Skip to main content
Fachgebiete
Automobil + Motoren Bauwesen + Immobilien Business IT + Informatik Elektrotechnik + Elektronik Energie + Nachhaltigkeit Finance + Banking Management + Führung Marketing + Vertrieb Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe Versicherung + Risiko
DE
EN
Themenseiten
Organisationspsychologie Projektmanagement Marketing Smart Manufacturing
Bücher
Zeitschriften
Weitere Formate
Podcasts Webinare Technik Webinare Wirtschaft Kongresse Veranstaltungskalender Awards
Jetzt Einzelzugang starten
Zugang für Unternehmen
Referenzkunden
MTZ-Fachkongress

Antriebe und Energiesysteme von morgen


Austausch von Automobil- und Energiewirtschaft

Am 14./15. Mai geht es in Chemnitz um die Mobilitätswende durch Elektro- und Wasserstofffahrzeuge.
Erweiterte Suche
Anmelden
nach oben

2023 | Buch

Nurturing Resilient Communities: An Overview Kapitel lesen Erstes Kapitel lesen

Social Entrepreneurship and Gandhian Thoughts in the Post-COVID World

herausgegeben von: Babita Bhatt, Israr Qureshi, Dhirendra Mani Shukla, Vinay Pillai

Verlag: Springer Nature Singapore

Buchreihe : India Studies in Business and Economics

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Einloggen, um Zugang zu erhalten
insite
SUCHEN

Über dieses Buch

In this edited book, we provide foundational tenets of Gandhian perspective, and present examples of social organizations that are aiming to insulate themselves by adopting community and village-centered approaches to restructuring socially-embedded economic activities that align with Gandhian principles. These cases highlight the relevance of Gandhi's thoughts in the field of social entrepreneurship. We examine key principles such as Sarvodaya (the welfare of all), Antodaya (the upliftment of the weakest), self-sufficiency, self-reliance, Nai Talim (holistic education), and Trusteeship. We explore how social organizations implement these principles to promote resilience and well-being at the community level.

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed unsustainable practices in the world, including disrupted supply chains, contagious effects of integrated global economy that ignore the local self-reliance, and unsustainable internal displacement that make cities dependent on rural labor and rural population dependent on urban areas for jobs. These issues show that there are systemic problems with how our society and market are structured. The traditional way of development that focuses on profit maximization and unlimited wants has caused problems like inequality, resource depletion, and disproportionate wealth accumulation. Unlimited growth in a limited world has led us to social, economic, and ecological crises. However, degrowth, as an approach has been criticized for wanting to go back to pre-industrial times. In this context, Gandhi's ideas offer alternatives. Gandhi promotes moderation in how market activities are structured and how individual consumption practices are followed. This can help reduce the negative impact of economic activities on people and the planet, and move towards a more structured and inclusive economy.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter
Nurturing Resilient Communities: An Overview
Abstract
The rampant consumerism, wasteful lifestyle, and unchecked greed have pushed our planet to the brink and exacerbated social inequalities. Business as usual is no longer a viable option, as it threatens biodiversity and the survival of future generations. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed the systemic unsustainable practices of our market and society. The traditional model of development, which prioritizes infinite growth, resource extraction, and increased consumption, inevitably leads to the dispossession of marginalized populations. It is necessary to adopt approaches that challenge our ever-increasing demands on limited resources and prioritize responsible innovation, production, and consumption that promote greater equity.
In this chapter, we adopt the Gandhian approach and develop the Sarvodaya framework to create a self-reliant, locally based economy that benefits the base of the pyramid. Social entrepreneurs, influenced by Gandhian philosophy, have developed initiatives that offer viable alternatives for building a relatively more self-reliant, locally based economy. Through constructive work, trusteeship, Sarvodaya, Swaraj, Antyodaya, village-centric development, and communities of care, these entrepreneurs are creating self-sufficient and resilient communities and prefiguring a more sustainable and equitable future. These concepts can serve as a starting point for creating viable alternatives that benefit not only marginalized populations but also save the planet.
Babita Bhatt, Israr Qureshi, Dhirendra Mani Shukla, Vinay Pillai

Gandhian Perspectives: Core Ideas

Frontmatter
Trusteeship: Gandhian Approach to Reconceptualize Social Responsibility and Sustainability
Abstract
In this chapter, we explore the relevance of Gandhi’s concept of Trusteeship in contemporary society. Trusteeship is a moral and practical theory introduced by Gandhi to promote a just and equitable society, where resources and capabilities are utilized for the betterment of all members rather than for individual self-interest. Trusteeship is based on the principles of Aparigraha (nonpossession), Ahimsa (nonviolence), and Swaraj (self-rule/restraint), which prioritize the needs of society over individual greed and competition. The chapter discusses how Trusteeship can be applied to commoning, where material and ecological concerns are balanced in resource-constrained communities. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a rethinking of humanity’s relationship with the planet. We suggest that Trusteeship could be a viable alternative to the existing dominant development paradigm as it emphasizes the moral responsibility of individuals to act as trustees rather than the true owners of their wealth and use their resources for the common good. Relatedly, we propose that Trusteeship may provide a way forward for humanity to recognize the importance of commoning for our planet and its resources.
Sudarshan Iyengar, Babita Bhatt
Navigating Power Relations in Community-Driven Development: An Exploration of Constructive Work
Abstract
Community-driven development (CDD) is gaining momentum as the challenges of the top-down economic model are realized. CDD is based on the assumptions that designing and implementing entrepreneurial solutions with and by the communities could enhance efficiency in resource allocation, build capabilities and skills of the members, and lead to transformative social change. Community-based social enterprises are an example of CDD. While important, CDD is also criticized for its problematic conceptualization of community and for overlooking power dynamics in social relations. Critics argue that programs designed and implemented by and with the communities run the risk of exacerbating existing power relations if the social context is overlooked. Therefore, a key question that needs to be asked is how to navigate power relations in CDD. In this chapter, we discuss constructive work as a strategy to navigate power relations in the communities. Constructive work is a prefigurative strategy proposed by Gandhi to create a new just social order while implicitly challenging the old unjust social order. It involves the construction of social relations, practices, systems, concrete structures, and processes to resist oppression and create self-reliant communities. We provide examples to show how constructive work can be applied by scholars and practitioners.
Babita Bhatt, Israr Qureshi
Gandhian Approach to Development: Implications for the Post-COVID World
Abstract
Many wonder how Gandhi would have responded to rural poverty, pandemics, and climate change. This is because conventional understandings of human organization, with their increased focus on resilience without questioning the capitalist order, have failed to instill confidence in achieving sustainability. Human greed, instead of focusing on basic needs, lies behind this predicament. This chapter draws on ideas of degrowth, solidarity economy, and, above all, the Gandhian approach to development, suggesting how villages can produce most of the goods they need and insulate themselves from corporate exploitation. In such a village-based democratic order built on self-reliance and basic needs satisfaction, health will attain a community orientation rather than an individual orientation, and production will be ecologically intensive. Gandhi was oblivious to modern environmental challenges. However, his village-based development model created the groundwork for a sustainable way of life, and its environmental implications were spelled out more explicitly by his committed economist, J. C. Kumarappa. Gandhi seems to suggest that humans can improve the quality of life even when the standard of living decreases in material terms, and calls for humility, recognizing the limits to human material and technological progress.
John S. Moolakkattu
School Education for Today: Extending Tagore and Gandhi’s Idea of a Good Society (Swaraj) and Its Accompanying New Education (Nai Talim)
Abstract
Industrialism—an ideology of unlimited material growth fueled by extractive economies and large-scale science and technology led by centralized nation-states—is showing signs of collapsing. Gandhi and Tagore were two of the earliest proponents of an alternative to industrialism called Swaraj. Today, similar frameworks have emerged worldwide. Gandhi and Tagore proposed and experimented with an alternative education not only in tandem with but also intended to help usher in Swaraj. Gandhi called this education Nai Talim. This paper is primarily about our current formulations of Swaraj and Nai Talim. We provide examples of such educational experiments in India and other parts of the world. We also include imagined possibilities and a few limitations, concluding with reasons for hope in these various efforts.
Pallavi Varma Patil, Sujit Sinha

Case Studies: Relevance of Gandhian Thoughts to Social Entrepreneurship

Frontmatter
Sarvodaya to Nurture Peace Communities: A Case Study of ASSEFA
Abstract
In this chapter, we explore how organizations create and manage commons and build self-reliant communities through the case study of the Association for Sarva Seva Farms (ASSEFA), a social intermediary working in India. ASSEFA provides an exemplary case to understand these questions due to its leadership in the Bhoodan (land-gift) and Gramdan (village-gift) movements and its pioneer role in community-driven development. The Bhoodan and Gramdan movements were non-violent, voluntary, direct actions of land donations to enact the Gandhian principle of trusteeship in rural agrarian communities. While aspired to create social equality through equitable land distribution in rural communities, these movements faced multiple challenges in achieving their vision. The case study of ASSEFA helps in exploring and navigating these challenges and provides insights for practitioners and scholars working towards alternative organizing. We demonstrate how ASSEFA’s “trial and error” (muddling through) approach, its proactive long-term orientation, and its focus on creating non-violent, need-based solutions has enabled it to prefigure self-reliant, peaceful communities.
Loganathan Kumar, Vinay Pillai, Israr Qureshi
PRADAN: Institution Building for Sustainable Development
Abstract
Initiated through a model of providing professional assistance in mitigating developmental and social issues, PRADAN serves as an example of a new-age social development organization that works at the intersection of technology, professionals, and the marginalized. This study sheds light on the journey of PRADAN from its ideation including its incubation in ASSEFA, another development organization. It then traces its evolution from its initial activities of seeding professionals to existing social organizations to subsequent sectoral approaches to provide solutions using technology to livelihood issues on its own. This includes the efforts to build a network of women’s self-help groups (SHGs), which is seen as a successful model for raising family incomes and empowering women in the process. The case study will help practitioners as well as management scholars on how an ecosystem approach can be applied in negotiating social issues witnessed in resource-constrained environments.
Somnath Ghosh
Basix Social Enterprise Group: Inclusive Development
Abstract
This chapter describes the journey of a social entrepreneur, Vijay Mahajan, from his early formative influences to his retirement from the enterprise; it intertwines with the history of the Basix Social Enterprise Group, one of the pioneering social enterprises in the world, which helped promote the livelihoods of millions of poor people, initially using microcredit. The narrative is written as a series of “encounters with the truth” and describes how each encounter led to introspection for the entrepreneur and strategic changes for the enterprise. The first encounter led the entrepreneur to dedicate his life to livelihood promotion work and set up an NGO called PRADAN; the second led to a search for a sustainable financing model for livelihood promotion and to the establishment of Basix as a microfinance institution. The third was based on the impact assessment of the first five years and led to moving beyond microcredit to a “triad” of services for livelihood promotion. The fourth was based on discovering the dark side of microcredit and led to building a new regulatory framework for the sector. The fifth led to a reaffirmation of the livelihoods mission of Basix, this time through a group of social enterprises well beyond microcredit.
Vijay Mahajan, Israr Qureshi
Technoficing: Reinterpretation of Gandhian Perspectives on Technology
Abstract
The relevance of digital social innovation as a means to mitigate grand challenges has increasingly being recognized. It is becoming evident that affordable and easily adaptable technological solutions might be more impactful for solving the problems of the marginalized than cutting-edge technologies that are difficult to manage and maintain in resource-constrained environments. This chapter examines how the technoficing approach is leveraged to create social impact in the marginalized contexts. Deploying the Gandhian framework of economic development, we highlight the essential ingredients of technoficing approach and its social impact through a case study of a social intermediary engaged in the Indian context. Easy-to-use technology, creation of linkages with community members, familiarity with activities that are being supported by digital solutions, and awareness of marginalization and social stratification emerge as essential ingredients that define digital social innovation that leverages technoficing approach.
Israr Qureshi, Meet Pandey, Dhirendra Mani Shukla, Vinay Pillai
Swavlamban by Drishtee: Gandhian Perspectives on Village-Centric Development
Abstract
This chapter narrates the evolution of Drishtee, a social enterprise that strives to bring shared prosperity to rural areas, over the last two and a half decades. Deeply inspired by the Gandhian philosophy of self-reliant village economies, Drishtee identifies economic and social interdependencies among rural community members and brings interventions to leverage and sustain these interdependencies. Based on the reflections of Mr. Satyan Mishra, co-founder of Drishtee, this chapter documents some of the key initiatives undertaken by Drishtee in rural areas over the last two decades to help rural communities become self-reliant. These initiatives include the development of the rural ecosystem for Swavlamban (self-reliance), the introduction of a digital platform-based barter system, experimentation with self-managed teams, and the implementation of “Nai Talim.”
Satyan Mishra, Dhirendra Mani Shukla
Gandhian Thought in Seva Mandir
Abstract
This chapter recounts the vision and experience of Seva Mandir, an NGO based in southern Rajasthan. Seva Mandir’s practice is inspired by Gandhian thought and practice. At its core is the idea of communities of care—local people coming together to take responsibility for the local ecological and cultural commons, thereby organically leading to justice and sustainable, equitable development. Such work is difficult, takes time, and involves acknowledging and addressing the internal contradictions in communities exposed to individuated, dependency-laden “benefits” from the developmental state and from unbridled economic growth. The chapter shows the potential of Seva Mandir’s path of insisting on local democracy (of social relations) and autonomous capacity for self-governance (swaraj) for attaining meaningful development. The chapter also explores the importance and challenges of building institutions and institutional cultures that embed and embody these values. In the case of Seva Mandir, early on a culture of dialogue, reflexivity and care took root and was nurtured by inspiring leaders at different levels of organizational hierarchy and especially at the grassroots. The chapter suggests that this too is a key element of Gandhian practice.
Ajay Mehta, Suraj Jacob
Cultivating Women Entrepreneurship: A Case Study of SEWA
Abstract
This chapter explores the relationship between social entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment. The extant literature views social entrepreneurship as a solution to poverty and gender inequalities and discusses how social enterprises empower women by developing their skills and capabilities in emerging economies. Notwithstanding the important contribution, the theoretical foundations of these studies largely remain Western-centric and are limited in providing novel insights on the motivation, function, and impact of entrepreneurial activities. We extend this research by exploring the work of a social organization in India, the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), and by delineating the Gandhian principles that guide its mission, organizational structure, and implementation process. We show how the theoretical underpinning of SEWA in Gandhian philosophy of nonviolence and dignity of labor has enabled it to design holistic programs that focus on “Women, Work and Peace.” We elaborate on the implications of these principles for building equitable, resilient communities during a crisis such as covid-19.
Arpita Ghatak, Aftab Alam, Israr Qureshi
Balancing Equity, Ecology, and Economy Through Antyodaya Leadership: A Case Study of SELCO
Abstract
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to provide access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for all. However, the conventional energy model based on fossil fuels has worsened environmental and social crises. Scholars argue that social enterprises can offer alternative solutions based on the Gandhian development philosophy. We present Solar Electric Lighting Company (SELCO), a social enterprise based in Bangalore, India, that aims to address poverty through decentralized renewable energy. We illustrate how SELCO’s aim to address structural inequalities by recognizing the needs of the marginalized and designing customized solutions that balance material, social, and ecological concerns, align with the Gandhian principle of Antyodaya. Relatedly, we demonstrate that guided by Antyodaya, a social enterprise can increase its reach, impact, and potential to address systemic problems. Further, by applying Gandhian theory, we also contribute to the extant research on social enterprises which largely has Western philosophical foundations. Our study call for increasing engagement with indigenous theories that have the potential to generate more novel insights. The Gandhian perspective on Antyodaya leadership is one such approach that offers holistic, decentralized, and grassroots solutions to achieve SDGs.
Shahaab Javeri, Harish Hande, Babita Bhatt
Economics: Where People Matter
Abstract
The quotations in this chapter represent the views of collectives in public action. Authorship, in this case, is no more than a task of painstakingly putting together, hopefully, an intelligible selection to argue a point of view. Gandhi and many involved in social action believed that real development could not take place without the participation of the people and an acknowledgment of their equality, in both knowledge and capacities, to address change. Accessing equality is a struggle in a caste-ridden and stratified social structure. Gandhi and Ambedkar knew this, though they advocated different methods to deal with it. This chapter looks at Gandhi’s respect for peoples’ knowledge and his acknowledgment that practice, with common sense and vision, is the beginning of understanding the sociopolitical economy. Ambedkar ensured that, with constitutional guarantees, the vulnerable could claim democratic and economic rights and access what is rightfully theirs.
Aruna Roy
Extending Gandhian Philosophy to Mitigate Climate Change: The Idea of Energy Swaraj
Abstract
Climate change is impacting all aspects of human life and causing irreversible damage to life-supporting natural environment components. The use of energy to drive growth is also creating challenges for sustainability. Drawing from this paradox and following Gandhian principles of Gram Swaraj and Trusteeship, this article outlines two fundamental laws of “limiting consumption” and “localizing production” required to be fulfilled for human existence or sustainability. Articles also bring out various aspects related to the growth-sustainability paradox and suggest the wide adoption of the avoid-minimize-generate (AMG) principles in the field of energy. It advocates for Energy Swaraj, a mass movement based on Gandhian principles for promoting responsible use and localized generation of energy.
Chetan Solanki
Resilient Communities: A Way Forward
Abstract
In this chapter, we discuss the need and importance of self-reliant, equitable, and resilient communities in management research and examine the role of social intermediaries, inspired by the Gandhian philosophy, as a catalyst in this process. We reassert the severity of the grand challenges of poverty, inequality, and climate changes to the human and nonhuman world and apply the Sarvodaya framework to identify and underscore the dynamic processes of building resilient communities. The chapters contributed to this volume provide more insights into these processes and offer a wealth of knowledge and themes to conceptualize, enact, and extend the Sarvodaya framework. Building on the core themes introduced in the book, we discuss the potential of integrating these Gandhian concepts into management research to develop new theories, approaches, and framework. Notably, we demonstrate how the core Gandhian principles, (i.e., Satya (truth), Aparigraha (nonpossession), Ahimsa (nonviolence), and Swaraj (self-rule/constrain)) could extend management theories and practices on various topics, including social intermediation, ethical leadership, responsible innovation and consumption, sustainability, and community resilience. We hope this chapter ignites excitement and meaningful conversations among academics and practitioners on social, environmental, and economic issues.
Babita Bhatt, Israr Qureshi, Dhirendra Mani Shukla, Vinay Pillai
Backmatter
Metadaten
Titel
Social Entrepreneurship and Gandhian Thoughts in the Post-COVID World
herausgegeben von
Babita Bhatt
Israr Qureshi
Dhirendra Mani Shukla
Vinay Pillai
Copyright-Jahr
2023
Verlag
Springer Nature Singapore
Electronic ISBN
978-981-9940-08-0
Print ISBN
978-981-9940-07-3
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-4008-0

Premium Partner

    Bildnachweise