Interests – Post Precedent Study

My initial interest, which I would never had expected, lies in education and youth/ adolescence issues – education being the root cause. We are in critical time in which education needs a major revolution, with emphasis on creativity in the for front. Not only in the arts but in every field. Our current education system is one of raising standardization not standards. We need to refocus our attention on intelligence of an individual person, and foster an environment where mistakes are not the worst think you can do because if you are “not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original.”

On another note I am also  incredibly interested in transportation – how it is both a divide and equalizer for people.

Waste – I love waste, and am incredibly interested in waste reduction and solutions/systems to zero waste – zero energy.

Infographic Precedent: History of Providence – Rhode Island – United States of America

Embrace – Toms

EMBRACE: Infant Warmer: Social Entrepreneur

Mission: To advance maternal and child health by delivering innovative solutions to the world’s most vulnerable populations

Social Issue Addressing: Raise awareness and prevention of the devastating impact of hypothermia in premature and low-birth weight babies, primarily in developing countries.

Product: Embrace has developed, through much iteration, clinical testing, and local partnerships; an infant warmer that is available for a fraction of the coast as the existing solutions. Shaped like a tiny sleeping bag, it utilizes a wax like phase change material (PCM), that can sustain a constant 98.5 degrees for 4-6 hours, a temperature that is critical to a babies survival. The PCM can either be heated with hot water or with the AccuTemp Heater if electricity is available. The BabyWrap is constructed from one piece of material in order to clean and sterilize easily. Embraces infant warmer is portable, allowing doctors and mothers in rural areas arose the globe access, giving hope and reassurance in an otherwise bleak circumstance.

Social Entrepreneur: Jane Chen – Embrace Co-Founder and Observer on the non-profit’s Board of Directors

Organizational Structure: Hybrid nonprofit venture. It is structured with both a non-profit 505(c)(3) and a for-profit social enterprise (c-corp), Embrace Innovations.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3): Through systematic programs in partnership with local NGOs

– Distribution of healthcare products to the worlds most impoverished  communities – through partnerships with local NGOs.

Partnerships: Sewa Rural; Karuna Trust: American Relief   Committee:Banadir Hospital; Swami Vivekinanda Youth Movement; Vanivalas Hospital; CLASP; International Midwife Assistance; Little Flower Orpanage

– Donations/charitable contributions – Allows product to be provided free of charge to these communities. Along with maternal and child education programs.

Embrace Innovations: Social Enterprise (c-corp)

Lead Investors: Khosla Impact; Capricorn Investment Group

– Manufacturing of Embraces Infant Warmer as well as additional future healthcare products.

-Distribution, sales, and marketing to communities, doctors, and patients that can afford to pay for their products.

– Research and development for maternal and child healthcare products for clinicians and families in emerging markets.

Long Term Impact: Reduced population Growth. Empirical Evidence shows that saving babies leads to reduced population growth.

 

____________________________________________________________________

 

Toms: One for One Shoes

Connections:

The connection I found most closely related to Embrace’s Infant Warmer is Toms Shoes. Now I now your think how do the compare at all, and yes it is a bit of a stretch. When you boil it down however, they are both providing others with basic health needs they could otherwise not be provided. They also both work with local partnerships and communities to distribute and implement their system. Both products have the ability to have a impact and need globally, and can be used and marketed to those in developing countries and as well as those in the developed.  The difference is that Embrace is both a nonprofit and for profit social enterprise, while Toms model is a buy one give one for-profit business.

Reading: Brewing a Future

Brewing A Future — by Keto Mshigeni & Gunther Pauli

“In natural systems, there is no such thing is waste. Everything that is excreted, exhaled, or exhausted form on organism is used by another.”

“When you focus on the productivity of the raw materials, you can generate more income, higher returns, and more jobs, while at the same time eliminating pollution.”

Keto Mshigeni and Gunther Pauli explore this idea by providing the example of a the chairman of Namibia Breweries, Werner List, who enlisted the help of George Chan, a civil engineer to solve the problem of waste. Chan, funded by the United Nations University, cleverly, with the help from teams of scientists via the internet, deduced processes that turn the waste into valuable inputs for other processes. Resulting in the addition of 12 products other than beer, producing seven times the amount of food, fuel, and fertilizer; and four times as many jobs than a conventional operation. Including cultivation of mushrooms, production of chicken feed by the cultivation of earthworms, cultivation of spirulina algae from alkaline water, and the introduction of fish farming. This method of zero emissions proved to to also be advantages in the addition of revenues rather than extra cost traditionally associated with the burden of waste disposal. Validating the assumption of increase income, higher returns, more jobs, and less pollution.

 

 

Inforgraphic_Embrace Infant Warmer

EMBRACEinfografic

Embrace Infant Warmer Funding: Organization Structure

photo-11.jpg

Reading: 02/14/2013

Brief: Read the following articles and write a response for each describing each of the central point of the authors arguments, whether or not you agree with them and why.

The Meaning of “Social Entrepreneurship“, by J. Gregory Dees

J. Gregory Dees influences of Say-Schumpeter, Drucker, and Stevenson are clearly present in his Definition of Social Entrepreneurship. He states that “Social entrepreneurs play the role of change agents in the social sector, by:”

“Adopting a mission to create and sustain social value (not just private value), Recognizing and relentlessly pursuing new opportunities to serve that mission, Engaging in a process of continuous innovation, adaptation, and learning, Acting boldly without being limited by resources currently in hand, and Exhibiting heightened accountability to the constituencies served and for the outcomes created.”

Although Dees describes his definition as “idealized”, I like it and agree on all points. Although someone may be born with the inherent qualities of a social entrepreneur, he leaves room for growth, room for all types.

Reshaping Social Entrepreneurship, Paul Light

Paul Light Defines social entrepreneurship as: “A social entrepreneur is an individual, group, network, organization, or alliance of organizations that seeks sustainable, large-scale change through pattern-breaking ideas in what or how governments, nonprofits, andbusinesses do to address significant social problems.”

I agree with Light’s idea that social entrepreneurship can take many forms and is most successful as a group venture rather than an individual effort. Also I like his idea that when you separate social entrepreneurship away from the individual the focus is placed on what they seek, not who they are. However It did caused for some confusion and the blurring of lines between social entrepreneurship and that of a social service.

Social Entrpreneurship: The case for a Definition, by Robert L. Martin and Sally Osberg

Robert Martin and Sally Osberg place much of there focus on the sole individual as their champion for social entrepreneurship. They define the idea in three steps: Entrepreneurial context, characteristics, and outcome. By identifying an unsatisfactory equilibrium, the social entrepreneur uses inspiration, creativity, direct action, courage, and fortitude to find opportunity to create a product or system that puts in place a new stable equilibrium that provides a higher level of satisfaction within the participants.

I agree with and enjoy the well thought out view point that Martin and Osberg have addressed, and also appreciate the tightness of the definition. Social entrepreneurship needs these champions, and personalities. However I also believe there is room for the work to be organized and shared within a group. There are many people out there interested in this line of work but lack a couple the characteristic stated. Those characteristic, as well as a few not mentioned could be enhanced within a group dynamic.

The Rise of the Social Entrepreneur, by David Borenstein

David Borenstein state that due “historic shifts, the spread of political freedoms, access to education..etc the world has seem and influx in individual change-makers.” They are taking it upon themselves to fix the social problems around the word, and in many cases doing a better job than governments or tradition organizations. With this rise has come confusion on what a social entrepreneur is however. Borenstein states that over recent years the idea of an “individual actor” has been replaced with that a group, social entrepreneurs collaborating, help each other and the cause.

I agree with this idea that people are taking up the mantel where they feel government or organizations have failed to do so. There is a very big push these days for helping those in need, and a recognition that if i don’t do it no one else will. I also agree that this should be a joint venture. Ideas are best refined and brought to fruition threw the hands of many that those of one.

Self Assessment: Alex Peacock

1. What design studios have you taken in the past? Which did you enjoy the most? Why?

My experience in design studios is primarily based in the Architecture studios i took for the 4 years it took for me to obtain my BA. The most rewarding and enjoyable studio/ project was the Open-Source Housing Competition that I participated in for my senior studio in Spring 2010. I was assigned the challenge of designing homes for underprivileged families living in Ghana using local and recyclable materials, while also, creating these structures to be sustainable, adaptable, and deconstruct-able. This project encouraged me to broaden my idea of design, both what it is and also what it can accomplish.

2. Which courses or aspects of courses have been the most challenging?

I have always been very hands on with design, which has enabled me to be most comfortable in the shop. The more challenging courses for me are those that get me out of my comfort zone. Theory and technical courses are two that definitely challenge me to take a step back, think, and focus before preceding on.

3. Do you have a background, a double major, or a previous degree in another discipline other than ID?

Bachelor’s of Art in Architecture, University of New Mexico, May 2010

4. What strengths do you bring to group work?

I’m a team player. I tend to have a personality and work ethic that meshes well with others. I love throwing ideas off others, working verbally and cunjuctively to find the best solution.

5. What are your weaknesses when working in a group or group discussion?

It can be challenging, letting your ideas  go to the group rather than safe guarding them all for your self.  Reminding myself the values of group work is helpful. Although I love and internalize meaning to my ideas, bringing them to the group has a way of revealing their inherent weaknesses and strengths. The idea that is then produced is one of collaborative strengths.

It is of course difficult to also work in a group when not everyone puts in the same amount of committed and/or involvement as the yourself and/or the others participating in the group.

6. What are strongest skills in the terms of craft/ visual communication?

I have very good craft when it comes to model making. I tend to be pretty meticulous with the details, which I contribute both to my father being a high school wood shop teacher as well as my years in Architecture, designing and building models at all hours of the night. I feel strongly about my visual communication as well, however, it is a skill that is always in progression and far from mastered. I am most familiar and comfortable presenting my ideas in a pin up “board” format, so as a result I feel temporarily thrown out of my comfort zone due to the “power point” centric way of presenting.  I see its value however, and plan to quickly adjust.  In all forms of presentation I tend to adapt the idea that less is more, clean and simple is best.

7. What skills would you most like to build during this course?

I look forward to building my professional and networking skills. These are two areas that I have little to no experience and are definitely out of my comfort zone. The idea that this class will put us in a position to be working first hand with real life professionals is both intriguing and terrifying to me.

8. What are your interests in Social Entrepreneurship or designing for others?

I am intrigued in taking the skills I have learned through my design studios and applying them to this idea of social change. I think it is also a very interesting field, combining both business practice and design thinking. How can we as designers change the world, not only with our products but with our ideas. What is it that is unique in the way we approach problem solving that is going to cause an impact in a way that is lacking today.

9. Why did you choose this course and what are you most looking forward to work on?

I believe this course to be very important for me in gaining the skills that will enable me to be a part of these changes. I am looking forward to working with real local companies and putting this idea of designing for a social good to the test. There are also many aspects of this course that are incredibly out of my comfort zone and current skill set that I believe to be incredibly important and beneficial tools to have for myself as I go into my Graduate thesis years and also the professional world beyond.