Michael Porter: Why business can be good at solving social problems

Why do we turn to nonprofits, NGOs and governments to solve society's biggest problems? Michael Porter admits he's biased, as a business school professor, but he wants you to hear his case for letting business try to solve massive problems like climate change and access to water. Why? Because when business solves a problem, it makes a profit -- which lets that solution grow.
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[@wonhojinyoung138]

assignment brought me here but its nice talks

[@amsn2023]

same here

[@jacobmeadows1064]

Same

[@yoshikuisbalilaf3017]

Same here

[@maryammentag7230]

Saame hhh

[@plamena1856]

literally same

[@Qobilaktika]

Key ideas: "Business is meeting needs at a profit" "Business allows solving social problems in a sustainable way, on a much bigger scale"

[@LucasDanielSantoro]

"Creating shared value: addressing a social issue with a business model."

[@jhefferhernandez542]

..

[@lukastux3024]

And he also refutes the idea that business profits from pollution or unsafe work environments: pollution means that you use resources and it is cheaper for business to use as little resources as possible, therefore there is a drive to reduce resource usage and with this ultimately pollution. Safe work environments are good, because accidents are extremely expensive.

[@kennethyoung7564]

@@lukastux3024 Yeah but on the macro level the global north has trade liberalization policies that keep them at an advantage and keeps the poor countries at a disadvantage. I doubt privitized interest is the answer, but neither are most NGOs the answer as well.

[@jaysonreid6364]

Instablaster.

[@tedbarber9707]

I've followed Michael Porter for over a decade - this is a great introduction to, and argument for, social enterprise. We do need a breakdown in this divide in order to solve the world's problems. Business need to see themselves differently, but perhaps more importantly, consumer and capital markets needs to view businesses differently. I look forward to the day when I'm at an event and don't get blank stares when I say "our business was created to help solve a social problem".

[@floridmike4696]

That's what Pol Pot said too...

[@prashaqua]

It is a fantastic presentation and I salute this guy who has really analysed the Enterprise Strategy in detail and came up with lot of models like 5 forces, Generic strategies and lot many. For this guy to make a point about Business solving Social problems - he is trying to break a huge barrier locked up in people's mind, I believe. How easy is for us to point a finger at Government to take care of the social issues, while we elect the government and at the backside, create all the social issues for the Government to worry... It is this disconnect that Michael Porter is trying to project through his lectures. I agree, Business can support the Government and if they can work in tandem to solve social issues, the results would be for every one to see...

[@fairy5668]

But the problem with that is that businesses are not democratically elected

[@ManoloRafael]

“This guy” The understatement of the century. This guy is Prof. Dr. Micheal Porter, the father of competitive strategy. He is the Bishop William Lawrence University Professor at Harvard Business School.

[@chrismatthew8929]

@@fairy5668 it REALLY depends on the structure and purpose of the "business".

[@applepeel1662]

This man is incredibly wise and his books have been a Bible to me in my quest to understand the world of business. Sustainable business aimed to solve social issues using the concepts of profit making is the only real way we will be able to solve these issues. NGO's and corporations have to work together. Eco friendly products are the new buzz we all know that but affordability, exposure are the only way they will be consumed by the masses

[@renatosouza9561]

Grande mestre, gratidão pela sua contribuição em minha vida pessoal e profissional.

[@tr0ub1e07]

Totally agree. Business has such potential to impact on relevant areas of life it touches. It does all come down to intention and whether corporates want to make more money (which they've proven they're pretty good at) or make far reaching social change that benefits all, including their bottom line. Whether they do or not remains to be seen but I believe that the new gen of business leaders will lean this way.

[@radicaltp]

The Tata Group has been doing this in India and globally for years and years . That s why it's sustained so well for the past 150+ years . .

[@mazy4946]

Thank you, Michael Porter. This topic should be a course for all business schools.

[@SajalRathod-nx9xv]

blessed to hear his ideas it great❤

[@josephread4702]

I'm a soon to be business graduate and I find it so funny how I just recently looked into Porter's proposition on how business can solve problems through creating profit. It suddenly struck me how the concept is honestly Biblical: think back to the story of Joseph in Genesis. Through his God-given insight, Joseph made suggestions to essentially avoid social and economic disaster through using a business model: basically, (paraphrasing Genesis 41:34-37) "collect during the seven years of plenty, and you will have enough during the years of famine." Amazing how some of our worst modern-day problems have solutions found in ancient history. Just an interesting thought.

[@mateopavolini]

Ancient religious books are often a compilation of comon knowledge. So its pretty common too find references and "answers" to modern problems in them (: the bibles cool

[@josephread4702]

@@mateopavolini I agree. I would also take it a step further and argue that the moral principles on which ethical business conduct has been founded are due to the wisdom and understanding provided by the Word of God. Just my opinion, but I believe that there is evidence to back it up.

[@mateopavolini]

@@josephread4702 i totally agree and i think thats more of a fact than an opinion. The fact it was a, pretty much, general cultural reality molded the way values have been formed and perceived to this day. Having the god that forgave the siners instead of condeming them has a direct influence in the consolidation of our rights, and i think it wont stop yet. Well adjust our views and laws until they fit the word of god and respect our freedoms. If politicians let us, that is. A lot of love from Colombia, and sorry for my spelling sometimes

[@casperr1299]

Maybe? Just says on the years that are fruitful, aka good crop/inflow of ‘riches’ is wise to save up and not spend all you blessings, so that when a dry season comes along & not fruitful with ‘riches’ you would be able to survive bc you planned ahead. Like putting money into a retirement account in modern times

[@vicmanuja6314]

It all shows that awareness is rising and many businesses are moving to solve social problems. Just as these organisations (public listed) are required to make their accounts transparent, why the NGO's who get money from public are not required to to make their accounts transparent too? This will clear many genuine organisations who are doing great work in this direction and bring to the open, the ones who use more than 50%, some even 80% or more for their own survival and rest for the cause. Time has come that people who contribute to such causes, become fully aware of what actually happens to their contributions. Further, the governments need to know as they are big indirect contributor to these organisations as most of such contributions are tax-deductible.

[@user-in7wg3hy1v]

It was such a refreshing lecture! As a person who values ​​the coexistence of corporate profit creation and social responsibility, it was beneficial to learn about CSV. I learned from this talk that the resources needed to solve social problems are created by companies and they can contribute to society by creating those resources, and even more surprisingly, they can contribute to society by creating social value when they make profits. All of these facts interested me. In the future, I should become an entrepreneur and create a company that not only does social contribution activities after generating profits but also realizes the creation of shared values. Thank you for giving a good lecture.

[@sundayabidakun]

This is absolutely an amazing talk. Businesses must see themselves differently and society must see businesses differently as well. I cannot agree less. Businesses must create shared values by meeting societal needs in the course of creating economic value.

[@mikeyo1234]

Respect to him for admitting businesses can also cause problems. The problem with businesses is that profit comes first and social issues come second.

[@projectjt3149]

"Only businesses can create resources. Other institutions can utilize them to do other work, but business can create them." I think this is where some people got confused in the role of business vs., say, government or charity in tackling problems. Sure, giving wealth to the poor is a good idea, but how can you give anything without wealth? You need to have a class of wealthy that can keep that wealth assuming you didn't take it all. And I think people forget how slim that difference between profit and cost really is.

[@Rosinio13]

I've just ran through some comments below and I just "love" how most of people are fixed in stereotype that business can only "fuck" with everyone and there is no social business and no social value of business. I think profit can really make solutions for world problems more sustainable but only with right mindset. You shouldn't be closed-minded like that guys.

[@Criscomicholi]

Preocupavamos com o progresso e a falta de sustentabilidade, hoje este é um tema que ainda permeia o progresso, a falta de sustentabilidade. Porém naquele tempo não tínhamos as ideias incríveis de Elos Musk, hoje temos não só ele como exemplo, mas toda uma sociedade que vem se levantando e querendo caminhar no sentido da sustentabilidade, isso é incrível, a evolução é incrível. Espero que consigamos chegar ao objetivo de um mundo mais sustentável e feliz, estamos caminhando.

[@eduardodiaz0839]

Excelente perspectiva de Michael Porter. Creo que si se replicará ese modelo de pensamiento de crecimiento corporativo, habrían gran avances en la sociedad actual. Lamentablemente como dice Michael, las empresas siguen atadas a ese pensamiento de que no es negocio ayudar al medio ambiente porque eso involucra grandes gastos para ellos, sabiendo que puede ser una gran inversión para que sus clientes y su entorno estén en la mejor forma. Pero todo esta en una transformación en el pensamiento que tienen actualmente los empresarios. ¡Saludos!

[@oddkarsten861]

Some of the people disagreeing with Porter, saying that money should not be the main driver for fixing social problems must realize that money is extremely important in our society even if you like the fact or not. We can not radically change this fact so we have to live with it and do the best we can with it. And that is what Porter is doing- seeing solutions using the tools we have at our disposal today.

[@mcmxli-by1tj]

"All wealth is created by labor." Marx "All wealth is created by business." Porter

[@drkylemurphy]

Business is people (labor), so both Marx and Porter are correct. It's just how wealth is divvied up that is really the issue.

[@xponentialme]

I agree with you. Another argument (or TED Talk) should be made about the fact that business are the most profitable when they work with the workers to their mutual benefit and not against them.

[@augustorvz3543]

@@xponentialme 👍👍

[@FlyleapStudios]

@@drkylemurphy I would argue that "All wealth is created by business" is not a true statement, because people can labor and work independent of business. People can make things and do work for charitable reasons, for fun, for a country that pays them a wage from the public treasury etc. Business is far from the "only" way wealth and resources are "made"

[@ThePositiveTarot]

@@drkylemurphy Marx would argue against this actually, where he would say 'business' basically abstracts labor from the picture, where labor is put to the back burner but 'business' takes the forefront to wealth creation

[@thisnameisnotavailable]

between 2:08 and 2:16 He said everything you need to know about modern business. What he said in next 2 seconds doesn't make situation easier, it's just a trick to make it look like "this is not the main point of all problems". It IS, my friend... It is the main cause of problems in the world dear Porter

[@lucanina8221]

You are right, he said there are bad actors out there and then proceedes to talk for 10 minutes saying that the bad actor should see buisiness differently and follow a social path

[@allydawn8598]

I love your theory, I much enjoy your concept of 5 forces framework

[@khanboskal4900]

My task for University bought me here. Thank you my lecturer

[@suewint9335]

This is so inspiring! Business is def a great way to mitigate poverty around theworld. I think it's so important Social Entrepreneurs utilize their business skills to focus more on shared values and movement beyond market share, encourage competition as one of the means to scale impact, set a mission and empower local business people to effectively address the nuances of local markets in order to bring about significant upturns. Porter is so right about redeploying returns responsibly to tackling these issues...

[@CC3GROUNDZERO]

oh stfu corporate troll

[@sepehrs6098]

You're effectively daydreaming...

[@ourladyofguadalupebotanica6732]

Porter is right. But he is facing a wave of leftism against business that will be hard to convince. For examples, industry is that evil mechanism owned by the 1 percenters that keep the rest of society enslaved. I, however think it is more like a partnership. Industry needs the mass of people for resources, and the people need industry to better their lives.

[@paulacastillo937]

ojala subtitulen mas charlas TED ! 😃

[@giwrgospapadopoulos3675]

The thing is that in my opinion these newcomers non profit org as he says, they came from the business and they work for them in common its not something different..as a result i think that they focus ONLY at specific social problems and sometimes in order to solve the social problem and earn profit thet cause an other enviromental problem...so we all have to think carefully about these issues and how innocent the big companies are and how much they care about csr ! food for thought!

[@batie83]

Thank you for a profoundly enlightening lecture

[@saraalvesdeoliveira8170]

Professor muito bom essa aula interage muito

[@patanman]

Portor is a strategy professors, and he focuses on how businesses can compete in longterm in the industry. The problem with most managers is that they only see things in short-term, chasing dollars instead of creating a strategy that is everlasting.

[@jamesmichaelwalker683]

Long-termists are always making good anticipation and are good experts in strategy

[@danillocallado2099]

I don't know If I saved this vídeo or this vídeo that's saved me!! Thank you teacher!!!

[@zazaza416]

This guy is so passionate. Respect!

[@burkeca24]

Solving social problems one business at a time! We need urgency on this matter. It's time for ethical leadership in all organizations from government, non-profit, and to all for-profit businesses big and small.

[@mohamadnehme6116]

Dr, Porter was totally right in all what he said although most of the audience didn't agree with this. Please let me explain how he was thinking in the solutions 4 years ago and how we are realizing the solutions just nowadays. one of the comments was that we should claim capitalism that allows big business companies and manufactures generate money, but unfortunately this is wrong, because those business sold there products or services for huge consumers (for us ) we buy there products or services since we need it, since we believe in it, so if we should claim someone, we should claim ourselves in the first level. Secondly he said "business profits from solving social problems, that is where profits come from" the real explanation of this now in 2017 is like this: MacDonald leads to obesity and health problems because it serves an unhealthy food, they introduce a new product (salad) tobacco companies were responsible also for health problems, people want to get rid of cigarettes because its smells bad and bla bla bla , they shift into a new type of cigarettes (electronic cigarettes with different fruits flavors) and its a good and profitable business nowadays. car companies starts to innovate electronic cars, taxi companies are buying it cause it dosent consume fuel, they can reduce cost and expand the profits.

[@rynellmore7081]

I think Michael wants to convey the real essence and purpose of business in society which is established with a clear mission and vision which is to provide the needs of the people by creating goods or services which focuses on the benefit for society. If a business is causing social problems, obviously, it has no business within society. He thinks that business must focus on identifying shared values and create clearer view on the products and services from production to distribution with considerations both on social values and economic values in which the stakeholders or consumers and shareholders of the corporations collectively define to solve these social issues. Porter's expertise is in business strategies and I think his concept is one of the best strategy as collective effort of business and society on socioeconomic development. Reconceiving markets and production in the value chain and clustering development.

[@jamesj5293]

Who is the determining power that decides what products and services is a benefit to society and what are not? Be very wary of someone that says, "I'm from the Government and I can help!" This usually means they have an agenda in mind that will benefit them and not those that the idea is supposed to help.

[@stephanie7734]

Esse homem significa muito para mim, honra ouvi-lo sempre.

[@impactembassy1999]

Business does have a huge opportunity to have an impact, as do individuals on a daily basis. We are all in this together.

[@gabesantoriello8402]

That was amazing. Thank you

[@MarkoKraguljac]

I found it somewhere and really liked it. Thanks for info. :) Cheers matey.

[@grupomathsa1916]

Mr. Porter has a short-sighted view on social problems. Wealth is not created only by businesses. Let me resume your whole talk with one word that has nothing to do with business. CONSCIOUSNESS... is the revolution for social problems.

[@joseotonielzelayahenriquez9661]

muy interesante la forma de hacer entender que para obtener beneficios todos debemos estar bien.-

[@tadhashi7220]

Yes, businesses need to be mobilised full scale to tackle the problems we are facing today.

[@cwbyfan223]

Good to hear!

[@dylanlopez8488]

The one thing I keep wondering is, when will Ted speak? I want to see his face.

[@chiebukaukwunna6672]

This is so thoughtful, the solution to the world problems are so simple yet seem so far

[@TheNoisylissa]

Great. Now convince all the businessmen that solving social problems brings in profits...

[@burger_kinghorn]

"Greed is good." ~ Gordon Gecko

[@ryanalcova5931]

You can do it, simply by buying things provided by companies that solve social problems and create shared value, even if costs more. That's the only way, but I think we're doing good as society (looking thru the past and comparing to now)

[@deslokthewarlock]

Of course companies see social issues as profits, we got companies who shallowly support LGBTQ+ so they can profit off white or black shirts with their logos in rainbows; companies investing into charities with caps so they can leech off the “excess” cash instead of having no limits how much the charity is given; supporting mental awareness while also causing mental issues to non-executive level employees by using HR as the spokesmen for them as well as snitching out any employee acting in a ‘rebellious’ way; some more stuff

[@maxwellsichilongo1290]

Awesome! and insightful too.

[@paulbautista5797]

Todas las empresas deben de pensar en solucionar problemas sociales, valor compartido.

[@ildetebarbosa781]

Preciso desse video legendado ou traduzido, alguém pode me ajudar? para um trabalho de faculdade

[@thayduarte8078]

vá em legendas nas configurações de vídeo que tem a opção em portugues

[@tommyyama1702]

I am interested in social business and thanks to this video , I have more interest about it now.

[@Ocelot]

The scene from Jerry Mcguire where Jerry (Tome Cruize) comes up with some new business model and introduces it to everyone. They clap, talk behind his back then fire him. That is the scene that I am envisioning now.

[@suhridchapagain9364]

माइकल पोर्टर दाई संग ठ्याक्क कुरा मिल्यो है ! हार्भाड का प्रोफेसर र म जस्तै साधारण नेपाली नागरिक को विचार बिज्ञान त उस्तै छ गाठे !

[@hazwell6811]

7:26 the most exciting part of his speech is where he almost trips

[@heatingservice3543]

He is definitely living by this ideas. Great human!

[@mateusgimenez2742]

I like this guy, he says things the way they are, not the way general public wants to hear it. I Also like the way he says the word profit 47 times the whole video... I know, I counted.

[@asmaafares8602]

very informative and nice mr michael

[@swolebobs1239]

Porter's Five Forces :D

[@fabiomouraon]

Grande gênio Michael Porter

[@oscarfavianortegamedina5410]

Fascinating.

[@shubhankarmote9726]

Excellent talk

[@beckypelkonen4877]

I am looking at this with a whole new lens after watching "The Social Dilemma"

[@saleemisgod]

Well said

[@ginobryan3795]

I loved this video, it was fantastic.

[@lizaquinn6534]

3 minutes in - ULCH ..... Poisonous Phenols all over my neck of the woods. PORT HOPE ... pretty town on a big lake that feeds directly into the St Lawrence River.

[@johnpaulenoya7964]

MBA brought me here

[@memoelizalde]

otro genio de la nieve

[@JimMunchbach]

Speaking of history, one of my favorite stories (related to your question about reading history) is in Matthew 25. Jesus was teaching about the "Social Business Owner" who selected his team, went on a long trip, came back to take inventory and then made two of those team members into "partners". The third team member was "fired". Seems to me, there is a ton of practical wisdom in this parable that applies (perfectly) to the discussion here, there, and everywhere "Social Business" is concerned.

[@ThePositiveTarot]

I'm such a huge fan lol basically this guy is my whole business degree 😂❤️

[@keiv2004]

OMG this TED viewers. Awesome talk, prof. Porter.

[@fatoukujabie-bojang6007]

Porter is a real strategist, I respect him

[@carlosorth]

Muito bom!!!

[@pauloconsani3737]

This solutions we have to work a lot to try to change our social problems day at day and be the business more atractive and give more enployment at future people

[@alfredhitchcock45]

No tradeoff between social progress and economic efficiency Shared value: addressing social issue with a business model Higher mode of Capitalism: Social Value + Economic Value

[@fabricioface]

this fella´s really been around. met him once personally in chicaco. he got pretty older

[@cinthyavargas9931]

Love this man

[@TheRealMake-Make]

I agree with you wholeheartedly and have as my business model a tops-up and bottoms-up hybrid hierarchy that resembles the six-point star. This is because I have been a bottom-of-the-hierarchy worker for most of my life and know that my opinions, if they had been considered, would have been good for the companies I've worked for. However, I agree that too many corporations have no desire to know about the working conditions of the bottom rungs. That's dehumanizing and sad and why unions form.

[@dr.samuraisminutelecture7064]

I AGREE. TO PUT BUSINESSES ON THE TRACK OF PROBLEM SOLVING WILL GREATLY PROMOTE THE MOVEMENT THOUGH WE NEED CAREFUL SUPERVISION. 🍀

[@steffanychin3308]

im here for an assignment D:

[@nikolailancecauperacuna6620]

Mis respetos...

[@lifestyleblend3291]

I listened to the Michael Sandel talk and Michael Porter Talks simultaneously to give them equal importance.

[@MrMaramel]

Preciso desse vídeo traduzido ou legendado. Será consigo?

[@andreiachuistak5644]

Olá,vc consegue colocar a legenda clicando no canto direito onde tem três pontinhos,ir em legendas e selecionar o linguagem desejada.

[@ustinov10]

there should be a noble prize for business research and management.

[@Strangepete]

Amen!

[@JimMunchbach]

So, apart from the vulgarity, your points are pretty clear. Have you been to Haiti? Do you have any idea the level of resources that have been sent to Haiti? And, how much of those resources ended up in the hands of those with the power? I haven't been there since the EQ but when I was there it was a valuable life lesson for me in terms of "Social Business" and "Gummit"

[@theomen49]

The titles of the two videos are in opposition, the talks themselves are not. Porter was talking about businesses solving the problems they create (I did not hear him talk about them fixing problems unrelated to their processes). Sandel spoke on how money can be a negative influence on some parts of our life, and that it can't be used to wholly fix or improve something.

[@nozigumede3244]

Profound talk.

[@keullisalessandra2280]

Poxa vida não foi traduzido : (

[@jonathancourtney8530]

It's sad that we have to rely on empathetic individuals and nonprofits to the extent that we do, but it is perfectly natural that we should look to the government for solutions. Unlike business, the government (in theory) reflects the will of the people and acts in our interests, rather than from a profit motive. "How do we tap into" the vast resources of business profits? One simple solution: tax them appropriately. The current US economic and regulatory structure incentivizes bad actors and short term profits over the long term thinking he proposes.

[@CLira-oq9zi]

Free market and competition is the key to resolve problems.

[@anderson6375]

Na minha opinião se desenvolvessem, formas de responsabilizar as empresas tomarem conta do lixo q produzem para diminuir poluição, e as empresas também aproveitando isto mostra a sociedade de verdade que se importa com estas causas utilizando de seus lucros para alimentar está idéia e transforma- lá em realidade.

[@dawidzielinski9660]

Easily the most constructive and insightful TED Talk I've seen in a while. It's amazing how much criticism it is receiving; a clear symptom of what is wrong with society today.

[@NorwichBSchool]

Being good can be good be good for business. This creating shared value initiative is a perspective that business can adopt to do different and do better - ethically and economically. Business have the resources and capabilities to have the most profound social impact; to me this idea promotes a more sustainable approach capitalism.

[@Locutius11]

2) On a side note; a curious claim of the Professor is that businesses create resources. I thought that they used resources to create goods. They also create billable services. In some cases, service industries that are not even required (a growing trend) and in a politically astute country would not even be wanted and would be rejected.

[@ritasadocco3150]

This video should have many more views.

[@yaninam.flores1108]

Hope someday businesses, and their "take-the-maximun gain" provide solutions not problems!

[@MinhHNguyen]

Key issue: where the money come from. Business model approach makes no sense if there is no cash flow, which is usually the case for social work; that's why they fund-raise.

[@emileriksen2481]

Wrong.

[@Smiirffable]

My criticism would be, that the tendency to exploit for profit will still exist, it wont be removed by just expecting business owners "be responsible" and "plan for the long term". If a company can put itself in a more profitable stage, regardless of how it affects society, it will. We have to get rid of the underlying incentives of profit and differential advantage, if we wish to impact the "scale" Michael referred to.

[@samadritasimi-cu6ez]

Is here anyone else,,, those who r watching this in 2023 ??

[@nohemisanchezgonzalez3903]

2024❤

[@Cristrine]

2024❤

[@amywan7504]

2024

[@Rejoicechri]

2024❤

[@tubitakardeb-pnarsoylu8261]

2024 🎉

[@vinstual9830]

Its indeed true Just sad that companies waste it all and no one fights them for it 😐.

[@jamesmagee4932]

Large scale Co-Op business can change the vital goods industries. It will take team work and time to make large changes happen to fix these issues. We do have the resources. We can make money helping people using today's technology.