Response to "Social Entrepreneurship: The Case for a Definition" by Roger L. Martin and Sally Osberg

In stark contrast to the last article, this paper advocates a tighter definition for "Social Entrepreneurship" to limit it to direct actions which ultimately create and sustain a new equilibrium that more fairly addresses the needs of a previously marginalized segment of society. One of the points in this article that most resonated with my point of view is the belief that "a successful shift (of equilibrium) does not depend on the creation of a single venture, but on the appropriation and replication of the model." In other words, the change created in the world must be so well established that it no longer requires the constant input of skills or services from the original entrepreneur. The sustainability of the venture is what separates social entrepreneurship from other charitable organizations, and what makes the eventual success of these ventures such an exciting challenge.