Embedding responsible innovation in corporate strategy Research International Institute for Management Development (IMD) features an article by Bala Mulloth, Jill Kickul, and Tatiana Iakovleva in Sustainability, Sept. 2024. Mulloth and collagues explore the advantages of applying the responsible innovation (RI) framework beyond its origins in the social enterprise sphere.
ChangeMaker Bootcamp funded by Jefferson Trust Grant Workshop Professor Bala Mulloth has been awarded 2023-24 grant funding from the Jefferson Trust, which makes grants to innovative ideas that enrich the University of Virginia and the student experience, for the Changemaker Bootcamp. Through skill development, networking, mentorship, and resource access, social entrepreneurial minded students will gain experience planning, developing, and building a new social venture in this week-long program.
Wildrock: Empowering Social Connection and Play in Virginia's Blue Ridge Region Research In this case, we study the growth, evolution, and impact of Wildrock, a nonprofit organization that is helping improve the mental health and happiness of people in and around Charlottesville, Virginia, through access to nature and nature play. Wildrock was created by Carolyn Schuyler, a licensed clinical social worker, in response to increasing mental illness among young adults and a decrease in outdoor play among children.
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.
New Case - Takeout 25: A Community-Driven Entrepreneurial Initiative in Oak Park, Illinois Research 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.
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.
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.
Strengthening public policies for decent work in Francophone Africa in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic Research The project seeks to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on small informal businesses in Benin, Cameroon, Morocco, and Senegal. It will explore policy options for targeted support to those businesses in a way that helps contain the spread of COVID-19 and similar pandemics in the future. It will also seek to identify the best options for building the long-term resilience of vulnerable population groups involved in small informal businesses.
New Case - Culinary Concepts AB and the Employment Crisis in Food and Beverage in Charlottesville Research Antwon Brinson believes in the power of culinary arts to bring about systemic social change. This case study addresses how Antwon’s social venture, Culinary Concepts AB (CCAB), approached the employment crisis felt throughout the food and beverage industry, by teaching life skills through culinary arts.
New Case - ReadWrite Digital: Improving Student Outcomes Through Educational Innovation Research ReadWrite Digital is an education technology startup that offers software to K–12 schools in the United States to provide education analytics and personalized education planning. Founded in 2012 by Rob Simms, the current President and CTO, ReadWrite Digital built, developed, and launched two unique products, Integrator and Analytics, providing an end-to-end solution for data collection from disparate systems creating rich analytics for student performance in one place.
New Case - RVA Works: Empowering Entrepreneurs for Big Change Research RVA Works (a shortening of Richmond, Virginia Works) is a public charity, which has demonstrated superior efficacy in educational programming for entrepreneurship. Since 2014, their work has primarily focused on providing pathways to business ownership for ethnic minorities, women, and lower-income people.
Exploring Social Business Pathways: Green Map System as a Case in Point Research Social entrepreneurship holds promise as a way for organizations to create value for both individuals and communities. The objective of this paper is to observe and analyze the ways Green Map System, a not-for-profit social venture, supports sustainable community development and local leadership by sharing tools, icons, and technology for mapping eco-sites around the world. The role of technology and digital networks, as well as the impact of global linkages, is also observed and emphasized.