Business development is a dynamic process. Social innovators will gather and analyse information, as they progress towards their goal of setting up a social enterprise (see Module 2, Units 1 – 4 which deal with issues such as Value Proposition Business Environmental Analysis, Key Resources required and Marketing/Branding, and Module 3, Units 1 – 3 which cover Understanding your Customer, Market Research and Product / Market Validation)
As the enterprise develops the social innovator will find that the business model and perhaps the initial service / product will change based on market feedback, and external and internal forces in the business environment.
Social innovators must maintain a market focus. While the initial focus may be to meet a social need, in order to do so and be sustainable the social innovator will have to address a demand for goods or services. Focus on who will buy from them and why they will buy from them rather than from their competitors.
As social innovators progress they will undoubtedly encounter new challenges. They may have to review what they have already done and re- assess how they should proceed. This is a necessary step in developing a social enterprise.
Have a look at
Videos
Harvard i-lab | Developing a Social Enterprise Business Plan with Allen Grossman
The Nonprofit Business Model Canvas – Bryann Alexandros
(Using the Business Model Canvas for a Social Enterprise Business)
From Idea to Business – Animated Series (Using the Social Business Model Canvas
Tools
http://www.forthsectordevelopment.org.uk/documents/New_BusPlanGu ide.pdf
The Nonprofit Business Model Canvas Bryann Alexandros (Using the Business Model Canvas for a Social Enterprise Business).
Resources
http://www.forthsectordevelopment.org.uk/documents/New_BusPlanGu ide.pdf
http://www.competitiveperformance.com/images/Business_Models_and_Blue_Ocean_Strategies.pdf
Leen Gorissen , Saskia Manshoven , Karl Vrancken , (2014) “Tailoring business model innovation towards grand challenges: Employment of a transition management approach for the social enterprise “re-use centers””, Journal of Global Responsibility, Vol. 5 Iss: 2, pp.289 – 311
Adesegun Oyedele , (2016) “Emerging market global business model innovation”, Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship, Vol. 18 Iss: 1, pp.53 – 62