Pivoting to Adapt for Inclusive Business Sustainability in India ^*

Abstract

United for Hope (UfH) is an NGO and social enterprise hybrid that aims to build a prototype for an economically sustainable and progressive “smart village.” This case study focuses on their social enterprise pillar, with specific attention given to UfH's clean water, solar energy, menstrual hygiene, and social tourism projects. This case analyzes how these projects developed and how UfH has adapted its strategies multiple times in its drive to create economically sustainable business models.

UfH has managed its start-up stage by pivoting to adapt. It was seen that UfH had to adapt its strategies multiple times in response to market realities—particularly related to government interference in markets. This case shows that multiple offerings can be an effective strategy to help spread the higher risk often encountered in IB. The need to manage the choice between external partners and internal capacity building, along with the need for expectation management of employees and funders, is also discussed. It is hoped that this analysis of how UfH navigated its start-up phase will provide insights for those who are considering IB entrepreneurship in India and other markets.

Citation

Stanislawski, S. (2021), "Pivoting to Adapt for Inclusive Business Sustainability in India ^* ", Okada, Y. and Stanislawski, S. (Ed.) Institutional Interconnections and Cross-Boundary Cooperation in Inclusive Business, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 117-139. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80117-212-720211005