“If the United Nations was fully funded why would we need the Arc or social enterprise?
That’s the big question. Wouldn’t it seem redundant to have these initiatives when there is already a United Nations which is dedicated in improving the life of humankind? Not necessarily.
The Arc
“Give a man a fish he’ll eat for one day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”
That is what the Arc is dedicating in doing for global communities as they share their business knowledge. The Arc believes the most beneficial means is spending their resources is teaching these communities the fundamental skills to prosper in businesses. I strongly support these means to improve third world coutnries. I find that charities too often try to fix the problems by putting a band aid on it, but they often fail to fix the complication in the long term. It is evident that this method works as people like Shega Shero who has saved her business through this program. The Arc focuses on the big picture in solving poverty, which I believe should be the new trend in this market of initiatives.
The Arc
After reading Maryanne Mathias’ story, I found similarities between her business model and what is often happening in poverty-stricken nations. She describes how her technicians would always encounter a problem and when she dealt with them the cycle just repeated. However, when she gave them the right tools it solved the problem. This story reminded me of how the Arc operates, as poor countries (technicians) would encounter a problem before charities (manager) helped them. But, when they received knowledge of how to flourish in businesses (tools), they had the fundamentals to succeed on their own.
Social Enterprises
So why do we need social enterprises if teaching them to sustain themselves would be the best option? Well, Social Enterprises usually focus more on the immediate threats and alternative methods in improving the long term.
“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
Bibliography
Web. 11 Nov. 2014. <http://www.sauder.ubc.ca/Global_Reach/~/media/7709ACA7C07A4EEC8AABC811569677B5.ashx>.
Web. 11 Nov. 2014. <http://nnovak11.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/chinese-proverb.jpg>.
Web. 11 Nov. 2014. <https://blogs.ubc.ca/alexhawley/files/2012/11/blackkkk.jpg>.
“Production Issues Threaten to Unravel High-end Fashion Label.” The Globe and Mail. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. <http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-growth/going-global/production-problems-nearly-unravel-high-end-fashion-label/article14286870/>.
“Sauder School of Business.” The Arc Initiative. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. <http://www.sauder.ubc.ca/Global_Reach/ARC_Initiative>.