My project this semester
looks at the social impact tracking efforts and social responsibility culture
of Impact Hub D.C., a metro-area incubator for emerging social enterprises. My
final paper, written under the supervision of Dr. John G. Dale, will feature a
literature review of relevant scholarly research on social impact tracking in
social business, as well as a summary of the results of a series of interviews
I will be conducting next semester at Impact Hub. The combination of the two
will allow me to determine how the theoretical prescriptions laid out in the
academic arena of social business are being implemented practically by real
social entrepreneurs. I am passionate about social enterprise, and decided on
this project to help social entrepreneurs navigate the dichotomy between profit
motivation and social good.
I eventually hope to use
my knowledge of capitalistic solutions to social issues in order to enter the
field of Public Policy. I believe this background will give me a unique edge in
terms of my problem-solving abilities in public office, because it will enable
me to work with the private, public, and private-public sectors to achieve
solutions. In addition, I believe my contributions to the research field will
help grow social business, in turn mobilizing everyday people to approach
social issues in new ways. This will inevitably make the job of any public
official easier through generating resources, support, and political will for
social change.
My weekly routine
includes finding and culling a resource database, taking notes, and making
updates to my IRB materials. A key lesson I learned this semester was the
necessity of preparation, especially in research endeavors. The IRB process was
a challenging but rewarding one that taught me a lot about persistence and
communication. I recently received approval for my project, so next semester I
will begin a rigorous schedule of networking, interviewing, and response
analysis that will result in my finished project.
