I appreciate that this New York Times story introduced me to this business D.light, which sells safe and clean lighting products to people in the Third World. But I'd be interested in learning more about the company's business model. Instead, the article focuses on the question of what to call this kind of company.
What to call these innovative businesspeople is the subject of some debate. The terms “social entrepreneur” and “social businesses” are generally used to characterize people and businesses that bring entrepreneurship to ventures that have a social mission. Yet there are those who would limit the social entrepreneur label only to those without any profit motive. A separate, but related, category are companies referred to as “socially responsible.” These are generally companies whose core business does not necessarily have a social mission, but who display socially responsible characteristics, like environmental sensitivity.
Marc Tracy at Slate ties this article to the whole "creative capitalism" movement.
I don't think that just because these businesses happen to serve ends considered "socially responsible" that they somehow become a different class of business.
It shouldn't be surprising that businesses are selling products that make a difference in the lives of socially disadvantaged people. That's been going on for some time. What's surprising is that more businesses haven't already tapped the massive markets found in the Third World.
How about we call what D.light does "entrepreneurship"--no adjectives or modifiers needed?
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