SEKN Case Studies & Syllabi

SKE057 - Fundacion Pro Vivienda Social: The Entrepreneur's Network as a Source of Resources

Author(s):
Sergio Postigo, Maria Fernanda Tamborini, Gabriela Bearzi, Gabriel Berger

Description:
Describes the situation brought about by the severe economic and political crisis that swept Argentina at the end of 2001. The local situation had been gradually deteriorating since 1998, when the country slipped into an increasing recession and poverty indexes started climbing consistently. The crisis peaked when the federal government decided to freeze all bank accounts, further unnerving the general population. Fundacion Pro Vivienda Social (FPVS) began to feel the repercussions of the crisis: client numbers became stagnant in 1999, and its regular portfolio could no longer afford new loans. As the recession deepened, FPVS clients found it hard to make the required payments on their loans. The organization faced financial distress, and Raul Zavalia Lagos had to meet with its administrative council to discuss alternative solutions. Focuses on Lagos' role as social entrepreneur, describing his family background, previous experience, and ability to lead the FPVS project and build a network with a series of actors who provided the necessary funding, advice, and contacts. Also explains how FPVS started to respond in 1998 to the worsening local social and economic conditions by developing alternative programs to appeal to new borrowers. As these initiatives proved ineffective, the foundation turned to consider other projects, based on the demands voiced by the communities where it operated.

Author(s):
Daniel Arenas, Maria Pradera

Description:
The case study presents the background of the Spanish courier and urgent parcel service company MRW and its financial situation in the first quarter of 2004. At that time the urgent delivery service sector was immersed in a process of growth, and there was strong competition within the sector and MRW occupied one of the leading positions. The case study places special emphasis on the social initiatives of MRW and its franchising system used as an expansion strategy. But this system entails important coordination issues, which led to the creation of a Committee of Ethics and Arbitration, as explained in the case.

Author(s):
Mladen Koljatic, Monica Silva

Description:
Intermón Oxfam is a Spanish non-government organization that is now almost 50 years old. This case explains the tensions that have arisen during its growth, in a short time going from lending support to Jesuit missionaries in the Third World to being one of the leading development NGOs in Spain, integrated within one of the most important international NGO groups: Oxfam. After reviewing the history of the organization, analyzing its governing body (the Board of Trustees) and human resource and volunteer policies, and being exposed to its mission and culture, students are asked to make the difficult decision of choosing a candidate for a position on the Management team.

Author(s):
Mladen Koljatic, Monica Silva

Description:
Provides an overview of the Corporacion de Desarrollo Social del Sector Rural (Codesser), a nonprofit organization that was created in the 1970s to run vocational, agrarian schools in rural areas in Chile. In the years following, Codesser broadened its administrative scope by forming alliances with other nonprofits to run schools with other specializations in high school technical education, specifically industrial and cooking schools. In 2003, Codesser board members were evaluating an offer that would lead to a new business niche for their organization: buying a school (instead of just administering it) and offering elementary and college-track secondary education (instead of technical secondary education). Focuses on this decision and its implications. Requires evaluating mission coherency, organizational competencies, financial viability, and growth opportunities.