The Social Entrepreneur’s Handbook: How to Start, Build and Run a Business That Improves the World

Rupert Scofield
McGraw-Hill
£19.99

PM Rating: 3/5

Not all business organisations are run mainly for the benefit of shareholders or partners. Some are run as not-for-profit organisations, whose main aim is to create benefits for the organisation’s clients. It may seem at first glance that the management of a not-for-profit organisation and a conventionally profit driven organisation would be significantly different. This is not the case, and many business issues are common to both types of institution.

The Social Entrepreneur’s Handbook by Rupert Scofield is written to guide the aspiring social entrepreneur through the full range of activities of starting, building and running a social business. Rupert is the CEO of the foundation for International Community Assistance, a leading microfinance institution.

The author is a practicing manager and gives down to earth sensible advice on all aspects of running a business. This includes developing the original idea, raising finance, finding staff, dealing with sponsors, dealing with government, accommodating political upheaval, developing strategy and facing all the issues that come about as the organisation grows beyond the original management team.

The author uses examples of both good and bad outcomes based on his own experience to clarify his message, and does this using language totally free of the management jargon you would normally find in a work of this nature. Although obviously written for a specific business environment, and with all its examples drawn from the North American business community, this book has application in a much wider sphere, and is an excellent background read for managers at any level.