From Haiti With Love from M. Scott Mortensen on Vimeo.
I have worked as a humanitarian for over twenty years in the United States, Russia, Thailand, Haiti, Honduras, Fiji and Mexico. One thing I have discovered throughout my journeys is that charity alone cannot resolve massive global problems like poverty, inequality and environmental degradation. Generous donations may alleviate suffering but they rarely alter the underlying crisis. To create lasting social value, society needs to replace good intentions with good ideas that spur systemic change. But how can we possibly accomplish such radical reform? And who will lead the way? These are the questions that drove me to Pepperdine’s MA in Learning Technologies in the first place. During my studies here I discovered the concept of Social Entrepreneurship. Not only is it an innovative approach that seeks to solve problems rather than treat symptoms but it is an emerging discipline well suited for Action Research.
Excited at this find, I delved into the following Literature Review on Social Entrepreneurship. Before trying to figure out the answers, I wanted to make sure I was asking the right questions. This research was a pivotal process in achieving that goal.