Briefly explain what you would like the MBA students to know about your company/organization. Please include the primary function of your business/division.

NESsT is a non-governmental organization dedicated to finding lasting solutions to systemic poverty and social injustice through the development of social enterprises -- mission-driven businesses that increase the financial sustainability and social change impact of civil society organizations. The NESsT Case Study Series is the first international case study series of its kind to focus especially on entrepreneurship in the nonprofit sector. The growing body of cases examines the practical use of social enterprise among nonprofits worldwide. Modeled on the case study methodologies of leading business schools, the cases document the practical lessons learned by social entrepreneurs in applying business practices to generate income to support their mission. The William Davidson Institute is a non-profit, independent, research and educational institute dedicated to developing and disseminating expertise on issues affecting firms in transition & emerging market economies. WDI’s Social Enterprise in Emerging Markets Research Initiative explores the changing and expanding role of NGOs, corporations and governments in achieving social impact. The Initiative brings together a diverse group of experts from academia, NGO practitioners and the private sector to conduct research, hold conferences and produce new intellectual capital.
 

The project is a partnership between NESsT and WDI, first to evaluate the NESsT Venture Fund’s efforts in enabling NGO social enterprises through technical assistance and small grants, and second to evaluate the social enterprises of two organizations in the Venture Fund. WDI will conduct case research on NESsT. MAP students will conduct case research on two NESsT Venture Fund organizations: • P-Centrum, a center providing treatment to at-risk youth and its woodworking business in Olomouc, Czech Republic; • Vydra, a rural development organization with a cluster of tourism businesses in Cierny Balog, Slovakia; One team of two students will be based in Hungary and travel to sites in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, to provide on-the- ground objective assessments of the NESsT Venture Fund and two Venture Fund members. To guide their research, the teams will refine a 30+ page social enterprise case questionnaire developed and tested by NESsT in their Case Study Series. The X MAP students will then administer the revised questionnaire and prepare detailed social enterprise case study analyses based on questionnaire responses, telephone and on-site interviews. The team’s research will form the foundation of four case studies to be edited by Nicole Etchart and Lee Davis of NESsT and Bob Kennedy and Kelly Janiga of WDI. (Note: A seperate team will research and develop case studies for two organizations in the NESsT portfolio in Chile). WDI and NESsT administration of the case study project is funded in part by a grant from USAID’s Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance/Office of Private and Voluntary Cooperation.

The MAP team should approach this business issue from a hybrid perspective: NGO social enterprises not only should generate (or be on the path toward generating) income for the NGO’s operations, they should also demonstrate a commitment and alignment with the mission of the NGO. Accordingly, interviews should be conducted with budget and financial officers to determine the financial picture of the social enterprise, but also with program staff to determine the social enterprise’s relationship with the mission. Clients should also be observed and/or interviewed to determine their satisfaction level with the social enterprise and the services it provides to them.

(Examples: full market analysis; competitive map for relevant products/services; situational analysis with identified gaps and opportunities; process flow diagram and determination of costs of a proposed process; anticipated ROI to implement new activities; recommendations for staffing a new process)

XMAP team goals: 1. One team will visit social enterprises in Czech Republic and Slovakia, to interview staff, administer questionnaire, observe operations, and collect all relevant information in preparation for writing a case study. 2. Answer the following research questions: Has the NESsT Venture Fund Strategy been effective in achieving its goals of a) diversifying NGO resources; b) furthering the social/mission impact of NGOs; and c) increasing the organizational capacity/development of NGOs? Has the NESsT Venture Fund’s “intervention” produced demonstrated results and impact for the two NGO-operated social enterprises? What are the unique challenges or lessons to be learned from the enterprises as relates to NGO organizational development, and how are these lessons relevant for other NGO social enterprises? 3. Work with WDI/NESsT team to synthesize this research into a case study format to be edited by Kelly Janiga, Bob Kennedy, Lee Davis and Nicole Etchart. 4. Final product will be cases that can be utilized by other NGOs interested in launching social enterprises. In addition, they can fill the growing need for teaching materials in the field of social enterprise. XMAP team deliverables: 1. Revise the existing NESsT questionnaire to ensure that all needed information will be obtained. 2. Complete informative and thorough social enterprise case questionnaires for two case study organizations, including interviews with the organization’s clients wherever possible. 3. Prepare draft written cases and present the cases in a final presentation for WDI/NESsT team, to be presented either at WDI or at a NESsT location tbd.
 

• Other

Comments:
Case studies focusing on: -expansion and scale issues -strategic HR planning (capacity)

 3 Weeks away from the Michigan campus Local project, hours away will vary throughout project

If international travel is expected, please list the countries involved.
Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic

Please add specific details of travel expectations.
Travel can occur at any point during the project timeline, but the team will likely spend the initial two weeks in Michigan doing background research followed by three weeks in the above mentioned countries interviewing the NESsT portfolio organizations. The final two weeks will be largely devoted to writing the case studies and will be spent in Michigan.