Ripples from the Zambezi
Ernesto Sirolli

Published: 1999, New Society Publishers
ISBN: 0-86571-379-9

DESCRIPTION
Over the last thirty years, Ernesto Sirolli developed, practiced, and has preached Enterprise Facilitation as "The social technology of choice for job creation for the new millennium¿founded on passion and the assumption that self-motivation, energy and, intelligence exist, right now, everywhere." In Ripples from the Zambezi, he shares his experiences, vision, and methods that have succeeded in 250 communities in four countrys.

OUR REVIEW (Reviewed April 05, 2001, by Bill Pinkovitz)
Q: What do business development in Victor, South Dakota, Chirundu, Zambia and Esperance, Australia have in common?

A: Ernesto Sirolli

Over the last thirty years, Ernesto Sirolli developed, practiced, and has preached Enterprise Facilitation as "The social technology of choice for job creation for the new millennium¿founded on passion and the assumption that self-motivation, energy and, intelligence exist, right now, everywhere."

Sirolli's methods are people centered. They focus on the reality of the situation rather than proven, but transplanted business/economic development philosophies and formulas. His goal is to help communities develop diverse sustainable economies.

Those of you who know me, can guess that after twenty years as a business and economic development specialist, I approached Ripples from the Zambezi with a healthy dose of skepticism. Reading the wildly glowing reviews of Sirolli and his book further fueled my natural cynicism. However, after reading Sirolli, I'd put his book on the must read list for anyone involved in business or economic development.

Why? First, because his methods work! Sirolli has successfully used Enterprise Facilitation in 250 communities in four different countries on three continents. Secondly, he does bring passion to business development, but he doesn't stop there. Sirolli also includes plenty of practical (if dispassionate) management advice. He argues that passion is necessary but alone, it is not sufficient for success. Technical skills, a good understanding of the marketplace and how to market your product or service, and the ability to financially manage your business are critical to success. When describing business plans he says,."The technique is fairly straighforward. What is less understood is that people, not theories, run companies and that a perfect business plan is totally useless if the people who have to implement it are incapable of doing so."

For me, Sirolli's boldest and perhaps, most useful statement is: "DON'T ever intiate anything." This challenge to the do-gooders of the economic development world, who have the answers, sets the tone for the book and Sirolli's Enterprise Facilitation.