Papers by Ezequiel Reficco
Social Science Research Network, Sep 1, 2014
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the formative potential of the case method on M... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the formative potential of the case method on MBA students’ “civility” – the procedural dimension of the ethics field. While a robust literature has focussed on the impact of teaching ethics (content) on students’ behavior, to-date no study has explored the link between the pedagogy used (method) and students behavioral dispositions. Design/methodology/approach – A thorough theory review was conducted, covering the different pedagogy literatures that frame the discussion on the link between learning methods and ethics in general, and civic-minded behavior in particular. Drawing on relevant findings from these literatures, some implications are drawn, and tentative propositions are laid out. Findings – The study seeks to readdress the existing imbalance between the cognitive and the formative aspects of education, placing emphasis on the latter. The paper proposes that, other things being equal, MBA programs that make intensive and systematic use of the case method will foster civility among students. Through the iterative practices embedded in the case method, students internalize a number of behavioral predispositions that form the basis of civic behavior. Practical implications – This paper calls for an approach in managerial education that goes beyond the transmission of knowledge. In particular, the paper emphasize the importance of seeing the MBA as “little schools of democracy,” where civic-oriented inclinations can take root in future business leaders. This finding carries substantial implications for business schools and professors, in Latin America and beyond. Originality/value – The transmission of technical knowledge has traditionally been considered the backbone of managerial education – a purely cognitive process. This paper, on the other hand, seeks to highlight the transformative potential of the MBA through the use of the appropriate learning methodologies - the case method in particular. By focussing on the concept of civility, the paper seek to go beyond the prevailing focus on content among ethics scholars and highlight the relevance of habits as a necessary first step on the shaping of civic-minded business leaders. This paper adds a much needed missing link between learning methods and civic behavior.
Responsible Leadership, 2021
Academia Revista Latinoamericana de Administración, 2020
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify how the value dynamics of the freemium business m... more PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify how the value dynamics of the freemium business model (BM) play out in a social enterprise.Design/methodology/approachWe draw on a multiple case study of two social enterprises –one nonprofit (Aravind Eyecare) in Asia and one for-profit in Latin America (Biodent)– to analyze the implications of applying the value architecture of a freemium BM to social enterprises.FindingsThe freemium BM departs from standard practice when applied in social enterprises. Meaningful differences include the feasibility/desirability of converting free users to paying ones, the presence of significant variable costs –which requires balancing the ratio of free and paying customers– and the use of nontraditional pricing schemes to enhance value capture. The social freemium BM can increase scalability, value creation and value capture. Under this model, “beneficiaries” can be more than passive recipients of value and contribute to a venture's success in va...
The array of terminology that refers to the link between corporations and society can be very con... more The array of terminology that refers to the link between corporations and society can be very confusing for the non-specialist. Terms such as corporative citizenship, corporate social responsibility, philanthropy and sustainability, among others, refer to research literatures and communities of practice that are related, yet different. Over the past few years, the concept of Business and Society (B&S) has emerged as a broad, encompassing field that includes them all. In this article we identify the frameworks or constructs that constitute this field: corporate social responsibility, corporate citizenship (or corporate philanthropy), sustainable development, corporate governance, business ethics, and inclusive business. The article reaches two broad conclusions. The first is the horizontal expansion of the agenda: each one of these literatures and practice communities has seen their theme agenda expand systematically over the past few years. The relationship between the company and i...
The idea that market mechanisms can mobilize social change by engaging the poor in win-win scenar... more The idea that market mechanisms can mobilize social change by engaging the poor in win-win scenarios is gaining increased world attention. Companies, social sector organizations, and development agencies are all beginning to glean the potential that lies among the world's poorest people, both as an untapped productive force and a neglected consumer market. This book aims to demonstrate how the private sector can become part of the solution of poverty. In this study, the authors assess market initiatives in Iberoamerica by large corporations, cooperatives, small and medium enterprises, and nonprofit organizations. A task force drawing on nine teams of researchers from various business schools and universities in nine countries examined 33 experiences, seeking to uncover 'what's needed' for building new business value chains that help move people out of poverty.
Recent experiences of inclusive business in Latin America place more emphasis on good intentions ... more Recent experiences of inclusive business in Latin America place more emphasis on good intentions than on real, sustainable innovations. If this trend was confirmed, it would be bad news for both the poor and the investors behind these initiatives. This article reviews this trend and suggests some avenues to value creating innovations that help both the region's private sector, and its low income citizens.
Journal of Business Research
Abstract Nonprofit organizations (NPO) have suffered from two interrelated bottlenecks: lack of f... more Abstract Nonprofit organizations (NPO) have suffered from two interrelated bottlenecks: lack of funds and difficulties to grow and operate at scale. Business model innovation (BMI) has been found to be important to overcome those bottlenecks, but the extant literature is limited and lacks a solid empirical foundation. To explore this topic, we conducted a retrospective analysis of a single case study, tracking the evolution of an organization's business model as it went from being a traditional, donation-based NPO, to a dynamic sales-driven social enterprise (SE). As a result, the organization gained financial autonomy, scaled up operations and increased impact. Our findings add to the literature by identifying BMI change drivers and outcomes. We show how a platform-inspired business model can enhance value creation and value capture in a SE.
Journal of Cleaner Production
Abstract The purpose of this article is to advance research on sustainable innovation through a b... more Abstract The purpose of this article is to advance research on sustainable innovation through a business model (hereafter, BM) perspective. We consider the BM as a boundary-spanning system that encompasses various firms, in which value is created, exchanged and captured. More specifically, we look at the changes called for by the imperative of sustainable development, through the perspective of the BM. When companies coalesce around well-entrenched BMs, sunk costs and lock-in effects emerge as formidable barriers for sustainable innovation. We posit that the multiple dimensions in which sustainable innovation creates value for BM participants have not been adequately studied. In this article, we seek to address that gap by exploring the following research questions: What mechanisms enable transactions in boundary-spanning BMs that seek to bring about sustainable innovation? Are there synergies or otherwise meaningful connections between the different collaboration mechanisms? Are there enabling mechanisms that may facilitate or hinder those mechanisms? We look at the BM of three green innovators: new entrants that created a niche in their industries with clear social and environmental advantages over imperfect substitutes. Our main contributions to the literature on sustainable innovation are: (1) the integration of social and environmental collaboration mechanisms in addition to the economic ones used by extant studies; (2) the identification of the connections among these social, economic and environmental collaboration mechanisms; and (3) the identification of a set of enabling conditions within the focal firms that facilitate collaboration at the BM level. We close with propositions about enabling conditions, collaboration mechanisms and outcomes (sustainable innovations).
En America Latina y el Caribe esta aun muy arraigada la idea de que las empresas deben dedicarse ... more En America Latina y el Caribe esta aun muy arraigada la idea de que las empresas deben dedicarse exclusivamente a las actividades economicas, mientras que el Estado, las organizaciones no gubernamentales o la Iglesia son las instituciones encargadas del bienestar social. Este libro presenta otro enfoque, con diferentes casos de colaboracion entre el sector privado y organizaciones de la sociedad civil, donde las motivaciones privadas y la preocupacion social se entrelazaron para emprender proyectos que producen utilidades que benefician directamente a la comunidad. Los lideres empresariales, politicos y sociales encontraran en este compendio una gran ayuda para establecer nuevas alianzas sociales que contribuyan a mejorar la calidad de vida de miles de personas.
The traditional philanthropy practiced by your company is good. But you may be squandering an opp... more The traditional philanthropy practiced by your company is good. But you may be squandering an opportunity to create true strategic value, both social and financial, through your relationships with civil society.
By James Austin (Harvard Business School), Ezequiel Reficco (Harvard Business School), Gabriel Be... more By James Austin (Harvard Business School), Ezequiel Reficco (Harvard Business School), Gabriel Berger (U. de San Andrés), Rosa Maria Fischer (U. de São Paulo), Roberto Gutierrez (U. de los Andes), Mladen Koljatic (Pontificia U. Católica de Chile), Gerardo Lozano ...
Academia-revista Latinoamericana De Administracion, 2009
Resumen es: En los anos sesenta, las empresas y las organizaciones de la sociedad civil (OSC) rec... more Resumen es: En los anos sesenta, las empresas y las organizaciones de la sociedad civil (OSC) recorrian sendas separadas, y tenian poco que ver entre si. En las ulti...
Harvard Business Review, 2009
La pobreza sigue siendo un mal endemico en America Latina, y la crisis no ha hecho otra cosa que ... more La pobreza sigue siendo un mal endemico en America Latina, y la crisis no ha hecho otra cosa que empeorar la situacion. Se ha buscado diversas soluciones alternativas para enfrentar el problema, y una de ellas consiste en los negocios inclusivos. Empresarios, activistas, politicos y academicos se han interesado en este tema, pero las iniciativas que han salido hasta ahora no han sido negocios o no han sido inclusivas. Para despejar la confusion conceptual existente, los autores �academicos miembros del Social Enterprise Knowledge Network� los definen de la siguiente manera. En primer lugar, se trata de iniciativas que tienen un efecto transformador en la situacion de los mas pobres. Esto se logra porque se les involucra eficazmente como proveedores, distribuidores o consumidores en una cadena generadora de valor. Como hay una motivacion economica detras, esta inclusion de los mas pobres realmente les ayuda a elevar sus ingresos y a mejorar su calidad de vida. Estas iniciativas tiene...
Resumen es: El objetivo de este ensayo es delinear el concepto de las llamadas empresas sociales ... more Resumen es: El objetivo de este ensayo es delinear el concepto de las llamadas empresas sociales y explorar algunas de sus caracteristicas. El capitulo comienza con ...
Es muy probable que su empresa ya tenga algun tipo de relacion ?socialmente responsable? con orga... more Es muy probable que su empresa ya tenga algun tipo de relacion ?socialmente responsable? con organizaciones de la sociedad civil (OSC). Y probablemente su empresa asume el rol del donante benevolente. Pero si su empresa busca mantenerse competitiva en el largo plazo, aseguran los autores, ha llegado el momento de reevaluar su relacion con las OSC. Porque si usted sigue actuando bajo el tradicional prisma ?lantropico, es muy probable que este desperdiciando un activo de gran potencial para su organizacion. En este articulo, que se basa en una extensa investigacion realizada en todo el hemisferio, los autores explican en que consiste este cambio de paradigma y como su empresa puede aprovecharlo. Mostrando varios casos de alianzas latinoamericanas exitosas, los autores dicen que para generar un verdadero valor, tanto social como ?nan-ciero, la empresa debe seguir tres etapas. Primero debe seleccionar a sus aliados sociales en forma estrategica. Entre su empresa y la OSC debe existir un...
Uploads
Papers by Ezequiel Reficco