“If the United Nations was fully funded why would we need the Arc or social enterprise?”
United Nations (UN) was established in 1945 with the purpose of maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations and promoting social progress – better living standards and human rights. The organization works on internationally seen problems, ranging from refugee protection to gender equality to social developments and many more. However, with a great variety of political and social issues occurring simultaneously around the world, the United Nations is only to, despite being fully funded, monitor all current problems.
Thus, social enterprises are established to focus on improving a specific social value. Because the UN has many issues to oversee, the purpose of social enterprises is to dedicate more time and efforts directly in ameliorating current situations. For example, World Vision International, founded in 1950, has developed into one of the largest relief organisations in the world (source from here). They work directly alongside with the UN to focus on improving social issues. Another example is the Arc Initiative which pushes for improving third world countries’ situation by educating children about business management and leadership. The Arc believes that “the best method to increasing economic well-being is to through developing business education” (source from here).
Ultimately, even if the United Nations was fully funded, social enterprises are still necessary for in the world because it focuses on specific social problems which the United Nations is unable to tackle, due to its broad range of International political and social duties.
http://www.sauder.ubc.ca/Global_Reach/ARC_Initiative/About_ARC