CASE Impact 2002-Present
CASE
PURPOSE
A research and education center based at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) promotes the entrepreneurial pursuit of social impact through the thoughtful adaptation of business expertise.
CASE envisions an entrepreneurial, effective social sector in which capital and talent flow efficiently to the individuals and organizations achieving the greatest social impact. Where social-purpose organizations blur the boundaries between business, government, and nonprofit, adopting and adapting the tools and knowledge from all sectors to improve performance, develop new approaches, and attract more resources. Where entrepreneurial individuals of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds identify and create opportunities for addressing some of the world’s most pressing problems. And where those social entrepreneurs have access to the skills and resources necessary to maximize, sustain, and scale social impact.
CASE KNOWLEDGE
Translating business knowledge for application in the social sector. Thoughtfully observing and reflecting upon the evolving field of social entrepreneurship. Developing new frameworks and tools for the entrepreneurial pursuit of social impact. Sharing our perspectives and lessons learned with educators, thought leaders, social entrepreneurs, and organizations seeking to enhance their impact. These are the core activities that underpin CASE’s knowledge strategy.
Since 2002, CASE has produced 15 book chapters, articles, working papers, and case studies; presented more than 50 times at universities and conferences; and hosted three convenings of business school colleagues, thought leaders, or practitioners. Additionally, CASE has invested $75,000 in research projects by Fuqua faculty members, resulting in a series of working papers and journal articles. Beyond numerous speaking engagements, CASE disseminates knowledge and resources through a comprehensive website and email communications that reach over 2000 individuals. Select representative knowledge activities are listed in the downloadable CASE Impact 2002-2007 document.
CASE MBA PROGRAM
Preparing MBAs for lifelong, entrepreneurial leadership in the social sector. Providing real world opportunities for learning and social impact. Reducing the financial barriers to pursuing social entrepreneurship careers. Refining our understanding of the application of business skills in the social sector. Fundamentally, CASE’s MBA Program enhances the Duke MBA experience while contributing to our knowledge and increasing the supply of entrepreneurial skills in the social sector.
With CASE’s leadership, the Duke MBA ranked #2 overall and #1 in Social Enterprise in the first edition of Business as UNusual: The 2006 Net Impact Student Guide to Graduate Business Programs. Since 2002, over 300 students have taken our social entrepreneurship elective, consistently rating it over 6 out of 7. Numerous other students have applied their business skills for social impact through serving on a local nonprofit board as part of Fuqua on Board, completing a project for an organization through coursework or an independent study, or participating in the CASE Summer Internship Program. Moreover, CASE has provided nearly $334,000 in financial aid to 65 Duke MBAs working in the social sector; facilitated student involvement with over 50 community organizations; and brought over 25 distinguished speakers to campus. Finally, CASE helped launch and continues to support the 250-member Social Impact Club, which was recognized as the “Club of the Year” in 2005-2006, only its second full year in existence. In recognition of the outstanding service CASE provides students, staff members have received the Duke MBAA Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award and twice been finalists for the Students’ Choice Staff Award. Select representative MBA Program activities are listed in the downloadable CASE Impact 2002-2007 document.
CASE COMMUNITY IMPACT
A new strategic plan for Habitat for Humanity-Durham. A comprehensive economic needs analysis for West Chapel Hill Street’s revitalization plan. A Chief Operating Officer for Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers (TROSA). An investment strategy for Threshold, a clubhouse model rehabilitation program. A Junior Achievement program at Maureen Joy Charter School. A Conference on Social Enterprise for nonprofit leaders from the Carolinas. Duke MBAs and CASE are using business skills to have a positive impact on the Triangle community.
Since 2002, with leadership and support from CASE, Duke MBAs have engaged with over 50 community organizations through board apprenticeships, volunteer service, and special projects. Incoming Duke MBA students are now greeted with an opportunity to spend a “Day in Durham” learning about community issues, organizations, and opportunities for involvement. And CASE programs have provided over $90,000 of financial aid to 9 summer interns and 6 alumni working for Triangle nonprofits. Moreover, each year, local social sector leaders participate in an average of five (5) CASE events, exposing them to cutting edge concepts, tools, and thought leaders from the field of social entrepreneurship.
CASE IMPACT AT DUKE
Dissolving boundaries. Social entrepreneurs are renowned for working across sectors, for breaking down artificial barriers to tackle complex social problems effectively. Similarly, CASE works with faculty, students, and administrators from schools and departments across Duke. Additionally, CASE has provided over $16,000 in loan repayment and summer internship assistance to Duke MBAs working at Duke for Alumni Relations, the Nicholas School of the Environment, the Pratt School of Engineering, the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership, and the Fuqua School of Business. From partnering with other programs to educating students from a range of disciplines, CASE has an impact at Duke well beyond the Fuqua School of Business.
RECOGNIZED LEADER IN THE FIELD
The Economist. NPR. The New York Times. Fast Company. CNN.com. The Boston Globe. U.S. News & World Report. The Chronicle of Philanthropy. The Times (London). Asahi Shinbun (Japan). India Times. These are just a few of the media outlets where CASE has received coverage and brought visibility to Duke, Fuqua, and the field of social entrepreneurship.
CASE Faculty Director Greg Dees is the academic pioneer in the field of social entrepreneurship. He developed the first graduate business school course on the topic at Harvard Business School in the 1990s, subsequently co-founding the Center for Social Innovation at Stanford Business School and then CASE at Duke. Beyond his teaching, media coverage, speaking engagements, and specific advisory roles, his influence and reputation pervade this field. In an interview on “The Past, Present, and Future of Social Entrepreneurship,” industry leader New Profit, Inc. referred to him as someone “who has chronicled and influenced the field’s development, in the process becoming perhaps its most prominent scholar.” He was one of five members of the first Selection Board for the Fast Company Social Capitalist Awards. When the Skoll Foundation’s Social Edge convened the first-ever online conference on social entrepreneurship, Greg Dees was the academic asked to contribute to the “Thought Leaders on the Edge” series. These are just a few examples of things that, along with Greg Dees’s extensive media coverage, help advance the field of social entrepreneurship and give testament to Duke’s commitment to the field and the practical application of knowledge for social good.