Women in Need Society (WINS): Social EnterPrize Case Study

ABOUT THE WOMEN IN NEED SOCIETY (WINS) CASE STUDY:

Recipient of the Social EnterPrize in 2015, Women in Need Society (WINS) is featured in the latest edition of our case study series, our effort to more effectively tell the stories of amazing Canadian social enterprises.

While all of the case studies reveal interesting patterns (more on this below), each also has its unique aspects. We are excited to announce that the The WINS case study is the first of its kind to have three local post-secondary institutions collaborate on a case study! It’s a testament to Calgary’s growth as a social enterprise hub and the cooperative spirit of that hub that a) three local post-secondary institutions wanted to do a case study on social enterprise and b) they were happy to work together.

The WINS case study demonstrates a social enterprise committed to working with women and their families facing a range of challenges – financial, in the process of leaving shelters, outfitting a home, adapting to a new city or country, or single parents caring for their children. WINS’ balance of delivery of a quality product and service along with profits for re-investment in business operations confirm that it is a deserving recipient of the Social EnterPrize.

The WINS case study contains plenty of insights for any social entrepreneur, including:

  • Evolution and Journey
  • Challenges
  • Competition
  • Strategic Plan
  • Aligning the Organizational Structure
  • Leveraging Location and Logistics
  • Investing in Relationships
  • Measuring Success.

A special thanks to Women in Need Society (WINS) and our amazing list of authors:

  • Catherine ML Pearl, Bissett School of Business, Mount Royal University
  • Natascha Doiron, Rodney Steadman, Regula Lewis & Eileen Gaetz, Professional & Continuing Studies, Chiu School of Business, Bow Valley College
  • Kathleen Grindrod-Millar Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
  • Chad Saunders, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Haskayne School of Business University of Calgary

Click here to read the case study.

MORE ON THE SOCIAL ENTERPRIZE CASE STUDIES:

“Tell me a fact and I’ll learn. Tell me a truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever”

                                                                                                                                                     Native American Proverb

Excerpt from the Trico Charitable Foundation’s Introduction to the case studies:

Established in 2008, the Trico Charitable Foundation seeks to close gaps in society by provoking innovation and building capacity in social entrepreneurship[1].

 

Trico’s biennial Social EnterPrize has celebrated and advanced leadership and excellence in social entrepreneurship in Canada since 2011. While the benefits to the recipients of prize money and profile are substantial, they pale in comparison to the power of the recipients’ stories, when told well, to enlighten, inspire, and galvanize a world desperately in need of solutions to its social problems.

The subjects and the authors of all of the studies are as follows[2] :

Social Enterprise Post-Secondary Institution

Target Release Date

The Cleaning Solution Sauder Centre for Social Innovation & Impact Investing, Sauder School of Business, The University of British Columbia November 01, 2017
Women in Need Society (WINS) Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary; Institute for Community Prosperity, Bissett School of Business, Mount Royal University; and Professional and Continuing Studies, Chiu School of Business, Bow Valley College September 13, 2017
Groupe Convex Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto July 12, 2017
Mission Possible Okanagan School of Business, Okanagan College May 10, 2017
Potluck Café Society RADIUS (Radical Ideas, Useful to Society), Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University March 08, 2017
JUMP Math QSB Centre for Social Impact, Queen’s School of Business May 20, 2015
EMBERS Staffing Solutions Sauder Centre for Social Innovation & Impact Investing, Sauder School of Business, The University of British Columbia May 06, 2015
TurnAround Couriers Diversity Institute, Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University April 22, 2015
YWCA Metro Vancouver Hotel/Residence Okanagan School of Business, Okanagan College April 08, 2015

[1] Social enterprises are organizations, for-profit or not-for-profit, that blend the social and the entrepreneurial by using business models/markets to solve social problems. Trico sees “social entrepreneur” as the person, “social enterprise” as the organization, and “social entrepreneurship” as the activity.

[2] The previously released case studies can be found at: https://tricofoundation.ca/social-enterprize/

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