Research Reports

Research Reports

Thursday, 14 August 2008 06:10

SEED Research Programme 2006-8

SEED’s Research and Learning programme for 2006-8 was delivered by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in Canada. Below are IISD's detailed research reports: these have also formed the basis for some of the SEED Insights and sections of SEED's resources database.

• Critical Success Factors and Performance Measures for Start-up Social and Environmental Enterprises (IISD: Boyer, Creech & Paas, June 2008)

Eight critical success factors and fourteen performance indicators identified through this investigation (44 pages) form the basis for a robust rapid assessment process for social and environmental enterprises. Such a process can be self directed by the enterprise leaders, to determine in the early stages of their development whether they have the critical elements in place for successful growth.

• Scale-up and replication for Social and Environmental Enterprises (IISD: Creech, June 2008)

This paper (21 pages) explores how the international development community approaches scale up and replication, and in particular its role in supporting start-up social and environmental enterprises to expand both their business and their social and environmental impact. The paper examines several aspects to these issues, including who is responsible for creating the enabling environment and helping a local SMME to scale up, and highlights the considerations that can limit replication.

• Typologies for Partnerships for Sustainable Development and for Social and Environmental Enterprises: Exploring SEED winners through two lenses (IISD: Creech & Paas, June 2008)

On the basis of in-depth studies of the SEED winners and other research reports, Creech and Paas conclude that creating a comprehensive typology of partnerships is problematic, because of the extreme variety of forms and shapes that these partnerships take. Nor has there been sufficient exploration of critical success factors for different types of partnerships. This paper (39 pages) suggests that developing partnership management is one critical success factor for social and environmental entrepreneurs but is not the defining modus operandi. Seven other CSFs are based on empirical evidence from the social and environmental entrepreneurship field.

• Recognition and Reward Programmes that support Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development (IISD: Paas & Creech, April 2008)

Recognition and reward programmes are common mechanisms used to support and encourage outstanding behaviour and actions that contribute significantly to the achievement of a given vision, mission or objective. SEED is one of many award programmes that serve to recognize and support significant contributions towards a global vision for sustainable development. This note explores the place of these awards in promoting sustainable development.

SEED Research Programme 2005/6

For SEED’s first cycle of operation, the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPI) delivered SEED’s Research and Learning programme. The GPPI's research findings include the 2006 Partnerships Report, as well as 2 papers:

• Partnerships for Sustainable Development : On the Road to Implementation (GPPI: Steets, May 2006)

The 2006 Partnerships Report discusses trends and cross-cutting themes such as funding, organisation and accountability.

• Entrepreneurial Partnerships for sustainable development: A first look at the submissions to the SEED Awards 2005

This paper (8 pages) provides an analysis of the partnerships applying to the SEED Initiative, and demonstrates the wide variety of locally-driven entrepreneurial partnerships with the potential to contribute to sustainable development.

• Waltz, Jazz, or Samba?: The Contribution of Locally-Driven Partnerships to Sustainable Development

This paper (24 pages) is a discussion paper. It incorporates the information from the shorter paper but includes further interpretation and commentary to stimulate debate on the role and potential of locally-driven partnerships for sustainable development. It also begins to frame the future SEED Research and Learning agenda. Please note, the views contained therein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the SEED Initiative, its partners or supporters.