Economic Developer as Social Entrepreneur

Should economic developers be considered 'social entrepreneurs?' Maybe some should, according to an article in Leader to Leader Journal. Think about it.

Social entrepreneur is a new term, much in the news these days. Social entrepreneurs are individuals who approach a social problem with entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen. Whereas business entrepreneurs create businesses, social entrepreneurs create change. But is social entrepreneurship actually something new?

Social entrepreneurship is not a new phenomenon. Only in recent years have these changemakers become known as social entrepreneurs. The emergence of social entrepreneurship as a recognizable field is most likely due to a variety of factors, including current dissatisfaction with the pace and management of standard charities and foundations.

Source: Is the Social Entrepreneur a New Type of Leader? by Lynn Barendsen and Howard Gardner, Leader to Leader, No. 34 Fall 2004