Case 26: Altruism vs. Profit: The Challenges of Clean Water in India
1. Looking at the options for addressing India’s water crisis, how do these reflect community
partnerships and/or strategic philanthropy?
WaterHealth International’s water filtration project offers financing to local villages to purchase
2. The Byrraju Foundation requires the village to donate funds. Is this a good strategy?
Why/Why not?
The shared investment concept seems like a good strategy; the partnership offers continued
3. Per the United Nation’s report, India’s water quality ranks 120th among the 122 rated
countries in terms of quality water available to its citizens. What are the challenges to
addressing environmental issues in emerging countries, and how does that differ from developed
countries?
The challenges to addressing environmental issues in emerging countries have to do with the
lack of governmental involvement in the regulations of the companies that contribute to the
4. What are the differences in nonprofit versus for-profit organizational forms of business when
addressing these types of social problems? Is market demand the best determinant for basic
necessities?
The biggest differences between the nonprofit model versus the for-profit model for
organizational forms of business is both accountability and access. Market demand is not the best
5. Which of the five stakeholder groups might have the most power to address social problems in
developing countries, especially when there is instability in the government due to transitions,
crisis, or corruption?
In the absence of strong government influence it appears as though the most power to address the
6. Corporate philanthropy has become more globalized and international development has seen
increased funding even through recessionary times. Why are MNCs interested in international
giving?
Access to safe drinking water is a global issue and due to reach epic proportions within the next