Design Thinking & Social Innovation

Is it possible for organisations to enhance their communities while generating profits?

Since the birth of corporations, Capitalism has gained a terrible name; the only way to achieve profits is by damaging local communities and their citizens.

We got confused. We somehow forgot the very nature and the meaning of running a business, which is providing a product or a service to a user in need for it.

It is not capitalism that is wrong, but its implementation.

When revenue generation, and not serving customers' needs becomes the prime goal of businesses, society struggles and communities suffer.

But there is hope. The most attractive business opportunities emerging globally have a double or even triple bottom line. Businesses are gradually realising that impact is a crucial aspect of their work.

For its very nature, design reminds business the importance of considering the final user not as an isolated unit, but as part of an ecosystem. If the ecosystem suffers, the user does it too.

What's the role of the Government (at its different levels) in all of this? Should the Government compensate for the shortcomings of businesses? Should the Government need to become more citizen-centred rather than a process and service centre?

More and more Governments are familiarising themselves with design and realising the impact they can achieve for their citizens.

Webinar recording now available:

Download the webinar's slides here.

Join me on Wednesday, June 17th, for a live webinar on Design Thinking for Social Innovation.