Big idea might be: learning to think small
By Paul Bennett
Published: December 30 2009 22:06 | Last updated: December 30 2009 22:06
I spend my life sitting in boardrooms across from chief executives asking me to help them find that mythical beast, “the big idea”. To them, I say this: “Small is the new big.”
I feel this even more strongly after a recent visit to Bangladesh to meet Muhammad Yunus, recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. I wanted to better understand the Grameen organisation, its microfinancing banking system, and its collaboration with the global French food group, Danone. There, I would see with my own eyes what social enterprise looks and feels like when the rubber hits the road. In recent years, Ideo’s client base has increasingly been about designing not only for financial but also for social impact, and a visceral sense of the opportunities and realities was what I was looking to learn.
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Jct: If Muhammad Yunus’ Grameen piggy banking system making micro-credit loans at 20% interest got the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, my bet is looking pretty good that John Turmel’s UNILETS time-based casino chip banking system making macro-credit loans at 0% usury and a 1-time service charge will soon get a last and never again Nobel Peace Prize too. And the last in Economics one inflation shift b is accepted. And one in science for Michael Linton’s LETS software I bet on.
By: KingofthePaupers on January 2, 2010
at 1:47 am
Refer (should that be defer?) to the father of Action Learning, the late Prof Reg Revans, whose principle “Small is Dutiful” was later modified by Schumacher to “Small is Beautiful” to good effect.
Likewise, have a look at Andrew Mawson’s “The Social Entrepreneur”.
Thing is activists get on with their task, whatever it may be.
Governments – limited by annual budgets that no SoS would dare underspend and by 5-year political clocks – are limited to wholesale copies of what works OR to passing ther buck by creating quangos OR both!
Up the (social enterprise) revolution!
By: Brian Craven on January 4, 2010
at 4:47 pm
“Big idea might be learning to think small. Schumacher’s “Small is Beautiful”
Jct: The big idea is learning to think right. I also like local restaurants, hair shops, cinemas but I want global telecommunications, airlines, shipping where it’s most efficient. “Right is Beautiful.” Not small.
By: KingofthePaupers on January 4, 2010
at 5:41 pm
Sabine,
If you’re interested in Mohammad Yunus & Grameen Bank… you might be interested in the new documentary that’s coming out about him (it’s premiering at Sundance Film Festival this week). It’s about the New York City branch of Grameen Bank – the film traces its first year offering micro-credit to the poor in the US. Check it out – http://www.tocatchadollar.com.
By: Mallie on January 24, 2010
at 10:11 pm
How absolutely wonderful, dear Mallie! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Anybody who has time to watch should see this film!
May Grameen America be copied umpteen times over!
By: Sabine McNeill on January 25, 2010
at 9:54 am