmas around this, and the situation’s resolution.

Resource: Academic Case

Topic :

Corporate Social Responsibility

10b5-1 Plans: Mortgaging a Defense Against Insider Trading

Two executives came under fire for selling a significant amount of Midway stock just weeks before a precipitous decline in the company’s share price. Regulators had to decide whether they had carried out a sophisticated form of illegal insider trading.

Resource: Academic Case

Topic :

A Technical Note on Ethanol as a Motor Fuel

This case provides background on the technology, economic forces, and nonmarket issues that affect ethanol’s supply, distribution, and demand. It also discusses emerging innovations.

Resource: Academic Case

Topic :

Sucker to Saint and Other Views of Our Moral Behavior

Challenges in Renal Care

In 2006, all major U.S. dialysis providers faced ever-diminishing margins and struggled to understand what lay ahead. Change was imminent as Medicare and Medicaid altered the reimbursement landscape, and as private payers became more restrictive.

Resource: Academic Case

Research Papers : All

Topics:

Leadership

Lofty principles matter much less than we think in determining our moral behavior says Professor Benoît Monin. We're more likely to be guided by whether we feel we are a good or bad person or whether we feel others around us are good or bad.

Resource: Research Paper

Topics:

Corporate Social Responsibility, Government, Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy, Responsible Investing

Social Pressures Affect Corporate Strategy and Performance

Social pressure plays a major role in determining corporate strategy and performance according to an award-winning paper coauthored by Professor David Baron. The researchers find that social pressure and social performance reinforce each other, greater social pressure is associated with lower financial performance, and financial and social performance are largely unrelated.

Resource: Research Paper

Topics:

Leadership

People in the Minority May Know Themselves Better

One benefit of knowing you're in the minority is a clearer sense of self, says marketing Professor S. Christian Wheeler. Business organizations, which have been shown to improve their decision making when diverse ideas are present, may therefore want to think about more structured ways for encouraging naysayers to speak up.

Resource: Research Paper

Topics:

Health Care

Making Change for Cheap

A car rental agency includes insurance as a default unless you specifically decline it. Facebook sets off a firestorm when it displayed customer purchases by default. Defaults have strategic importance, so don’t let programmers or form designers make decisions on these important components. Effective defaults can effect customer satisfaction and even profits. If you expect most of your customers would prefer a basic product or service configuration, use a mass default such as online retailers offering standard shipping on orders. If you think customers would value options tailored to their preferences, use a personalized default. For example, if a returning hotel customer requested a nonsmoking room for his last visit, make a nonsmoking room the default for future stays.

Resource: Research Paper

Topics:

Health Care

Defaults Make a Difference

Preset actions on forms, web pages and other materials — called defaults — have strategic importance that can make vital differences. They are far too important to delegate responsibility for setting them to programmers or form designers. If you want people to do something in the future, ask them to agree to it now, with an opt-out clause for the future by presetting the default. Giving a preset opt-in choice yields far more positive results than asking users to check a box.

Resource: Research Paper

Courses : All

Topic :

Biodesign Innovation: OIT 581/3

The two-quarter Elective Course series provides lectures from a diverse group of faculty that expose students to the practical aspects of technology invention and development. The class features a presentation or discussion from one of the guest speakers or faculty. Students work in small project teams in the Biodesign prototyping lab or bench space, collaborating with the fellows of the program.

Resource: MBA Course

Topic :

The Power of Social Technology: GSBGEN 358

The goal of this seminar is to investigate how social technology (e.g., blogs, websites, podcasts, widgets, community groups, social network feeds) can change attitudes and behaviors in ways that cultivate social change. We study the strategies and tactics used by companies and causes that have successfully catalyzed social persuasion.

Resource: MBA Course

Topic :

Economic Development

Strategic Thinking in Action - In Business and Beyond: STRAMGT 373

This seminar helps participants develop strategically informed action plans that are imaginative, inspiring, and workable in highly dynamic environments. Through informed debate and the writing and presentation of position papers, participants evaluate and hone their views on the seminar's critical themes.

Resource: MBA Course

Topic :

Social Entrepreneurship: STRAMGT 369

This course focuses on the efforts of private citizens to create effective responses to social needs and innovative solutions to social problems. It equips students with frameworks and tools that will help them be more effective as a social entrepreneur.

Resource: MBA Course

Topic :

Strategic Management of Nonprofits: STRAMGT 368

This course surveys strategic, governance, and management issues facing a wide range of nonprofit organizations in an era of venture philanthropy and social entrepreneurship. It introduces students to core managerial issues in the nonprofit sector, such as development/fundraising, investment management, performance management and nonprofit finance.

Resource: MBA Course

Innovators : All

Topic :

Arts, Culture, and Religion, Philanthropy & Responsible Investing, Corporate Social Responsibility, Economic Development, Education, Environment, Government, Healthcare, Nonprofit Management, Social Entrepreneurship

An interview with Ruth Bolan (EPNL '06)

Ruth Bolan is giving voice to indigenous peoples of the Pacific Island. She funds documentaries that bring their culture and challenges to millions of viewers.

Resource: CSI Affiliates

Topic :

Economic Development, Education, Environment, Nonprofit Management

An interview with Mary Margaret Sloan (EPNL '04)

Mary Margaret Sloan fires up young people by placing them in environmental service jobs around the country. Her goal is to train the next generation of conservation leaders.

Resource: Alumni

Topic :

Economic Development, Human Rights, Nonprofit Management, Social Entrepreneurship

An interview with Federico Lozano (MBA '09)

Federico Lozano is working to alleviate poverty by connecting poor, semi-skilled laborers from the developing world with jobs in the developed world.

Resource: Fellow

Topic :

Environment, Philanthropy, Responsible Investing, Social Entrepreneurship

An interview with Robert Keith (MBA '03), Carl Palmer (MBA '03)

Robert Keith and Carl Palmer are restoring and protecting ecologically important properties in the West. They're earning market-rate returns for their effort.

Resource: Alumni

Topic :

Economic Development, Environment, Social Entrepreneurship

An interview with Sam Goldman (MBA '07)

Sam Goldman is bringing cutting-edge technologies to rural families all over the world. His passionate goal is to help them improve their standard of living.

Resource: Alumni

Topic :

Environmental Sustainability, Economic Realities

Climate change, over-consumption of natural resources, and pollution are all contributing to the failing health of our planet, but what can we do to more effectively promote environmental sustainability? In this university podcast, Fabien Cousteau, the third generation to carry on the tradition of deep-ocean adventure and exploration originally pioneered by his grandfather more than half a century ago, offers some solutions. He spoke at the USRio+2.0 Conference at Stanford.

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Resource: Audio

Topic :

Technology and International Development

How important are science, technology, and innovation to international development? They're nothing less than critical for lifting people out of poverty, says Maura O'Neill, chief innovation officer at USAID, in this university podcast. Speaking at the USRio+2.0 Conference hosted at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, O'Neill discusses how connection technologies, in particular, can support sustainable development around the world.

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Resource: Audio

Topic :

Education

Increasing the Bandwidth

U.S. schools are badly lagging in web connectivity; not because they aren’t connected, but because their pipes are too small.

Resource: News Article

Topic :

Offshore wind energy could power entire U.S. East Coast, Stanford scientists say

Adapting a sophisticated climate model, researchers show that there is plenty of wind available to supply half to several times the world's total energy needs within the next two decades.

Resource: News Article

Topic :