Andrea, My sentiments exactly. I just did not want to get too deep into all this. I am still not sure how much the impact has been to be honest, the story sounds good but what is real? Gilda Quoting Andrea Bohnstedt <andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com>:
Gilda, I'm a writer/analyst/professional nosy person, so I'm always interested in facts. But there are way more interesting stories out there than I could conceivably tackle, so I'm going to concentrate on the proper business and country risk stories, and ignore the fluffy heart-warming ones.
I really think that all this well-intentioned 'social business' is incredibly bad PR for Kenya and Africa: because it's a cute, heartwarming story, it gets more popular (i.e. non-specialist) attention than a completely standard boardroom story, but it actually misrepresents what business in Kenya is.
Edwin, Capacity is one thing, and I'm sure there are several dimensions to it (technical, number of seats, education levels etc). Perception also matters: I remember Nik mentioning that in the beginning, it was just really difficult to get on the radar screen of bigger outsourcing clients. But my more general point is as above: There are so many plain-vanilla business issues to this that I've got enough to research and write about if I want.
Chris, I've emailed txteagle and will call Mr Eagle in the next few days to get some details - will let you know. That outsourcing reaches the middle class doesn't surprise me: If you look at the kind of qualifications and background you need to work in it, that's probably natural.
And I think there's nothing wrong with employing middle class - or nascent middle class: There were some interesting stats on what middle class actually means in Africa (interesting column material as well:
http://the-star.co.ke/business/andrea-bohnstedt/24381-who-exactly-forms-the-...).
Employing middle class doesn't take anything away from anyone - it's employment, people pay taxes, and at least in Kenya, anyone middle class in employment has probably a number of family members that s/he helps looking after.
I see the point that more employment everywhere is desperately needed. I do wonder, however, whether it makes sense to use a subsidised business model (which then isn't really a business, and its growth will depend on donations or 'sponsorship') is the best way of reaching these people. Maybe outsourcing just isn't the answer to marginalised youth unemployment?
Eugene, YES to chocolate :)
Happy day everyone, Andrea
On 22 June 2011 09:10, <godera@skyweb.co.ke> wrote:
Andrea,
Maybe it would help if Samasource provided some actual facts on this, rather than the story....
Gilda Quoting Andrea Bohnstedt <andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com>:
How did Samasource help BPOs get started? I don't remember Nik Nesbitt from KenCall, for example, talking about Samasource (but maybe I wasn't paying enough attention).
I do remember Nik Nesbitt and a number of others talking about perception issues: that Kenya is not seen as a BPO market internationally, it's not on anyone's radar screen, the operations are still too small to carry weight etc. I very much doubt that an NGO-type outfit like Samasource, with people in refugee camps, does much to create a perception of Kenya as a punchy, professional, grown-up BPO player.
On 21 June 2011 16:57, Muchiri Nyaggah <muchiri@semacraft.com> wrote:
Not quite aid, leans more towards trade (or traid). Players like Samasource have helped BPOs here get started.
Kind regards,
*Muchiri* Nyaggah
Principal Partner
@muchiri
+254 722 506400
Semacraft.com
On Tue, Jun 21, 2011 at 4:34 PM, Agosta Liko <agostal@gmail.com> wrote:
First, they called is Social Entrepreneurship, Then impact Investing ....now its Impact Sourcing .......
http://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/news/press-releases/rockefeller-foundat...
Press Releases ShareThis Rockefeller Foundation to Foster Impact Sourcing in Africa: Poverty Reduction through ICT Jobs June 17, 2011 / Press Releases
*New York, NY*A new report funded by the Rockefeller Foundation estimates that the field of Impact Sourcing, employing
disadvantaged people in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) centers, is currently $4.5 billion and has the potential to reach $20 billion and employ 780,000 by 2015. The report, conducted by Monitor Group, suggests a strong business case for Impact Sourcing, which can provide high-quality, reliable services at prices that are at least competitive with traditional BPO centers and, in some cases, almost 40 percent lower than what
providers can offer.
The findings, contained in the new working paper, *Job Creation
socioeconomically traditional through
Building the Field of Impact
Sourcing<
http://www.monitor.com/Portals/0/MonitorContent/imported/MonitorUnitedStates...
*also finds significant potential for poverty alleviation because Impact Sourcing workers can earn incomes up to 100 percent over alternative employment options.
The working paper is part of the Rockefeller Foundations Poverty Reduction through Information and Digital Employment (PRIDE) work. Through PRIDE, the Rockefeller Foundation plans to support the development and testing of Impact Sourcing business models, support research on interventions and continue to build the network of key Impact Sourcing stakeholders to advance the field.
Impact Sourcing employs individuals with limited opportunity for sustainable employment as principal workers in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) centers to provide high-quality, information-based services to domestic and international public and private-sector clients.
Harnessing the global BPO trend, PRIDE exemplifies the Rockefeller Foundations commitment to promoting growth with equity, in which the
and vulnerable have more access to opportunities, such as ICT employment, said Dr. James Nyoro, Managing Director, Africa. The Foundation is
, poor proud
to partner with Monitor on this important research, which drives the idea that employing low-income workers will provide them with sustainable income which can lead to positive social outcomes, ultimately helping to improve livelihoods and build relevant skills for employment in the fast growing ICT sector.
*Job Creation through Building the Field of Impact
Sourcing<
http://www.monitor.com/Portals/0/MonitorContent/imported/MonitorUnitedStates...
*features case studies on current Impact Sourcing models in Africa,
and other regions, including those of Foundation grantees like Digital Divide Data, a social enterprise with the objective of creating jobs for poor and disadvantaged youth in Cambodia, Laos and Kenya; and Samasource, an intermediary that markets and sells Impact Sourcing services to clients based in the United States and United Kingdom.
Based on more than 120 interviews across 13 countries with Impact Sourcing managers, providers of BPO services, outsourcing experts, employees, outsourcing clients, government officials, and other individuals linked to the Impact Sourcing space, this analysis creates a shared understanding of the current situation, the size of the opportunity and action agenda necessary to build this field, said Michael Kubzansky, Global Heald of the Monitor Inclusive Markets Initiative.
* *
*The Rockefeller Foundation*
The Rockefeller Foundations mission to promote the well-being of
throughout the world has remained unchanged since its founding in
Today, that mission is applied to an era of rapid globalization. Our vision is that this century will be one in which globalizations benefits are more widely shared and its challenges are more easily weathered. To realize this vision, the Foundation seeks to achieve two fundamental goals in our work. First, we seek to build resilience that enhances individual, community and institutional capacity to survive, adapt, and grow in the face of acute crises and chronic stresses. Second, we seek to promote growth with equity in which the poor and vulnerable have more access to opportunities
improve their lives. In order to achieve these goals, the Foundation constructs its work into time-bound initiatives that have defined objectives and strategies for impact. These initiatives address challenges that
either within or at the intersections of five issue areas: basic survival safeguards, global health, environment and climate change, urbanization, and social and economic security.
* *
*About Monitor Group*
Monitor works with the world's leading corporations, governments and social sector organizations to drive growth in ways that are most important to them. Monitor Group offers a range of servicesadvisory, capability-building and capital servicesdesigned to unlock the challenges of achieving sustainable growth. Monitor brings leading-edge ideas, approaches and methods to bear on clients' toughest problems and biggest opportunities. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the firm employs more than 1,500 people in 18 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.monitor.com.
Monitor Inclusive Markets (MIM) catalyzes support for market-based solutions to social challenges. MIM does this by understanding and improving the business models of enterprises currently engaging people that
India people 1913. that lie live at
the bottom of the economic pyramid, particularly helping these enterprises reach scale and commercial viability. For more information, visit www.mim.monitor.com.
### For media inquiries, please contact: Svetlana Vaisman <svaisman@rockfound.org> 917-975-5318
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