Business Commons^™

Strength In Numbers? Creating A Peacebuilding Network In Rwanda, Dan Shamblin

Capstone Collection

In the 18 years since the genocide, Rwanda has transitioned into a prosperous and peaceful country. However, the need for peacebuilding actors is not removed. Currently, programs in peace, unity and reconciliation work independent from each other. The result is many programs are duplicated; some areas of the country have many programs while other areas are basically neglected. It would be beneficial if peacebuilding efforts were able to come together in a more collaborative fashion. One way in which this can happen is through a network. In this study, 17 organizations and 4 focus group interviews were conducted to assess …

Enhancing Road Scholar Cuba Programs Through Group Leader Training, Desiree N. Shrode

Capstone Collection

In response to the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the United States imposed several embargos and restrictions against Cuba. The stipulations of these embargos have included prohibitions on not only the importation and trade of cigars, rum, and coffee, but also travel between the U.S. and Cuba. However, in 2011, President Barack Obama decided to ease these travel restrictions for educational travel that is not related in pursuant to an academic degree, also known as a People-to-People license. Due to Obama’s change in policy, many organizations have been sponsoring travel to Cuba on these People-to-People licenses, granted by the Office of …

Women Empowerment And Community Development Through Ecotourism, Katherine S. Barry

Capstone Collection

Eco-tourism is generically and broadly considered to be a trendy topic for the privileged traveler to obtain an “authentic cultural experience”. This paper aims to disprove common misperceptions and present failures the system has created. Eco-tourism is an over-exploited and under-utilized tool in the field of sustainable development. Many resorts and “cultural” tours dominant, while local people suffer economically, social and environmentally. However, in the far-reaches of the Kakamega rainforest, there is group that is filling the environmental, social and economic gap in the field of sustainable tourism. They are the Isecheno Women’s Conservation Group, empowering and educating women to …

Branding Lazos De Amor: Importance And Challenges Of Branding Small Non-Profits, The Journey Towards A Better Brand., Sugey Terrero

Capstone Collection

Branding is an integral journey that precedes, includes and surpasses any marketing and advertising effort; it entails an internal process of self-discovery, combined with the exportation (marketing) of organizational values through visual and tangible means (advertising). This capstone focused on the following questions: why is branding important for non-profits? What factors contribute to non-profits not focusing on branding? In addition, what strategies can small non-profits use to develop and manage their brand more effectively? The first question was explored through literature, while the second was explored both theoretically and empirically beginning with an analysis of why branding is a challenging …

Social Entrepreneurship In Egypt: Turning Revolutionary Ambition Into Tangible Results, Chris C. Blackwood

Capstone Collection

Social Entrepreneurship in Egypt: Turning Revolutionary Ambition into Tangible Results is a research paper that seeks to provide a model for sustainable social entrepreneurship (SE) development in Egypt and the surrounding Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The research consists of two primary areas: 1) the field of SE as a whole, along with traits shared by successful social enterprises, and 2) the modern Egyptian context, and the integration of best SE practices in the country and surrounding region during the modern revolutionary era. This is a paper that focuses on social change, and thus several social change theories …

Planning And Designing A Sustainable Volunteer Based Organization: The Putney Food Shelf, Annik Yvette Paul

Capstone Collection

There are many reasons why issues of food insecurity and hunger exist. Individuals, families, and households have various barriers to food security, often facing more than one at a time. Barriers include limited fixed incomes, minimum wage not equaling a livable wage, unemployment and underemployment, poverty, lack of personal transportation and/or access to public transportation, limited access to shopping areas (food deserts), and health and medical issues.

Considering the current statistics listed below, combined with the ever-increasing cost of food, more households will be struggling to meet their basic nutritional needs. Food insecurity and hunger is a problem faced by …

How Do Corporate Philosophies Of Japanese Companies Influence Their Practice Of The Base Of The Economic Pyramid (Bop) Business And The Corporate Social Responsibility (Csr)?, Akane Matsumoto

Capstone Collection

The Base of the Economic Pyramid (BOP) business aims to alleviate social issues of developing countries, particularly these with low-income population, through business means by including the BOP population in the value chain as customers, producers, sellers, and business partners while private enterprises assure their profit.

How do corporate philosophies of Japanese private enterprises influence its practice of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and base of economic pyramid (BOP) business? A Japanese scholar that Japanese companies intrinsically possess traits potentially may be strengths upon BOP business implementation. With an emphasis on influence of corporate philosophy on the practice of CSR and …

A Mission-Driven Organization Case Study: The Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation, Laura R. Thomas

Capstone Collection

The purpose of this case study is to explore the development of the Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation (JCMF), a young organization that is dedicated to becoming a fully mission-driven focused entity. The case study will investigate the organization’s ability to remain consistent to its mission. Furthermore, the case study will explore the importance of mission-focus within JCMF. Finally, it will identify the impact the organization’s commitment to mission-focus has had on the organization’s overall health.

Using a qualitative approach, I examined JCMF and its effectiveness toward being a mission-driven organization. The findings and mission specific analysis of the case study …

The Role Of Local Food In Increasing Access To Healthy Food In Indianapolis, Indiana, Anna Hostetter

Capstone Collection

In the United States today, incidents of obesity are on the rise, currently more than one-third, or 35.7% of U.S. adults are considered obese, up from 30.5% in 2000. These startling numbers are causing news institutions and politicians to refer to it as the “obesity epidemic”.

Obesity is linked to multiple health problems including Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and breast cancer (Aronne, L.J., 2002). There are numerous causes of obesity, including genetics, yet high rates of obesity have also been positively linked with a diet high in processed foods and low in fruits and vegetables (Drewnowski, A. …