Using statistics to model a social enterprise's path to scale

Date

2018-06

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Abstract

Some non-profits and social sector organizations are recognizing the value of advanced data analysis and statistical modelling: collecting more detailed data can create more successful outcomes. This case study describes a pioneering social enterprise that used statistics to define key challenges toward financial sustainability and scale: “Farm Shop: A Social Enterprise in Search of Scale.” Farm Shop’s social franchise model works with local entrepreneurs to organize small shops in rural areas and sell agricultural and veterinary inputs, also providing referrals to services (soil testing, spraying, home delivery, artificial insemination, animal health care) that can enhance smallholder farmer productivity and incomes.

Description

This work was carried out with the aid of a grant from Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and with financial support from the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada (GAC)

Keywords

FOOD SECURITY, KENYA, SOUTH OF SAHARA, DATA ANALYSIS, MATHEMATICAL MODELS, STATISTICS, DATA MINING, DATA COLLECTION, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES, SMALLHOLDERS, APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION ADOPTION, SCALING UP

Citation

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