SynthesizingInnovation,

Entrepreneurship & Sport for Social Change: A

Social Entrepreneurial Model

SynthesizingInnovation,

Entrepreneurship & Sport for Social Change: A

Social Entrepreneurial Model

William Tiga Tita, Ph.D.College of Business

AdministrationNortheastern University

2010 ISDPA Power of Sport Summit , Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115

June 9th – 12th, 2010

The DriversThe Drivers

Shift towards a knowledge economy where mind, spirit and body are essential ingredients

Substantial increase in public investment in institutions (global – UN, National – Sports Leagues, meso – level – Universities) and programs to stimulate such activities

Growth of increased partnerships involving firms, universities, civil society and government agencies that has led to several policy initiatives i.e. increase in the incidence of public , civil society and private partnerships

Uncertain future with threats of environmental and economic collapse, terrible diseases, pervasive poverty, overpopulation, war, terrorism, youth violence, human disabilities and the fact that efforts of government and institutions have proven insufficient to reverse these trends

Some Basic ConceptsSome Basic Concepts Entrepreneurship refers to the perception of opportunity and the ability to

act on that perception –this has business, social and public policy implications. Entrepreneurs have the DNA to sense opportunities and taken action

Innovation in a static sense has two aspects, notably, invention meaning the creation of something new and, second, the invention becoming an innovation when it is put in use. A dynamic view whereby an invention becomes an innovation – innovation process.

Technology refers to an innovation . Its broader form entails technological ethic and organizational technology. Technology change describes an entire social process related to productivity, economic growth together with its social threats

Sports and its agent, the athlete (physical representation of sports), refer to a specific physical or tangible tool – an innovation. In a broader sense, it entails sports ethics or institutional sports.

Entrepreneurial sports describes an entire social process and social change with implications for business, social and public policy

Athletes are incredibly persistent and willing to experiment; they need to achieve and have a high tolerance for ambiguity; and they have something to prove and always seeking for opportunities to exploit

Social entrepreneurship refers to innovative and effective activities that focus strategically on resolving social market failures** and creating new opportunities to add social value systematically by using a range of resources and organizational formats to maximize an enduring social impact and bring about change(Nicholls)

**refers to the other invisible hand: legal and fiscal arrangements that serve to channel moral sentiments(Smith), motivations of care, civic energy, social commitments into practical form and, thus, into service of the common good (Mulgan and Landry, 1996)

A Social Entrepreneurial Model for Sports in SocietyA Social Entrepreneurial Model for Sports in Society

Goal: Connects the target social problem, threat or challenge with mission, approach to the problem, social impact strategies, intended impact, vision of what success will look like together with actions that will be taken to test and measure the hypothesis(Wolk 2008; Guclu, Dees and Battle Anderson 2002)

Opportunity – Innovation – Social Impact NexusOpportunity – Innovation – Social Impact Nexus

Social problem Definition

Target Social

Problem & Niche

Mission

•Purpose

•Target beneficiaries

•Activities

•Expected outcomes

Social Impact Strategies

•Major strategies identified to

further mission & ensure progress toward vision of

success

Operating model: B-Model

The way your activities work

together to implement

your mission(value

chain)

Social & Economic Impact Indicators: Social Value

Units of measurement to

assess L – T progress toward

success & of hypothesis

ORG & Program performance

indicators

Units of measurements to

assess S – T results that relate to

capacity to implement strategies

Vision of success

The World if you are ultimately successful

& your role in

addressing that vision

Feedback loop

DATA

ConclusionConclusion Sports and its agents(athletes) map extremely well unto

Entrepreneurship & Entrepreneurs – they posses similar DNAs

Sports in society can benefit from a social entrepreneurial model based on concepts of social entrepreneurship

The acute need for research in this field is the same as that of social entrepreneurship, both fields that are characterized by their youth and fraught with much rhetoric. The social entrepreneurship model is a step in that direction