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Why CEOs have Liberal Arts Degrees

Mills Scofield

Through my classes, I’ve been forced to question the intentions of authors of primary sources, understand biases present within my readings and even my professor, observe the tone of speakers in context to their audience, and seek out further information to support the claims I make when I write my history papers. These are my passions.

CEO 70
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Businesses Serving the Poor Need to Get Over Their Unease About Profit

Harvard Business Review

But even more so, I believe that deep down, managers and executives feel that getting by on razor-thin margins is the morally correct way to do business among the poor. The microfinance industry is a rare D and E success story. Given its flaws, I've often wondered why the low-price, low-margin philosophy has persisted.

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3 Things Driving Entrepreneurial Growth in Africa

Harvard Business Review

To gain traction with that upper-middle class — and their disposable income — entrepreneurs need the ability to blend international quality standards with African design. A few of these companies manage to transcend national boundaries and scale to a larger size. Top of the Pyramid.

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Making Sense of the Many Kinds of Impact Investing

Harvard Business Review

Currently, impact can mean anything from venture investments in new health technologies to microfinance loans in Peru; from affordable housing in the US to renewable energy in India; from social impact bonds to private equity funds that create jobs. There is no right or wrong impact class—what matters is identifying preferences.

Class 8
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Give Impact Investing Time and Space to Develop

Harvard Business Review

Without those, the institutions managing the billions of sector dollars won’t be able accurately to assess the risks they are taking and, more important, the returns, both financial and social, they hope to generate. We allowed microfinance and the venture capital industry the time and space to develop over a few decades.