Skip to content
Product cover

Creating Sustainable Local Enterprise Networks

October 15, 2005 | David Wheeler , Kevin McKague , Jane Thomson , Rachel Davies , Jacqueline Medalye , Marina Prada | Strategy

By analyzing 50 cases of successful sustainable enterprise in developing countries, the authors developed a conceptual framework they call the Sustainable Local Enterprise Network model. Analysis of the 50 cases revealed that examples of successful sustainable enterprise in developing countries often involve informal networks that include businesses, not-for-profit organizations, local communities and other actors. These networks can lead to virtuous cycles of reinvestment in an area's financial, social, human and ecological capital. Successful SLENs, the authors found, require at least one business enterprise to ensure the network's financial sustainability and serve as its anchor; however, that anchor role may be played by a cooperative or a profitable social enterprise launched by a non-governmental organization. While multinational corporations were sometimes part of the SLENs studied, entrepreneurs, nonprofits and sustainable local businesses were more common.

Using a number of examples from their research, the authors describe how SLENs operate. Examples include networks involving Honey Care Africa Ltd., a honey company based in Nairobi, Kenya, which aims to promote rural development through beekeeping, and Grameen Shakti, which sells solar energy systems for homes in Bangladesh. The authors conclude with recommendations for fostering the development of SLENs, such as setting up training programs in sustainable entrepreneurship in developing countries.

Purchase Options

Educator and Student Discounts Available. Learn more »

  BENCHMARKS  
Loading Time: Base Classes  0.0005
My Controller Construct  0.0003
Build Nav  0.0006
Controller Execution Time ( Products / Route )  0.1045
Total Execution Time  0.1049
  GET DATA  
No GET data exists
  MEMORY USAGE  
1.5646 MB
  POST DATA  
No POST data exists
  URI STRING  
store/creating-sustainable-local-enterprise-networks
  CLASS/METHOD  
products/route
  DATABASE:  MITSLOAN_DEV   QUERIES: 68  (Hide)
0.0011  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0006  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0014  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0007  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0016  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0007  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '98164ba9277c63238c9dcf2268d08d9f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS cat_id
FROM (`product_categories`)
WHERE `status_id` =  'A'
AND `url_friendly` =  'creating-sustainable-local-enterprise-networks'
AND `parent_id` =  1 
0.0053  

SELECT c.parent_id, c.format_id
                    FROM products AS p, products AS c
                    WHERE p.prod_id = c.parent_id AND
                        c.avail_id IN ('A','B','D') AND
                        c.type_id = 'V' AND
                        (
                            c.sku = 'creating-sustainable-local-enterprise-networks' OR
                            if(c.format_id = 'Certificate', '', p.url_friendly) = 'creating-sustainable-local-enterprise-networks'
                        )
                    LIMIT 1 
0.0004  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  1405 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '1405' 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '1405'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `cat_id`
FROM (`product_categories__products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '1405' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`product_flags__products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '1405' 
0.0001  

SELECT `sku`
FROM (`products__xsell`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '1405'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0566  

SELECT `products`.`parent_id`
FROM (`transaction_lines`)
JOIN `products` ON `products`.`sku` = `transaction_lines`.`sku`
JOIN `product_categories__products` ON `products`.`parent_id` = `product_categories__products`.`prod_id`
WHERE `products`.`avail_id` =  'A'
AND TO_DAYS(transaction_lines.updated_at) < (TO_DAYS(NOW()) - 90)
AND `product_categories__products`.`cat_id` IN ('249') 
GROUP BY `products`.`parent_id`
ORDER BY COUNT(*) DESC
LIMIT 6 
0.0002  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '361' 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '361' 
0.0005  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '361'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '3961' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '3961' 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '3961'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '35' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '35' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '35'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '179' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '179' 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '179'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '489' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '489' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '489'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '2465' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '2465' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '2465'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0003  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS media_id, position
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `foreign_key_table` =  'products'
AND `foreign_key_column` =  'prod_id'
AND `foreign_key_value` =  '1405'
AND `kind` =  'image_600x600'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `media`.`media_id` =  '688' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`mime_types`)
WHERE `mime_types`.`extension` =  'jpg' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`media_metadata`)
WHERE `media_id` =  '688' 
0.0002  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS media_id, position
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `foreign_key_table` =  'products'
AND `foreign_key_column` =  'prod_id'
AND `foreign_key_value` =  '1405'
AND `kind` =  'gallery_image'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `avail_id` IN ('A', 'B', 'C', 'H') 
AND `parent_id` =  '1405'
AND `type_id` =  'V'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position`, `title` 
0.0001  

SELECT `c`.`format_id`, `c`.`price`, `c`.`sale_price`
FROM (`products` AS c)
WHERE `c`.`prod_id` =  '1406'
LIMIT 1 
0.0002  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS media_id, position
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `foreign_key_table` =  'products'
AND `foreign_key_column` =  'prod_id'
AND `foreign_key_value` =  '1406'
AND `kind` =  'thumbnail'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0002  

SELECT `product_categories__products`.`cat_id`
FROM (`product_categories__products`)
JOIN `product_categories` ON `product_categories__products`.`cat_id` = `product_categories`.`cat_id`
WHERE `product_categories__products`.`prod_id` =  '1405'
AND `product_categories`.`parent_id` =  1
AND `product_categories__products`.`cat_id` NOT IN (1, 261)  
0.0004  

SELECT `cat_id` AS id, `parent_id` AS parent, `status_id`, `name`, `description`, `url_friendly`, `page_title`, `meta_keywords`, `meta_description`, `position`, `updated_at`
FROM (`product_categories`)
WHERE `cat_id` != 1
ORDER BY `parent_id`, IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position`, `name` 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`product_categories`)
WHERE `status_id` =  'A'
AND `parent_id` =  1
AND `cat_id` NOT IN (1, 261) 
ORDER BY `name` 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`site_settings`)
WHERE `option_key` =  'announcement' 
  HTTP HEADERS  (Show)
  SESSION DATA  (Show)
  CONFIG VARIABLES  (Show)