The Solution Revolution: How Business, Government, and Social Enterprises Are Teaming Up to Solve Society's Toughest Problems - Hardcover

Eggers, William D.; Macmillan, Paul

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1422192199 ISBN 13: 9781422192191

Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press, 2013

Synopsis

Government Alone Can’t Solve Society’s Biggest Problems

World hunger. Climate change. Crumbling infrastructure. It’s clear that in today’s era of fiscal constraints and political gridlock, we can no longer turn to government alone to tackle these and other towering social problems. What’s required is a new, more collaborative and productive economic system. The Solution Revolution brings hope revealing just such a burgeoning new economy where players from across the spectrum of business, government, philanthropy, and social enterprise converge to solve big problems and create public value.

By erasing public-private sector boundaries, the solution economy is unlocking trillions of dollars in social benefit and commercial value. Where tough societal problems persist, new problem solvers are crowdfunding, ridesharing, app-developing, or impact-investing to design innovative new solutions for seemingly intractable problems. Providing low-cost health care, fighting poverty, creating renewable energy, and preventing obesity are just a few of the tough challenges that also represent tremendous opportunities for those at the vanguard of this movement. They create markets for social good and trade solutions instead of dollars to fill the gap between what government can provide and what citizens need.

So what drives the solution economy? Who are these new players and how are their roles changing? How can we grow the movement? And how can we participate?

Deloitte’s William D. Eggers and Paul Macmillan answer these questions and more, and they introduce us to the people and organizations driving the revolution from edgy social enterprises growing at a clip of 15 percent a year, to megafoundations, to Fortune 500 companies delivering social good on the path to profit. Recyclebank, RelayRides, and LivingGoods are just a few of the innovative organizations you’ll read about in this book.

Government cannot handle alone the huge challenges facing our global society and it shouldn’t. We need a different economic paradigm that can flexibly draw on resources, combine efforts, and create value, while improving the lives of citizens. The Solution Revolution shows the way.

About this title

About the Author

William D. Eggers is the Global Research Director for Deloitte’s Public Sector practice, columnist, and author or coauthor of seven books, including the Washington Post bestseller If We Can Put a Man on the Moon.

Paul Macmillan is the Global Industry Leader for the Public Sector practice for Deloitte. He is a founder of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) Deloitte Public Sector Leadership Awards, and is also a member of the board of directors of Bridgepoint Active Healthcare in Toronto.

Review

pulsating with fresh ideas about civic and business and philanthropic engagement the breadth of examples is impressive and global.” The Wall Street Journal

Eggers and Macmillan’s work succeeds as a guide to new opportunities to profit from socially impactful’ activities once thought unprofitable.” Financial Times

Another good read, The Solution Revolution explores how business, government, philanthropy and social enterprise are converging to solve big problems and create public value...the innovations Eggers and Macmillan outline, and the possibilities they imagine, are fascinating and tantalizing.” The Washington Post

The Solution Revolution is an excellent primer for anyone interested in joining the ranks of the social sector Very few authors and researchers have provided such a comprehensive view of the social sector ” Policy Perspectives (policy-perspectives.org)

This book looks at how business, government, and social enterprises are teaming up to solve society's toughest problems. It’s the best book out there on mobilising communities to solve wicked problems,” says Peter Williams from audit and consulting firm Deloitte.” Sydney Morning Herald, Summer Reading List, Tech Knowledge

a fascinating preview of our economic future, a system where choice, sustainability, and more adaptive ecosystems offer all of us the ability to collaborate towards better solutions.” USA Book News

a pick for social issues and business collections alike. Business collections will find this a specific, inspirational guide!” Midwest Book Review

For a book devoted to seemingly intractable problems, it has a very hopeful message.” BizEd magazine

A thought-provoking book on how changes have given rise to new issues and challenges and how important it is for society to think beyond self.” The Star

an energetic study” and saying, These stories along with substantive advice for individuals and governments alike present a persuasive argument that the future of global change rests squarely in the hands of ordinary citizens.” Publishers Weekly

worth reading because it is vital to comprehend how, to an astonishing extent, this convergence is already changing the world.” Vancouver Sun

If you’re looking for an optimistic read, The Solution Revolution: How Business, Government, and Social Enterprises Are Teaming Up to Solve Society’s Toughest Problems is a perfect choice This is high-energy, high-level thinking being put into on-the-ground practice to see what comes of it.” Associations Now (ASAE: American Society of Association Executives)

The Solution Revolution shows how entrepreneurs all over the world are stepping forward to innovate for the public good.” T+D magazine (American Society for Training & Development)

The Solution Revolution provides a useful and thought-provoking method map, examples, and inspiration for this journey.” Research-Technology Management

ADVANCE PRAISE for The Solution Revolution:

Walter Isaacson, President and CEO, Aspen Institute; author, Steve Jobs
Citizens and businesses are creating a solution economy’ that blends market forces and altruism to get good things done . . . Watch out. This book may inspire you to join the revolution!”

Peter H. Diamandis, Chairman and CEO, XPRIZE Foundation; Chairman, Singularity University; coauthor, Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think
Today the world’s biggest problems are the world’s biggest market opportunities. Want to become a billionaire? Solve a billion-person problem. The Solution Revolution shows you how.”

Jennifer Pahlka, Deputy US CTO; founder and Executive Director, Code for America
The Solution Revolution explores how the intersections of the sectors can unlock the potential we’ll need to face the realities of the twenty-first century.”

John Mackey, co-CEO and cofounder, Whole Foods Market; coauthor, Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business
The Solution Revolution is a wise reminder that global problems shouldn’t be left to government alone to solve . . . Read this book and join today’s solution economy.’”

The Right Honourable Paul Martin, former Prime Minister of Canada
With a global population approaching nine billion and governments so indebted that their only answer is to beggar succeeding generations, the current path is clearly unsustainable. Eggers and Macmillan seek a better way.”

Geoff Mulgan, CEO, Nesta; author, The Locust and the Bee: Predators and Creators in Capitalism’s Future
Eggers and Macmillan vividly describe creative solutions that break the boundaries between the public and private sectors and civil society.”

Rachel Botsman, coauthor, What’s Mine Is Yours: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption
Read this book if you want to understand how the solution revolution’ will create a trillion-dollar market for social good by unlocking the value of underutilized resources in ways and on a scale never possible before.”

Edition details

• Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1422192199
• ISBN 13: 9781422192191
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 304