Aim

To promote and advance harmonious approaches to entrepreneurship to address the Sustainability challenge facing the planet.

Harmonious Entrepreneurship Society (registered as Harmonious Entrepreneurship Ltd), a UWTSD spinout, is at the forefront of a new approach to entrepreneurship with significant implications for new venture creation, entrepreneurship education, and the nurturing of commercial enterprise start-ups across a broad geographical spectrum. Faced with numerous challenges in our ecosystem like climate change, resource depletion, and social inequality, traditional entrepreneurship models, which primarily focus on wealth creation, often exacerbate these problems while more recent approaches such as eco-preneurship, humane entrepreneurship and social enterprise have done little to ameliorate the problem.

The reason, we contend, is because the planet is a system which means that, in accordance with the Law of requisite variety any solution must be as complex as the problem it is intended to resolve. We propose, therefore, the paradigm of harmonious entrepreneurship, a systemic approach that recognises the intricate interconnectivity of our ecosystem. This holistic business model is designed to tackle these global challenges, and lay the foundation for a sustainable future. Our mission includes and extends beyond education, striving to support and bolster a diverse array of commercial enterprises from inception to growth, throughout various communities.

Our company is dedicated to enabling educators to facilitate harmonious entrepreneurship, providing young adults and emerging entrepreneurs with the tools, knowledge, and skills necessary to launch commercial enterprises in which profit, planet and people are in harmony. Moreover, we actively encourage research into the outcomes and potential of this ground-breaking approach, fostering a comprehensive understanding of its impact across multiple sectors.

Furthermore, our mission involves the recognition, dissemination, and application of research findings and best practices, through channels like publication and conference presentations. But beyond the dissemination of information, we are committed to creating an environment that fosters the growth and success of new ventures. We aim to not just promote new ventures but to build a thriving ecosystem that nurtures their growth, creating wealth and generating jobs though not at the expense of the planet

Our commitment to these objectives is deeply rooted in our belief in harmonious entrepreneurship, with its emphasis on the balanced interplay of people, planet, and profit. In a bid to actualise this vision, we are poised to partner with local councils, various enterprises, and employment support groups. Through these collaborations, we aim to facilitate the growth, development, and impact of harmonious enterprises, thereby creating a more prosperous and sustainable future for all.

Objectives

• Educator Empowerment: Support educators in facilitating ‘Harmonious Entrepreneurship’ education. Develop programs and resources that will help teachers and mentors foster a new generation of entrepreneurs who uphold the principles of harmonious entrepreneurship.
• Skills Development: Equip young adults and emerging entrepreneurs with the knowledge, competences, and skills necessary to launch and sustain a harmonious entrepreneurial venture. This can involve creating learning modules and hands-on experiences that emphasize the balance of profit, people, and planet.
• Research Promotion: Encourage, support, and conduct research into ‘Harmonious Entrepreneurship’ and the outcomes resulting from its application. Create avenues for scholars and practitioners to study the effects and efficacy of this approach, as well as its potential for addressing global challenges.
• Knowledge Dissemination: Recognise and disseminate research findings and best practices through publications, conference presentations, and other forms of communication. Ensure that valuable knowledge about harmonious entrepreneurship reaches a wide audience, especially those who can enact changes in entrepreneurial approaches.
• Venture Growth and Success: Foster a thriving environment that supports the growth and success of new ventures based on the harmonious entrepreneurship model. Offer guidance, resources, and support systems for startups that strive to balance wealth creation, job generation, and ecological sustainability.
• Partnerships for Growth: Build partnerships with local councils, enterprises, and employment support groups to expand the reach and impact of harmonious enterprises. These collaborations should aim to facilitate the growth and development of such enterprises, spreading prosperity and sustainability in various communities.
• Sustainability Advocacy: Advocate for sustainable practices in entrepreneurship, emphasizing the need for a balance among people, planet, and profit. Use the platform to influence policy, public opinion, and business practices in favor of harmonious entrepreneurship.

Our founding principles can be traced to an article written by Professor Kirby and Dr Iman El-Kaffass (World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable  Development, 2020). In it the authors  provide two case studies comparing  the deleterious, negative  consequences for Sustainability stemming from the more traditional wealth creation forms of entrepreneurship with the more positive outcomes resulting from the Harmonised approach.

View our Harmonious Entrepreneurship Society Principles of Practice here.