For Ioana Benjamin-Schonberger, the first place winner in the category of “Entrepreneurship and Society” in CIPE’s 2010 International Youth Essay Contest, it is not entrepreneurs that Romania lacks, but a renewed entrepreneurial culture that looks beyond self-interest and profits and takes a broader vision for business and entrepreneurship.
Too few business ventures tackle deep social issues and poverty that still affect large parts of the country. According to Ioana, youth are in prime position to change this—they have the greatest potential to bridge the gaps between businesses and the poor because they are more connected, idealistic, and have an action-oriented mindset geared for change.
She recommends increased communication between urban middle class youth and those of poorer semi-urban communities. By providing new spaces—both digital and physical—for dialogue and interaction, youth from different backgrounds and socio-economic classes could share ideas and support the establishment of joint social enterprises. The skills, knowledge and goods youth in marginalized communities already possess could be leveraged for business purposes; for instance, incorporating local produce into the supply chains of restaurants in large cities.
At the same time, entrepreneurial development could also address more conflict-prone, dire social conditions,” argues second place winner Etuk Anietie of River State, Nigeria. Rather than just throwing money at those affected by the conflict in the Niger Delta, Etuk’s foundation proposed using government money to train youth on a particular skill or trade, and then teaching them how to harness and market it profitably. Although these aren’t the only variables to promoting economic growth nor are they the sole solutions to growing militancy in the Nigeria Delta, Etuk and his colleagues have opened channels of communication between youth and their local government, offering these serious policy prescriptions—certainly a model worth emulating.
Finally, third place winner Soukeina Mouline of Salé, Morocco, shares the belief that entrepreneurship can, under the right circumstances, positively affect social values, forcing Moroccan businessmen and women to be more accountable and become greater stakeholders in their own futures:
Launching and running a personally-owned small enterprise will force entrepreneurs to assume personal liability for operations and to their own customers and suppliers. It will also teach them to value achievement and tenacity over money and low commitment, thus shaping an attitude toward life and work that might spread to the whole society.
This Friday, CIPE will announce the final set of winners in the “Women and Participation” category. Visit www.cipe.org/essay to view all winners, and download their winning essays as originally submitted.
Published Date: September 29, 2010