The Ecology Of Success: The Problem Of Scaling Up What Works In CED

Abstract

This is the keystone article of this volume, with respect to the challenge of scaling up innovations achieving demonstrable results. Lizbeth Schorr, one of America’s foremost researchers on the subject, distills the lessons from across many disciplines, including neighbourhood revitalization. Author of “Common Purpose: Strengthening Families and Neighbourhoods to Rebuild America”, which this article draws from, Schorr identifies the key system dynamics that sometimes support but more often thwart replication and scaling up efforts. Any person concerned with expanding the benefits of what is making a real positive difference in communities, whether through CED, social enterprise, or some other field of endeavour, need to read the book this article is based on.