Connie Tsai: Week 4

In the period after World War II, Japanese policy sought to restructure an economic system bending under the pressure of returning military personnel and the unemployed. Not only did this restructuring assist members of society, it also "was a therapeutic diversion that channeled the nation's energies to productive endeavors" (119). Social entrepreneurship works in the same way at a scale which may be as small as a single company or as large as a government assistance program. Social entrepreneurship can help assist in a country's development by creating employment opportunities for those who would otherwise be unable to break into a market. This provides funds for growth and also lowers unemployment levels, which is profitable for the country as a whole as it requires less funding for government subsidies and programs. Furthermore, social entrepreneurship, on a superficial level, provides a better image for a country on a global scale as it shows a willingness to enact social justice on the citizenship.

In the United States, the Greyston Bakery is one such social enterprise. This company hires the homeless and provides them with a salary and residence. By doing so, Greyston provides those who are seen as "unemployable" with the ability to provide for themselves, while also preventing the physical and psychological health risks inherent in homelessness. In a different direction, Zihan Ling founded TechBase, an incubator for women-led tech start-ups in China. TechBase assists those who have access to fewer resources. By doing so, the company tackles gender disparity in high-ranking company positions.

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Question

Does social entrepreneurship and a progressive country go hand-in-hand? What issues arise when social entrepreneurship attempts progressive action in a country unwilling to accept social justice?

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Sources

• BBC. "Zihan Ling, 28, China." BBC News, 16 November 2015, http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34804573. Accessed 26 January 2017.
• Greyston. "Greyston - Bakers on a Mission," n.d., http://greyston.com/. Accessed 26 January 2017.
• Man, Tang Siew. "Japan’s Grand Strategic Shift from Yoshida to Koizumi: Reflections on Japan’s Strategic Focus in the 21st Century." Akademika, January 2007. 117-136. Accessed 26 January 2017.