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Catalytic Converters: “Good enough†social change
Innovation in the social sector is notoriously difficult. Tackling social issues in new ways depends on the cooperation and coordination of a diverse range of organizations where there is often conflict over both the ends and the means. (See our post on Swimming with Sharks for a discussion of the trials of interorganizational collaboration.) The stakes are often high when organizations have made large investments in existing practices. Recent research suggests there may be a better way for those involved in social change*.
Instead of concentrating on innovations that offer lots of options, are particularly unique, complex and “cutting edge”, Clayton Christensen, Heiner Baumann, Rudy Ruggles and Thomas Sadtler argue for a different approach to innovation. Drawing on examples as diverse as walk-in health clinics, affordable insurance, online classes, community colleges and microlending, they describe innovations that are easily replicable, simple to understand, potentially serve a new group of people, don’t directly challenge existing institutions and the performance is not great or special but “good enough”. They argue that it is these types of change that are catalytic –ultimately challenging existing systems and advancing social goals.
So what are the steps to become a catalytic innovator? Reading between the lines of the research it requires change agents to:
- Think about simple solutions – maybe the idea lies in providing a lower cost alternative to what is already being offered by others without all the bells and whistles.
- Consider how the idea can easily be scaled and replicated – is it simple and easy to understand?
- Evaluate whether a new service will be for a group already well-served or one currently ignored by existing providers.
- Focus on areas that generate resources - donations, grants and volunteer involvement - that larger providers would not perceive as attractive or able to mobilize.
- Not get too hung up with providing “the best solution” - concentrating more on “good enough” models that do a small number of things well.
A good example of such an innovation is described in a recent edition of The Economist (January 13th 2007). Scojo Vision, an American Optical firm, is selling reading glasses in the third world. Instead of concentrating on serious eye conditions, the focus of government and humanitarian aid agencies, they are meeting the need of a common but largely overlooked complaint known as presbyopia. These non-prescription glasses sell for $3 – they cost $1 to make and the rest goes to the franchisee. They aim to sell 1 million pairs by 2010 making a big difference to the rural poor in India, Bangladesh, Mexico and Guatemala.
These type of innovations are rarely glamorous – the technology is not cutting edge and often unlikely to gain much attention. However, if as a change agent you can find a way of delivering a new service that is “good enough” – a simple solution that can easily be copied and spread – then you may have a greater chance of changing the world.
To read the full article: “Disruptive Innovation for Social Change” was published in the December 2006 issue of the Harvard Business Review (Clayton Christensen, Heiner Baumann, Rudy Ruggles & Thomas Sadtler).
Also: You may want to investigate the Leader to Leader Institute website (previously known as the Drucker Foundation) and sign up for “Innovation of the week” – a weekly social innovation case study.
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