Misguided Calls for Business Thinking

Rob Katz — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:21:33 -0400

June 7, 2008 - 10:00, Financial Times

Story Link: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7c3c75e6-3423-11dd-869b-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1

Teaser:
“Philanthrocapitalism” is all the rage these days – the use of business thinking to strengthen philanthropy and the not-for-profit world, which is the world I have been working in since 1982. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been told to “behave more like a business” I would be a successful philanthrocapitalist myself.

The problem is that these calls are misguided and possibly even dangerous. They threaten to erode the distinctive values and independence of the not-for-profit sector and reduce it to little more than a subset of the market.

“Philanthrocapitalism” is all the rage these days – the use of business thinking to strengthen philanthropy and the not-for-profit world, which is the world I have been working in since 1982. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been told to “behave more like a business” I would be a successful philanthrocapitalist myself.

The problem is that these calls are misguided and possibly even dangerous. They threaten to erode the distinctive values and independence of the not-for-profit sector and reduce it to little more than a subset of the market.

NextBillion.net - Development Through Enterprise - Misguided Calls for Business Thinking - Comments

Misguided Calls for Business Thinking