Summary of "M1 T1 Ch1 Pratlong SHS V1"

Overview

Entrepreneurship in the humanities and social sciences (HSS/SHS) is the creation of projects or organizations that solve societal, cultural, behavioral or community problems using social‑science methods and human‑centered values. It combines social impact with economic viability and can take non‑profit, hybrid or for‑profit forms (not limited to tech/startups).

Presenter: Florent Pralon, lecturer at Paren University.

Core process / playbook (stages)

Opportunity discovery
- Environmental observation, needs assessment and gap analysis to identify unmet social or cultural needs.
Solution design
- Co‑creation and participatory methods, design thinking and prototyping with stakeholders and expert users.
Business model development
- Define revenue and funding mix (sales, grants, partnerships, impact investment), pricing and cost structure.
- Integrate responsible practices for financial and social sustainability.
Implementation & evaluation
- Create a detailed plan with tasks, timelines and budgets.
- Monitor progress, evaluate impact and iterate based on results.

Frameworks, methods and tools

Design thinking (human‑centered design for products and services).
Action research (iterative research combined with interventions involving stakeholders).
Participatory methods / co‑creation (stakeholder engagement in design and decision‑making).
Social‑science research tools: surveys, interviews, observation, and qualitative analysis.
Alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framing for performance and impact.

Key skills and organizational tactics

Empathy and deep contextual understanding to identify real needs.
Creative problem solving and social innovation for adaptable, scalable solutions.
Research and measurement capability to design, validate and evaluate interventions.
Collaborative leadership and stakeholder management to mobilize partners, teams and communities.
Communication, advocacy and fundraising to raise awareness and attract partners and donors.
Cultural adaptability and readiness to iterate program design and delivery.

Funding, go‑to‑market and sustainability options

Possible channels: product/service sales, public subsidies, grants, crowdfunding, partnerships with foundations/NGOs, and impact investing.
Emphasize mixed funding models and the use of measurable social impact to attract funders.

Metrics, KPIs and targets

Primary emphasis on social impact metrics rather than purely financial KPIs. Examples:
- Inclusion indicators (participation rates of target groups).
- Well‑being measures (qualitative and quantitative outcomes).
- SDG alignment and related indicators.
Operational KPIs: project milestones, on‑time task completion, budget adherence, stakeholder engagement levels.
Funding KPIs: grants/crowdfunding raised, partnerships established, diversified revenue mix.
Note: no numeric targets or timelines were provided; the speaker stresses the need to define and track appropriate social impact indicators for credibility and funding.

Challenges and risks

Financing difficulty: many HSS projects lack immediate profit and require alternative funding strategies.
Measurement complexity: quantifying outcomes like inclusion and well‑being is challenging but essential.
Context sensitivity: solutions often require localization and may not transfer across communities.
Methodological demands: action research needs rigorous engagement and evaluation capacity.

Concrete examples / case studies

Educational program to promote social inclusion.
Communications company focused on environmental awareness.
Community arts center.
Social project addressing loneliness among older adults (demonstrates empathy and contextual research).

Actionable recommendations

Start with ethnographic observation and stakeholder interviews to validate needs.
Design solutions using co‑creation workshops and iterative prototypes.
Build a mixed business model upfront (identify potential grants, partners and earned‑revenue streams).
Define measurable social impact indicators and map them to SDGs where useful; embed evaluation in implementation.
Use participatory/action research to maintain legitimacy and improve outcomes.
Prioritize communication and fundraising plans to reach partners, beneficiaries and funders.
Be prepared to adapt design and delivery to local cultural contexts.