Not his words but this is essentially the message in a recent Fast Company article about Howard Buffett, grandson to investor guru Warren. The younger Mr. Buffet is declaring war on the individualistic nature of nonprofits and especaially on duplicative services.
The problem Mr. Buffett has decided to focus on is international food security and I agree that in a number of markets there are many players doing like things with evidence indicating that barely a dent has been made as the problem of food insecurity persists. Mr. Buffett suggests that the problem will be better solved when high performing nonprofits work to address each aspect of the problem from public policy to third world farming techniques.
I do wonder, as one more business person is telling the nonprofit sector that it does not know how to be successful. I would offer however that these players have been very business minded playing a game that market forces have established -- a kind-of divide and conquer based on a number of variables that include connections and relationships. I would also offer that maybe these big sphere problems are no more resolved by one solution, like collaboration, than the multiple solution approach. My bottom line would be that nonprofits have been doing what is doable given a range of environmental factors. Mr. Buffett will likely learn this as he progresses in his work...
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