In the first part of the book, editor Jed Emerson, whose background includes running a social service agency before becoming director of The Roberts Foundation's Homeless Economic Development Fund, offers five detailed case studies and 16 case summaries of nonprofit organizations' ventures.
The studies and summaries provide a wealth of detail, including numbers, about each venture. Not all the businesses were successful, and the book describes why some failed, and why others succeeded. Additional chapters discuss how to understand and use financials and accounting for planning.
In the second section, Emerson covers a range of topics important for those thinking about starting a for-profit business, including discussions of the role of funders, board members, and employees. The book also discusses legal considerations, global competition, and individual development, and presents a fascinating, and critical, examination of Michael Porter's (the current business guru from MIT) views on inner-city job creation.
New Social Entrepreneurs is full of the kind of knowledge that
comes from hands-on experience. It is frank, clear, and written with a
healthy sense of humor. Available for free from: The Roberts Foundation,
Box 29266, San Francisco, CA 94129-0266;
415-561-6677.
Copyright 1996
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