It's time to face facts. The world under globalization is becoming leaner and leaner - a process now exacerbated by the omnipresent financial crisis. This ever-increasing economic efficiency is mirrored by another important shift - the new relationship between government, corporations and private philanthropists. We at Yesod label this "the triangle of influence" - the three primary agents of social change. Corporations are the newest of the three agents, but are taking the lead in issues ranging from the global environment to AIDS in Africa and local economic empowerment. They bring a business mindset to the world of social change in terms of value for dollar spent, effective business models, and an institutional structure that is affecting the philanthropic world. Complimentary to this is … Continue Reading
The Modern World of Social Change
The world of social change is in transition. Globally, national governments are no longer fulfilling the role of social change facilitator. In its stead, local and municipal governments are becoming increasingly powerful and effective. We see that in the response to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans as well as with the forest fires in California in the last few years. In short, this transition is the definition of glocalization’ - the more globalized we become, the more localized we become. Within this new reality, the increasing force of local businesses and the third sector is front and center. Foreign Affairs recently published an article on “Global Corporate Citizenship,” which argues that “companies must not only be engaged with stakeholders but be stakeholders themselves alongside … Continue Reading
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