at the Oxford Said Business School
Wednesday, 26 March
8:00 – 15:30
Saïd Business School, Entrance Hall
8:30 – 11:15
Saïd Business School, Common Room
11:15 – 13:15
Saïd Business School, Nelson Mandela Lecture Theatre
16:30 – 18:30
Sheldonian Theatre
18:45 – 20:30
Trinity College
20:00 – 22:00
Keble College
Thursday, 27 March, 10:00 – 12:00
Technology has increased the flow of information and made our decision-making more transparent. This rapid shift presents us with an historic opportunity to create a global culture driven by the need for trust and inclusion. This is why it is so important for those who are defining the world’s future structures to consciously build the ethical skills necessary into their designs. The building of empathetic ethics has to begin with individuals and quickly move into the organisations we lead and ultimately the societies we serve. How are we doing this? And, more importantly, how do we make this happen more quickly?
Increasingly, social entrepreneurs working in healthcare, education and economic development are relying on women and girls to create and sustain change in communities around the world. What’s driving this focus on women and girls? What are the models and opportunities for success? What are the challenges and cultural barriers faced by these approaches? And how are traditional, often male-dominated, cultural and community institutions accommodating this changing landscape? Join these panellists for a vigorous, candid and real world conversation on the myths, pitfalls and imperatives surrounding this topic.
Across the world there is ongoing debate about how to reform the public sector to deliver better services for all. The panel will consider how social entrepreneurs can interact with government to change the culture of the public sector and innovate to bring about improvements in the provision of public goods. Speakers will explore new relationships between different sectors and the potential for radical new hybrid organisations.
The rapid evolution of technology, social networks and mobile platforms is transforming classical notions of community and cross-cultural communication, offering new ways to disseminate ideas and drive engagement. In this session, leading thinkers and practitioners will explore the role of these new platforms as a means of developing community across cultures, and identify practical opportunities for delegates to leverage new technology to break down barriers, spread innovative ideas and attract new resources.
Non-profit social entrepreneurs often struggle to scale up their innovations without adequate access to the growth capital, distribution systems and infrastructure readily available to conventional businesses. Rather than accepting these limitations, many are increasingly pursuing hybrid models that draw from the best of both worlds, incorporating traditional business structures and strategies to achieve a social bottom line. This session will look at the challenges and opportunities that accompany these new business models, including an overview of different approaches and in-depth discussion with social entrepreneurs at the forefront of this movement.
Is it possible to strike a win-win partnership between a global corporation and a social enterprise? What are the drivers for partnership and how do they play out in reality? Using current case studies, this session will explore the benefits of partnership – including access to ideas, inspiration, capital and markets – as well as the challenges in making a successful partnership. Participants will take part in dynamic “empathy exercises” in order to better understand the internal drivers and constraints on both sides of the fence.
Sit in on these vigorous and fast moving Consultancy Clinics where select delegates ‘pitch’ new ideas, business plans or sticky challenges to an esteemed panel of experts, innovators and luminaries who will listen, ask questions and provide valuable advice. Each delegate will have a total of 20 minutes in front of these master panels – five minutes to pitch and 15 minutes for questioning and input. Delegates and observing audiences alike will benefit from the informed perspectives, shared learning and ‘out loud’ thinking as panellists, many of whom are speakers at the Forum, share wisdom, experience and creative insights on the fly.
Saïd Business School, Seminar Room B
Saïd Business School, Edmond Safra Lecture Theatre
12:00 – 14:00
Saïd Business School, Entrance Hall/Social Networking Lounge
12.30 – 13.45
Thursday, 27 March, 14:00 – 16:00
What do cultural industries offer communities and individuals from conflict zones and from economically impoverished societies? Artists, film-makers and sports people will offer diverse perspectives on how cultural industries can act as a force for social change. They will look at how institutions and individual artistic expression support and sustain cultural identity and social change.
The panellists in this session have all made powerful contributions to post-conflict societies. Their presentations will cover topics such as state-building, gender, the role of the media, and of corporations and social businesses. They will debate how these and other approaches can contribute to rebuilding societies and developing national and international cultures of post-conflict engagement which invite peace alongside effective political and economic participation.
How can a methodology based on empathy inspire innovation for social entrepreneurs working in different cultures? Join the design firm, IDEO, ranked as one of the world’s most innovative companies, in this interactive workshop aimed at engaging delegates in the experience of human centered design. Delegates will explore case studies, learn empathy building tools, and identify avenues of opportunity inspired by cultural contexts.
This interactive session will explore various approaches to assessing impact and leveraging these efforts to attract resources and drive organisational learning. Participate with panellists in answering key questions including: Who are the real audiences for impact assessment efforts? Who really cares and is it worth the bother? What happens in practice when social entrepreneurs are systematic about measuring impact? How does this lead to organisational learning, increased impact and innovation, or to greater resource mobilisation?
Social entrepreneurs increasingly report that access to human capital is one of the biggest challenges they face. This raises a whole host of challenges around recruiting and retaining the right talent to ensure effective implementation and impact on the ground. This experienced panel will discuss both the challenges and opportunities that accompany growth as well as effective strategies for attracting and keeping the human resources you need to succeed.
Building on the morning’s discussions about the potential benefits for partnership between corporations and social entrepreneurs, this session will explore practical tips and tools for pursuing partnerships. Building on insights from pioneering partnering organisations, this session will ask participants to role up their sleeves and help to co-create effective templates for partnership.
Sit in on these vigorous and fast moving Consultancy Clinics where select delegates ‘pitch’ new ideas, business plans or sticky challenges to an esteemed panel of experts, innovators and luminaries who will listen, ask questions and provide valuable advice. Each delegate will have a total of 20 minutes in front of these master panels – five minutes to pitch and 15 minutes for questioning and input. Delegates and observing audiences alike will benefit from the informed perspectives, shared learning and ‘out loud’ thinking as panellists, many of whom are speakers at the Forum, share wisdom, experience and creative insights on the fly.
Saïd Business School, Edmond Safra Lecture Theatre
Saïd Business School, Seminar Room B
17.30 – 19.30
Sheldonian Theatre
19.45 – 21.00
Trinity College
Friday, 28 March, 09:00 – 11:00
In today’s interconnected world there has been much written about the end of nation states. At the same time, the need to understand how individuals identify with regional, ethnic, and religious traditions and identities has been increasingly recognised as critical in addressing global problems. The panel will explore how social innovation can both mitigate the pernicious consequences of xenophobia and insularity inherent in many stereotypes of nationalism and enhance the positive opportunities for social change within established heritage and cultural traditions. The session will discuss issues ranging from multiculturalism within countries to cross-national and international cultural challenges and opportunities.
How do you use storytelling to extend the influence of your work? What happens when your storytelling becomes so powerful that it challenges the status quo? Ken Brecher, social anthropologist and executive director of the Sundance Institute, will lead a vigorous session on storytelling in the modern world; a world where narrative can be a measure of relevance, and your ability to speak to multiple audiences could be the key to your success and the source of your greatest challenges.
How can social entrepreneurs use marketing strategy to grow their ventures, spread ideas, and facilitate adoption of their models? According to Douglas Holt, L’Oréal Professor of Marketing at the Said Business School, conventional marketing techniques are not the way to go. Organizations seeking to change culture and society need to take a socio-cultural approach to marketing. Holt developed cultural branding in his influential book “How Brands Become Icons: The Principles of Cultural Branding,” and has applied these concepts widely to some of the worlds most prominent social and private sector brands. Holt will show how social mission businesses and civil sector organizations can leverage cultural branding and will lead an interactive discussion on how to apply these insights to their organisations.
Replication is often the challenge standing between a social entrepreneur’s exciting innovation and major impact. This panel will explore examples of different replication models in an attempt to shed light on some key questions: What are the challenges implicit in the replication model? What are some of the internal and external factors that fuel success? What should a social entrepreneur consider in determining which approach to try?
Financing the growth of operations to achieve major scale is without a doubt the biggest challenge facing social entrepreneurs. Not only are larger amounts of capital hard to obtain, but the funding available frequently neglects the need to build the core capacity of the organization – and can result in pressures that dilute the organization’s focus on maximizing social impact. This panel explores a range of methods and strategies available to social entrepreneurs for financing their growth plans, including emerging ways to create new asset classes (including hybrid, for-profit, and for-benefit models); and cutting-edge intermediaries supporting social entrepreneurs’ financing efforts. And a seasoned social entrepreneur will be on hand to share experiences on the ground in obtaining major funding from both grant- and investor sources.
Sit in on these vigorous and fast moving Consultancy Clinics where select delegates ‘pitch’ new ideas, business plans or sticky challenges to an esteemed panel of experts, innovators and luminaries who will listen, ask questions and provide valuable advice. Each delegate will have a total of 20 minutes in front of these master panels – five minutes to pitch and 15 minutes for questioning and input. Delegates and observing audiences alike will benefit from the informed perspectives, shared learning and ‘out loud’ thinking as panellists, many of whom are speakers at the Forum, share wisdom, experience and creative insights on the fly.
Saïd Business School, Seminar Room A
Saïd Business School, Seminar Room B
11.30 – 13.30
Nelson Mandela Lecture Theatre
Feedback
“The Forum is a great way to connect with people all across the world who are part of this powerful new movement – to overcome social inertia and change the world for the better. It is a wonderful place to exchange ideas, build partnerships and make new, like-minded friends.”
Artur Taevere – Founder and Director, The Charities Foundation, Estonia
Produced by Skoll Centre for social entrepeneurship and Skoll foundation
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