Module 4: Scaling
Led by Dominika Wruk (Mannheim University), Mikołaj Pawlak and Oskar Kulik (Warsaw University).
What can social enterprises and other organizations do to scale their impact? In this module, we introduce students to different forms of organizational growth and show how impact-oriented ideas and models can be diffused beyond organizational boundaries to foster broader societal change.
Scaling
Contents
Scaling strategies of social enterprises and other organizations contributing to social and ecological goals are typically dedicated to growing their positive impact. To do so, organizations can either grow their own activities or contribute to diffusing their knowledge and experiences with the aim to motivate others to copy/adapt their models e.g., by applying them in other regions or adapting them to other industries. Depending on the organizational model, existing resources and capabilities different forms of scaling may be promising in terms of generating positive effects.
In this module, we introduce students to different forms of scaling for impact (organizational growth through, for instance, increasing the beneficiaries base, diversification, changing of focus; diffusion of ideas through, for instance, social franchising, networks, or bricks-to-clicks models) and we discuss how an appropriate form can be chosen and applied.
Course Materials
Videos
Lecture recordings
Readings
Bradach, J. (2010). Scaling impact. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 8(3), 27–28.
Gabriel (2014). Making it Big: Strategies for scaling social innovations. Available at: https://media.nesta.org.uk/documents/making_it_big-web.pdf
Seelos, C., & Mair, J. (2017). Innovation and scaling for impact: How effective social enterprises do it. Stanford university press. Pp. 89-116. (In particular the Aravind Case).
Yunus, M., Moingeon, B., & Lehmann-Ortega, L. (2010). Building social business models: Lessons from the Grameen experience. Long Range Planning, 43(2–3), 308–325.
