Reel Gardening: Pursuing a Social Mission through Market Mechanisms

Description

In May 2021, Claire Reid, the founder of social enterprise start-up Reel Gardening, spoke about her ambitious ten-year plan to help secure nutritious food for impoverished people in South Africa and elsewhere in the world. Reel Gardening produced and sold a paper strip packed with seeds and fertilizer. Although the company had grown significantly, it had to manage the dual mission of social contribution and financial sustainability. The company had to determine whether expansion would shift it away from its social mission. Should Reid pursue an ambitious growth strategy, or should she keep the company small, grow it slowly, and focus on the larger social impact? Going forward, how should the company manage its growth, both strategically and financially?

Learning Objective

The case is intended for senior undergraduate- or graduate-level business school courses on new venture creation and entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, business model evaluation, or strategic management. After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to do the following:

• Identify the critical characteristics of social entrepreneurs and start-up enterprises.
• Evaluate the business models that facilitate the development of entrepreneurial ventures at the different development stages.
• Evaluate the growth strategy of entrepreneurial ventures in terms of market and product expansion and the required resources.
• Evaluate the governance and control mechanisms of an entrepreneurial venture based on its stage of development.
• Recommend a strategy for the social enterprise to move forward while fulfilling the dual mission of social contribution and financial viability.

Related Documents

• Reel Gardening: Pursuing a Social Mission through Market Mechanisms - Teaching Note

Keywords

Entrepreneurial finance entrepreneurial growth female entrepreneurship mission drift Poverty Social enterprise start-up venture Sustainability