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The Power of Unreasonable People: How Social Entrepreneurs Create Markets That Change the World
Renowned playwright George Bernard Shaw once said "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world, the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." By this definition, some of today's entrepreneurs are decidedly unreasonable--and have even been dubbed crazy. Yet as John Elkington and Pamela Hartigan argue in The Power of Unreasonable People , our very future may hinge on their work.
Through vivid stories, the authors identify the highly unconventional entrepreneurs who are solving some of the world's most pressing economic, social, and environmental problems. They also show how these pioneers are disrupting existing industries, value chains, and business models--and in the process creating fast-growing markets around the world.
By understanding these entrepreneurs' mindsets and strategies, you gain vital insights into future market opportunities for your own organization. Providing a first-hand, on-the-ground look at a new breed of entrepreneur, this book reveals how apparently unreasonable innovators have built their enterprises, how their work will shape risks and opportunities in the coming years, and what tomorrow's leaders can learn from them.
Start investing in, partnering with, and learning from these world-shaping change agents, and you position yourself to not only survive but also thrive in the new business landscape they're helping to define.
Through vivid stories, the authors identify the highly unconventional entrepreneurs who are solving some of the world's most pressing economic, social, and environmental problems. They also show how these pioneers are disrupting existing industries, value chains, and business models--and in the process creating fast-growing markets around the world.
By understanding these entrepreneurs' mindsets and strategies, you gain vital insights into future market opportunities for your own organization. Providing a first-hand, on-the-ground look at a new breed of entrepreneur, this book reveals how apparently unreasonable innovators have built their enterprises, how their work will shape risks and opportunities in the coming years, and what tomorrow's leaders can learn from them.
Start investing in, partnering with, and learning from these world-shaping change agents, and you position yourself to not only survive but also thrive in the new business landscape they're helping to define.
279 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
80 people are currently reading
2110 people want to read
About the author
John Elkington
62 books62 followersProfessor John Elkington is an Executive Director of SustainAbility Ltd. A leading authority on the role of industry in sustainable development, he is a consultant to such organisations as BP, Procter & Gamble, USAID, and the UN Environment Programme.
He sits on advisory panels at the Merlin Ecology Fund and the Nature Conservancy Council. He has authored or co-authored numerous books and has published several hundred reports, papers and articles for a wide variety of journals, magazines and national newspapers.
On World Environment Day in June 1989, John Elkington was named to the United Nations Environment Programme's 'Global 500 Roll of Honour' for his 'outstanding environmental achievements'.
He sits on advisory panels at the Merlin Ecology Fund and the Nature Conservancy Council. He has authored or co-authored numerous books and has published several hundred reports, papers and articles for a wide variety of journals, magazines and national newspapers.
On World Environment Day in June 1989, John Elkington was named to the United Nations Environment Programme's 'Global 500 Roll of Honour' for his 'outstanding environmental achievements'.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 1, 2009
The examples of social innovation that Elkington & Hartigan highlight in this book are truly great examples of people making a difference. The book is a little confused about who its audience is though. For-profit business people who need convincing as to why social issues matter? People who care about social issues who need some schooling in the ways of business? I was hoping for more personal stories about these so-called unreasonable people but was disappointed. The book is less about the people themselves than it is about the business principles demonstrated by their enterprises.
I would like a book of in-depth profiles of diverse people who may or may not call themselves entrepreneurs - their interests, motivations, ways of thinking and doing. Something that illustrates the range of activities out there that could be considered to fall into the category of social entrepreneurialism. Something that makes us question what we really mean by this term. Something that challenges common assumptions such as the idea that social entrepreneurs are born and you can't teach people to be more entrepreneurial - a strangely self-defeating and elitist approach to a field of endeavor that seeks to uplift and democratise, I've always thought!
'When Talk Works: Profiles of Mediators' is a good example of what I'm looking for. It goes micro (profiling individual mediators) and macro (drawing out wider lessons about the field of mediation) at the same time. I want a 'When Talk Works' for social entrepreneurs. Surely this exists already?!
I would like a book of in-depth profiles of diverse people who may or may not call themselves entrepreneurs - their interests, motivations, ways of thinking and doing. Something that illustrates the range of activities out there that could be considered to fall into the category of social entrepreneurialism. Something that makes us question what we really mean by this term. Something that challenges common assumptions such as the idea that social entrepreneurs are born and you can't teach people to be more entrepreneurial - a strangely self-defeating and elitist approach to a field of endeavor that seeks to uplift and democratise, I've always thought!
'When Talk Works: Profiles of Mediators' is a good example of what I'm looking for. It goes micro (profiling individual mediators) and macro (drawing out wider lessons about the field of mediation) at the same time. I want a 'When Talk Works' for social entrepreneurs. Surely this exists already?!
April 6, 2017
How Unreasonable People Are Changing the World
For more than a decade I’ve been deeply immersed in the world of social entrepreneurship. Yet somehow I neglected to read this important book when it was first published four years ago. (I acquired a copy, stuck it on a shelf, and promptly forgot all about it.) To my mind, The Power of Unreasonable People ranks with David Bornstein’s seminal work, How to Change the World, as a point of entry into this fascinating, and increasingly important, realm.
The field of social entrepreneurship, still early in its development after Bill Drayton first gave the concept prominence early in the 1980s with the launch of Ashoka, is rife with disagreement. Some observers insist that a social enterprise must be a not-for-profit enterprise. Others assert that only for-profit ventures qualify for the label. Fortunately, Elkington and Hartigan believe that the whole range of organizational forms can be thought of as “social enterprises.” I say fortunately because (a) I agree with them, and (b) to insist otherwise is to miss so much of what is exciting in the field.
The Power of Unreasonable People covers the landscape, describing examples from virtually every area of interest in development, from healthcare to education to poverty eradication. In fact, the book is most rewarding in its presentation of vignettes of individual social enterprises, including interviews with many of their principals. A lot of the examples are familiar to anyone active in the field. Some are not. However, this is no mere collection of case studies. The authors embed each organization within a typology of their devising, allowing the reader to get a sense of how they may be compared with one another. The Power of Unreasonable People concludes with a discussion of the structural changes that are essential if humankind is to prevail in the face of endemic poverty on three continents, ethnic and religious conflicts, and the growing impact of climate change.
John Elkington and Pamela Hartigan are two of the most qualified people in the world to have written this book. Elkington, a force in the area of corporate social responsibility for three decades and a prolific author, co-founded the consultancy SustainAbility in 1987 and originated the term Triple Bottom Line in the 1990s. Hartigan served as founding managing director of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship from 2001 to 2008, partnered with Elkington to establish the consultancy Volans, and now works as Director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University.
(From www.malwarwickonbooks.com)
For more than a decade I’ve been deeply immersed in the world of social entrepreneurship. Yet somehow I neglected to read this important book when it was first published four years ago. (I acquired a copy, stuck it on a shelf, and promptly forgot all about it.) To my mind, The Power of Unreasonable People ranks with David Bornstein’s seminal work, How to Change the World, as a point of entry into this fascinating, and increasingly important, realm.
The field of social entrepreneurship, still early in its development after Bill Drayton first gave the concept prominence early in the 1980s with the launch of Ashoka, is rife with disagreement. Some observers insist that a social enterprise must be a not-for-profit enterprise. Others assert that only for-profit ventures qualify for the label. Fortunately, Elkington and Hartigan believe that the whole range of organizational forms can be thought of as “social enterprises.” I say fortunately because (a) I agree with them, and (b) to insist otherwise is to miss so much of what is exciting in the field.
The Power of Unreasonable People covers the landscape, describing examples from virtually every area of interest in development, from healthcare to education to poverty eradication. In fact, the book is most rewarding in its presentation of vignettes of individual social enterprises, including interviews with many of their principals. A lot of the examples are familiar to anyone active in the field. Some are not. However, this is no mere collection of case studies. The authors embed each organization within a typology of their devising, allowing the reader to get a sense of how they may be compared with one another. The Power of Unreasonable People concludes with a discussion of the structural changes that are essential if humankind is to prevail in the face of endemic poverty on three continents, ethnic and religious conflicts, and the growing impact of climate change.
John Elkington and Pamela Hartigan are two of the most qualified people in the world to have written this book. Elkington, a force in the area of corporate social responsibility for three decades and a prolific author, co-founded the consultancy SustainAbility in 1987 and originated the term Triple Bottom Line in the 1990s. Hartigan served as founding managing director of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship from 2001 to 2008, partnered with Elkington to establish the consultancy Volans, and now works as Director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University.
(From www.malwarwickonbooks.com)
November 25, 2012
Changed my life. The first book I read about me, not for me.
May 19, 2009
Inspiring report on social entrepreneurs
Even the world’ most blissful optimists cringe when they look at today’s massive global challenges, including poverty, environmental pollution, terrorism and climate change. Cynics throw up their hands in disgust, retreat behind protective walls and gates, and pray they can somehow ride out the storm while the world cracks apart. In contrast, social entrepreneurs do not run away from trouble. They develop workable solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. In their book on social entrepreneurship, John Elkington and Pamela Hartigan examine the activities and accomplishments of these inspirational leaders. According to the authors, the globe’s public and private organizations should quickly line up to support and fund the work of innovative social entrepreneurs. No one can escape the world’s problems, so getAbstract recommends this inspiring book to those who would like to meet the few brave souls who are doing all they can to develop imaginative solutions to the challenges everyone shares.
Even the world’ most blissful optimists cringe when they look at today’s massive global challenges, including poverty, environmental pollution, terrorism and climate change. Cynics throw up their hands in disgust, retreat behind protective walls and gates, and pray they can somehow ride out the storm while the world cracks apart. In contrast, social entrepreneurs do not run away from trouble. They develop workable solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. In their book on social entrepreneurship, John Elkington and Pamela Hartigan examine the activities and accomplishments of these inspirational leaders. According to the authors, the globe’s public and private organizations should quickly line up to support and fund the work of innovative social entrepreneurs. No one can escape the world’s problems, so getAbstract recommends this inspiring book to those who would like to meet the few brave souls who are doing all they can to develop imaginative solutions to the challenges everyone shares.
Read
November 24, 2025has as much relevance to me as a guide book to walking on the surface of the sun in flip-flops. I gave up after 20 pages
September 13, 2018
There are some interesting characters and programs covered but the overall argument that the for-profit market is what fixes things is not very convincing. With the Condom King for example, there's a lot of mixing of apples and oranges and it seemed as though the market-like components were initially funded by government and that the main parts actually related to condoms were state/non-profit throughout.
August 20, 2008
This book provides a good overview of models for social entrepreneurship, such as Leveraged Nonprofit Ventures, Hybrid Nonprofit Ventures, and Social Business Ventures--all of which may serve social or environmental goals. To illustrate and compare the features of these models, the authors showcase variety of "social entrepreneurs" corresponding to each model.
An interesting theme suggested by multiple entrepreneurs is that the lack of affordable goods and services in the developing world is not a reflection of the true costs of providing basic examples such things. Instead, they point out that leading corporations have an interest in focusing on more affluent markets and inflating costs in order to increase their revenues. Organizations such as First Book and Aravind Eyecare System are cited for their success in delivering high-quality goods and services at accessible prices.
Although the topic is intriguing, and many points are interesting, the book does not provide much depth. I've gained a heightened awareness of the different forms of social enterprises, and I can now cite a few by name; however the inner-workings of such organizations and their long-term viability remain in question.
An interesting theme suggested by multiple entrepreneurs is that the lack of affordable goods and services in the developing world is not a reflection of the true costs of providing basic examples such things. Instead, they point out that leading corporations have an interest in focusing on more affluent markets and inflating costs in order to increase their revenues. Organizations such as First Book and Aravind Eyecare System are cited for their success in delivering high-quality goods and services at accessible prices.
Although the topic is intriguing, and many points are interesting, the book does not provide much depth. I've gained a heightened awareness of the different forms of social enterprises, and I can now cite a few by name; however the inner-workings of such organizations and their long-term viability remain in question.
February 2, 2011
This book contains more technical details and precise case studies about developing-country-based entrepreneurs than many others I've read in the field of international development. I can say thanks to the good folks at Harvard Business School Press!
I look forward to finishing the book, and then mailing it to Alec in Santa Monica as part of our agreed upon exchange; I will write a more thorough review then.
My favorite quotes from the book:
"The future of the world lies in the hands of market-based social entrepreneurs. The more we can move in the direction of business, the better off we are--in the sense that we are free. We have unlimited opportunities to expand more and do more, and replication becomes so much easier. We can create a powerful alternative to the orthodoxy of capitalism--a social-consciousness-driven private sector, created by social entrepreneurs."
-Muhammad Yunus
I look forward to finishing the book, and then mailing it to Alec in Santa Monica as part of our agreed upon exchange; I will write a more thorough review then.
My favorite quotes from the book:
"The future of the world lies in the hands of market-based social entrepreneurs. The more we can move in the direction of business, the better off we are--in the sense that we are free. We have unlimited opportunities to expand more and do more, and replication becomes so much easier. We can create a powerful alternative to the orthodoxy of capitalism--a social-consciousness-driven private sector, created by social entrepreneurs."
-Muhammad Yunus
July 5, 2008
this was a great read, with bold ideas about new businesses and the changing landscape of business where bottom lines expand beyond economics to account also for equity (social return on investment/social bottom line) and the environment. replete with useful, inspiring case studies on model 1 (nonprofit), model 2 (hybrid), and especially the new breed of model 3 (social business) organizations - the authors did a thorough job of helping build a road map for tomorrow's ventures by addressing organizational structures, business models, financing models, and global cooperation. i definitely recommend this to anyone interested in tomorrow's markets and in the future of truly meaningful business.
January 28, 2020
The book was recommended to me by a friend.
A major part of the reading focuses on the classification of different branches of social entrepreneurship, and is the strongest aspect of the book. Most information from this book you can find out by yourself from the Internet (well, you can find anything in the Internet anyway), but its systematic presentation and well developed arguments make it worth your time.
However, it should be noted, when it comes to case studies, the book itself is very brief and is definitely not sufficient on its own. Therefore, the case studies would only be useful if you take your time to do your own research afterward.
Otherwise, it is a very good book and I would recommend it to everyone interested in social entrepreneurship.
A major part of the reading focuses on the classification of different branches of social entrepreneurship, and is the strongest aspect of the book. Most information from this book you can find out by yourself from the Internet (well, you can find anything in the Internet anyway), but its systematic presentation and well developed arguments make it worth your time.
However, it should be noted, when it comes to case studies, the book itself is very brief and is definitely not sufficient on its own. Therefore, the case studies would only be useful if you take your time to do your own research afterward.
Otherwise, it is a very good book and I would recommend it to everyone interested in social entrepreneurship.
June 28, 2016
หนังสือเล่มนี้เหมาะสำหรับคนที่สนใจเรื่องธุรกิจเพื่อสังคมและผู้ที่ต้องการเป็นผุ้ประกอบการทางสังคม เพราะบอกเล่าตั้งแต่แนวคิดของธุรกิจเพื่อสังคม ทางเลือกในการระดมทุน การแก้ไขปัญหาด้วยวิธีการทางธุรกิจ รูปแบบที่มีทั้งไม่แสวงหากำไร กึ่งแสวงหากำไร และแสวงหากำไรเช่นเดียวกับธุรกิจ
เรามองเห็นหลายเฉดให้หนังสือเล่มนี้ ตั้งแต่คนเปลี่ยนโลกแบบสุดขั้ว และต้องการเปลี่ยนพร้อมกับสร้างความมั่งคั่ง
ไม่มีแนวคิดไหนผิด ไม่มีสิ่งไหนแย่ ทุกคนสร้างการเปลี่ยนแปลงได้เช่นกัน แต่ที่สำคัญคือต้องชัดทั้งในแง่ปัญหาที่ต้องการแก้ไข มีความหลงใหลจนเข้าขั้นหมกมุ่นในการแก้ไขปัญหานั้น และลงมือ ทำ ทำ ทำ ทำอย่างต่อเนื่อง ยาวนาน จนกว่าจะหาทางเลือกที่ดีที่สุดในการ���ก้ไขปัญหานั้น และตามหาทางเลือกใหม่ๆ ที่ดีกว่าบนโลกที่มีการพัฒนาอย่างไม่หยุดนิ่ง
อ่านสนุกครับ แนะนำอย่างยิ่ง
เรามองเห็นหลายเฉดให้หนังสือเล่มนี้ ตั้งแต่คนเปลี่ยนโลกแบบสุดขั้ว และต้องการเปลี่ยนพร้อมกับสร้างความมั่งคั่ง
ไม่มีแนวคิดไหนผิด ไม่มีสิ่งไหนแย่ ทุกคนสร้างการเปลี่ยนแปลงได้เช่นกัน แต่ที่สำคัญคือต้องชัดทั้งในแง่ปัญหาที่ต้องการแก้ไข มีความหลงใหลจนเข้าขั้นหมกมุ่นในการแก้ไขปัญหานั้น และลงมือ ทำ ทำ ทำ ทำอย่างต่อเนื่อง ยาวนาน จนกว่าจะหาทางเลือกที่ดีที่สุดในการ���ก้ไขปัญหานั้น และตามหาทางเลือกใหม่ๆ ที่ดีกว่าบนโลกที่มีการพัฒนาอย่างไม่หยุดนิ่ง
อ่านสนุกครับ แนะนำอย่างยิ่ง
April 10, 2013
The stories of social entrepreneurship in _The Power of Unreasonable People_ are the reasons to read the book. It is extraordinarily difficult to map the requirements of a yet-unimagined innovation or process of innovation, so the authors are left to summarizing a few broad-stroke observations about qualities shared in social entrepreneurship. May this text be a source of inspiration and a launch pad for all of us who are practicing innovation these days, and may we practice more of what is needed which is addressing real problems. What do problems create? Opportunities and markets (need for change).
February 6, 2010
This wasn't really a popular science book but it was kind of academic, I'm not really sure under what category it falls (it had references from wikipedia) but it was really interesting.
It describes and analyses businesses based on social capital and how they manage to a)exist and b) thrive in todays economically driven market.
The examples given of various social enterprises worldwide where really interesting and I found it quite inspiring- even if I cant come up with a single good idea myself...
It describes and analyses businesses based on social capital and how they manage to a)exist and b) thrive in todays economically driven market.
The examples given of various social enterprises worldwide where really interesting and I found it quite inspiring- even if I cant come up with a single good idea myself...
January 18, 2013
I've met Pamela Hartigan at the Harvard Social Enterprise conference in 2008, where she presented that book. Her ease of communication is as impressive as her charm, but what's more: the analysis and dissection of various types of social enterprises cuts through the cluttering clouds of imprecision. Five years later, the "scene" is still unclear about "what is a social enterprise", "why and how is it different from a social business", "what is the role of the entrepreneur" ("admired alpha-animal" or "sometimes humble enabler"...?). So: a must-read still, unfortunately...
June 3, 2015
I read this for my Social Work Social Entrepreneur mini-course at the University of Michigan. I didn't really know a lot about Social Enterprise and this book gave a pretty good overview of its history and some of the different components, goals and types of social entrepreneurship. It's definitely a book I felt could have been a little bit shorter, but its an easy read and a good primer for thinking about and informally evaluating companies and organizations that are or state that they are social enterprises.
December 6, 2010
The Power of Unreasonable People cocktails social awareness with strategic thinking, in a captivating – and enjoyable – text that draws on cases creating profound impact in both local communities and in a global context. It would be ‘unreasonable’ not to take a closer look at this action-inspiring piece that was handed out last year to attendees at the World Economic Forum.
September 15, 2017
I read thia book for my thesis and I really learned a lot!
Through the examples i got inspired about how entrepreneurship and social responaibility go hand in hamd for a sustainable future.
I strongly recommend it to anyone with an interest in social business.
Through the examples i got inspired about how entrepreneurship and social responaibility go hand in hamd for a sustainable future.
I strongly recommend it to anyone with an interest in social business.
March 2, 2016
Amazing book that introduces social entrepreneurship around the world. Definitely a must read.
February 12, 2017
Awesome and inspiring
November 17, 2021
very inspiring book on how entrepreneurs can operate social
June 15, 2018
It's motivating to see so many "unreasonable" people are working hard to change the world towards what they believe it should be.
July 18, 2019
Full of real examples and business cases. Easy to read and digest,
The main takeaway is the classification of business models for social enterprise.
The main takeaway is the classification of business models for social enterprise.
February 4, 2013
This book makes a business case for creating businesses that are not highly profit driven.
It covers a lot of ground in describing how social entrepreneurs attempt to correct things that are wrong in the world. Historically, social entrepreneurs have been people who have had successful careers in some field and then gone onto address problems that affect the poor or other people not addressed by the standard capitalistic model.
But why should social entrepreneurship be left to those who are already wealthy?
This book introduces the concept of the triple bottom line and how businesses should be valued based on economic value, social value, and environmental value. It also explains how the efforts of social entrepreneurs can follow a non-profit business model, a for-profit business model, or a hybrid business model.
Social entrepreneurs work in areas where markets have failed. In their attempt to change the world, social entrepreneurs can create markets where none existed before.
There were a lot of examples of socially driven businesses in this book. Some were small, and some were huge and created by wealthy and well-connected people.
It covers a lot of ground in describing how social entrepreneurs attempt to correct things that are wrong in the world. Historically, social entrepreneurs have been people who have had successful careers in some field and then gone onto address problems that affect the poor or other people not addressed by the standard capitalistic model.
But why should social entrepreneurship be left to those who are already wealthy?
This book introduces the concept of the triple bottom line and how businesses should be valued based on economic value, social value, and environmental value. It also explains how the efforts of social entrepreneurs can follow a non-profit business model, a for-profit business model, or a hybrid business model.
Social entrepreneurs work in areas where markets have failed. In their attempt to change the world, social entrepreneurs can create markets where none existed before.
There were a lot of examples of socially driven businesses in this book. Some were small, and some were huge and created by wealthy and well-connected people.
November 21, 2008
Of the things I liked about this book, its optimism ranks#1. This book will make you feel like solving the world's problems is just one social organization and some creative thinking away...which in some ways it is, I think, so that is a great aspect of this book. On the other hand, while it makes these statements its example organizations don't report back on real results and viability for a global context. He sites charitable organizations that are indeed making a difference in communities but in my opinion are not actually changing the system as it stands.
June 11, 2011
This book served it's purpose precisely. I wanted an overview of entrepreneurship described in a somewhat entertaining, easy-to-understand, way that would be engaging to young adults. This did a great job describing characteristics of entrepreneurs (why they're considered "unreasonable" which captivated the "unreasonable" high school spirit) followed by excellent examples relevant to my South American students. Great read!
March 25, 2009
Another good book that does a good job of giving a high level overview of a topic. In this case, the emergence and segmentation of social entrepreneurship. I like how they segment social entrepreneurs and social ventures into different classes based on core-business strategy and provide recommendations for each type of model to succeed.
September 13, 2012
Not quite the book I had thought it would be. Much better suited to business school students or corporate types with little insight into the non-profit world. As someone who works in a non-profit organization, I was hoping to find 5 or 6 profiles of leaders in the field - not a series of organizational case studies.
March 2, 2008
Inspirational in many ways, it's very pleasant to read about people who are doing the impossible and rethinking how we do business. It was quite a bit deeper than I had the hankering for at the moment, so I may have missed a few things.
Want to read
December 7, 2008Being a an unreasable person who is annoyed with the current reality, perhaps this book would provide solace and some company.
Read
December 23, 2009The book was fantastic at introducing me to social entrepreneurs all over the world, especially in Latin America. I re-read portions of it all the time. - John
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews