A Track on Social Entrepreneurship?

With the concept note almost ready (yes, it's been dragging on for a while now, we hope to wind it up soon), the next step would be to freeze on individual tracks. "Tracks" or sessions last for a few hours, with a panel of speakers voicing their opinion on a topic related to the theme. For example, Insight '08 had industry-wise tracks like Infrastructure, Real Estate, BFSI etc.

As I was leafing through this week's edition of Outlook Business which focusses exclusively on "Social Entrepreneurship" (SE), several new and exciting business models in this area caught my eye. According to the legendary Bill Drayton, Social Entrepreneurs are "men and women with system-changing solutions for the world's most urgent social problems". Mr.Drayton was the one who coined the term in the 1980s.

Would it be a nice idea to organize a track exclusively focussed on SE? We could invite Ms. Saloni Malhotra, who runs four rural BPOs across Tamil Nadu, providing livelihood to 100 employees who earn Rs.5000/month. Is this a game-changing business model? (http://www.desicrew.in/) A vital input (HR sourcing) has been altered. Could BPOs flourish in villages, which was hitherto restricted to urban areas alone?

Or maybe we could invite Mr. Stan Thekaekara, who wants to create an alternate trading system directly linking producer and consumer groups, thereby helping adivasis in the Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu take control over prices, and thus, their lives.

These are just a few examples of interesting innovations which might shake existing business models from the ground up. The team at Insight is still debating on whether to include such a track on Social Entrepreneurship or not... what our decision is, only time will tell. Watch this space for further details.

Unveiling this year's theme...Ver 1.2!!

Version 1.2 of the concept note is a complete makeover of v1.1 Here it is:

Riding the new wave: Emergence of new Business Models

"It appears, as if, there is rejuvenation of the economy. Set for an upswing, the juggernaut has turned benign after all. However, the mayhem in the last two years has left an indelible change on the course of future. While the future holds much promise, the road to that future is different: new business models emerged or the old ones have changed dramatically. The ineffective business models have been quickly consigned to history.

Insight ’09 is set to debate on what new business models have emerged that will profit in future. Which old ones were forcibly changed to adapt to the rules of the new world? Which ones are dead, in spite of willingness to change, made irrelevant by the march of the new era? "

We hope to provide some really cool examples of:

Brand New Business Models; Business Models that changed indelibly; That which did not change and perished

Talk about innovation in business models:

- Collaboration among known and sworn enemies, Changing to new customers, new geographies, Changing to new suppliers, different raw materials, Changing to new technology and processes, Changing to newer talent, leaner and different structure.

While the examples of carnation auto and tata are good, do they fit the above criteria? For example, did the slow down force emergence of Carnation Auto? Did Tata realize that the revival of real estate lies in low cost housing? Is adoption of low-cost careers by airlines a result of slow down? If yes, will such low cost stay?

These are certain questions which we hope will be answered by the next version of the concept note!

Past years' Insight videos!!

Thanks to the SMM team, clips from the last 3 years' Insight conferences are now available on Youtube!! Click on the links below to check them out:

Insight '06 | Insight '07 | Insight '08

Enjoy!

Unveiling this year's theme!! Version 1.1

After several rounds of brain-storming, the theme team (sounds cool... THE THEME TEAM) finally decided upon this year's central theme, on which individual sessions (tracks) will be based. It goes roughly something like "Riding the new wave : Emergence of new business models" An interesting, and in vogue topic.

Here's a rough draft summary of the concept note (version 1.1) that we've made so far. This concept note subject to change of course... Any suggestions/comments/views are most welcome!! Here it is...

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In today’s rapidly changing and challenging environment, a business model is an important and arguably inseparable from the product and operational strategies of an organization in achieving varying success levels. While new business models were developed to meet the new business challenges, there were models developed independent of the times and stood the vagaries of the recession.

Constantly changing business environments call upon existing players to continuously innovate their business models to stay ahead of the pack and budding entrepreneurs to come up with new business models that will help them carve a niche for themselves in a highly competitive market place. While some models were developed to circumvent the recessionary situation others originated from day to day business activities. The actual test of these models will be in the present upswings where the economy will weed out models unable to sustain them with changing times.

We have witnessed many new business models coming up in past few months. For example,

Carnation Auto India is a new experiment which plans to create a nationwide network of multi-brand outlets which will trade in new and used cars along with spares and accessories, offer service, insurance and finance all under one roof. Similarly, the concept of affordable housing model has caught up fast with real estate firms with companies such as Tata Housing coming up with Subha-Griha project which made available houses starting from Rs. 3.9 lacs to 7 lacs targeting low income bracket families mainly migrant population. And lastly, no frills airlines, an idea conceived by Capitan Gopinath, when the economy was booming and today is a model adopted by almost entire airline industry and has become a main source of revenue and a reason for their survival.

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As mentioned earlier, this is subject to change. In the meanwhile, tell us what you think!!

Kick off!!

Welcome to the official blog of Insight '09, LIBA's National Management Symposium. It's right here where the action is! Behind-the-scene updates, round the clock.

As the Insight's various teams: theme, speakers, sponsors, PR, hospitality, etc. sweat it out to put together the best management symposium in the country, we will regularly update you on the latest happenings from inside LIBA.

So, here's the first update: Insight '09 is to be held on the 5th and 6th of November @ Hotel Greenpark in Chennai (www.hotelgreenpark.com)

You may join the following community pages here to get regular updates on Insight '09:

Facebook | Twitter | Facebook fan page| Orkut Insight Community

More coming your way... soon!!