| "The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own." -- Benjamin Disraeli Ever wondered how long the $1 you gave to the old lady selling tissue packets will last? Ever wished that something could be done for those who have lost their purpose? Ever thought of helping someone but feeling there is only so much you can do? Now is the time to answer those questions. A perfect opportunity to engage your entrepreneurial talents while helping society. Learn how to start your own social enterprise, while working with us, alongside professionals. Join us in changing the social landscape. Join MISE. www.mise.com.sg Register online at www.mise.com.sg by 4th April 2008 Have problems forming a team to join MISE? Register as a forum member to make contact with fellow like-minded peers who are equally eager to be social change-makers! MISE Challenge Forum also provides the latest updates of the competition! Join our MISE community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Competition Resources; executive summaries template, etc | |
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| Topic Started: Mar 25 2008, 07:14 AM (257 Views) | |
| MISE_Veralene | Mar 25 2008, 07:14 AM Post #1 |
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Social Entrepreneurship Background Information "Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry." — Bill Drayton, CEO, chair and founder of Ashoka, a global nonprofit organization devoted to developing the profession of social entrepreneurship 1. Central Singapore Community Development Council: The definition of a Social Entrepreneur is: -A person who identifies and applies solutions to social needs and problems with innovation and resourcefulness while focusing on social value creation -One driven by a social mission, a desire to find innovative ways to solve social problems not addressed and/or inadequately addressed by either the market or the public sector -Have a financially sustainable business model i.e. profitable or self-supporting through revenue generation The definition of a Social Enterprise is: -A business model built around answering this social need and develops a symbiotic relationship between the social and business goals -Catering to the social cause is the core business -Need not be focused on the profit motive 2. Alpha-Plus Training Consultancy: The definition of a Social Entrepreneur is: -Project basis -May or may not be profit-focused -Applying business principles The definition of a Social Enterprise is: -Not to make profits per se, but to achieve social good through the similar process of identifying opportunities, exercising creativity and building new structures Personal Drivers of Social Entrepreneurship: -Social responsibility -Want to make a difference to society -Make a mark, be remembered -Profit driven-marketing -Leads to further opportunities Areas in which a social venture could be established: -environmental improvements -aged-care reform -helping sick children -improving lifestyles of the disabled -creating youth opportunities -assistance to the unemployed -providing affordable housing 3. Skoll Foundation: Examples of Social Entrepreneurs: •Jane Addams founded Hull-House in 1889, a social settlement to improve conditions in a poor immigrant neighborhood in Chicago, then expanded her efforts nationally. Addams gained international recognition as an advocate of women's rights, pacifism and internationalism, and served as the founding president of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Her work ultimately resulted in protective legislation for women and children. •Maria Montessori, the first female physician in Italy, began working with children in 1906 and created a revolutionary education method that supports each individual child's unique development. Montessori schools allow each child to realize his or her full potential by fostering social skills, emotional growth and physical coordination, in addition to cognitive preparation. •Muhammad Yunus revolutionized economics by founding the Grameen Bank, or "village bank," in Bangladesh in 1976 to offer "microloans" to help impoverished people attain economic self-sufficiency through self-employment, a model that has been replicated in 58 countries around the world. Characteristics of Social Entrepreneurs: •Ambitious: Social entrepreneurs tackle major social issues, from increasing the college enrollment rate of low-income students to fighting poverty in developing countries. These entrepreneurial leaders operate in all kinds of organizations: innovative nonprofits, social purpose ventures such as for-profit community development banks, and hybrid organizations that mix elements of nonprofit and for-profit organizations. •Mission driven: Generating social value-not wealth-is the central criterion of a successful social entrepreneur. While wealth creation may be part of the process, it is not an end in itself. Promoting systemic social change is the real objective. •Strategic: Like business entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs see and act upon what others miss: opportunities to improve systems, create solutions and invent new approaches that create social value. And like the best business entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs are intensely focused and hard-driving-even relentless-in their pursuit of a social vision. •Resourceful: Because social entrepreneurs operate within a social context rather than the business world, they have limited access to capital and traditional market support systems. As a result, social entrepreneurs must be exceptionally skilled at mustering and mobilizing human, financial and political resources. •Results oriented: Ultimately, social entrepreneurs are driven to produce measurable returns. These results transform existing realities, open up new pathways for the marginalized and disadvantaged, and unlock society’s potential to effect social change. 4. UNIDO: Triple Bottom Line: The concept of reporting against the three components or “bottom lines” of economic, environmental and social performance is directly tied to the goals of sustainable development and Corporate Social Responsibility. It is an attempt to align private enterprises to the goal of sustainable global development by providing them with a more comprehensive set of working objectives than just profit alone. Edited by MISE_Veralene, Mar 25 2008, 07:16 AM.
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| MISE_Veralene | Mar 25 2008, 07:20 AM Post #2 |
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Writing an Executive Summary A. Introduction The Executive Summary is the page where potential investors would first read before they decide if they have any interest in future discussions about your company or your plan. It is supposed to cover all of the ESSENTIAL POINTS of your business plan. It is the section of the plan that is typically reviewed first by interested parties to determine if further reading is required. B. Background Information Your Best Executive Summary Ever An executive summary has basically nothing to do with product presentation, and everything to do with a persuasive sales pitch. It is far more than an abstract which merely presents the rest of the document—it's your unique opportunity to convince the reader that your solution provides the best value proposition: the best benefit at the lowest cost. The more technical your proposal, the more important the executive summary is likely to be. Unlike the abstract, the executive summary steers clear of technicalities to instead concentrate on substantiating the benefits for the customer. How to Write an Executive Summary Executive Summary First By writing your executive summary first, you ensure that the rest of your proposal will be aligned with the persuasive message you want to deliver. Executive Summary Content Your executive summary should contain your value proposition, which should be grasped right away by your reader. Far more than an abstract merely presenting the rest of the proposal, it's your unique opportunity to convince the reader that your proposal provides the best value proposition: the best benefit at the lowest cost. The more technical your proposal, the more critical the executive summary is likely to be. It is highly recommended that you read the suggestions below in order to properly and successfully use the executive summary template and sample. 1. Identify 3 main benefits—no more, no less—that your executive summary will cover, putting them in descending order of importance. This is the way they will appear in your document body, since you want to grab the reader's attention as early as possible. 2. For each benefit, write a simple, declarative, and persuasive sentence by applying the S.P.A. rule for your value proposition: a. State your benefit by acknowledging your customers’ needs—this grabs their attention. b. Prove your statement, by giving your customers several references (examples of past performance, clients, case studies, white papers, and so on). c. Apply your benefit to your customers, by unveiling the real value that not only the customer but also the entire organization can get out of your offer. Use representation (numbers, facts, percentages, references, studies) instead of marketing puffery or commercial fluff. You will build credibility, thus giving the confidence to your customer to make the right decision. 3. Ask your customer for action. It's not the time or place to be shy. You're here to have your offer selected, so use action verbs in your value proposition to show the path of enlightenment to your customer. For instance, recommend your product or services, and give the information necessary to complete the action (who, what, when, where, how), such as how to purchase, or whom to contact at your company. 4. Write your executive summary for best readability, meaning the lowest grade level possible. This way, you ensure that no barrier hampers your reader’s full understanding of your point. 5. Correct, edit, and revise your executive summary—but only when you're finished writing it. Executive Summary, Tips, Dos and Don'ts Here are some tips on how to write your executive summary—and how not to write it. Dos and Don'ts of Executive Summaries: • Be persuasive (follow the executive summary format: state, prove, and apply). • Don't be demonstrative (don't focus on features). • Write your executive summary with active-voice sentences. • Use strong, enthusiastic, and proactive language. • Convert passive-voice sentences to active voice as much as possible. • Write simple, short sentences intended for reading by an executive. • Keep your executive summary short (1 page for every 20 to 50 pages). • Write your executive summary using an executive summary template. • Don't provide unnecessary technical details. Remember, an executive should be able to read it. • Avoid excessive jargon, and write the definition first. • Correct spelling, punctuation, style, and grammar errors. • Write primarily for your customer, not for yourself (use the name of your customer’s organization more often than yours—and don't start with a description of your organization). • Write primarily about your customer (the benefits), not about you or your product (the features). Your Executive Summary Template 1. State your 3 main benefits, thus acknowledging your customers’ needs: this grabs their interest. 2. Prove your statement by giving your customer several references (examples of past performance, clients, case studies, white papers, and so on). 3. Apply your benefits to your customer by unveiling the real value that not only the customer but also the entire organization can get out of your offer. Use representation (numbers, facts, percentages, references, studies), not vague marketing copy. 4. Finally, call your reader to action, and give all the necessary information for action (who, what, when, where, how). The executive summary presents your unique selling point (USP) in order to persuade your reader to buy into the recommended solution or services. The proposed format ensures that your message is oriented towards your customer. Indeed, you are not proposing a mere solution: you are addressing your customers’ needs. Happy writing! C. Suggested Guidelines 1. The Company. In this section you discuss the company's strategy and its management team. These matters must be evaluated from the perspective of the company's history and current situation. 2. The Market. Who are the potential buyers? How many of them exist? This section identifies the prospective customers and provides evidence of how many are likely to become real customers. 3. The Product/Service. This is the section of the business plan that most entrepreneurs find the easiest to do. Because most feel strongly about the quality and utility of their product or service, they love to describe its attributes. Here is where such discussion is most appropriate. 4. Sales and Promotion. Here you explain how sales will be completed. Will there be an in-house sales force? Or manufacturers' representatives? Or will mail order be used? And how will the product/service be promoted? Via advertising? Or public relations? 5. Finances. This is the section for the nuts-and-bolts financial issue' to be considered and financial results/projections to be included. Generally speaking, three types of financial statements are necessary: cash flow, income/loss, and balance sheet. 6. Appendix. Here you can include items that don't fit well within par, titular sections of the plan-items like executive resumes, product literature; and endorsement letters from customers. D. More References http://www.ideasformarketing.com/executive-summary.htm http://www.garage.com/resources/writingexecsum.shtml |
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| MISE_Veralene | Mar 25 2008, 07:28 AM Post #3 |
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List of VWOs in Central Singapore District available on: http://www.centralsingaporecdc.org.sg/1164335787588.html When submitting Team's Executive Summary, Team should identify one broad category of interest (i.e. disabled, elderly) In the next phase, Team shall select a VWO from Central Singapore CDC (related to the broad category of interest indicated) to work with for their Business Plan i.e. Business Plan should be tailored to the selected VWO. Hence, the list of VWOs above will prove to be very useful. 
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