This case study describes the dilemma about the scaling up issues faced by a social enterprise. SELCO is a for profit enterprise engaged in providing solar lights to rural households in the state of Karnataka, India. The case study gives an opportunity to highlight the divergence and convergence of passion and interest of the social entrepreneur and the expectations of the financiers of such ventures. Through the story of Harish Hande, the Founder, the case study looks at the various strategies that SELCO undertook for scaling up its activities in other states, broaden the product portfolio and bring in fresh investment to maximize profit and turn the enterprise into a full-blown profit making entity.

1. SELCO: MISSION OR MARKET?*
This case study describes the dilemma about the scaling up issues faced by a social enterprise.
SELCO is a for profit enterprise engaged in providing solar lights to rural households in the
state of Karnataka, India.The case study gives an opportunity to highlight the divergence and
convergenceofpassionandinterestofthesocialentrepreneurandtheexpectationsofthefinanciers
of such ventures.Through the story of Harish Hande, the Founder, the case study looks at the
various strategies that SELCO undertook for scaling up its activities in other states, broaden the
product portfolio and bring in fresh investment to maximize profit and turn the enterprise into
a full-blown profit making entity.
Pedagogical Objectives
The objectives of the case study are to expose students to the:
• Challenges faced by the social entrepreneur in finding the right kind of capital to pursue
his/her passion of creating social benefits
• Innovations needed in finding market-based solutions in providing a social need
• The difficulties faced by the social enterprises in replicating or scaling up their success
Case Positioning and Setting
This case study can be used in the MBA Course as well as in Executive Development Programs
for the following courses:
• Social Entrepreneurship:To highlight the divergence and convergence of passion and interest
of the social entrepreneur and the expectations of the financiers of such ventures
• Courses relating to BoP segments such as Marketing to BoP and rural marketing: the
innovations needed in managing or tweaking the marketing mix of price, product, place,
etc., to be successful could be analyzed through the case study
ABSTRACT
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Global Summit on
Management Cases
GSMC 2014
* GSMC 2014, IIM Raipur