A nice analysis of the recent CIGNA liver transplant case: http://www.healthbeatblog.org/2008/01/bad-cases-make.html.
Author: Alanna Shaikh
I love this idea about mission statements.
Social Objects — a nice introduction. Basically, a social object is the thing that brings people together to socialize – whatever it is you talk about with your friends and acquaintances when you talk. Most social networks form around a social object. I am trying to figure out how to link this idea to counterpublics. Do counterpublics also form around a social object?
Making sense of suffering
Suffering people want narratives that make sense of their suffering as much as they want “solutions.” This is said here in the context of politics but I think it is also extremely true in the developing world. If you want to create and support positive change, you need to change the narratives people believe in.
Givewell was an organization which attempted to promote transparency in charity and giving, started by two college kids with a hedge fund background. Like Charity Navigator, but different. Somehow using business practices to evaluate NGOs. I didn’t really try to research all the details, but it sounds like more of the same to me.
The interesting part is, the organization’s founder, Holden Karnofsky, just ran into trouble for praising Givewell all over the internet without stating that he was the founder.
So much of what I write here is P2V (person-to-void), I can understand the temptation to fake up some discussion about a venture that seems important. However, I have never faked comments because that would be unspeakably lame. From an organization that supports transparency, it’s just ludicrous.
The one thing I have to say is this: if they were applying business knowledge to the nonprofit world, why had Holden never heard of John Mackey?
The internet makes some people stupid.
Score one for IMCI! BU study touts home treatment for pneumonia.