Abstract

The core of Porter and Kramer’s Shared Value (SV) proposal (2011) is that companies support individuals and groups of individuals (those they do not employ) so they start building businesses and thereby contribute to the activities of the parent companies. It is argued that the proposal requires a method not only for its implementation, but also one to change the parent companies so they act like those they support. To identify this method the results of a study are presented. It made use of semi-structured interviews concerning how a number of companies dealt with challenges. The results suggest that individuals developed ways to increase their ability to act expertly, i.e. resiliently, in the face of the challenges. The results were used to formulate the method to implement the SV proposal. It is argued that this method is similar to, but also substantially different from the scientific method (used to acquire knowledge rather than gain expertise as the new method is designed to do). The formulation of the method helps to evaluate the SV proposal: it is insufficient to realise its own aims – but also suggests a way to do so.