For our class research assignment Part 1, I analyzed and synthesized ideas on social innovation and social entrepreneurship. What I came out with is 1) How does innovation links in with design thinking 2) The importance of social innovators 3) Distinctions in the “types” of, social innovators, for profit, non-profit, and hybrid, and their level of operation, community, regional, national. Moreover the 2 case studies I found was Project Masiluleke: Texting and Testing to Fight HIV/AIDS in South Africa and Genovasi, Malaysia where they are cultivating a culture of innovators. For part 2, the societal challenge in Savannah that I picked was to tackle the drab, gloomy and general unsafe feeling a person gets when walking along some dodgy streets. The real world organization that was tackling this problem is the red-swing project. They:” Anonymously hang red swings in public places inspiring playfulness around the world.”

1. Research Assignment:
Exploring social Innovation & societal
challenges
Wei Si, Low | SERV 311 | Research Assignment 1

2. Part A:
Exploring Social Innovation
and Social Entrepreneurship
Wei Si, Low | SERV 311 | Research Assignment 1

3. Research options
online
journals
SIRR
Book
Wei Si, Low | SERV 311 | Research Assignment 1

4. synthesizing ideas
Reading off SSIR’s Winter and Spring 2013 journals, Conceptualizing
the International For-Profit Social Entrepreneur by R.Scott Marshall,
and the origins of Social Entrepreneurship: Compassion and the Role
of Embedded Agency.
Wei Si, Low | SERV 311 | Research Assignment 1

5. Leading thought players includes:
Stanford, Harvard, SAID business
school of UK, Yunus Social Business,
and others.

6. Definations of social innovation and social entrepreneurs
Social Innovation:
Social Entrepreneurship:
Social innovation refers to new
strategies, concepts, ideas and organizations that meet social needs
of all kinds - from working conditions and education to community
development and health - and that
extend and strengthen civil society.
Social entrepreneurship is the work
of a social entrepreneur. A social
entrepreneur is someone who recognizes a social problem and uses
entrepreneurial principles to organize, create, and manage a venture
to make social change (a social venture)
-wiki
- wiki

7. The way I see it is:
+
Innovators
Innovator’s business
profit mindset
Design thinking
=
Feasible, viable, desirable solution
Wei Si, Low | SERV 311 | Research Assignment 1

8. According to Social Innovation Research Review on their winter journal 2013
Social Entrepreneurs are
important because they
innovate, experiement and they are
persistent in their efforts.
“social entrepreneurs expand the
portfolio of options available for
dealing with current and future
social and environmental issues.”
- J. Gregoy Dees,
Duke University
Wei Si, Low | SERV 311 | Research Assignment 1

9. If you’ll like to further your research, social Entrepreneurship could
their form:
not for profit
for profit
hybrid or cross sector
their scope:
national
regional
community
R.Scott Marshall, from the Journal of Business Ethics (2011) DOI 10.007

10. case studies:
Project M: Texting and testing to
fight HIV
A plan to boost a nations GPA
and combat “brain drain”
Wei Si, Low | SERV 311 | Research Assignment 1

11. Part B:
Create a list of the societal
challenges that exsist in Savannah
Wei Si, Low | SERV 311 | Research Assignment 1

12. A list of the societal challenges that exist in Savannah which interests me.
Crime
under-utilized urban spaces
Drab boring social spaces
Homelessness
General lighting, feeling of safety
Wei Si, Low | SERV 311 | Research Assignment 1

13. I pick drab and gloomy places
How could you spruce up drab and gloomy places to be more
festive, cheerful, and make people just feel better?
vs
vs

14. Inspiration:
We anonymously hang red
swings in public places inspiring
playfulness around the world

15. Possible scope or framework to innovate would be:
Identify at least 5 places to
encourage playfulness
Create a budget for sturdy ropes,
and wood
Pair up with people who are
committed to the idea.
Get your needed on ground info. http://www.redswingproject.org/assets/RSP_knotmanual.pdfpacket at
Wei Si, Low | SERV 311 | Research Assignment 1

16. Constraints
Law,
the legal side of projects
Safety for families and kids
Cost
to be thoroughly researched
Possible to tap into SCAD’s In- defined by how much
dustrial Design knowledge
swings are to be
Law enforcers, police, property
pool
produced
rules and regulations
Wei Si, Low | SERV 311 | Research Assignment 1

17. Member’s focal jobs, key needs, and other related jobs
Law enforcers
Focal job: keep the community safe
Key needs regarding this project:
Knowing it is approved by the City
Council
Young Urban Professionals
Focal job: Support their company or
organizations profit goals
Key needs regarding this project:
Needing a place to relax , take a
break or unwind
Families with young kids
Focal job: Doing a good job for their
family’s livelihood, nurturing their
young children.
Key needs regarding this project:
safety features built into the swings,
safe locations for their kids to play in.
or any passerby
Wei Si, Low | SERV 311 | Research Assignment 1