Center for Social Innovation

Making Solar Easy

SunRun's Ed Fenster discusses his business and the economics of solar power.

Resource: News Article

Topic :

To Cheat or Not To Cheat

New research shows how subtle changes in language can lead to more ethical behavior.

Resource: News Article

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The Psychology of Re-Gifting

In this quarter’s column, we look at a common gift-giving practice: giving away a present you don’t really want. “Regifting” is generally regarded as a taboo, but is this practice really as offensive to the original giver as people think? And is there a way to shift cultural norms so as to promote this sort of gift recycling and reduce the trashing of perfectly good items?

Resource: News Article

Topic :

Government, Social Entrepreneurship

Help for the Undecided

A Stanford GSB student's new company could make voting decisions more like online shopping.

Resource: News Article

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Government, Healthcare

The $86 Billion Fix

A group of scholars propose a plan that could put a brake on health care spending.

Resource: News Article

Topic :

Making Solar Easy

SunRun's Ed Fenster discusses his business and the economics of solar power.

Resource: News Article

Topic :

To Cheat or Not To Cheat

New research shows how subtle changes in language can lead to more ethical behavior.

Resource: News Article

Topic :

The Psychology of Re-Gifting

In this quarter’s column, we look at a common gift-giving practice: giving away a present you don’t really want. “Regifting” is generally regarded as a taboo, but is this practice really as offensive to the original giver as people think? And is there a way to shift cultural norms so as to promote this sort of gift recycling and reduce the trashing of perfectly good items?

Resource: News Article

Topic :

Government, Social Entrepreneurship

Help for the Undecided

A Stanford GSB student's new company could make voting decisions more like online shopping.

Resource: News Article

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Nonprofits, Nonprofit Management, Social Entrepreneurship

Research: Nonprofits Aren’t More Commercial

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Fall 2011

A new study finds that nonprofits are not becoming more commercialized.

-Subscription Required

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

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Revitalizing Struggling American Cities

Focusing on Advocacy

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Fall 2011

The time is now for foundations, large and small, to engage in public policy.

-Subscription Required

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

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Stanford Social Innovation Review: Fall 2011

Living Cities is working with five US municipalities to develop an ecosystem for solving urban problems.

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

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Q & A: Chris West

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Fall 2011

Chris West takes a businesslike approach to philanthropy, looking for ways to leverage the assets of the Shell Foundation and its corporate parent to improve the lives of low-income people in the developing world.

-Subscription Required

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

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Arts, Culture, and Religion, Education

Ethical Philanthropy

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Summer 2011

GIVING WELL: The Ethics of Philanthropy by Patricia Illingworth, Thomas Pogge, & Leif Wenar

Resource: Stanford Social Innovation Review Article

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You’re Never Too Young to Change the World

High school kids restore faith in the next generation of social change.

Resource: Blog Post

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Arts, Culture, and Religion, Nonprofit Management

Nonprofit Advantage for Future of Twitter and Search

Twitter and Search prove promising to the nonprofit world.

Resource: Blog Post

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Government, Social Entrepreneurship

Social Innovation in the White House

The White House is about to announce the creation of the Office of Social Innovation.

Resource: Blog Post

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SkollFest Wraps

This blog is the last of Marcia Stepanek’s coverage of the Skoll World Forum 2009 at Oxford University.

Resource: Blog Post

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From Entry Level to Leadership: How to Join a Nonprofit Board of Directors

Board experience proves invaluable to leadership development.

Resource: Blog Post

Video/Audio : All | Audio | Video

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Medical Device Innovation

Entrepreneurs who have gone from concept to commercialization share their experiences with breakthroughs in medical science and technology that have transformed healthcare delivery across the care continuum -- providing patients with less invasive procedures, reduced recovery times, and lower costs. Paul Yock, Professor of Medicine and Founding Co-Chair of Stanford's Program in Biodesign, leads this interactive discussion on medical device innovation at the 2011 Stanford Graduate School of Business Healthcare Summit.

Resource: Audio

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Health Care

Future of the Healthcare Sector

John Capek, Executive Vice President of Medical Devices at Abbott Labs, puts into context the impact of healthcare reform, on a global basis, on the delivery of technologies. His talk maintains a special focus on medical devices as he discusses the major trends that affect how Abbott considers technologies as they are brought into the market, and how companies in the healthcare sector are dealing with the current turbulent times.

Resource: Audio

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Teaching with Interactive Simulations

Resource: Audio

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Corporate Social Responsibility, Philanthropy, Responsible Investing

Shared Value- Future of Green

This audio interview from the Environmental Defense Fund's Future of Green Calls covers complex interactions of the philanthropy sector, socially conscientious nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses with FSG Co-Founder Mark Kramer. Kramer outlines how corporate social responsibility (CSR) acts as a lever to minimize environmental harms done by daily business activities. Also covered are how natural resources are consumed by industries and a discussion about sustainability practices.

Resource: Audio

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Cross-Sector Social Innovation

Resource: Audio

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Incentivizing Efficient Healthcare through Technology: Richard Migliori

"You are more likely to have your plan of care influenced by your zipcode than the stage of your disease," says Richard Migliori. "30% of our expenditures could be reduced if we have a normalization of this variation."

Resource: Video

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Medical Device Innovation

Problem: the only remedy for morbid obesity is invasive surgery. Innovation: an oral device that reduces obesity without an incision.

Resource: Video

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Service Innovation Panel

"Innovation isn't about a point in time, it's about creating sustainable change over time," says Paul Wallace.

Resource: Video

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Government, Healthcare

DC2VC Panel Discussion

Government representatives and venture capitalists came together to hear Stanford student teams speak about the barriers that routinely prevent healthcare innovations from getting to market.

Resource: Video

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Reducing Inefficiencies in Hospitals: Jay Deady

Resource: Video

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Kung Wang: Energy and Cross-Strait Relations

Professor Kung Wang of China University of Technology discussed energy and cross-Strait relations at the "Innovations for Smart Green Cities: What's Working, What's Not, What's Next" conference.

Resource: Video

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Arts, Culture, and Religion, Human Rights, Leadership

Cory Booker's 2012 Commencement Address

Cory Booker, the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, challenges Stanford graduates to be courageous, never lose faith and always work together during Stanford's 121st Commencement. He extolls lessons from his own father and grandfather through stories of hardship, hope, and humor. Booker encourages graduates to find and join their own "conspiracy of love" -- people who will help lift them up in times of need, provide a community and challenge them to go beyond what they think is possible.

Resource: Video

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Education, Philanthropy, Responsible Investing

The Civic Impact of Youth Volunteerism

How are engaged citizens made? In this audio lecture, sponsored by the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Stanford sociology professor Doug McAdam argues that youth volunteering does not directly result in active citizens or a robust civil society. Instead, the responses to youth activism are varied and driven by historical and cultural context.

Resource: Audio

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Arts, Culture, and Religion, Environment, Nonprofit Management

The Effectiveness of Message Framing to Influence Behavior

Most observers agree that human consumption is on a crash course with the environment. Although recycling programs have been implemented in many cities around the world, people often do not participate as often as they could. This research examines the effectiveness of messages that highlight the negative consequences of not recycling (loss frames) versus those that emphasize the positive consequences of recycling (gain frames) in influencing people's behavior.

Resource: Video

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Arts, Culture, and Religion, Health Care, Nonprofit Management

Using People's Irrationality To Do Good

Identifying effective obesity treatment is both a clinical challenge and a public health priority. Can monetary incentives stimulate weight loss? Leslie John presents a study that examines different economic incentives for weight loss during a 16 week intervention.

Resource: Video

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:

Economic Development, Healthcare, Nonprofit Management

PacifiCare's African American Health Solutions (AAHS)

By early 2006, PacifiCare's African American Health Solution had made significant headway in its two primary markets of Dallas and Los Angeles. Now the health insurance program had to define its purpose more clearly in the face of growing competition for the business of African Americans.

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Corporate Social Responsibility

Serrot Corporation

Serrot, the plastics linings company, was moving into new markets. The founder faced management challenges associated with this transition, including labor and union issues.

Resource: Academic Case

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Corporate Social Responsibility

Wal-Mart: Nonmarket Pressure and Reputation Risk (B): A New Nonmarket Strategy

In 2002, Wal-Mart came under attack for its inadequate pay and benefits, and its negative impact on local economies. This case examines the steps the company took to improve its image.

Resource: Academic Case

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Ashoka: Innovators for the Public

Ashoka was a professional organization that identified and invested in leading social entrepreneurs globally. The organization faced challenges as it updated its mission to “make things happen in a bigger way.”

Resource: Academic Case

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Healthcare, Philanthropy, Responsible Investing

Canary Fund and the San Jose Grand Prix (A)

The Canary Fund supports the development of methods for early cancer detection. This first case describes the choice to sponsor a high-profile racing event to raise funding and awareness.

Resource: Academic Case

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Drug Eluting Stents: A Paradigm Shift in the Medical Device Industry

In the mid-2000s, drug eluting stents had been shown to significantly reduce restenosis rates and promised to be one of the most dynamic and complex segments of the medical device industry: explosive growth, product recalls, and intellectual property litigation, but also inter-industry collaboration.

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment, Social Entrepreneurship

Green River Environmental

David Dodson started the septic company Green River Environmental after mixed results in his previous entrepreneurial ventures. This case tracks three difficult mangerial situations Dodson faced during his tenure as CEO and chairman of the company.

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Nonprofit Management, Social Entrepreneurship

Minnesota Public Radio: Social Purpose Capitalism

Minnesota Public Radio had evolved from a small public radio station to a network of 38 stations, mainly through social purpose capitalism. The founder came under criticism after creating for-profit ventures to support and build the enterprise.

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Economic Development, Healthcare, Social Entrepreneurship

Napo Pharmaceuticals

Napo was developing a compound to treat diarrhea while arranging an innovative public-private partnership to distribute it in the developing world. When that partnership proved difficult to arrange, the founder had to decide whether to continue pursuing it.

Resource: Academic Case

Topics:

Economic Development, Social Entrepreneurship

Social Entrepreneurs: Correcting Market Failures

A new breed of entrepreneurs is prioritizing social impact over the creation of wealth. This video case examines the insights, aspirations, and impact of three leading social entrepreneurs and the challenges they face in distributing products and services in hard-to-reach places. It is meant to be used in conjunction with cases SI72 A and SI72 B.

Resource: Academic Case

Topic :

Corporate Social Responsibility, Social Entrepreneurship

Note on Energy

Entrepreneurs and investors will find in this note a broad overview of the energy sector in 2008, highlighting trends and market dynamics.

Resource: Academic Case

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Overstock.com and Worldstock

Worldstock, Overstock.com’s socially responsible initiative, which marketed handicrafts produced by developing nation artisans to the United States, was suffering losses. Some stakeholders wondered if Worldstock would be shut down or spun off if the situation did not improve.

Resource: Academic Case

Topic :

Corporate Social Responsibility, Government

San Diego Padres: PETCO Park as a Catalyst for Urban Redevelopment

The San Diego Padres’ ballpark was the first integrated sports facility/development project ever attempted. While it proved to be a huge success for the Padres, San Diego, and taxpayers, there were many obstacles that had to be overcome.

Resource: Academic Case

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Social Entrepreneurship: Banco Compartamos

Banco Compartamos has been providing microloans to the poor in rural areas of Chiapas and Oaxaca, Mexico, since 1990. It became one of Mexico’s most successful banks. Critics, however, claim that Compartamos departed from the true spirit of microfinance.

Resource: Academic Case

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The Electric Car: The Major Players

The case covers and analyzes the major players in the electric car industry, including start-up and established automakers, battery makers, retrofitters, utility companies and the government.

Resource: Academic Case

Research Papers : All

Topics:

HMO Coverage Reduces Variations In The Use Of Health Care Among Patients Under Age Sixty-Five

Professor Daniel Kessler of the Graduate School of Business and his co-authors examine differences in the use of health care services among young populations. They find significant variation, suggesting that spending on organization and management of health delivery systems may be warranted.

Resource: Research Paper

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Why Do Firms in Developing Countries Have Low Productivity?

In summary, we find evidence that firms in developing countries are often badly managed, which substantially reduces their productivity.

Resource: Research Paper

Topics:

Leadership

For Women Leaders, Body Language Matters

Deborah Gruenfeld of the Stanford Graduate School of Business had some sobering news to share with a group of high-level women executives and entrepreneurs. "When it comes to leadership," Gruenfeld told the group, "there are very few differences in what men and women actually do and how they behave. But there are major differences in perception.

Resource: Research Paper

Topics:

Business, Socially Responsible Business, Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment

Don't Tweak your Supply Chain - Rethink It End to End

The article examines environmental issues related to supply chains and supply chain management. Attempts to introduce sustainable practices into supply chains often meet with unexpected financial or environmental costs.

Resource: Research Paper

Topics:

Socially Responsible Business, Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment

Modern Management: Good for the Environment or Just Hot Air?

Establishments in better managed firms are significantly less energy intensive. Better managed firms are also significantly more productive. These results suggest that management practices that are associated with improved productivity are also linked to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

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

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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

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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

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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

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Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen (MBA '97)

Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen explains how to make your giving matter more.

Resource: Alumni

Topic :

Environment, Leadership

Yoriko Kishimoto (MBA '81)

As mayor of Palo Alto in 2007, Yoriko Kishimoto championed a call to action to build a green economy through innovation, including strategies for zero waste, walkable communities, renewable energy, green building, farmers markets, and open space.

Resource: Alumni

Topic :

Economic Development, Philanthropy, Responsible Investing

Brian Cox (MBA '93)

The poorest regions of the world pose high risks for microfinance. Brian Cox, President of MFX Solutions, discusses how currency risk education can increase the flow of resources to Africa and other high-risk regions.

Resource: Alumni

Topic :

Cate Muther (MBA '78)

Women and economic development have long been the focus for Cate Muther. Here she shares thoughts on tackling complex and entrenched problems, the effort and relentlessness it takes, and the sources of inspiration that sustain her.

Resource: Alumni

Topic :

Leadership

Jonathan Reckford (MBA '89)

Jonathan reflects on the success that came from following his heart and his faith through a chain of experiences that led him to become CEO of Habitat for Humanity.

Resource: Alumni

Topic :

Economic Development, Government, Human Rights

Reinventing Anesthesia

How a New York-based company is trying to make surgery in the developing world a lot easier.

Resource: News Article

Topic :

The Tough Math Behind Humanitarian Aid

A new study finds that a different approach to food-relief efforts in the developing world could save more lives.

Resource: News Article

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Are Sick People Overpaying for Insurance?

New Stanford research says those with big health problems may be getting less for their money than they could — and raising prices for all.

Resource: News Article

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New Skills for the New Social Economy

What is a “social economy” and how is it affecting leaders in nonprofit management? In this audio lecture from Stanford Social Innovation Review’s Nonprofit Management Institute, Lucy Bernholz and Rob Reich, thought leaders in philanthropy and technology, describe what the social economy is and how it came about, the changes it has sparked, and the implications for how nonprofits are run.

Resource: Audio

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