Jerry Davis proves there’s no such thing as the typical businessperson.
He’s a communist, atheist, vegetarian, and environmentalist and was introduced by Ivey Dean Bob Kennedy saying he was “hope for the nonconformists” in the room.
Davis, a professor at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, brought his ideas to the 6th annual Social Innovation@Ivey forum, founded and hosted by Ivey Professor Oana Branzei. The forum is organized by Ivey’s Centre for Building Sustainable Value with support from RBC Foundation, Pillar Non-Profit Network, and The Natural Step.
He took the podium to discuss his book, Changing Your Company from the Inside Out: A Guide for Social Intrapreneurs.
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Social Intrapreneurship
“Social intrapreneurship is about using resources of existing organizations to pursue sustainability or other social benefits,” Davis explained. “Leading a social innovation in a company is like leading a social movement.”
Davis reminded the audience that if you want to create change, you don’t have to do it alone. He encouraged students and recent grads to balance work and social change.
You can work to pay off your debts while still making social change, David advised. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. “People who go to work at companies can have a lot of leverage,” he said.
The factors of change
Social movements are more prominent today than ever before because they are a lot cheaper to organize and more accessible, Davis said. They’re no longer a difficult feat to accomplish. Thanks to the Internet and social media, social movements can be organized by anyone.
Davis outlined four steps to social movement:
- When – understanding that not only do you need a good idea, but also a good time to introduce it; timing is everything
- Why – framing the case for change; it’s not what you say, but how you say it
- Who – mapping social terrain and locating allies; it’s not what you know, but who you know
- How – mobilizing structures for collective actions; bring people along with you and use existing forums where possible
Wrapping up his talk, Davis left one piece of advice for the audience. He reminded the crowd what his book is all about: changing a company from the inside out.
“You don’t have to sell your soul, even if you’re gonna sell out,” he said.
