Books
Steven J. Bennett, Ecopreneuring: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVOLUTION (1991).
Abstract (from publisher): An ecopreneur can be anyone who wants to be successful at earning a living by solving environmental problems. Focuses on small scale start-ups and provides information on basic entrepreneuring, including how to get the necessary training, developing viable ecobusiness ideas, funding an ecobusiness, marketing, and managing growth. Also covered are specific ecobusiness opportunities in the fields of recycling and waste reduction techniques and providing products and services for the environmentally aware lifestyle.
Gustav Berle, THE GREEN ENTREPRENEUR: BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAN SAVE THE EARTH AND MAKE YOU MONEY (1991).
Abstract (from publisher): In this timely guide for conscientious entrepreneurs, Gustav Berle describes many of the exciting new business opportunities that have been greater by the increasing public demand for a cleaner, greener world. This book shows business owners how they can make money in hazardous waste clean-up, recycling, waste disposal and processing, energy development, transportation, investment, manufacturing, and other fields. A directory of organizations that can assist in starting up an environmentally conscious business is included.
Brewster Boyd, Nina Henning, Emily Reyna, Daniel E. Wang & Matthew D. Welch, HYBRID ORGANIZATIONS: NEW BUSINESS MODELS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP (2009).
Product Description (from Amazon): The companies are pioneers, the first-movers in market shifts that will eventually become mainstream. These hybrid organizations or what others call values-driven or mission-driven organizations operate in the blurry space between the for-profit and non-profit worlds. They are redefining their supply chains, their sources of capital, their very purpose for being; and in the process they are changing the market for others. Using a combination of high-level survey analysis and, more importantly, in-depth executive interviews, the book helps fill the present gap in literature on environmentally focused and financially driven for-profit businesses. Moreover, it highlights key trends and critical themes that enable this new wave of socially conscious and fiscally minded enterprises to be successful in meeting both sets of goals. The takeaway for readers of this book is not only an appreciation for common business practices that hybrid organizations adopt, but also an understanding of the complexity of the integration of such adoption that allows them to successfully achieve both mission- and market-driven goals.
Glenn Croston, STARTING GREEN: AN ECOPRENEUR'S TOOLKIT FOR STARTING A GREEN BUSINESS FROM BUSINESS PLAN TO PROFITS (2009).
Product Description (from Amazon): Green entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Glenn Croston outlines green business essentials and helps you uncover eco-friendly opportunities, build a sustainable business plan, and gain the competitive advantage in today's environmentally mindful market.
Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainability (Marcus Wagner, ed., 2012).
Abstract (adapted from publisher): This book addresses the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainability (EIS). The EIS nexus is particularly relevant from a European point of view given the focus of the European Commission on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability, as well as their prominent role the European Union in general. Also, the rapid economic growth witnessed especially in the BRIC countries in recent years requires that firms reconcile sustainability aspects with profitability and innovation, and entrepreneurs are seen as key diffusers of these aims. The book is split into six sections. The first section examines the nexus in detail focusing on system-oriented connectivity between sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship. The second section looks at how to nurture corporate entrepreneurship for sustainability; and the third considers ‘mature’ industries such as automotives, chemicals and electronics and how sustainability aspects can be integrated into innovation process and strategy. The fourth section examines the nexus through the lens of developing countries in Africa. Sustainable entrepreneurship is identified as a hugely beneficial way to foster development. The fifth section of the book concentrates on SMEs; and finally the EIS nexus is approached from a network perspective and focuses on inter-organisational partnerships, which are often an important facilitator or spark for EIS initiatives.
Entrepreneurship and Sustainability: Business Solutions for Poverty Alleviation from around the World (Daphne Halkias & Paul W. Thurman, eds., 2012).
Abstract (from publisher): In "Entrepreneurship and Sustainability" the editors and contributors challenge the notion that not-for-profit social entrepreneurship is the only sort that can lead to the alleviation of poverty. Entrepreneurship for profit is not just about the entrepreneur doing well. Entrepreneurs worldwide are leading successful for - profit ventures which contribute to poverty alleviation in their communities. With the challenge of global poverty before them, entrepreneurs continue to develop innovative, business-oriented ventures that deliver promising solutions to this complex and urgent agenda. This book explores how best to bring commercial investors together with those who are best placed to reach the poorest customers. With case studies from around the World, the focus of the contributions is on the new breed of entrepreneurs who are blending a profit motive with a desire to make a difference in their communities and beyond borders. A number of the contributions here also recognize that whilst much research has been devoted to poverty alleviation in developing countries, this is only part of the story. Studies in this volume also focus upon enterprise solutions to poverty in pockets of significant deprivation in high-income countries, such as the Appalachia region of the US, in parts of Europe, and the richer Asian countries. Much has been written about the achievements of socially orientated non-profit microfinance institutions. This valuable, academically rigorous but accessible book will help academics, policy makers, and business people consider what the next generation of more commercially orientated banks for the 'bottom billion' might look like.
Robert Freilich, From Sprawl to Smart Growth: Successful Legal, Planning, and Environmental Systems (2000).
Abstract (from Amazon Product Description): A step-by-step guide-complete with proven cases from around the country-showing how states and local governments can control sprawl, maintain urban areas, enlarge their quality of life through new urban and mixed use developments.
Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins & L. Hunter Lovins, Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution (1999).
Abstract (from Amazon.com Review): They call their approach natural capitalism because it's based on the principle that business can be good for the environment. For instance, Interface of Atlanta doubled revenues and employment and tripled profits by creating an environmentally friendly system of recycling floor coverings for businesses. The authors also describe how the next generation of cars is closer than we might think. Manufacturers are already perfecting vehicles that are ultralight, aerodynamic, and fueled by hybrid gas-electric systems. If natural capitalism continues to blossom, so much money and resources will be saved that societies will be able to focus on issues such as housing, contend Hawken, author of a book and PBS series called Growing a Business, and the Lovinses, who cofounded and directed the Rocky Mountain Institute, an environmental think tank. The book is a fascinating and provocative read for public-policy makers, as well as environmentalists and capitalists alike.
Andrew Heintzman, The New Entrepreneurs: Building a Green Economy for the Future (2010).
Abstract (from Amazon.com): In The New Entrepreneurs, author and venture capitalist Andrew Heintzman introduces us to a burgeoning class of entrepreneurs who are at the forefront of the green-tech economy. From forestry to water to agriculture and oil, Heintzman maps out the leading enterprises that are developing cutting-edge, high-profit, clean-tech products and systems for export to a vast and rapidly expanding global market. Powerful, timely, and necessary, The New Entrepreneurs offers a fresh and visionary approach to redesigning our current economic system, one that uses the powerful forces within capitalism to act as a catalyst for change — and profit.
Laura E. Higgins, Environmental Entrepreneurship: Markets Meet the Environment in Unexpected Places (2013).
Abstract (adapted from publisher): The author finds trailblazing entrepreneurial solutions to difficult environmental challenges in some of the world's poorest areas. The approaches entrepreneurs are taking to these challenges involve establishing property rights and encouraging market exchange. From beehives to barbed wire, these tools are creating positive incentives and promoting both economic development and environmental improvements. The case studies are from the developing world and reveal where the biggest victories for less poverty and more conservation can be won. The pursuit begins by learning from local people solving local problems.
Environmental Entrepreneurship encourages a broad audience to consider secure property rights and free markets as key ingredients to moving out of poverty and improving environmental quality at the same time.
John Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist, ECOPRENEURING: PUTTING PURPOSE AND THE PLANET BEFORE PROFITS (2008).
Abstract (from publisher): The authors focus primarliy on how entrepreneurial efforts can incorporate values and priorities beyond the bottom line. Lifestyle choices trump profit motives, but neither have to be sacrificed in order to create meaning and income. This kind of positive thinking is repeated again and again throughout the book. In addition to sharing their own success, and the stories of others, Ecopreneuring is filled with practical information about starting and running a small green business. A potential ecopreneur will discover ideas on everything from bookkeeping to marketing, and the authors point to numerous other resources that will help you set up your company, and run your business without running afoul of tax codes, licensing agencies, or litigious competitors.
Adam Jolly, CLEAN TECH, CLEAN PROFITS: USING EFFECTIVE INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PRACTICE TO WIN IN THE NEW LOW-CARBON ECONOMY (2010).
Product Description (from Amazon): The squeeze on carbon is beginning in earnest. By 2020, we will have made a start on running our homes, workplaces and vehicles in smarter and less polluting ways. By 2050, we should have reconfigured how we generate power, conserve water and manage waste. But talk of an 80% cut in carbon emissions remains an extraordinarily ambitious goal, particularly when new economic powers like China and India are added to the equation. Ideas for switching to a low-carbon world are bound to take numerous forms. For businesses, the challenge is to find a way of commercializing these ideas. Although their scale can be small and the set-up costs high, the overall potential of this shift is enormous, as evidenced by the amount of private capital and public funds looking for clean technology in which to invest.
Raymond W. Y. Kao, SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY: CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (2010).
Product Description (from Amazon): This book explains how corporate social responsibility is linked to long-term sustainability of an economy and that the activities of an organization should not be only for its self-interest, but must also be honed for the benefit of common good. A major approach the book advocates is corporate decision-makers in an organization should work towards earning the trust of stakeholders rather than focus on short-term profitability.
Eric Koester, Green Entrepreneur Handbook: The Guide to Building and Growing a Green and Clean Business (2010/2011).
Abstract (from Amazon.com): Written by a practicing business attorney with startup experience in the environmental and technology sectors, Green Entrepreneur Handbook: The Guide to Building and Growing a Green and Clean Business assists entrepreneurs in tackling the wide variety of opportunities to go green. It helps you incorporate clean technology, environmental practices, and green business approaches into your work environment. The first section of the book lays the groundwork for any new entrepreneur to understand the history of the environmental and clean technology movements.
The next section takes a new business from initial idea to sales of the product or service. The book addresses where greentrepreneurs can find ideas around which to build a business; how to form a company to execute the business concept; how to find and retain founders, employees, advisors, and directors; how to raise money and make sales; and the importance of intellectual capital and assets.
Emphasizing aspects unique to the green business environment, the third part provides a sound understanding of utilities and energy generation and distribution and explores funding through project finance. It also looks at the players and process of selling to the government; the federal, state, and local regulatory impacts; government incentives and tax programs designed to spur clean technology development; and grants, loans, and other funds as sources of capital.
In the fourth section, the author covers lessons learned and emerging challenges. He offers practical suggestions for going green that businesses can implement themselves and describes current green certifications. He also examines the role of venture capital and institutional investors in green innovation, international trends in green business, and the potential for exit events, such as public offerings, mergers, and acquisitions.
The final part focuses on lessons, tools, resources, and fundamentals essential to any entrepreneur. It discusses market research and business planning, details of forming a business, issues of employing people, smart intellectual property management, obstacles encountered in a difficult fundraising climate, and much more.
Michael Pirson, Case Studies in Social Entrepreneurship: The oikos Collection (2014).
Abstract (from publisher): The oikos-Ashoka case competition for social entrepreneurship was conceived in 2007 as a way to help find great material and case studies in this emerging field. This fourth collection of oikos case studies is based on the winning cases from the 2010 to 2014 annual case competitions. These cases have been highly praised because they provide excellent learning opportunities, tell engaging stories, deal with recent situations, include quotations from key actors, are thought-provoking and controversial, require decision-making, provide clear takeaways and are all supported by teaching guidance and comprehensive teaching notes available to faculty.
The cases are clustered in three different sections: Socially oriented Enterprise Cases Health and Fair trade, Ecologically oriented social enterprises, and Corporate Social Entrepreneurship. Case Studies in Social Entrepreneurship will be an essential purchase for educators and is likely to be a widely used as a course textbook at all levels of management education.
Tedd Saunders, Loretta McGovern, and John F. Kerry, The THE BOTTOM LINE OF GREEN IS BLACK: STRATEGIES FOR CREATING PROFITABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND BUSINESSES (1993).
Abstract (from publisher): A guide to implementing broad-scale environmental changes in business uses case studies from actual companies to outline how managers and owners can make sound, affordable, innovative business decisions that work for the environment and produce profits.
Andrew W. Savitz & Karl Weber, THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE: HOW TODAY'S BEST-RUN COMPANIES ARE ACHIEVING ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUCCESS -- AND HOW YOU CAN TOO (2006).
Abstract (based on a review in the Financial Times, July 5, 2006): In this book the author makes the case that no company or manager can afford any longer to ignore the world around them. Many of the reasons companies face "the age of accountability" are familiar, but it is useful to see them pulled together: our shared sense of vulnerability, fostered by climate change and natural disasters, coupled with the awesome power that global corporations have accumulated; the goldfish bowl in which companies operate; their increased exposure through networks of business partners and global supply chains; the campaigns mounted by lawyers, non-governmental organizations and shareholder activists. Its central argument is an upbeat one that is gaining currency: it makes financial sense for companies to anticipate and respond to society's emerging demands. In the long run, says the author, the sustainable company is likely to be highly profitable.
Michael Schaper, Making Ecopreneurs (2nd ed. 2010).
Abstract (from Amazon.com): The first edition of this book looked at the emergence of 'ecopreneurs' - environmental entrepreneurs gaining competitive advantage for their firms through understanding and utilizing green issues. These green entrepreneurs have led the way in enabling market forces to generate economic growth whilst protecting the environment and encouraging sustainability.
This new edition continues the examination of what distinguishes these green entrepreneurs from others. It draws on a diverse range of case studies embracing examples of both successful and unsuccessful ecopreneurial ventures on at least four continents. Contributions have been updated and a number of entirely new chapters describe sustainable business projects in places ranging from the USA, India, western Europe, UK, Australia, central America and New Zealand. "Making Ecopreneurs, Second Edition", charts recent developments and remains highly relevant to researchers in the fields of sustainable business development and entrepreneurship, to policymakers within governments and NGOs, and to those running businesses.
Elizabeth U, Raising Dough: The Complete Guide to Financing a Socially Responsible Food Business (2013).
Abstract (from publisher): More and more entrepreneurs are using food-based businesses to solve social and environmental problems - and yet the majority of them report that a lack of access to capital prevents them from launching, maintaining, or growing their ventures. Raising Dough is an unprecedented guide to the full range of financing options available to support sustainable food businesses.
Raising Dough provides valuable insights into the world of finance, including descriptions of various capital options, including traditional debt and equity, government grant and loan programs, and cutting-edge models such as crowdfunding and community-based alternatives; guiding questions to help determine which capital options are the most appropriate given the size, stage, entity type, growth plans, mission, and values of an enterprise; case studies and testimonials highlighting the experiences of food system entrepreneurs who have been there before, including both success stories and cautionary tales; and referrals to sources of capital, financiers, investor networks, and other financial resources. Written primarily for people managing socially responsible food businesses, the resources and tips covered in this book will benefit social entrepreneurs - and their investors - working in any sector.
Adam Werbach, STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABILITY: A BUSINESS MANIFESTO (2009).
Abstract (from product description at Amazon.com): More than ever before, consumers, employees, and investors share a common purpose and a passion for companies that do well by doing good. So any strategy without sustainability at its core is just plain irresponsible - bad for business, bad for shareholders, bad for the environment. Sustainability is now a true competitive strategic advantage, and building it into the core of your business is the only means to ensure that your company - and your world - will survive.
Rafael Ziegler et al., Social Entrepreneurship in the Water Sector: Getting Things Done Sustainably (2014).
Abstract (from publisher): There are few sectors where “getting things done sustainably” is as important as it is for the water sector. From drinking water and sanitation to water use in agriculture, industry and ecosystems, Rafael Ziegler and his co-authors investigate the contribution of social entrepreneurship to the sustainable use of water.
Using detailed case studies from Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, the authors assess the role and potential of social entrepreneurship for the sustainable use of water. In addition, they examine the ethics and politics of new ideas for sustainability in the water sector. In so doing, they critically discuss the impact of these new innovations, with the emphasis on ideas changing heads rather than money changing hands.
By bringing together questions from ecology, ethics, management and political science, and drawing on research in close collaboration with practitioners across the world, the approach taken is both inter- and trans-disciplinary. The result will be of significant interest to researchers and practitioners in social entrepreneurship and social innovation, as well as in water and sustainability politics.