The COVID-19 Virtual Idea Blitz: Marshaling Social Entrepreneurship to Rapidly Respond to Urgent Grand Challenges
Keywords
COVID-19, entrepreneurial hustle, grand challenges, social entrepreneurship, virtual idea blitz
Abstract
In response to societal grand challenges, professors have unique opportunities to effect change, repurposing their expertise to deploy relevant, timely, practical, and research-backed knowledge for the betterment of communities. Drawing on scholarship on postcrisis organizing, entrepreneurial hustle, and social entrepreneurship, we provide a firsthand, real-time case description of a three-day “virtual idea blitz” organized in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The event was organized and executed in less than a week and ultimately involved 200 individuals, including entrepreneurs, coders, medical doctors, venture capitalists, industry professionals, students, and professors from around the world. By the end of the weekend, 21 ideas with corresponding pitches were developed in five thematic areas: health needs, education, small businesses, community, and purchasing. We describe how the community was rapidly rallied, and we discuss the key learning outcomes of this spontaneous entrepreneurial endeavor. We provide evidence from participants and mentors that showcases the value of the time-compressed virtual idea blitz in accelerating social entrepreneurial action. We offer practical guidance to academic, community, and professional institutions that would like to replicate or build upon our approach to stimulate the formation of community and to coordinate efforts to thwart the ongoing threat of COVID-19, as well as other societal challenges that might emerge in the future.
Original Publication Citation
"Bacq, S., Geoghegan, W., Josefy, M. Stevenson, R., & Williams, T.A. (2020). “The COVID- 19 Virtual Idea Blitz: Marshaling social entrepreneurship to rapidly respond to urgent grand challenges.” Business Horizons, 63 (6): 705-723."
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Bacq, Sophie; Geoghegan, Will; Josefy, Matthew; Stevenson, Regan; and Williams, Trenton Alma, "The COVID-19 Virtual Idea Blitz: Marshaling Social Entrepreneurship to Rapidly Respond to Urgent Grand Challenges" (2020). Faculty Publications. 9081.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/9081
Document Type
Peer-Reviewed Article
Publication Date
2020
Publisher
Business Horizons
Language
English
College
Marriott School of Business
Department
Marketing
Copyright Use Information
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