New Case - Takeout 25: A Community-Driven Entrepreneurial Initiative in Oak Park, Illinois February 21, 2023 By Bala MullothAriel Watt New Case - Takeout 25: A Community-Driven Entrepreneurial Initiative in Oak Park, Illinois In this case, Batten Assistant Professor Bala Mulloth and MPP student Ariel Watt study the growth, evolution, and innovation of Takeout 25, a socially minded initiative that helped revitalize Oak Park’s restaurant industry and local economy in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The brainchild of Ravi Parakkat, an Oak Park citizen and village trustee, Takeout 25’s mission was to orchestrate a movement championing the need for financially viable, community-oriented solutions to keep residents safe while allowing restaurants to prosper. By engaging closely with the local community and building partnerships with a range of restaurants and small businesses, Takeout 25 has set itself apart as a viable model for Oak Park and other cities nationally to adopt to counter the economic fallout of the pandemic. In addition to investigating the Takeout 25 team’s social motivations and shared values that contributed to the initiative’s goals and vision, students will discuss the various strategic decisions and dilemmas the team faces as they seek to maximize impact in the years ahead. Link to case Areas of focus Social Entrepreneurship Bala Mulloth Bala Mulloth is an assistant professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Mulloth is a globally oriented educator and entrepreneur and his work focuses on innovation and social entrepreneurship. Read full bio Ariel Watt Related Content Bala Mulloth New Case - Rebecca’s Natural Food: Sparking Small Business and Local Community Involvement in Charlottesville Research This case study analyzes the growth, evolution, and innovation of Rebecca’s Natural Food, a socially minded grocer that provides locally sourced, sustainable, and healthy products for the public. Founded in 1987 by Norman Dill, the organization’s mission was to orchestrate a movement championing the need for healthy, sustainable, anti-hormone, fresh local food. Challenges to measuring social value creation through social impact assessments: the case of RVA Works Research What are the issues that socially driven organizations face as they attempt to measure their social impact through the myriad social impact assessments (SIAs) available? In this paper, we aim to investigate this overarching research question using the example of RVA Works, a Virginia (Richmond)-based social enterprise that utilized educational programming to promote small business ownership and financial self-sufficiency among traditionally underserved and underprivileged demographics. Professor Bala Mulloth and Team Close to Marketing Better-Filtering, More Comfortable Cloth Face Masks News Gaurav Giri and Batten assistant professor of public policy Balashankar Mulloth co-founded Hava, Inc. to develop technology with the potential to dramatically improve the air filtration efficiency and breathability of face masks. Designers and researchers join forces to imagine the home of the future News Batten’s Bala Mulloth and chemical engineering professor Gaurav Giri, co-founders of Hava Inc., are one of nine design teams commissioned to provide the public with a glimpse into the future of home furnishings and objects for a show titled Hybrid at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia.
Bala Mulloth Bala Mulloth is an assistant professor at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Mulloth is a globally oriented educator and entrepreneur and his work focuses on innovation and social entrepreneurship. Read full bio
New Case - Rebecca’s Natural Food: Sparking Small Business and Local Community Involvement in Charlottesville Research This case study analyzes the growth, evolution, and innovation of Rebecca’s Natural Food, a socially minded grocer that provides locally sourced, sustainable, and healthy products for the public. Founded in 1987 by Norman Dill, the organization’s mission was to orchestrate a movement championing the need for healthy, sustainable, anti-hormone, fresh local food.
Challenges to measuring social value creation through social impact assessments: the case of RVA Works Research What are the issues that socially driven organizations face as they attempt to measure their social impact through the myriad social impact assessments (SIAs) available? In this paper, we aim to investigate this overarching research question using the example of RVA Works, a Virginia (Richmond)-based social enterprise that utilized educational programming to promote small business ownership and financial self-sufficiency among traditionally underserved and underprivileged demographics.
Professor Bala Mulloth and Team Close to Marketing Better-Filtering, More Comfortable Cloth Face Masks News Gaurav Giri and Batten assistant professor of public policy Balashankar Mulloth co-founded Hava, Inc. to develop technology with the potential to dramatically improve the air filtration efficiency and breathability of face masks.
Designers and researchers join forces to imagine the home of the future News Batten’s Bala Mulloth and chemical engineering professor Gaurav Giri, co-founders of Hava Inc., are one of nine design teams commissioned to provide the public with a glimpse into the future of home furnishings and objects for a show titled Hybrid at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia.