ATREE: Social Entrepreneurship in Vembanad

The backwaters of Vembanad, in Kerala, India, were a renowned tourist attraction, known for their beautiful waters, schools of fish, and the people who lived along the shores. However, the exploitation of resources had taken a toll on the lake and its ecosystem. Pollution and the decline of the rich fish population had left the community impoverished. In 2008, the non-profit social enterprise Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE) had launched an innovative educational and self-regulatory program that had begun to improve the ecosystem. However, by 2018, the resurgence of the fish population had also attracted a fisheries-based food company that wanted to begin processing and exporting fish caught in Vembanad. The immediate employment benefits were attractive to the impoverished local fishers, but the long-term consequences for the region and its community were severe. How should ATREE respond to this pending crisis? Should ATREE use incoming money for immediate relief for Vembanad’s stakeholders or should it use the money for long-term benefit by focusing on further conservation efforts?

The case can be used in an undergraduate- or graduate-level course on entrepreneurship, business policy, social entrepreneurship, business ethics, or managing growing ventures to discuss the philosophical and operational challenges of social ventures. After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to do the following:<ul><li>Define the concept of social enterprise, and explain how its goals differ from those of business enterprise.</li><li>Discuss the meaning of social constraint and social opportunity to social enterprises, especially in an emerging economy.</li><li>Analyze the processes of collaboration and co-creation in the social entrepreneurship sector, and explain how these differ from processes employed in other businesses.</li><li>Identify ways that social enterprises can help in economic recovery and sustainable development.</li><li>Identify the challenges facing a social enterprise, and make a recommendation that encompasses the overall strategy for survival.</li></ul>

• social enterprise, value creation, social innovation