An Intro to my SOP (circa 2006)

Prior to landing in this program I began searching out programs that would help me study these ideas at the doctoral level. At the time I felt I should root the research in political science--primarily because like most young people I consider myself a "mover and shaker" and there is EXTREMELY little research conducted in the field on Social Enterprise, especially research that incorporates the private sector. Due to a number of factors I was summarily rejected--my GRE Math score was a 400 (don't try and nurse a 2 month old and study GRE math at the same time), I think my ideas were several years shy of readiness for such a program, and I don't think my ideas were a good match for the overseeing professors, the schools, or the programs.

I also think I did not quite understand the function of the Ph.D. and wrapping my mind completely around this process as "indoctrination into a profession" is ongoing.

The field of Social Enterprise and MSP is rapidly expanding, and "sexy" and many of the loudest (though not always the best) voices generate fluff rather than academic study. I have a real sense at this point in my graduate learning (the beginning)that there is a deluge of information, initiatives, and energy. Though the recent explosion of innovative ventures to raise the standard of living of the least is generally positive and constructive, there are also a number of opportunists (academics, investors, and social sector organizations alike).

It is important to remember two things. First, the field of management itself is in it's infancy and there is nebulous world where academics, psuedo-academics, and practioners exist together that is unlike almost any other discipline. This allows great collaboration, instant application of research, and is quite healthy. However, there is also much that is not useful or original and many opportunities for flat-out bull-shit. Secondly, in reference to this expanding idea and application of the over-lapping worlds of Social Enterprise/Social Investment/Multi-Sector Partnerships/Corporate Social Responsibility (Etc) it is important to remember that nothing is new under the sun. Many hundreds of years of academic study and history from diverse fields (old ones like philosophy and new ones like sociology alike) contribute ideas, methodologies, and observations. Also, even in practice the questions being asked in research are ancient questions and the endeavours of the pracitioners are not as unique as many assume (lest we forget the Jesuits, see Chris Lowney's book Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company That Changed the World).

What began as an introduction to something else has degenerated into philosophical preachiness but returning to my original point. After all that rejection I was not ready for a Ph.D. program. However, that process of thinking about it was intrumental and so the next post will be my Statement of Purpose (the general one) used to apply to those programs, as it includes much of the coursework and thinkers that influenced me.