Definition: Not-ONLY-For-Profit

Aug 11, 2007 Published under Definitions by DL, PeaceWorks Business

A business entity that explicitly and practically sets out to not just make money but also achieve some positive societal impact.

Archane tax systems have forced upon our minds and our legal structures the assumption that an entity has to either have profit-making as a goal OR be dedicated to benefiting society. While there are many cases where positive social impact cannot be engineered or organized in a self-sustaining market-driven business model and requires a purely non-profit structure, this is not necessarily the case. There are many positive ways to impact both the bottom line and the world at large. Indeed, it is sometimes optimal to be able to help advance societal goals in a sustainable way that relies on market mechanisms to advance social goals also.

PeaceWorks is the first example I dabbled in to try to prove this concept.

There are many other companies (preceding and succeeding PeaceWorks) that are similarly structured.

Definition: Enlightened Self-Interest

Doing something out of ‘self-interest’ but defining self-interest in a broad enough and sufficiently long-term &/or sufficiently consequential way that bears in mind societal impact. Example: working to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not ‘altruistic’ at all. It is based on the imperative to prevent a tragic world for our offspring. It is based on [...]
INTRAfadah (also a Definition)

If there is no progress towards a two-state solution, the next wave of violence will be an INTRAfadah within the West Bank. *** Intrafadah: a violent uprising like the first and second intifadah, only this time instead of Palestinians fighting the Israelis, the fighting will be within Palestinian factions, as it was in Gaza, pitying [...]
Definition: Fairweather Vegetarian

Someone who overwhelmingly prefers vegetarian dishes but who will choose a rare meat or poultry dish when it looks exceptionally tasty. .
Definition: Violent Extremism

Resorting to violence to attain an absolutist vision which denies the humanity of the other. See also Militant Absolutism. We use this term at OneVoice to define in neutral non-partisan terms that which the overwhelming majority of people (mainstream moderates) need to counter to seize back the agenda for peace. .
Definition: Pseudo-Islamic Terrorists

This is a far more apt name than ‘Islamic’ or ‘Muslim’ or ‘Islamist’ or ’Islamic Fundamentalist’ Terrorists. All these other terms give a mantle of legitimacy to those that do not deserve it and that have been rejected by mainstream Muslim authorities (even if many of us don’t know about it b/c these condemnations are not frequently [...]

comments

Kimmi Long said:
Do you know about our for-profit and not-for-profit companies, Stay Classy and the Stay Classy Foundation? I think that you’ll really like what we’re all about – always doing good at the core, and partnering with other community organizations that are doing the same.
Fred Trotter » NCVHS Testimony on Meaningful Use said:
[...] A Hacktivist is a person who Hacks for social change. I am also an entrepreneur and I charge for services and support of FOSS health software, including EHR systems. I see no contradiction between having a purpose of promoting social change and a profession of software consulting. One way to formalize this pairing is with the concept of a not-only-for-profit businesses. [...]

Daniel Lubetzky