Tesla – A Rarity

What is sustainability? What is a sustainable industry or business? In today’s society the definition of sustainable must be quite encompassing; Starik and Rands offer a modern definition. “Ecological sustainability is the ability of one or more entities either individually or collectively, to exist and flourish (either unchanged or in evolved forms) for lengthy time frames, in such a manner that the existing and flourishing of other collectivities of entities is permitted at related levels and in related systems” (Russo, 318). This paper will focus on something called sustainable entrepreneurship, which is well defined by J. Gregory Dees, a business professor at Duke University. “It combines the passion of a social mission with an image of business-like discipline, innovation, and determination commonly associated with, for instance, the high-tech pioneers of Silicon Valley” (Dees, 1). This definition fits quite well for Tesla Motors, Inc. and their plan to address a social problem, specifically our planet’s dependence on fossil fuels. Many governmental and philanthropic sectors have not fulfilled society’s expectations, so it seems that the best way for social change is through industry, specifically social entrepreneurs. As an auto company that created a business model previously unseen, Tesla is a great example of a company led by the ideals of social entrepreneurship.

All Fair in Fair Trade?

       You’re morning alarm goes off and there is only one thing on your mind, a hot fresh cup of joe cascading down the slippery smooth lining of your throat. After two satisfying gulps and a slight moan of appreciation you are awake and coffee has once again saved the start of your day. Coffee has become a daily necessity for some. It’s no surprise then that coffee is the second greatest trade commodity in the world, trailing only the Crude Oil industry. Thanks this popularity, Starbucks has been able to become ‘King of the Beans’ as the largest coffee company in the world. The demand for coffee is so great that it outpaces water consumption. So it might make sense then why as I write this paper, I have a cup of Starbucks coffee next to me.

As I sip on my ice-cold Dark Verona coffee, I have to wonder where

Sustainable Businesses ($)

I plan on writing my second paper about Telsa’s (short-term) success as a sustainable business. So I started my search for a book by going to the library and searching, “sustainable business practices.” I figured that as an extremely new company, finding a book that tied my paper topic directly to Tesla would be very difficult. After reading a handful of abstracts, there was one book that jumped out to me as one that would be very beneficial for my paper, “The New Pioneers; Sustainable business success through social innovation and social entrepreneurship.” I then wrote down the number for the book and asked a librarian how to find my book based off of the code given to me from the catalog.