DESIGN PRINCIPLE 4
Unlock Agency To be able to achieve and sustain system change, social entrepreneurs often create an enabling environment that nurtures the freedom of choice for all individuals and organizations in the system and their ability to act positively. Such systems also effectively enable stakeholders to exercise agency and imagination to solve their own problems. Platforms play a key role in this because of their inherent ability to enable not only stakeholders and networks to be organized in a decentralized and distributed way, but also to facilitate the exchange of value from many to many. Platforms can be designed so that they invite, stimulate and even drive others to hear the voice of those who were previously underrepresented in the system. When constructed deliberately to include those groups, platforms are a powerful tool to unlock agency by providing a space to speak up and be heard, to interact with peers, to spur action, and to co-create solutions while protecting their rights and interests. However, this process needs to be designed in a manner that allows decentralised organising through the platform, including the required transparency (i.e., who does what, who can ‘see’ what, who can ‘use’ what), monitoring (who is accountable for what), and support (equipping all stakeholders to be able to join the exchange on equal terms).
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Leveraging Platforms for the Good of All: Insights from Leading Social Entrepreneurs
