CARING CAPS: SUSTAINABILITY OF A COMMUNITY OF HEALING
CASE STUDY SOLUTION
e
pl
SYNOPSIS
m
Sa
This case explores the unique challenges social entrepreneurs face in balancing social impact and growing
their market reach. Jane Bloom, founder of Caring Caps, is passionate about this social cause and built a
culture of giving back into the mission and vision of the organization. But operating a non-profit with the
goal of growing can create significant strain on a founder and volunteers. The organization in this case
n
provides knitted caps for cancer patients and fully embraces the inclusion of social mission, purpose, and
tio
vision into its everyday operations to create a significant social impact of individuals battling cancer.
Caring Caps has had minimal awareness since its inception in 2013 and is looking to evolve into something
lu
beyond a community within a synagogue and to provide its “comfy” caps to more hospitals and cancer
centers to reach those in need. One of the biggest challenges is to identify a growth model for Caring Caps
to stay sustainable. What should Bloom do to position Caring Caps for future growth? What marketing
So
should she consider?
OBJECTIVES
• Identify the core competence of a business and understand the value of differentiation in a non-profit (LO #1)
• Identify the stakeholders of an organization’s ecosystem (LO #2)
• Balance social impact and social responsibility in an organization based entirely on volunteers (LO #3)
• Apply marketing concepts to create and grow awareness and engagement (LO #4)
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
,ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
1. How and why did Caring Caps get started? What problem is it designed to solve? What needs is it
addressing?
2. Conduct an analysis of Caring Caps using analytical business strategy frameworks such as 5C analysis
and SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). What do these analyses tell you about the
specific opportunities and challenges for Caring Caps?
3. Who are Caring Caps’ internal and external stakeholders? Why is it important to understand each?
4. Develop a plan for growth for Caring Caps, with a “non-profit” vision. Use marketing concepts and
tools to increase awareness and engagement.
e
pl
m
Sa
n
tio
lu
So
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
,ANALYSIS
1. How and why did Caring Caps get started? What problem is it designed to solve? What needs
is it addressing?
Caring Caps was started when Bloom, a registered nurse, was spending a huge amount of time in the
hospital because her husband was sick. She turned to knitting to pass the time away. Being in the hospital,
she saw many patients who had lost their hair from chemotherapy for cancer. She realized there was an
opportunity to enjoy her knitting while making a difference in people’s lives by donating the caps. From
this, many others joined together to form Caring Caps.
e
Bloom then moved on from knitting to pass the time away when her husband was sick to creating a group
pl
of knitters with four key benefits, all related to social impact:
m
1. Creating a social experience for the people who came together, knitting and chatting, making
themselves and each other feel connected by doing good for others.
2. Developing and implementing a mission/strategy to follow as a guide.
Sa
3. Securing tools (knitting needles) and materials (yarn) to make the caps with minimal personal or group
investment.
4. Ultimately, providing emotional and physical warmth and comfort to the patients undergoing chemo
who receive the caps, as well as the donors who make them.
n
tio
lu
So
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
, EXHIBIT -2: SWOT ANALYSIS FOR CARING CAPS OPPORTUNITIES
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
• Protagonist Jane Bloom—a strong leader with • Limited number of knitters and therefore a limited
knowledge of nursing, knitting, creating number of caps
opportunities, building relationships, and helping •
others
•
• •
• •
• •
• •
• •
•
e
•
pl
•
OPPORTUNITIES
m
THREATS
Sa
• Create and implement a chart to track the knitting • A possibility of the Caring Caps group dissolving if
(e.g., weekly or monthly) leadership does not have a transition plan (short-
• and/or long-term)
• •
n
tio
• •
•
•
lu
•
•
So
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
, EXHIBIT -4: CARING CAPS STAKEHOLDERS AND VALUE EXCHANGE
STAKEHOLDER PROVIDES RECEIVES
Cancer patients • Support and encouragement for • Education and information
(use the knitted individuals affected by cancer • Friendships and socialization
caps provided by • More awareness of social • Sense of purpose and belonging
Caring Caps) therapeutic (i.e., comfort in knowing • Psychological support
that their product was handmade • Involvement in the community
with care) • Sense of belonging
• Further reinforcement of the strength
and power of Caring Caps’
community through personal
storytelling
Collaborators
(mental health
advisory board
e
members,
suppliers of knitting
pl
materials such as
yarn, etc.)
m
Sa
n
tio
lu
So
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
CASE STUDY SOLUTION
e
pl
SYNOPSIS
m
Sa
This case explores the unique challenges social entrepreneurs face in balancing social impact and growing
their market reach. Jane Bloom, founder of Caring Caps, is passionate about this social cause and built a
culture of giving back into the mission and vision of the organization. But operating a non-profit with the
goal of growing can create significant strain on a founder and volunteers. The organization in this case
n
provides knitted caps for cancer patients and fully embraces the inclusion of social mission, purpose, and
tio
vision into its everyday operations to create a significant social impact of individuals battling cancer.
Caring Caps has had minimal awareness since its inception in 2013 and is looking to evolve into something
lu
beyond a community within a synagogue and to provide its “comfy” caps to more hospitals and cancer
centers to reach those in need. One of the biggest challenges is to identify a growth model for Caring Caps
to stay sustainable. What should Bloom do to position Caring Caps for future growth? What marketing
So
should she consider?
OBJECTIVES
• Identify the core competence of a business and understand the value of differentiation in a non-profit (LO #1)
• Identify the stakeholders of an organization’s ecosystem (LO #2)
• Balance social impact and social responsibility in an organization based entirely on volunteers (LO #3)
• Apply marketing concepts to create and grow awareness and engagement (LO #4)
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
,ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
1. How and why did Caring Caps get started? What problem is it designed to solve? What needs is it
addressing?
2. Conduct an analysis of Caring Caps using analytical business strategy frameworks such as 5C analysis
and SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). What do these analyses tell you about the
specific opportunities and challenges for Caring Caps?
3. Who are Caring Caps’ internal and external stakeholders? Why is it important to understand each?
4. Develop a plan for growth for Caring Caps, with a “non-profit” vision. Use marketing concepts and
tools to increase awareness and engagement.
e
pl
m
Sa
n
tio
lu
So
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
,ANALYSIS
1. How and why did Caring Caps get started? What problem is it designed to solve? What needs
is it addressing?
Caring Caps was started when Bloom, a registered nurse, was spending a huge amount of time in the
hospital because her husband was sick. She turned to knitting to pass the time away. Being in the hospital,
she saw many patients who had lost their hair from chemotherapy for cancer. She realized there was an
opportunity to enjoy her knitting while making a difference in people’s lives by donating the caps. From
this, many others joined together to form Caring Caps.
e
Bloom then moved on from knitting to pass the time away when her husband was sick to creating a group
pl
of knitters with four key benefits, all related to social impact:
m
1. Creating a social experience for the people who came together, knitting and chatting, making
themselves and each other feel connected by doing good for others.
2. Developing and implementing a mission/strategy to follow as a guide.
Sa
3. Securing tools (knitting needles) and materials (yarn) to make the caps with minimal personal or group
investment.
4. Ultimately, providing emotional and physical warmth and comfort to the patients undergoing chemo
who receive the caps, as well as the donors who make them.
n
tio
lu
So
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
, EXHIBIT -2: SWOT ANALYSIS FOR CARING CAPS OPPORTUNITIES
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
• Protagonist Jane Bloom—a strong leader with • Limited number of knitters and therefore a limited
knowledge of nursing, knitting, creating number of caps
opportunities, building relationships, and helping •
others
•
• •
• •
• •
• •
• •
•
e
•
pl
•
OPPORTUNITIES
m
THREATS
Sa
• Create and implement a chart to track the knitting • A possibility of the Caring Caps group dissolving if
(e.g., weekly or monthly) leadership does not have a transition plan (short-
• and/or long-term)
• •
n
tio
• •
•
•
lu
•
•
So
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
, EXHIBIT -4: CARING CAPS STAKEHOLDERS AND VALUE EXCHANGE
STAKEHOLDER PROVIDES RECEIVES
Cancer patients • Support and encouragement for • Education and information
(use the knitted individuals affected by cancer • Friendships and socialization
caps provided by • More awareness of social • Sense of purpose and belonging
Caring Caps) therapeutic (i.e., comfort in knowing • Psychological support
that their product was handmade • Involvement in the community
with care) • Sense of belonging
• Further reinforcement of the strength
and power of Caring Caps’
community through personal
storytelling
Collaborators
(mental health
advisory board
e
members,
suppliers of knitting
pl
materials such as
yarn, etc.)
m
Sa
n
tio
lu
So
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
