Grameen, a sound example of social business is contributing
its due activities in different sectors. The covering areas of social
business ranges from health care to education,
sanitation, technological advancement and so on. All these function are
conveyed with a view to meeting social needs and demand. But the business will
not be operated with volunteerism motive because this is non-loss organization.
It steers business for taking modest profit. So in this sense is not typical
non-profit organization. The organization follows all business principal just
being responsible to society; in terms of environment, corporate social
responsibilities , external environment. These are why this organization is likely to
compare with traditional capitalism where basic concern is just to profit
making defying social needs. So to Yunus , Capitalism is narrowly defined ever.
Now the era of social business.
2.
Objective of the study:
This paper has been prepared with a
view to-
(a) Reviewing the dynamics and trend
of health condition of poor and marginal people got facilitated under Grameen
Social business model of health care in Bangladesh
(B) Having in-depth understanding
over the key ingredients and dynamics of Grameen Social business model of
health care,
(C)Looking over the Customer satisfaction
and dissatisfaction on Grameen health care,
(d)Analyzing the Commitment and
implementation, reality and practice of Grameen Health based social business,
(e)Make it use as reference for
future journals, books etc.
(F) Using this material as academic
purpose for professors.
(G) Facilitating internal and foreign
donors getting exact scenario of Grammeen health Care business for further
donation and some cases investment.
3.Methodology
of the study:
3.1 Research area
The research area is health related social
business dynamics in Grameen Corporation, organization who have remarkable
contribution and achievement towards social business denotes to the inclusion
of social capital with a business purpose. The Grameen Corporation has been
mainly taken in consideration with a view to searching their health related
initiatives .We walks through the organization in terms of field work.
3.2. Source of data collection:
All the necessary data and input has
been collected from both primary and the
secondary sources. Primary sources hereby means as per interviewing with the
officers concerned to those organizations. Secondary sources denote herein published books, journals, newspaper s,
reports and different websites.
3.3 Data collection method.
(a). Interview has been performed against a questionnaire.
(b). Observation Also done with a
team approach in the organizational behavior and atmosphere, dealing with the
clients etc
(c). Respondents are from the clients and stakeholder of the
mentioned organization.
4. Theoretical discussion:
4.1
Social business
The buzzword `Social business’ should be
defined by its prominent advocate Prof. Muhammad
Yunus introduced. He defined th
term in his books Creating a
world without poverty—Social Business and the future of capitalism and Building
Social Business—The new kind of capitalism that serves humanity's most pressing
needs.
In
Yunus' definition, a social business is a non-loss, Non-dividend Company
designed to address a social objective within the highly regulated
marketplace of today. It is distinct from a non-profit because the business
should seek to generate a modest profit but this will be used to expand the
company’s reach, improve the product or service or in other ways to subsidies
the social mission. To
understand different dynamics and sphere of social enterprise here is an attempt made.
The
professor argues that capitalism is too narrowly defined. The concept of the
individual as being solely focused on profit maximizing ignores other aspects
of life. Failures of this system to address vital needs that are commonly
regarded as market failures are actually conceptualization failures Yunus
postulates a new world of business in which profit-maximizing enterprises and
social-benefit-maximizing enterprises coexist. In addition, a social business
would operate much like a profit-maximizing business in that the company as a
whole grows financially and gains profits. The only difference is that the
company's shareholders and investors would be re-accumulating their initial
investment as opposed to receiving dividends. He calls the latter social
business.
Social
business is a cause-driven business. In a social business, the investors or
owners can gradually recoup the money invested, but cannot take any dividend
beyond that point. The purpose of the investment is purely to achieve one or
more social objectives through the operation of the company, since no personal
monetary gain is desired by the investors. The company must cover all costs and
make revenue, but at the same time achieve the social objective. The impact of
the business on people or environment, rather than the amount of profit made in
a given period measures the success of social business. Sustainability of the
company indicates that it is running as a business.
Social
businesses typology as per proposed:
>
social business focuses on
providing a product and/or
service with a specific social,
ethical or environmental goal. A prominent example is Grameen Danone. Grameen Donate, which
is Yunus' prototype social business, was launched in 2005. Its social mission
is to address malnutrition in Bangladesh
>A Type of social business is a profit-oriented business that is owned by the poor or other underprivileged parts of
the society, who can gain through receiving direct dividends or by indirect
benefits. Grameen Bank, being
owned by the poor, is the prime example of this type, although it would also
classify as a Type I social business.
Seven
Core Values of social business:
These
were developed by Prof. Muhammad
Yunus and Hans Reitz, the
co-founder of Grameen Creative Lab:
1.
Business objective will be to overcome poverty, or one or more
problems (such as education, health, technology access, and environment)
2.
Financial and economic sustainability
3. Investors get back their investment
amount only; no dividend is given beyond
investment money
4. When investment amount is paid back,
company profit stays with the company for expansion and improvement
5. Environmentally conscious
6. Workforce gets market wage with better
working conditions
7. Do it with joy
Findings:
Found when
studing and observing Grammen bank’s scial business
Eye Care Hospital and Camp: low cost helps poor
After thoroughly studying the whole organization it has been found that the cost of cye care hospital is pretty much. Most of the patients claim that though Grameen eye care hospital privide high health service but sometimes it is too hard to afford a big amount for the hard core poors. As said by the Selina Rahman, Public Relation officer of Yunus Centre, GB began a health program in 1993 to provide care for Grameen borrowers and the rural poor in Bangladesh. The goal is to provide quality health services with qualified medical personnel at an affordable cost.
After thoroughly studying the whole organization it has been found that the cost of cye care hospital is pretty much. Most of the patients claim that though Grameen eye care hospital privide high health service but sometimes it is too hard to afford a big amount for the hard core poors. As said by the Selina Rahman, Public Relation officer of Yunus Centre, GB began a health program in 1993 to provide care for Grameen borrowers and the rural poor in Bangladesh. The goal is to provide quality health services with qualified medical personnel at an affordable cost.
By now,Grameen established two eye-care hospitals specializing in cataract
operation, with a capacity to undertake 10,000 operations per year. The first
eye hospital was set up with the money from the Green Children Foundation.
Besides, Grameen Bank estabilished Grameen GC Eye Care Hospital in Bogra
and Barishal as a social business. These can Perform 50,000 Examinations, 10,000 Cataract
Operations Annually.
In the study it is found that grameen provide operation in camp approach
whre cost is less then 25% OF average market cost.
So estimate the capacity in neumeric
expression, an attempt has been made:
Eye hospitals
|
target
|
Done
|
Examination
|
50,000
|
30355
|
operation
|
10,000
|
4200
|
This is the approximately average rate since 2008
Grameen Clinic: 50,000 are counted against 1 physician!
After Studying it is interesting to note that the clinic facilities of
Grameen is not mention worthy. There are only 48 Grameen Clinics throughout the
country. Each clinic constitute with one ecpertise physician, 2 paramedics. So
it seems to be handful. Because typycally a GC serve a population of 50,000
persons living within 8-10 kilometers of the clinic. So It is not too easy to
concentrate each patients practically. So it is mention worthy that Grameen
concentrate more to hospital and eye care than traditional clinic system.
Technology based health care : new dynamics improves meternal health
Some plans are yet to be implemented
Some plans are yet to be implemented
The Great deal was done between Intel Chairman Craig Barrett met with Nobel
Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus and decided creating a social business with a
focus on technology. Thereby Intel Corporation and Grameen created a social
business company to bring information technology-based services to the poor in
healthcare, marketing, education and remittances. In two of the clinics in
Savar, Bangladesh, mobile healthcare workers were given with smartphones. They use technology to assess the risk profile of
pregnant mothers who have limited access to medical care at the villages.
Mothers at risk are then referred for further diagnostics, bringing the mother
into the formal service for basic healthcare.
Shumātā
has been a popular ante-natal care monitoring and tracking
software for pregnant women. Mobile health workers, doctors at rural clinics
and health administrators can use this software to identify high risk
pregnancies at early stage of pregnancy .This ensures appropriate follow up and
regular ante-natal care. On the othe hand another breakthrough installation of
technology is dolnā. It is a vaccine scheduling and
tracking software for newborns and infants using SMS. Mobile health workers,
doctors at rural clinics and health administrators can use this software to
ensure that infants are given all their required vaccinations on time.
Grameen health
is going forward with view to include the establishment of biobanks;
cell-phone- and Internet-based treatment, decision support, and outcomes
reporting; and the introduction of electronic medical records.
Grameen
Healthcare plans to build on the country wide mobile phone network to transmit
critical medical information from remote locations to the medical centers in
the towns and cities and work to fulfill the immense potential of e-healthcare
in the country. By addressing information technology issues now, as the health
care network is being established, GH will be able to institute an advanced
electronic network that will make it much easier for health care professionals
to share information and deliver better care. This health database centre will
also greatly accelerate research. GH can and will design and deliver
sustainable world-class technical capabilities and education to remote areas
and will link to more centralized hospital and lab facilities necessary for the
more specialized services to be cost-effective.
The swat
analysis of Grameen IT based healh care showes that
>most of the
operators of SHUMATA and DULNA are not expert enough to do it on the regular
basis.
>Even in
remote area the operators are not frequently found.
>Service
holder are not enoughly convinced about the validity of such type of IT based
health services
Insecticidal nets: Joint Venture enterprenuerism For
the sake of poor segment’s health
(Though Suffers from lack of marketization)
While getting through the organization it
has been informed that BASF and Grameen Healthcare Trust jointly embark
on a new path by founding BASF Grameen Ltd. According to the WHO 11 million people in Bangladesh are at risk
of malaria. This is why BASF Grameen Ltd. offers offer long-lasting
insecticidal nets that offer protection against insect-borne disease. Actually
the specialized mosquito nets are coated with a BASF product, the insecticide
Fendona. The net remains effective against mosquitoes for several years. It
thus meets the World Health Organization (WHO) requirements for a "Long
lasting insecticide impregnated net"
Hereby it is found that this co-operative type collaboration helps to
improve the public health. About 55% of the respondents tells they feel
themselves safe while using this specialized net. On the other hand 30 % thinks
it has no use to them.
Grameen
Veolia Water Ltd : Grameen Claims for improving public health
The interview
responsed agains the water related functions that Grameen is to initiate a pure
drinking water distribution project in in 5 different villages. As pressing
demand in market wich tells that more than 30 million Bangladeshis have fallen
victim to chronic arsenic poisoning and some have even died. Against this
background, Grameen and Veolia Water have decided to join forces and combine
their complementary skills to make clean and safe water accessible to villagers
in the poorest parts of Bangladesh.
Grameen Veolia
Water Ltd will develop projects in 5 different villages. For each of them, the
company will invest in a production / distribution unit of drinking water, and
operate it. Every plant will produce water according to WHO standards by
treating surface waters. Drinking water will be, in each village, distributed
via stand-pipes, through a dedicated network. At this stage, no domestic
connection is forecast. Main usage for water will be for drinking and cooking.
Daily consumption for a 6 person family is estimated to be 30 Litres/day. According
to the social business model, drinking water will be sold at factory gate for 1
Bangladeshi taka per 10 litres (1 euro cent per 10 litres).
So Just have a
look to the Grameen proposition;
Covering
area
|
water
volume
|
Cost
|
% of
village
|
5
villages
|
30
litters
|
1 tk
per 10 ltr
|
.00001%
|
Grameen Danone or nutration project : prospectus not enough
This project was
installed with a view to reduce
Malnutrion among the rural population through the production and sale and
fortified yogurt (SHAKTI DOI) in the case of the former, and multiple
micronutrient sachets in the case of the latter which address deficiencies in
the diet especially among children and pregnant/lactating mothers.But how much
the health condition improved is still in dark. Because there are so many
substitude products in market that can improve the over all health condition
and recover the malnutration. So It is playing the supplementery role to
recover the malnutration among children and pregnant mothers.
Health Insurane:
People got dream of
According to
Grameen, the micro health insurance program is introduced with a view to
encourage positive health seeking practice and improving cost recovery. A
vital component of these health programs is the accompanying micro-health
insurance scheme to encourage positive health seeking practices. This serves a
dual purpose of enhancing utilization of health services and improving
cost-recovery to achieve sustainability. An integral part of the Grameen
approach is the ‘sixteen decisions’ which guide all GB borrowers and their
families toward productive living. Indeed, more than half of these 16 decisions
directly address the health and well being of borrowers and their families.
Thus, the basic principles of learning organizations and an overall vision to
support the well-being of the poor have been pillars of the Grameen approach.
While initial
evaluations of the GC network and its health impact are positive, continuous
improvements in coverage, disease prevention, quality of care and
sustainability remain as top priorities. Moreover, it is critical to identify
and strengthen processes underpinning the success of this model, and promote
the key principles of social entrepreneurship for health to create a
sustainable and replicable model that will expand throughout Bangladesh and to
other countries. Grameen Healthcare will continue to expand, strengthen and
upgrade the network of Grameen clinics with the aim of transforming them into
Grameen Health Management Centers with a focus on awareness, prevention,
diagnosis and early detection.
Integrated
Health Network
An
integrated health network which would include a hospital centre hub including
a medical college and a teaching hospital, one or more nursing colleges,
and a network of primary and specialist clinics such as a Mother and Child
Clinic. These will provide care in a variety of critical focused areas and, as
an extension of the primary and specialist clinics, rural clinics (both locally
fixed and mobile) will bring health care to the doorsteps of patients. These
clinics will be modular so that they can be built step by step once
sustainability has been proven. All tiers of the healthcare system will be
linked and facilitated by information and communications technology.
Grameen
plans to convert the Grameen Clinics into Grameen Health Management Centers
which are focused not only on treatment but which become centers which focus on
awareness, prevention, diagnosis and early detection rather than just treatment
which is inevitably costlier especially for low income families. The Grameen
Clinics will target all families in the area not only Grameen members. Its main
focus will be children, adolescent girls and mothers. A primary goal of the
Grameen Health Management Centers will be to dramatically reduce infant and
maternal mortality rates in the catchment areas. Within the Grameen Healthcare
system, young women within the villages will be encouraged to become
entrepreneurs who will go house-to-house and operate and sell the use of this
equipment for the detection of lumps in the breast, incorrect positioning
of foetus and other problems which can be detected with simple imaging device.
These young
women will operate a self sustaining business of their own based on this
equipment but will be linked closely to the Grameen Health Management Centers
for referral purposes, which in turn will be linked to specialist doctors at
the city level.
The Mother and
Child Health Care Institute will be focussed exclusively on mothers and their
children up to the age of 5. Services offered include pre-natal care, maternal
and pediatrics. The Institute will also deal with anemia and malnutrition in
children and ensure that the children receive the appropriate vaccines within
the right period of time. Where home visits are not possible, E-Health and
local Grameen Healthcare Management centres will ensure continued care of
mother and child. The Grameen Healthcare system as a whole will be focused on
the care of children, adolescent girls and mothers.
Data Analysis
1. Grameen Health can’t concentrate on overall public health;
even replication missing
Above data says that that Grameen specially concatenates on eye care,
malnutrition, fresh water etc. Grameen is maintaining 2 specialized eye care
hospitals and producing yoghurt backing of the mind the issue of malnutrition
among child and pregnent mother, beside a pilot project regarding safe water in
5 villages. There a left a great coverage area of public health. It may be
about Hepatitis B, sanitation, bronchitis, Zokha, reproductive
health of male and so on. Though Grameen argues about concentration on
demand and easy to manage, other mentioned diseases are more frequent among
poor.
2. GC Eye Care Hospital: The
terget seems exagereting
Statistics showes that eye care hospital passed a period of success story with some ostacles. Grameen established two eye-care hospitals specializing in cataract operation, with a capacity to undertake 10,000 operations per year. Even these made a projection of 50,000 eye examinations per year. This is exageretting and overhelming against the capacity of just two eye care hospital. Even the projection merely comes to a reality in the last 5 successive year. On the other hand GH set its eye hospital in Bagura and Barishal excluding the capital. Even later is cutt off from capital in terms of communication. As for urbanization most of the poverty shaked people are forced to migrate to capital that results in increasing the number of poor people in city.
Statistics showes that eye care hospital passed a period of success story with some ostacles. Grameen established two eye-care hospitals specializing in cataract operation, with a capacity to undertake 10,000 operations per year. Even these made a projection of 50,000 eye examinations per year. This is exageretting and overhelming against the capacity of just two eye care hospital. Even the projection merely comes to a reality in the last 5 successive year. On the other hand GH set its eye hospital in Bagura and Barishal excluding the capital. Even later is cutt off from capital in terms of communication. As for urbanization most of the poverty shaked people are forced to migrate to capital that results in increasing the number of poor people in city.
3.
Gramen Clinics suffer from lack of staff:
With superseding demand grameen merely concentrates on clinic service in
remote area. Through out the country Grameen operates 48 clinics only. They
suffers from under staffing. Each clinic comprises 1 physician and 2 paramedics
with a responsibility to cover the 5000-8000 people around the clinic. It sound
pretty rough and feels tough. How it is possible to cover such a large number
of people for this tinny group. Even current trend of patient’s flow to these clinics is remarkably decreasing.
People are choosing other alternative health centers, such as Brac clinic,
community clinic etc.
4.
Collaboration on IT based social business not flourishing as lack of expert
human resource.
As findings
narrated over there, it can easily understand that the collaboration between
Intel and Grameen Corporation can’t be successful as for not available human
resources who can run these specialized apps on a regular basis. Even these
apps were not marketised in proper way. Even
these apps are also not available in popular apps store like- Google play,
apple apps store and Nokia store. So these IT based social business has been
confined in very little station.
5.
Veolia pure water pilot project not get replicated:
Findings
regarding Grameen Veolia water Ltd. Pilot project of pure water supply in 5
different villages says it was not
successfully replicated. Even considering the social business model
Grameen set 1 Bangladeshi TK per 10 liter of sale. Though people in urban area
are willing to pay for pure drinking water, in remote rural area the reality is
different. People normally takes water from their nearby tube well or ponds
though that is contaminated. So before doing the pure water social business
Grameen can’t build enough awareness about the necessity of pure drinking
water.
6.
Insurance Program made a successful story: seems to be phenomenal
With the
Grameen health insurance policy people have been proactive against diseases. In
earlier, when a disease spread out within family or community, there merely
happens immediate go to doctor as for lacking in pecuniary issues. So these are
the reasons why poor people feel themselves safer than before. The grow the
idea of pro-activeness as there is a settled security of their health related
disorders. Even most of the service holders of GH say they got the optimal satisfaction
while getting treatment or services.
"We should keep in mind that Allah has forbidden Interest, giving or taking, so social business shouldn't be associated with that vileness."
Recommendation
1.In first point
it can be recommended that, GH health should have concentrate on other public
health issues such as sanitation, bronchitis, Hepatitis B, TV diseases etc.
They can run their hospital with these promotional advantages beside the
available services.
2. Grameen Health
should be more pragmatic in terms of setting the goals of examination and
operation. They should have survey on the potential patients then set the
target. It has been seen that in some cases the optimal target is not met as
institutional weakness.
3. Grameen clinics should be staffed
fairly. Even they should entrust with somewhat more responsibilities. There may
have those officers who can serve door to door.
4. Grammen Health should arrange proper IT
Training for those who are engaged with IT based health services including Sumata
and Dolna.
5. There should have proper
replication of Violina Water projects. The coverage area should be
expanded. Only 5 villages are not enough to serve.
6. Grameen insurance should operate in proper way
and get registered under Bangladesh Bank and Insurance act. Such a way it can
get stability. Grameen Bank has been threatened as for not following the due
rules of business.
Limitation of the study:
The assignees
have to face lots of barriers while going in the field. As students all costs
have to bear by themselves. Even there are some external factors those affect
the research. Political instability, Hartal, strike, blockade all these are
some reality. The officers of regarding organizations were not willing to give
enough time also. With the help of group members this type of research comes to
a success.
Interviewees
:
1.
Mrs,
Aktar, Salina Dhaka , Bangladesh
2.
Mr.
Abdullah alhi, public relation officer, Yunus Center
3.
Mr. Abdur Razzaque, Media and Communication officer, Grameen Bank
4.
Abdul
Khaleque, P.R.O. , Muslim Aid
Respondents:
1.
Murshed
ul Hasan, residents around Grameen
Eye Hospital
2.
Faruque
Arif, service holder of Grameen Bank
Reference
1.Yunus, Muhammad (2009). Creating a World Without
Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism.
PublicAffairs. p.320.
2. Wimmer, Nancy
3. Yunus Muhammad , Moingeon Bertrand, Laurence
Lehmann-Ortega (2010), "Building Social Business Models: Lessons from the
Grameen Experience”
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