Expand Global Networks through Social Enterprise and Social Networking

SAGE Judging Criterion #5 - One of the SAGE’s 10 judging criteria reads as follows: In their annual report and verbal presentation, how effective were the students in demonstrating that they included at least one type of “global” component in their activities during the year (e.g., did students work with students or businesses from another country to import/export products; did they study ho w free markets work in an economy other than their own; did they study who are the key policymakers in a global economy?).

If you are a high school student, your SAGE network includes university students, business leaders, civic leaders, and SAGE students from other countries. SAGE cuts across boundaries between secondary education and higher education; between education and business; between business and government; and, most importantly, between countries. One of SAGE’s goals is to give all participants a global perspective along with local insight.

Your network is valuable, and provides an important source of “social capital.” Through SAGE all participants can increase the value of their networks.

Have you ever heard of Metcalfe's law? This law says:

“Take the number of people in your relevant network and square it. This is the value of your network.”

For example, if there are 20 people in your network, its value is 400. If you add one new member, the value doesn’t go to 21 or 401. It goes to 21 * 21, or 421.

This judging criterion is intentionally broad in scope and vague in specifics. In order to be successful in today’s business world, it is important that students interested in pursuing entrepreneurial ventures (or careers in business) be exposed to cultural practices different from their own. Also, it is important that they are aware of key policymaking organizations and trade coalitions, such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the World Trade Organization, the United Nations, the International Labor Organization, and trade coalitions such as the European Union, NAFTA, CAFTA and ASEAN.

Judges scrutinize a SAGE team based not only on its effectiveness but also on its creativity. For example, how well did the team incorporate a global dimension into existing activities? Or did they complete one or more separate activities specifically addressing an international business issue? Judges are looking for a demonstration of some type of deeper awareness and appreciation for conducting business in a market other than one’s own local market.

Connecting with Other Countries - SAGE teams from different states or countries may want to work with each other in determining if there is a potential market for import/export products. Or students may want to devote a couple days to studying how free markets work in an economy other than their own.  To connect to SAGE teams in other countries, email cdeberg@csuchico.edu  and ask that he subscribe you to a listserv called “SAGEMAIL.” Also, a nice activity would be an in-depth study of the roles and responsibilities of various policymakers in a global economy.  The SAGE Manual of Business Ideas and Best Practices can help with ideas.

Students may also choose to focus on one or two books which can help them better understand global issues. An outstanding book is The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty through Profits by C.K. Prahalad (2005). After reading the book, students not only will have new ideas about how to do business in other parts of the world, but they can also learn more about how major corporations can re-think their business models when choosing to do business in developing countries.

Through voluntary associations such as SAGE, the amount of “social capital” you can add to your communities is based on your networks, and access to resources provided by members of the network. Used effectively, your network can provide a new source of social wealth, and possibly financial wealth, especially in a democratic society.

The eighth goal of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals recognizes the importance of cooperation to develop and implement strategies for decent and productive work for youth. Moreover, in his book, The World is Flat, journalist Thomas Friedman (2005) commented on the importance of youth empowerment.

His comments apply to SAGE’s goals:

“Give young people a context where they can translate a positive imagination into reality, give them a context in which someone with a grievance can have it adjudicated in a court of law without having to bribe the judge with a goat, give them a context in which they can pursue an entrepreneurial idea and become the richest or the most creative or most respected people in their own country, no matter what their background, give them a context in which any complaint or idea can be published in the newspaper, give them a context in which anyone can run for office—and guess what? They usually don’t want to blow up the world. They usually want to be part of it.”