Investigating a Social Entrepreneurial Business Model in India and its Applicability to Wider Contexts.

Abstract: Social entrepreneurship has grown in popularity since Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in the year 2006. Pollinate Energy is an Australian social business working to improve the lives of the urban poor in India. The purpose of this study is to investigate the portability of the organisation’s business model to other geographical locations, e.g what adjustments might be needed if transferring and implementing the concept in new cities and locations. A qualitative case study approach was conducted by gathering experiences from Bangalore through interviews and secondary sources and field observations from a field study conducted in Hyderabad, India. The results indicate that the local cultural context shapes the structure of the concept. It was found to be easier to establish relationships through products with immediate tangible benefits, which indicates that products are highly context dependent. Therefore, local trials of products are needed for the concept to be effective. Moreover, further investigations of the model would be required if the concept were to be transferred to other geographical locations. The model can generate spin-off effects contributing to development, and can thus be a catalyst for social change.