THE INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR

AND PHILANTHROPIST MALCOLM HARRIS

A dissertation presented to
the Faculty of Saybrook University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Organizational Systems
by
Denise A. Gotchall








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November 2010




UMI Number: 3439695






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2010 by Denise A. Gotchall



Approval of the Dissertation

THE INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR
AND PHILANTHROPIST MALCOLM HARRIS

This dissertation by Denise A. Gotchall has been approved by the committee members
below, who recommend it be accepted by the faculty of Saybrook University in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Organizational Systems




Dissertation Committee:

__________[Signature]__________ ___________________
John Adams, Ph.D., Chair Date


__________[Signature]__________ ____________________
Dennis Jaffe, Ph.D. Date


__________[Signature]__________ ____________________
Doug Walton, Ph.D. Date
ii

Abstract

THE INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR
AND PHILANTHROPIST MALCOLM HARRIS

Denise A. Gotchall
Saybrook University


The purpose of this study was to examine how inspirational leadership contributes
to social entrepreneurship and philanthropy in ways that can be followed by other leaders,
through understanding how one leader describes his personal epiphany, changes, and
decisions. This study was an examination of the inspirational leadership of fashion
designer Malcolm Harris, his role as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist, and his
contributions to a more beneficent society. Harris is the co-founder of Designers for
Darfur and the founder of One Dress.
Data were collected through interviewing Harris using appreciative inquiry, and
open-ended questions were posed to 8 participantspeers, professional colleagues, and
friends. The interviews took place over a 3-month-period. Findings, conclusions, and
recommendations for further research were shared with all participants.
Findings from Harriss interview based on the four phases of appreciative inquiry
(discovery, dream, design, destiny) uncovered such themes as epiphany, mentoring,
power of the fashion industry, brands with awareness, conquering fears, and the solitary
journey towards leadership. Participants narratives confirmed traits associated with
inspirational leadership as determined by Hay Group including: leads by example,
iii

stimulates enthusiasm, inspires others, and communicates a compelling vision.
Unanticipated themes included social awareness, ethics and trust from others, sense of
self and grounded, challenges and resilience, uniqueness, and spiritual. Similarities and
differences related to the literature and compared to other social entrepreneurs and
philanthropists led to an enhanced understanding of the role of inspirational leadership
and the construct of leader lead thyself.
Findings from this study could be enhanced through longitudinal studies that
would add insight into the possibility of improvement, stability, or learning of new traits
for individual leaders over time and integrate these findings into the curriculum of
schools of fashion and design, business schools, and leadership programs. Multiple case
studies would add to a better understanding of leadership traits found in various
professions and compare those to fashion designers. As the concept of soul gains
credibility in organizations, the implications of a spiritual practice for inspirational
business leaders could further be investigated.



Dedication

I dedicate this dissertation to my late father, Richard D. Agler, my Mom, Donna M.
Agler, and to my son, Matthew J. Preusser.
Dad often worked two jobs to help me pursue my dreams.
Mom, thanks for always believing in me and loving me.
Matt, you are my miracle.
iv

Acknowledgments
When I began this doctoral journey I was told by those who preceded me to
remember it would take self-discipline and devotion. It also involves the unwavering
support of friends and family.
I wish to thank Joe Gotchall for understanding my passion for this adventure.
My editor, Monika Landenhamer, has been there to provide guidance and humor
as I worked. Monika transcends what it means to be an editor, and has become a
wonderful friend.
When I began to work on my dissertation, I was employed as a counselor at Green
High School. Leaving for San Francisco involved extra work for my family of friends in
the office. They took care of my day-to-day work while I was across the country pursuing
a dream. My special thanks to Malia Miller, Jerry Palumbo, Michelle DeVitis, and
Lauren Hodgkinson. I have no siblings, but I cant imagine any that would be better than
all of you.
At Walsh University, while working as an adjunct, I found friendship and support
from colleagues. A special thank you to Skip Koff, Dan Suvac, Lori Dewees, and Miles
Freeman. Ron Fountain has been a friend and mentor throughout the process, and I shall
be forever thankful. These individuals provided intellectual questions for me to ponder,
and provided humor in my life.
My friends at Saybrook I believe will always be a part of my life. As we sat at our
familiar dining table, Jose Triado and Gumby always added to our conversations.
Throughout the years, John Anderson has been my telephone support system. Tom
Stewart has cheered me on throughout this dissertation. Brainstorming sessions with Tom
v

were priceless. My dear friend, Kaffia (Belle) Jones and I toasted many evenings as we
skyped with one another, cheered for one another, and consciously chose to laugh instead
of cry.
Without a wonderful committee this would not have been such a rewarding
process. Dennis Jaffee, Doug Walton, and John Adams exemplify academic excellence. I
told friends that these gentle men all had this wonderful way of explaining your mistakes.
Somehow at the end of it, you felt good about yourself! John Adams was my reason for
coming to Saybrook. John supported me, questioned me, and was always there in my
corner! John was my chair, and is my friend.
The participants interviewed for this dissertation gave me their time and their
stories. Malcolm Harris shared his life story with me. A thank you seems so inadequate to
someone who has empowered me to reach a dream. I am so proud of Malcolm Harris as a
designer and a man.



vi


TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... ix
List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... x

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION........................................................................................1
Someone to Lead the Way...................................................................................................1
Statement of the Problem.....................................................................................................2
Social Entrepreneurs ................................................................................................3
Philanthropists..........................................................................................................4
Personal Interest...................................................................................................................5
Fashion Designer Pilot Study...................................................................................6
Modern Day Philanthropist......................................................................................6
Purpose of the Study............................................................................................................7
Research Questions..............................................................................................................9
Rationale for the Study ........................................................................................................9

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE............................................................12
Introduction........................................................................................................................12
What is a Social Entrepreneur?..........................................................................................13
Values ....................................................................................................................19
Risks and Benefits..................................................................................................21
Summary................................................................................................................22
The Path of Philanthropists................................................................................................23
Roots of Philanthropy ............................................................................................24
The Philanthropic Relationship..............................................................................25
Summary................................................................................................................29
Inspirational Leadership.....................................................................................................31
Contagious Leadership...........................................................................................33
The Leaders Story.................................................................................................34
A Leaders Moral Purpose.....................................................................................35
Summary................................................................................................................36
The Single Case and the Use of Appreciative Inquiry.......................................................37
Single Case Study ..................................................................................................37
Appreciative Inquiry..............................................................................................39
Summary................................................................................................................40
Summary of the Review of the Literature..........................................................................41

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHOD.............................................................................43
Introduction........................................................................................................................43
Participants.........................................................................................................................43
Consent ..................................................................................................................44
Procedure ...............................................................................................................45
Case Study Method............................................................................................................46
Rational for Multiple Case Study and Appreciative Inquiry .................................47
vii

Data Collection ..................................................................................................................47
Data Analysis .....................................................................................................................49
Bounded System of the Narrative..........................................................................51
Narrative ................................................................................................................51
Ethical Considerations .......................................................................................................51
Delimitations and Limitations............................................................................................52
Conclusion .........................................................................................................................54

CHAPTER 4: PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS.............................................................56
Overview of Data Presentation..........................................................................................56
Findings From Malcolm Harriss Interview......................................................................58
Setting the Stage ...................................................................................................58
Malcolm Harriss Life............................................................................................59
The Phases of Appreciative Inquiry.......................................................................69
The Discovery Phase..................................................................................70
Epiphany ........................................................................................70
Mentoring.......................................................................................71
One Dress Contributions................................................................71
The Dream Phase .......................................................................................72
Power of Fashion and Social Awareness .......................................72
Bigger Message..............................................................................73
Raising Awareness and a Mirror of the Times ..............................73
Changing Laws ..............................................................................74
The Design Phase.......................................................................................74
Real Time, Know Your Customers................................................74
Mentor............................................................................................75
Networking ....................................................................................75
Financial Plan.................................................................................75
The Destiny Phase......................................................................................76
Organization/Execution .................................................................77
Loyal Network ...............................................................................77
Strong/Inspirational Leadership.....................................................78
Conquer Fears ................................................................................78
Summary................................................................................................................79
Themes From Participants Interviews ..............................................................................79
Leads by Example..................................................................................................81
Stimulates Enthusiasm...........................................................................................82
Inspires Others .......................................................................................................83
Communicates a Compelling Vision .....................................................................85
Summary................................................................................................................88
Unanticipated Findings ......................................................................................................88
Social Awareness ...................................................................................................90
Ethics and Trust From Others ................................................................................91
Sense of Self and Grounded...................................................................................91
Challenges and Resilience .....................................................................................92
Uniqueness.............................................................................................................93
viii

Spiritual..................................................................................................................94
Summary................................................................................................................94
Affirmation of Appreciative Inquiry..................................................................................96

CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS............................99
Overview............................................................................................................................99
Relating the Findings to the Literature ............................................................................100
Appreciative Inquiry............................................................................................100
Inspirational Leadership.......................................................................................101
Life Events ...........................................................................................................104
Life Changes ........................................................................................................105
Commonalities and Differences...........................................................................107
Discussion of Unanticipated Findings and Conclusion ...................................................110
Implications......................................................................................................................113
Recommendations for Leaders ........................................................................................115
Suggestions for Further Research ....................................................................................116
A Final Personal Reflection.............................................................................................118

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................120

APPENDIXES.................................................................................................................130
A. ................................................................................................................. I
nformed Consent to Participate in Research..................................................130
B. ................................................................................................................. I
nterview Guide for Leaders ...........................................................................134
C. ................................................................................................................. I
nterview Guide for Followers ........................................................................135
D. ................................................................................................................. S
elections From the Interviews with Malcolm Harris .....................................136
E................................................................................................................... O
ne Dress: Executive Summary.......................................................................151
F. .................................................................................................................. O
ne Dress: Financial Plan.................................................................................152

ix


LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. The Discovery Phase: Questions Addressing Malcolms Story, Life
Events, and Changes............................................................................................70

Table 2. The Dream Phase: Questions Relating to the Vision of What Could Be ............72

Table 3. The Design Phase: Questions Relating to Making the Dream a Reality .............74

Table 4. The Destiny Phase: Questions Relating to the Actualization of the Plan............76

Table 5. Themes From Participants Interviews Based on Research Questions................80

Table 6. Unanticipated Findings From Participants Interviews .......................................89

x


LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Relevant Situations for Different Research Strategies .........................................8

Figure 2. Problem Solving Through Appreciative Inquiry................................................10


1

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Morning is when I am awake and there is a dawn in meWe must learn to
reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite
expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep. I know
of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his
life by conscious endeavor. It is something to be able to paint a particular picture,
or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more
glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we
look to affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.
(Thoreau, 1910, p. 117)

Someone to Lead the Way
A human beings ability to elevate his or her life is a distinct quality of mankind.
As humans we are able to make choices that directly affect the quality of our personal
lives and/or the quality of others lives. There is personal joy for this researcher in
watching and hearing the stories of those individuals who rise above adversity and
elevate not only their lives, but also the lives of others. There are those born into financial
wealth with the monetary resources to make decisions that contribute to a better world for
mankind; yet, at the same time, there are those who do not choose to reach out to others.
Regardless of the starting point, the decision to reach for a better life and to contribute to
a better world is the best of what can be found in leaders.
This study is an inquiry to foster a better understanding of what factors play a role
in making the decision to reach out to fellow man rather than to remain blind to the
outside world. Once these factors are identified, will it be possible to hone these traits and
values, in leaders and managers? What would be the benefit to society to introduce
students of business and management to the leadership style of social entrepreneurs,
while confronting the benefits and the risks?
2

Schneider (2008) asserted that great leaders make shifts in themselves and others
towards new ways of thinking, feeling, and acting. In a like manner, Bass (1985) and
Piccolo and Colquitt (2006) labeled this behavior of leaders to communicate a compelling
vision of the future as inspirational motivation. These leaders emphasize to their
followers how their work contributes to the achievement of a vision; and followers are
inspired to develop new ways of dealing with problems.
In a related study, Kanter (2009) reported that inspiration is integral to the art of
leadership. It is necessary for a leader to not only inspire action, but to also guide
followers in productive directions. Fisher (2007) suggested even further that Howard
Gardners (2007) study of the ethical mind is imperative to ones ability to fulfill ones
responsibilities as a citizen and to identify with fellow human beings.
Individual decisions to strive for a better life, inspire others, and act with an
ethical mind represent the positive side of leadership. This positive approach to
leadership will be studied through the work of a social entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Statement of the Problem
The central problem on which this research focused are the decisions made and
the life events experienced by those leaders who choose to become social entrepreneurs
and philanthropists. The single case of Malcolm Harris was used to examine his personal
decisions that lead him to work towards a more just world and provide opportunities for
others. Additionally, several participants familiar with Harris in various capacities were
interviewed to capture their views of his leadership. Inherent to this problem is the task of
defining the terms social entrepreneur and philanthropist. Alvord, Brown, and Letts
(2003) developed a framework of leadership characteristics within the context of social
3

entrepreneurs to build a bridging capacity in which they were able to work effectively
across many diverse constituencies (p. 145). At the same time, Flannery and Deiglmeier
(2000) noted that leaders must be able to create a high performance culture (p. 2).
Additionally, Van Slyke and Newman (2006) reported about one of the first studies to
examine the relationship between social entrepreneurship and philanthropy (p. 346).
Majeska (2000) noted that the career path for leaders within the social purpose sector is
still being constructed. Emerson (2000) emphasized that the leaders value will be found
in the spirit of their words, their ability to inspire new constituents to join the parade,
and their ability to bring cool water, in the form of new resources, to those who march
(p. 252).
To provide a background from which to analyze and interpret the factors that
contributed to Malcolm Harriss decisions, definitions of what constitutes a social
entrepreneur and a philanthropist are first presented.
Social Entrepreneurs
Websters New World Dictionary (1987) defines social as having to do with
human beings in their living together, living with others, of or having to do with society
(p. 567). In the same manner, the definition of entrepreneur is noted as one who
organizes a business undertaking, assuming the risk for the sake of the profit (p. 205).
Chapter 2, Review of the Literature, reveals that as of yet, the definition of social
entrepreneur is still in debate. Recognizing this evolving view, this researcher defined
social entrepreneur as one who organizes and assumes the risk of a business or enterprise
of or relating to human society.
4

Jeff Skoll, founder of Ebay and the Skoll Foundation, Bill Drayton (Ashoka
Foundation), and Klaus and Hilde Schwab (Schwab Foundation) are among those who
have established foundations to support social entrepreneurs. These individuals, just as
with inspirational leaders, are agents of change; however, social entrepreneurs may be
advanced in their abilities to see mans interconnectedness on a global scale. Within their
stories may be the knowing that to remain in a silo of wealth without consideration or
action on behalf of those less fortunate would not be living their purpose in life.
Philanthropists
A philanthropist is one who promotes goodwill toward all people, especially the
effort to promote human welfare (American Heritage Dictionary, 2006). Baileys (2009)
article in Fast Company features Warren Buffett as a philanthropist noting the billion
dollars he has given to each of his three children for their charitable foundations. Yet,
Buffett reported that he gave the financial gifts to his children because he doubted that he
would be good at philanthropy. He used a metaphor to illustrate:
When evaluating whether to buy a stock, he says, hell wait months or even years
until he feels comfortable swinging at easy pitches. But in philanthropy, youre
really trying to swing at balls other people have been missing, he says. Plus, the
datas kind of fuzzy. (p. 76)
There exists also the tarnished opinion that philanthropists are a self-serving
group providing money to substantiate tax deductions (Commission on Foundations and
Private Philanthropy, 2004). For instance, Ostrander and Schervish (2004) hypothesized
that among the different strategies of philanthropists, there was a donor-oriented strategy
in which the primary focus was not the recipients needs but rather the donors interests
and obligations.
5

In line with the affirmative approach of this study and trying to identify positive
events, habits, and influences that guide philanthropists, the working definition for this
study is in line with the altruistic view of promoting goodwill towards all people,
especially the effort to promote welfare of humanity.
Personal Interest
This research evolved from my personal experience working in the fashion
industry for two decades, and a desire to better understand why some individuals do well
and do good. My particular interest in the subjects of social entrepreneurs and
philanthropists centers on the fashion designer Malcolm Harris.
Harris is the fashion designer who organized Designers for Darfur (2008). This
author became aware of Harriss efforts on February 14, 2007 during a blizzard in Ohio.
The Today Show broadcast a segment on Designers for Darfur, which was a collaborative
effort of designers donating proceeds of their fashion from the spring fashion week to the
Save Darfur Coalition (2007).
The words fashion in juxtaposition to philanthropist as well as social
entrepreneur may well be interpreted as oxymoronic word usage. Yet, the world of
fashion impacts civilized society. For this reason, Georg Simmel is considered to be the
first academic to analyze fashion (Ortoleva, 1998). Simmels trickle-down theory of
fashion and the fashion designer posited that styles were set by the elite in order to
differentiate themselves from the lesser classes. Harris, a current fashion designer,
chooses to focus his work on people in need. This author, therefore, focused this study on
the case of this fashion designer and his leadership impact within the constructs of social
entrepreneurs and philanthropists.
6

Fashion Designer Pilot Study
In 2007, this author followed up on the Today Show segment and was granted an
interview with Harris at his New York design house. Harris was interviewed for a pilot
study as part of my studies at Saybrook University. To develop a baseline assessment of
Harriss leadership qualities, I administered the Emotional Competency Inventory (ECI).
The ECI is a 360-evaluation tool that includes not only Harriss feedback on himself, but
also the feedback of peers, direct reports, and friends. His scores for inspirational
leadership were above the target level. In other areas too, Harris is an anomaly in the
authors personal experience working within the fashion industry. He is not secretive, nor
is he difficult to reach. Harris offered an open door policy from the initial meeting in
2007. Following the completion of the pilot study, Harris extended an invitation to this
author to continue her research with him, and he would open the doors to his design
house and archival records if she chose to continue her study.
Modern Day Philanthropist
Harris turned the focus of his fashion career towards philanthropy when he
discovered the plight of the people in Africa. Harris noted, I could not get the sight of
the people in Darfur out of my mind (personal communication, April 3, 2007). Darfur
was the personal impetus that shifted Harriss focus from the monetary gain associated
with fashion and design to using his talents to better the world. As he has often said,
Making the world better one dress at a time (personal communication, August 2007)
became the primary goal of his work. That phrase has evolved into looking at wrapping
the world in love (personal communication, March 23, 2010).
7

Since that time in April 2007, Harris has designed the One Dress, a design
developed through the collaboration of 1,000 women around the globe. The color of each
dress signifies a charity. For example, the pink One Dress has a portion of the sale
proceeds donated to research for breast cancer, the red dress represents a donation to
heart research. Additionally, dress colors not tied to a specific charity result in donation
to the Kiva Foundation, as well as Womankind.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to examine how inspirational leadership contributes
to social entrepreneurship and philanthropy in ways that can be followed by other leaders.
To achieve this, the researcher first identified and explored significant aspects in the life
of Malcolm Harris. Harriss decisions to rise above adversity and to use his talents for
philanthropic and social causes were examined. Harris, a self-proclaimed complainer
(personal communication, August 2007), changed the focus of his career as a fashion
designer when he observed the suffering of the people of Darfur through the media. This
researcher also examined the leadership of Harris as he furthers his work as a social
entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Arrangements were made to meet with Harris to collect data for this case study.
During the interviews and observations, Harris was asked to describe from his own
perspectives the factors that contributed to his personal changes; particularly, the changes
of priorities in his life. Prior research and studying the works of Goleman, Boyatzis, and
McKee (2002) reinforced this researchers belief that leadership can be learned. The
outcomes of this study can impact not only schools of fashion and design, but also
schools of business. Denzin (1989) suggested that to connect stories, lived experiences,
8

and the epiphanies of lives allows us to better understand human dignity, hopes, dreams,
gains, and losses. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that within academia, case study
research can contribute to the social and humanitarian aspect of future leaders. Isaacson
(2005) noted that through the iterative method of analysis, theories are developed and
refined. Ultimately, a marriage of theory and data is developed that furthers the
knowledge of leadership in the fields of social entrepreneurship and philanthropy.
Denzin and Lincoln (2005) reported that a case study is both a process of inquiry
about the case and the product of that inquiry. Figure 1 supports Yins (2003) reasoning
for using the case study method.


Figure 1. Relevant situations for different research strategies. From Case Study
Research: Design and Methods by R. K. Yin, 2003, p. 5. Thousand Oaks: Sage.


Furthermore, Appreciative Inquiry will be used as the mode of inquiry with
Harris. To this end, the researcher provides generalizations arrived at by analyzing the
data provided through the interviews.

9

Research Questions
The main question of this study was: What can be learned from the leadership of
Malcolm Harris as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist that contributes to a more
beneficent society?
The secondary questions were:
1. What were the life events in the life of Harris that contributed to the work as a
social entrepreneur and philanthropist?
2. How did Harris describe the changes in his life that contributed to social
entrepreneurship and philanthropy?
3. What commonalities and differences emerged among Harris and other social
entrepreneurs and philanthropists?
Rationale for the Study
Harman (1998) stated,
It doesnt matter if the action generates opposition, or encounters obstacles, or
seems to end in failure. It doesnt even matter if the goal turns out not to be what
we really want. Only one thing is essentialthe inner decision to follow the deep
sense of purpose and to consider all else as feedback from a basically friendly
universe. (p. 193)
This research examined social entrepreneurs and philanthropists through the case
of Malcolm Harris. This author intended to uncover the inner decisions made by Harris
that have led to the purpose of his contributions. For this reason, instead of examining his
individual decisions from a problem to be solved perspective, an appreciative view
of what was and is best in Harris was taken. What gave life to him (Cooperrider, 1986;
Cooperrider, Sorensen, Whitney, & Yaeger, 2000) and what influenced him to become a
social entrepreneur and philanthropist? Figure 2 provides a graphic example of the
differences found between problem solving and appreciative inquiry.
10






Figure 2. From Problem Solving Through Appreciative Inquiry by Cooperrider et al.,
2000, p. 23. Champaign, IL: Stipes.



As Adams (2000) stated in Thinking Today as if Tomorrow Mattered: The Rise of
a Sustainable Consciousness every one of us is involved in co-creating whatever future
we are going to experience (p. ix). Believing that real transformation occurs one
mindset at a time (p. xv), this investigation into the life of Harris contributes to the study
of leadership. This study not only shows how inspirational leadership impacts the leader,
but also how that leadership impacts the thoughts and actions of followers.
Therefore, this researcher examined the leadership of a social entrepreneur and
philanthropist as a mystery to be embraced as the details of his story unfolded. Past
11

research contributed to developing a better understanding of what motivates social
entrepreneurs and philanthropists. Drawn from the stories of Harris, and as noted by
Ludema (1996), a researcher must ask what new possibilities can be discovered and
developed from the narratives that hold potential to make a transformative contribution to
human thought and action.

12


CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
Introduction
And those who were seen dancing
were thought to be insane by those
who could not hear the music.
(unattributed)
This chapter builds the research study through the analysis of the following
topics: social entrepreneurs, philanthropy, leadership, and justification for the use of the
single case study method. First, the topic of social entrepreneurs is examined. These men
and women are role models for present and future generations. Through their actions we
are provided with living examples of mans humanity to fellow man. They invest in
causes that mainstream society may choose to ignore; yet, through their persistence and
effort, attention is brought to those issues. For these reasons, the individual traits, values,
missions, risks, and benefits of being a social entrepreneur are investigated. The
investigation of commonalities and differences of former social entrepreneurs legitimizes
the study and adds depth to the questions regarding the traits of social entrepreneurs. As
Pink (2009) pointed out, the 2002 Nobel Prize in economics was awarded to Daniel
Kahneman, a psychologist. Kahneman, not trained in economics, noted that the
calculator-brained person was not what drove economics in the world. Rather, the human
played a large part in global economics. Social entrepreneurs, driven by their values, are
not slaves to debits and credits of the traditional business sector. Their human values
allowingperhaps propellingthem to take risks.
Values assumed by social entrepreneurs have the potential to bring about a
sustained shift (Young, 2006, p. 67) in the social or economic relations of
13

disadvantaged groups. This empowerment through employment of the disadvantaged can
create new benchmarks for what is acceptable to the buyer of these products and what is
no longer acceptable.
Second, the chapter examines the history of philanthropy and a representative
sample of famous philanthropists. Furthermore, the theories of moral givingor giving
back to societyas well as catalytic philanthropy are discussed. For instance, Maher
(2000) estimated that only 3% of all philanthropy goes towards change in the social
structure. The examination of current philanthropists contributes additional perspective to
the conversation for a possible change of stance in philanthropy.
Social scientists see traditional philanthropists as using their contributions to
maintain their power and their position (Kendall, 2002; Odendahl, 1990). Yet, Frank
(1988) argued that emotions enter into the decision to give as well, and that our human
nature helps to shape what we see. This section adds to the existing research as well as
brings legitimacy to the questions posed. Third, the literature regarding leadership was
examined. The stories and purposes of other leaders known to be social entrepreneurs or
philanthropists add focus to the research topic and questions and allow for comparison.
The final section of the literature review examines the use of the single case study
method and justifies this researchers choice of employing open-ended questions and the
appreciative inquiry approach in data collection and data analysis.
What is a Social Entrepreneur?
The definition of social entrepreneur is widely discussed in academia. Business
departments of universities such as Stanford, Harvard, and Duke have created an area of
specialization to study the social entrepreneur. Social entrepreneurs include both men and
14

women with their own ethical or religious motives, personal altruism, professional
interests, cultural mutuality, and those striving for the development of solidarity towards
a cause. Therefore, the term social entrepreneur represents an umbrella term for a
considerable range of innovative and dynamic international praxis and discourse in the
social and environmental sectors (Nicholls, 2006). Fundamentally, a social entrepreneur
is committed to making a difference in the world (Yunus, 2006).
Dees (2001) laid a foundation for Nicholls (2006) and Yunus (2006) definitions
of a social entrepreneur as a change agent by describing the individual traits and the
levels of analysis of social entrepreneurs as change agents according to the following
criteria:
Adopting a mission to create and to sustain social value; recognizing and
relentlessly pursuing new opportunities to serve that mission; engaging in a
process of continuous innovation, adaptation, and learning; acting boldly without
being limited by resources currently in hand; and exhibiting a heightened sense of
accountability to the constituencies served and for the outcomes created. (p. 4)
Dees, a Duke University School of Business professor, wrote in his 2001 paper,
The Meaning of Social Entrepreneurship, that social entrepreneurs are one species of
the genus entrepreneur (p. 2). They are entrepreneurs with a social mission and, therefore,
differ from a business entrepreneur, whose focus is on money and on achieving a
measurable outcome of greatness (J. Collins, 2005).
This lack of clarity within the definition of social entrepreneur allows for some
flexibility of the terminology. Social entrepreneurs demonstrate an unrelenting focus on
systemic social change that disregards institutional and organizational norms and
boundaries (Nicholls & Cho, 2006).
Muhammed Yunus, a leading social entrepreneur, and founder of Grameen Bank
described his breed of social entrepreneur as 70 percent crazy (Elkington & Hartigan,
15

2008). Yunus was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (Ashoka, n.d.). In starting the Grameen
Bank, Yunus (2007) asked the question, Are the banks people-worthy?(p. 49). When he
discovered that the banks in Bangladesh were not people-worthy, he realized that it was
time to create a new bank. Grameen Bank not only provides financial services to poor
women, but it also provides a social agenda for the poor. No one borrower ever stands
alone. The self-made groups of micro-finance recipients consists of five friends, no two
of whom may be closely related. If one of the friends wishes to take out a loan, she must
get the approval of the other four members of her group. An additional benefit of this
social group is the fact that virtually every Grameen family has all of its school-age
children atttending classes regularly (p. 59). This is one of the many reasons why Yunus
was chosen as a Drayton Ashoka Fellow.
Drayton (2006) noted that the leading social entrepreneurs cannot come to rest
until they have changed the pattern in their fields all across society. Bornstein (2007)
described Drayton as a modern day explorer (p. 11) as he set out in search of the most
talented social entrepreneurs. Drayton, a former lawyer, consultant, and assistant
administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency founded the organization
Ashoka: Innovators for the Public (Bornstein, 2007). The name itself is a tribute to one of
Draytons heroes, Ashoka, who unified much of South Asia in the 3
rd
century B.C.E. and
was known to be one of the most tolerant, global-minded, and creative leaders in history.
Drayton and a team from his organization travel the world interviewing individuals who
have been nominated as someone who will cause major, positive change in their fields.
His system broke down the question of suitability by looking at creativity, entrepreneurial
quality, social impact of the idea, and ethical fiber. The nominees will become
16

references in their fields, or will set or change pattern (p. 12). Their life vision is the
new pattern and they are propelled by emotion.
This new breed of entrepreneur is a mix of business, charity, and social movement
models. Harris appears to be an example of this new breed. During the time of the pilot
study, as well as during more recent conversations, Harris refers to using his talents in
fashion design as his means of helping other human beings overcome their challenges.
Harris has been preceded by other entrepreneurs who often get involved in social
movements as a result of conversion experiences that deeply moved them and awakened
them to some serious plight in the world. For example, I have chosen seven modern day
social entrepreneurs whose conversion experiences impacted me emotionally and, at the
same time, impressed me in the ways that they chose to use their influence and their
talents to impact society. Bob Geldorf and Bono used their celebrity status as musicians.
Vera Cordeiro, a physician, and Veronica Khosa, a nurse, are working to alleviate
suffering in their respective countries. Fazel Abed, Bunker Roy, and Roy Posterman
directed their wealth and knowledge of the financial markets to improve the lives of
others.
Bob Geldof, a reknowned singer and songwriter, was moved by images of
young children in Africa dying of starvation and in 1984 organized a group of
musicians and singers to record the single Do They Know Its Christmas
(Bob Geldof, 2005.). His work has continued with additional concerts drawing
global attention to world poverty.
The rock star, Bono, founded the one campaign as a response to the
devastation of HIV/AIDS in Africa. In addition to that, he and his wife, Ali
Hewson, designer Rogan Gregory, and their partner, Scott Hahn started the
eco-fashion line, Edun (or nude spelled backward). The garments are
produced in family-run factories in Africa and South America providing
wages to people in the villages. Ten dollars, which is equal to 25%, from each
Edun designed T-shirt is donated to the one campaign (Hethorn &
17

Ulasewicz, 2008). Lives have been saved and billions of dollars of debt have
been forgiven due to his ongoing efforts (Bono, 2007).
Vera Cordeiro, a physician living in Rio de Janeiro founded the Association
for Childrens Health. The association began after Cordeiro raffled off sheets
that her mother had embroidered. Cordeiro was driven to develop a project
that would stop the cycle of readmissions to the hospital among poor children.
Through the use of professional staff and volunteers, Cordeiros dream
materialized. She eventually became an Ashoka Fellow and received
assistance to grow her organization. There is now a section of the organization
that provides training for woman in craftsmaking, in addition to providing
loans for further education (Bornstein, 2007).
Veronica Khosa, a nurse living and working in South Africa was moved by
the increasing rate of AIDS and the lack of people to care for those who were
infected. She began Tateni, a training program in basic home care. After first
receiving criticism for her efforts, Khosa eventually got support through a
government grant, and Tateni became the model for successful home care
training in her country (Bornstein, 2007).
Fazel Abed, a former accountant holding a senior executive position with
Shell Oil in Chittagong, founded the Bangladesh Rural Advancement
Committee (BRAC) in 1972 to provide relief and rehabilitation for refugees
from Pakistan. Abed was changed by the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh
when he witnessed the brutality and agony of war (People at BRAC, n.d.). His
organization, BRAC, works in health education and microfinance in 68,408
villages in Bangladesh (Nicholls, 2006).
Bunker Roy, the founder of Barefoot College, was raised in wealth and
educated at the most elite of Indian schools, yet the Bihar famine of the 1960s
changed the course of his life. In 1971, Bunker Roy went on to found Barefoot
College, the only college in India built by the rural poor for the rural poor.
Roys ideas grew to 20 Barefoot Colleges in 13 states in India training
engineers, architects, teachers, accountants, managers, midwives, and other
skilled professionals to work within their own communities. The college takes
Indians from the lowest of classes in the country (Milnes, 2006).
Roy Posterman, a Harvard Law School graduate, left a career with a law firm
to accept a teaching post at the University of Washington and to become
president of the Rural Development Institute. Posterman was moved by the
poverty he had seen in Liberia and Puerto Rico when he represented clients
during his law firm career. He is now viewed as an expert in land reform for
the poor in developing countries, and his approaches to land reform are being
applied in 37 developing countries around the globe (Rural Development
Institute, n.d.). Posterman has been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace
Prize.
18

The social entrepreneurs lives are much different than those of the
underprivileged people they feel compelled to help to a better life. As a result, they see
value in what they are providing for others: there is a social value in helping the less
fortunate. Building on this theme, Dees (2001) stated in his summarization of the social
entrepreneur that the social entrepreneur plays the role of a change agent in the social
sector. Within that social sector, part of the mission of the social entrepreneur is to
sustain social value. The social entrepreneur sustains social value by his or her ability to
persuade, enlighten, touch hearts, shift perceptions, articulate new meanings, and move
concepts (Hethorn & Ulasewicz, 2008).
Senge, Scharmer, Jaworski, and Flowers (2004) and Wilmot (2003) studied the
power of the heart and how social innovations emanate from that personal commitment
generated by one mindset at a time. The social entrepreneur seemingly has the ability to
associate meaningfulness and deeper knowing with one of the oldest cultural metaphors,
that of seeing with the heart (Senge et al., p. 55). It is also this researchers belief that
social entrepreneurs play a pivotal part in global social innovation and, particularly, the
functioning of global social change necessary to combat social ills (Cooperrider &
Pasmore, 1991; Wilmot, 2003).
This section of the literature review has found qualities of social entrepreneurs to
include lives of privilege. Additionally, they are change agents. Conversion experiences
contributed to their works as social entrepreneurs. The social entrepreneurs personal
commitment and ability to see beyond the self contributes to their ability to touch the
hearts of others. Integral to those constructs are the values that each and every social
entrepreneur brings to his or her project.
19

Values
Nicholls (2006) noted that social entrepreneurs create value that is social in
contrast to traditional businesses whose bottom line is accepted as the measure of value
for that business. Philosopher Joseph Razs The Practice of Value (2005) accounts for the
different lenses of values that social entrepreneurs may use to tell their stories in the most
compelling way possible.
Jean Monnet, the architect of European unification, believed that one could not
concentrate on an objective and on ones self at the same time. To Monnet, ambitious
people fell into two groups: those who wanted to do something (the social entrepreneur)
and those who wanted to be someone (Bornstein, 2007). Monnets value of unification
placed him in a position to do something for the advancement of society.
The significance of values is crucial to the social entrepreneur. Nicholls (2006)
argued that the social entrepreneur had an opportunity to create social impact throughout
the entire value chain. The organizational landscape of the social entrepreneur is a
dynamic continuum distinct from other public, private, or civil sectors.
Bornstein (2007) suggested that this distinction contributed to the social
entrepreneurs willingness to work quietly, to work across disciplinary boundaries, to
break free of established structures, and to share credit with others. The social
entrepreneur may spend decades advancing his or her idea and influencing people in
small groups or one-on-one. For example, the founder of the Ashoka Foundation, Bill
Drayton, conducted 100,000 conversations over 30 years (Bornstein, 2007). In his early
years, he recognized the importance of doing it right (p. 120). Drayton devised a
system to recognize what he would consider to be a social entrepreneur worthy of the title
20

of an Ashoka fellow. His system broke down the question of suitability by looking at
creativity, entrepreneurial quality, social impact of the idea, and ethical fiber: all values
of Drayton.
At the same time, there is always a social moral or social mission focus to the
activities of the social entrepreneur. Young (2006) proposed that social entrepreneurs
activities benefited people whose urgent and reasonable needs were not being met by
other means. Bornstein (2007) asserted that the social entrepreneur crossed disciplines
and was an alchemist. The alchemist was able to take the basic and simple and turn it
into a treasure; much as the social entrepreneur was able to do using his ingenuity and
acumen for business.
As Guclu, Dees, and Anderson (2002) pointed out, the recipients social needs
may provide motivators for the social entrepreneur, allowing for the disagreement among
people as to the actual value of the ideas. Consequently, the needs of the residents in New
Orleans following Hurricane Katrina differed from those of people in frequently flooded
Bangladesh. Further, to be without water presents a different need and elicits a different
set of fears than to witness a relative losing a life battle with AIDS. Poverty and illiteracy
have many faces, but a common thread of social value being assigned to their needs is
intrinsic to the lives of the people suffering. The social entrepreneur responds to the
perceived needs and assigns social value to the situation.
Furthermore, those needs provide intrinsic motivation to the social entrepreneur.
In this section, I have discussed the specific values that social entrepreneurs bring to their
projects. For some social entrepreneurs the value of unification for a country or people
may be a driving force. The social needs of the recipients may hold value and motivation
21

for the social entrepreneur. Whether social entrepreneurs are moved by a social moral
focus, a social mission focus, or a combination of the two, their drive to carry forth their
projects can impact the entire value chain. The next section introduces not only the
potential benefits social entrepreneurs may reap from their engagement in a project, but
also the potential risks that they may encounter as agents of change.
Risks and Benefits
The social entrepreneur may assume financial and /or professional risks in his or
her break from established structures. Yunus (2006) noted that some social entrepreneurs
used money, while others gave of their time, labor, or skill. These risk factors
paradoxically provide freedom to take action. Nicholls and Cho (2006) defined this
venture involving risk by its operational context and pointed out that it would most likely
be quite distinct from conventional business entrepreneurs because markets do not do a
good job of measuring the work of social entrepreneurs. For example, Dees (2001)
challenged his readers to think about how much social value was created by reducing
pollution, saving the spotted owl, or providing help for the elderly. How does the market
measure the psychic income that is generated by social entrepreneurs and their recipients?
On the other hand, some global corporations are scouting for social entrepreneurs.
As one CEO candidly stated: It is nice to be seen with people who are loved (Elkington
& Hartigan, 2008). Furthermore, individual companies may be enhancing their
reputations by having social entrepreneurs as integral players on their teams (Bielak,
Bonini, & Oppenheimer, 2007). As a matter of fact, Rubenstein (2001) referred to major
turning points in the history of human development as axial periods. The emergence of
the social entrepreneur may signal an axial period in our current times.
22

Summary
The literature reinforces that it is difficult to establish one unique definition for
What is a social entrepreneur? Yet, there is agreement that these men and women are
agents of change. The circumstances that caused their changes are many and varied; yet,
it is evident that it was not a numeric formula or scientific calculation that changed the
ways they see the world. The examples provided demonstrate that current day social
entrepreneurs were touched by what their eyes saw and what they felt in their hearts as
they witnessed a world much different than what they had previously known. Whether
their beginnings were rooted in academia, business, medicine, or the arts, their lives of
privilege were transformed by empowering others. This new breed of business people is a
hybrid of business, charity, and social movement. They are agents of change. In the same
manner, values play a significant part in the social entrepreneurs role in society.
Nicholls (2006) noted that social value offers a way of conceiving the role social
entrepreneurs play in societies and the contributions they make (p. 62). The impact of
this social value crosses boundaries in the public, private, and civil sectors. Social
entrepreneurs have been compared to modern day alchemists because of their abilities to
take the basic and turn it into a treasure.
The risks inherent to being a social entrepreneur include financial as well as
personal risks. In the same manner, accepting these personal risks paradoxically provides
freedom for action. The psychic income generated by the social entrepreneur is difficult
to measure but at the same time contributes to a more beneficent society. This adds
legitimacy to the questions of the research regarding the societal influences of the social
entrepreneur.
23

The Path of Philanthropists
Grimm (2002) defined philanthropy as a reciprocal relationship in which
strategic voluntary association, voluntary giving, and voluntary action are directed toward
an individuals or groups definition of the social common good (p. xvii). The social
good has revealed differences throughout the ages as philanthropists varied in their
approaches to concentrate on immediate relief of suffering or chose to concentrate on
systemic reforms aimed at relief from suffering in the future (Grimm, 2002).
Teresa Odendahl (1990) noted that multimillionaires donate about half of the
philanthropy in the United States. Building on this theme, Odendahl reflected on
philanthropists maintaining the status quo in culture, education, and political policy. On
the other hand, Schervish (1994) interviewed over 130 millionaires from 1985-1987 in an
attempt to make theoretical sense of how the wealthy make moral sense of their lives.
Although wealth is not imperative to philanthropy, a common thread is found in the
construction of a moral personality. That commonality appears to be a self that is
responsibly shaping the world rather than simply being shaped by it (p. 182).
Therefore, the motivations of modern day philanthropists have been studied.
Whether their choices are made based on the social good or to build their sense of a
moral personality may not be determined objectively. This researcher posits that modern
philanthropists reveal through their story what motivates them and that there are indeed a
combination of motivators behind their decisions; some of which they may not even be
aware of without probing questions. However, before looking to modern day
philanthropists and their influence on society, a review of the background of philanthropy
24

provides relevant context for answering the research questions about the life events and
life changes in Harriss life.
Roots of Philanthropy
The historical recording of philanthropy began in the 1600s with the Lakota
Indians. The Lakotas encountered Europeans in Western Wisconsin and Minnesota
(Grimm, 2002) and assisted them with their survival. Since then, and of equal
importance, the numbers of recognized philanthropists continues to grow. This author
notes a few to provide examples of the many perspectives taken on the construct of
philanthropy.
Petillo (1994) pointed out that in September 1860, Jane Addams established Hull
House in Chicago, Illinois. This settlement house provided education, recreation, and
health care for European immigrants. Addams eventually received a Nobel Peace Prize
for her work and was quoted as saying, just as religion or political power did not
necessarily lead to wisdom and generosity, wealth itself seldom redeemed its possessors
(p. 141).
Andrew Carnegies exposition on wealth, entitled the The Gospel of Wealth
(1889/2006) has been studied by both Wall (1970) and Burlingame (2004). Burlingame
noted that Carnegie gave away 90% of his wealth during his lifetime, yet his judgment of
how to administer the distribution of wealth is still debated. As Carnegie stated,
This, then, is held to be the duty of the man of wealth: To set an example of
modest, unostentatious living, shunning the display of extravagance; to provide
moderately for the legitimate wants of those dependent upon him; and, after doing
so, to consider all surplus revenues which come to him simply as trust funds,
which he is called upon to administer, and strictly bound as a matter of duty to
administer in the manner which, in his judgment, is best calculated to produce the
most beneficial results for the communitythe man of wealth thus becoming the
mere trustee and agent for his poorer brethren, bringing to their service his
25

superior wisdom, experience, and ability to administer, doing for them better than
they would or could do for themselves. (pp. 17-18)
Additionally, Carnegie (1889/2006) specified how the wealth should be
distributed, citing the establishment of a university, free libraries, hospitals, public parks,
concert halls, public swimming pools, and churches. A Carnegie donation came with one
caveat: the facility must be maintained by the community. Additionally, Carnegies
donations came before the subsequent tax breaks established through the Federal Income
Tax laws of 1913 (Bartlett & Steele, 1994; Brownlee, 1996; Clotfelter, 1989; Lord, 2004;
McCarthy, 1982; Schiff, 1989)
Lords 2004 dissertation, Wealth and Social Responsibility: A Study of
Philanthropy in Southern New Hampshire and Southern Maine further supports the
exclusionary and boundary setting aspects of early philanthropists. The early elite
operated from the belief that with wealth came knowledge.
Today we know that wealth cannot buy knowledge or judgment. Although money
pays for educational opportunities, those educational opportunitiesboth formal and
informaldo not bestow knowledge or enlightened judgment upon the recipient. As
such, the philanthropist must make decisions based upon his academic and emotional
intelligence. The emotional intelligence of the philanthropist is an intrinsic part of his
relationships with those who are benefited by philanthropic giving.
The Philanthropic Relationship
Schervish (1994, 1997) theorized that wealth, like poverty, was something to
deal with. Furthermore, Schervish discovered that the wealthy had made meaning from
sequences of events in their own lives that ultimately provided a moral progression in
their lives. Thus, their wealth had moral valence for them, and at the same time provided
26

a resource for transition and transformation. In order to do this, Schervish reported that
the wealthy single out certain events as benchmarks in their lives, attribute meaning to
the events by describing them with a coherent cluster of imagery, and sequence them so
as to highlight a moral progression. Philanthropy provides a gateway to use money as a
measure of social contribution as well as of their personal transformation.
Reading the article Daddy give bucks in Fast Company (Bailey, 2009), I
followed up with a request to modern day philanthropist Howard Buffett for an interview.
A month later, on October 24, 2009, Dugger published an article in the New York Post
featuring Howard Buffett. Duggers article, From U.S. to Africa with a Fortune and a
Tractor also addressed how this man was not well known other than by the name
associated with the great wealth his father had earned at Berkshire-Hathaway. Howard
(Howie) Buffett is a farmer in Decatur, Illinois, and also a philanthropist leading the
Howard G. Buffett Foundation. Howard Buffett clearly is involved personally with the
changes he strives to implement through his foundation. At the time of this researchers
interview with Howard, he described to her the dilemma that those in poor countries are
faced with as they farm to provide foodand lifefor their families. His knowledge
coupled with the wealth allotted to him provides an example of the change made possible
by philanthropists.
Change not charity (C. Collins & Rogers, 2000; Mogil, Slepian, Woodrow, &
Batteau, 1992) mentality implements the social contribution aspect of philanthropic
donations of select current day philanthropists. This giving is directed towards altering
the structure that perpetuates inequality. Rather than assuming a stance of possessing
27

more knowledge than their recipients, these philanthropists focus on solving problems
through knowledge based reforms (Nagai, Lerner, & Rothman, 1994).
Ostrander and Schervish (2004) broadened this perspective further in their
collaborative work Giving and Getting: Philanthropy as a Social Relation. They noted
the power difference (p. 801) between donor and recipient in the social relationship. In
general, the philanthropist has active choices in the distribution of the wealth even though
recipients have active choices regarding the effect of the contributions on their lives.
Additionally, Ostrander and Schervish (2004) theorized that for the most part the
obligation to give money is based on moral grounds (p. 805). Therefore, donors are
recognized as responding to non-material incentives such as to meet social needs, fulfill
a moral duty, obtain psychic satisfaction, achieve personal and social legitimacy, gain
status, or achieve a social agenda (p. 806).
Dugger (2009) reported that current day philanthropist Howard Buffett began his
original philanthropic pursuit with a commitment to animal conservation. He has evolved
from that pursuit to one consumed by helping the poorest people in Africa. Buffett noted
that his travels to conflict zones changed him. For example, in Buffetts Fragile: The
Human Condition (2009) he reported,
One of my most difficult memories is of a mother in Angola she did not ask
me to feed her child, but to take her child. I held the hand of a mother watching
her daughter slowly slip into unconsciousness from malaria, malnutrition and
meningitis the child died three days later. (p. 21)
Another modern day philanthropist, Jacqueline Novogratz, left her career on Wall
Street to establish the Acumen Fund. She has developed the traditional model of
philanthropy which is closely associated with charity to creating a fund that ties venture
capital with traditional charity. Novagratz lives a life of privilege, and personal
28

adventures took her to remote areas of the world. During her travels she was moved by
the poverty and unfulfilled basic needs she observed. As a result, Novogratz launched the
Acumen Fund as
a venture capital fund for the poor. We would raise charitable funds, then invest
equity, loans, and grantswhatever was neededin organizations led by
visionary entrepreneurs who were delivering to low-income communities services
such as safe water, health care, housing, and alternative energy sources.
(Novogratz, 2009, p. 216)
Ostrander and Schervish (2004) used the term catalytic philanthropy to define a
type of philanthropy that called upon celebrities to lend their efforts to a cause. Kramer
(2009) employed the same term, but his definition of catalytic philanthropy determined
that four distinct practices were necessary for catalytic philanthropists: (a) they had to
have the ambition and the courage to change the world; (b) they engage others in the
campaign; (c) they use all the tools to create change, including the unconventional; and
(d) they create actionable knowledge to improve their effectiveness and to influence
others (p. 32).
More recently, academics as well as those directly involved in the business sector
are taking another view on philanthropy and evaluating it from a strategic perspective.
Kanter (2009) provided an example of this when evaluating the former CEO of Brazils
Banco Real, Fabio Barbosa. Barbosa is quoted as saying, We wanted to put aside that
social responsibility could only be obtained through philanthropy our focus had to be
strategic, with corporate responsibility seen as doing the right thing in a systemic way(p.
52).
Saiia, Carroll, and Buchholtz (2003) defined strategic philanthropy as the practice
of giving of corporate resources to address non-business community issues that also
benefit the firms strategic position and, ultimately, its bottom line (p. 170). In
29

alignment with that, Burlingame and Frishkoff (1996) provided a visual representation of
strategic philanthropy when they described it as a continuum. At one end was the
altruistic philanthropist and at the other end of the spectrum was the strategic
philanthropist.
This strategic viewpoint can not only be smart for business, but humanistic in
principle. Klaus Schwab, mentioned earlier in the review of social entrepreneurs, has also
urged companies to consider strategic philanthropy (Kanter, 2009). The people in these
companies serve as connectors and integrators using relationships with people to get
things done.
Summary
The construct of philanthropy as well as the strategies and theories used to define
philanthropy continue to expand. From the Nobel Peace Prize recipient Jane Addams to
current philanthropists Howard Buffett and Jacqueline Novogratz, the question of
common traits still exists. What influences led to their decisions to become
philanthropists and to what causes would they ultimately make donations?
Schervish (1997) noted:
Although much of the literature offers useful information, the key findings seem
to be periodically rediscovered. As a result we have a litany of well-
documented factors that appear to motivate charitable giving. In the absence of
more complex research, we know little about the relative importance of these
factors; that is, how the factors are linked together in a causal chain, and which
factors turn out to be more important and which turn out to be less important in
the light of multivariate statistical analyses. This is true for qualitative as well as
quantitative research efforts. To date, neither approach for studying charitable
giving has endeavored to produce anything even approaching normal science.
(p. 111)
As this examination of literature has shown, from the generosity of the Lakota
Indians to modern day philanthropists Howard Buffett and Jacqueline Novogratz, much is
30

yet to be discovered as to the motivations and the leadership potential of philanthropists.
Academics have approached the study of philanthropists to include the writings of
Andrew Carnegie to the moral progression of the wealthy. Carnegie (1889/2006) saw the
wealthy philanthropist as the agent for his poor brethren, indicating a predetermined
mindset that with wealth came increased mental abilities and better judgment of how to
use the money. Jane Addams did not acknowledge this connection between wealth and
knowledge. Instead she focused on the education, recreation, and health care of
immigrants.
Modern day philanthropist Howard Buffett admits to being a product of the
Ovarian lottery. H. Buffett reported in a personal conversation that he believed that
many conversations with those in impoverished countries should begin with we will
fail (personal communication, November 23, 2009), but it is what can be learned in the
process that is important. His ability to have a foundation established for philanthropic
purposes has occurred through his good fortune of being born into wealth. Jacqueline
Novogratzs move from her Wall Street job to starting the Acumen Fund is an example of
a modern philanthropist using her business talents to elevate the lives of those less
fortunate. The motivations and stories of former and present day philanthropists from all
sectors continue to serve as inspiration to others and are being studied.
In the business sector, strategic philanthropy may be headed by an individual, an
existing department, or a new department formed solely for the purpose of the
philanthropic effort. In fact, only 1/3 of strategic philanthropy efforts are managed by the
CEO of a company (Kanter, 2009, p. 241). Yet, all of the aforementioned have chosen
their own ways to give back to society. Currently, giving appears to be more directly
31

associated with altering the foundations of inequality in society. All of these examples
have been used to answer the questions concerning the commonalities, differences, and
life changing events of philanthropists.
Prior studies of the construct of philanthropy and the philanthropist provide
background information to compare and contrast answers as this researcher studies the
philanthropist from an appreciative perspective. The generative capability of an
appreciative viewpoint elicited from Harris added his perspective as to how a current
philanthropist imagines the best of what can be and how his example can foster the
growth of philanthropy at this time in history. Additionally, this research examined the
relationship that a current day social entrepreneur and philanthropist has with those who
work with and for him. The open-ended questions provided data as to the leadership
potential perceived by the followers. It was also of importance to examine how this social
entrepreneur and philanthropist might influence and provide a vision to others through his
leadership style and if it falls within the definition of inspirational leadership.
Inspirational Leadership
Hay Group (2005) defined inspirational leadership as inspiring and guiding
individuals and groups (p. 39). Inspirational leaders are able to influence others or to
animate a divine influence upon human beings (American Heritage Dictionary, 2006).
Furthermore, the individual behaviors cited for inspirational leadership are: (a) leads by
giving direction, (b) stimulates enthusiasm, (c) consistently and visibly leads by example,
and (d) articulates a compelling mission or vision (Hay Group, 2005).
With this in view, Senge, Smith, Kruschwitz, Laur, and Schley (2008) expanded
upon the construct of to animate by means of the French word, animateur, which refers
32

to people who seek to create systemic change in an inspirational way. An animateur
(from the root animer) is someone who brings to life a new way of thinking, seeing, or
interacting that creates focus and energy. Just as with inspirational leaders, the animateur
has the ability to introduce a life force to followers that can result in beneficial change.
Animateurs create revolution because their communications and actions move people
from abstract concept to action. As a result, they build a strong sense of purpose among
their followers. These revolutionary and conversational activities and results suggest that
animateurs embody the essence of leadership. This author further proposes that these
animateurs embody the most positive fundamentals of inspirational leaders. They
combine thoughts, focus, and energy. Furthermore, this combination of thoughts, focus,
and energy contributes to a shared vision of a future that can be co-created by leaders and
their followers (Senge, 1990; Wilmot, 2003).
Burke (2008) made special note of the inspirational leaders ability to create
revolutionary change in light of the fact that more than 95% of change is found to be
evolutionary. Gersicks (1988) research on revolutionary change supported these findings
pointing out that groups do not develop in a linear set of stages. Revolutionary change
takes place when group members simultaneously recognize (almost suddenly) the need
for rapid movement in a new way. Additionally, Burke acknowledged that inspirational
leaders ability to create this movement is not recognized in all theories of leadership;
nevertheless, it is a proposition to be considered in the study of leadership.
For this reason, the examination of the narrative shared by Harris through an
appreciative inquiry adds to the depth of leadership studies. As a social entrepreneur or a
philanthropist, does Harris lead by giving direction, stimulate enthusiasm, lead by
33

example, and articulate a vision or mission that has been brought to life by his followers?
If so, do those visions emanate from his dreams and will he share his designs for passing
on these skills of inspirational leadership? Hence, a revolutionary change may well be
ignited by the contagion of this leader.
Contagious Leadership
Emotions are contagious: just like electricity in our brains and bodies, emotions
travel rapidly between people. Kennedy-Moore and Watson (2001) examined the effects
of emotions and their contagious abilities. Emotional contagion acts as a powerful
mechanism in inspirational leadership because people catch their leaders emotions.
Central to the mechanism of emotional contagion are the concepts of closed-loop and
open-loop systems. For example, the human circulatory system is a closed-loop system.
While it has a profound effect on an individual, it has no effect on others. In contrast,
McKee, Boyatzis, and Johnston (2008) found that emotions constitute an open-loop
system, produce significant effects, and have a tremendous effect both on the individual
as well as others. McKee et al. (2008) explained that the moods of others near us affect
how we feel, what we think, and what we do. Emotional contagion facilitates the
transmission of the leaders vision to others and helps make it irresistible. Consequently,
Goleman et al. (2002) found that this mirroring of emotions can be traced in as little as 15
minutesand this holds tremendous implications for leaders.
Goleman (1995) and Kets de Vries (1995) have found in their independent
research that the leader-follower dynamic was not a case of two (or more) independent
brains reacting consciously or unconsciously to each other. Rather, the individual minds
become, in a sense, fused into a single system. These findings imply that a leaders brain
34

chemistry affects his or her followers (Goleman & Boyatzis, 2008). These mirror
neurons (p. 76) coordinate people physically by regulating how and when their bodies
move together. Mirror neurons have particular importance in organizations, because a
leaders emotions and actions prompt followers to mirror those feelings and deeds. Thus,
emotional contagion can facilitate the transmission of the leaders vision to others and
help increase its impact.
Emotions constitute a central role in the understanding of a leader. Due to their
contagious effect, the possibilities of the inspirational leader are of great consequence.
This section of the literature contributes to the legitimacy of the research questions. By
examining specific aspects of Harriss life this research uncovered how he may or may
not exhibit the competencies associated with inspirational leadership. That being
discovered, the contagious qualities of Harriss life will have a story that will continue to
generate leadership lessons for those who follow. Thus, an investigation of the stories of
other leaders is necessary.
The Leaders Story
The narrative conveys the stories that give meaning to life. Block (2008) and
Gardner (2007) insisted that there was an important benefit in the stories that give
meaning, as opposed to stories that limit lifes potential. The leaders narratives convey
the stories that give meaning to life: within the organization and as individual human
beings. Our worldview, or the way the world shows up for us, powerfully impacts the
ways we function. As a result, the intangible quality of leadership is being recognized for
its transcendent potential. The presence of an inspirational leader provides the energy of
hope and a breath of life to followers. Terminology such as emotional contagion,
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resonance, and presence is gaining familiarity within the business community.
Magnetic resonance imaging is used to capture the brain activity of research volunteers to
show that indeed there is a part of the brain that lights up with positive thoughts
(McKee et al., 2008).
McKee et al. (2008) posed the questions, Am I inspirational? How do I inspire
people? (p. 42). Wilson and Rice (2004) concurred that these leaders had the skills that
enabled them to motivate, grow, and build confidence in their followers. To this end,
Bass (1985) and Piccolo and Colquitt (2006) labeled this behavior of leaders to
communicate a compelling vision of the future as inspirational motivation. These leaders
emphasize to followers how their work contributes to the achievement of a vision.
Followers are inspired to develop new ways of thinking about problems.
A Leaders Moral Purpose
OToole (1995) and Bal (2008) suggested that the clearest sign of effective
leadership is a lifelong consistency of high moral purpose. Leaders have to mean what
they say in regards to their projects and visions. That meaning is exemplified by their
everyday actions.
OToole (1995) suggested that Shakespeare had it right: The fault, dear Brutus,
is not in our stars/But in ourselves. Inspirational leaders look at and question
themselves, perhaps internally debating their worth and their potential. Bal (2008)
proposed that the real question for leaders is, How inspired are my people as a result of
my leadership? (p. 25). Furthermore, a question that emanates from investigating what is
best and life-giving to the construct of leadership, might be How inspired are my people
36

as a result of my moral leadership? How will my leadership contribute to a more
beneficent society?
Therefore, this research examined if the agent of change and his values are
evidenced in his leadership. Questions submitted to Malcolm Harris, a current social
entrepreneur and philanthropist, as well as those who work with him, provided feedback
as to how well his actions demonstrate his values. Also, are those questionedthe
followersimpacted by his vision and his message?
Summary
The leaders narrative may be a source of inspiration to followers. The question to
be answered is how does that narrative inspire? The contagion of a leaders emotions
predicts the transcendent potential of a leader. Accordingly, these positive emotions
contribute to light the brain with positive images. These leaders stories have a high
moral purpose and the possibility of providing followers with a new way to see the world.
This section of the literature review gives legitimacy to the questions regarding
leadership. Specifically, what are the traits of a current social entrepreneur and
philanthropist that add to the body of leadership studies? As noted previously by
Schervish (1997), the factors leading to the decision by social entrepreneurs to help
others are not well defined. In fact, the causal chain of the decisions leading to action has
not been determined through quantitative measures or qualitative investigation. The
current study contributes to establishing a baseline of factors through the examination of
a single case. The act of witnessing poverty and wanting to alleviate moral injustices has
provided motivation to both social entrepreneurs and philanthropists. Further, with the
37

belief in the power of positive emotions and the high moral purpose of stories, this
researcher follows the model of appreciative inquiry for this study.
The Single Case and the Use of Appreciative Inquiry
This section will review the choice of case study method and, specifically, the
decision for a single case study. Additionally, the use of Appreciative Inquiry as a source
of questioning will be justified. Creswell (2003, 2007) and Stake (1995) noted that the
case study is applicable when the researcher explores in depth a program, event, activity,
process, or one or more individuals.
Single Case Study
Case study research is preferred in examining contemporary events, and when the
relevant behaviors cannot be manipulated (Yin, 2003, p. 7). Additionally, Bloland
(1995) and Stringer (1993) noted that a single case study assists to bring to the surface
possible hierarchies, oppositions, inconsistencies, and contradictions as the researcher
examines the narratives provided through interviews.
Additionally, participants responses from their interviews are analyzed
individually and add to contextual profiles through the exploration of family, education,
motives, political style, interpersonal style, writings, and even romance if relevant to the
study (Denzin, 1989; Denzin & Lincoln, 2005). Similarly, Borgatta and Borgatta (1992)
pointed out that the single case method is designed to study the turning points or
problematic situations in which people find themselves during different periods of their
lives.
Isaacson (2005) suggested that the researcher examine the patterns formed from
common elements found between participants. Additionally, Isaacson cited Allports
38

proposition that the iterative method be used to find the best marriage (p. 106) of data
and theory. Stake (1995) had previously noted that the ongoing interpretive role of the
researcher is prominent within case study research. For instance, Stake emphasized that it
is important to seek out present and multiple perspectives of activities as well as
discovering and portraying the different views (p. 134). He further elaborated, Seldom
will it be necessary to resolve contradictory testimony or competing valuesany of them
may help us understand the case (p. 134).
In addition, Runyan (2005) stated that in some cases more than one explanation
consistent with available evidence may remain. With N > 1, separate data sets would be
made for each participant. A side-by-side comparison would be made between
participants as theories developed throughout the process of data collection and theory
testing. For example, Hess (2009) suggested the questions of What is this, What is this
an example of, and What is going on? (p. 302) need to be addressed. Again, this
supports the iterative contribution of analysis.
Isaacson (2005) pointed out that multiple interviewees provided the researcher
with the ability to assess similarities on one variable and to comparatively explore
similarities and differences on other variables. Additionally, archival records, media
releases, and interviews with staff employed by Harris as well as interviews with peers
were used as part of the data to be triangulated. Because of the personal nature of the
study, the use of appreciative inquiry as a method of interviewing fits with the single case
study method.
39

Appreciative Inquiry
The pursuit of the answers to two questions reveal much about the art of
appreciation (Fry, Whitney, Seiling, & Barrett, 2002, p. 6). Those questions are:
1. What, in this particular setting and context, makes (some aspect of)
organizing possible?
2. What are the possibilities, expressed and latent, that provide opportunities
for more effective, or value-congruent, forms of (this aspect of) organizing
possible?
In order to answer those questions, the 4D (p. 7) process of appreciative inquiry
evolved.
The appreciative inquiry process develops in four phases: discovery, dream,
design, and destiny (Cooperrider et al., 2000; Fry et al., 2002). Within the life giving
aspects of appreciative inquiry, the four phases draw upon these questions:
1. Discovery phasewhat gives life?
2. Dream phasewhat might be?
3. Design phasewhat should the ideal be?
4. Destiny phasehow to empower, learn, and adjust/improvise?
(Cooperrider et al., p. 126)
Cooperrider (1986), Marcel (1963), and Quinney (1982) proposed that
appreciative inquiry has as its basis a metaphysical concern that posits that social
existence is, indeed, a miracle that can never fully be comprehended. Of equal
importance, Kvale (1996) and Berger and Luckmann (1996) pointed out that the
conception of knowledge as a mirror of reality is being replaced by the conception of the
social construction of reality. In other words, the focus of reality is on the interpretation
of an individuals reality. The process of appreciative inquiry allows for conversation to
discovery, dream, design, and participate in the destiny of what is best known for the
40

study participants. This process is a move away from obtaining knowledge primarily
through external observation and experimental manipulation of human subjects.
Appreciative inquiry contributes to a conversational dialogue between researcher
and participants. Kvale (1996) proposed that the qualitative research interview is a
construction site of knowledge (p. 42). The question of whether the study is scientific is
replaced with the question of whether the study provides useful knowledge. Conversation
as a systemic tool (p. 45) for the creation of knowledge can be traced as far back as
Socrates. The conversations between participants and researcher are a means of
communicating the participants world from their own perspective. Reality is what one
perceives it to be.
This postmodern approach to research emphasizes descriptive nuances,
differences, and paradoxes (Kvale, 1996, p. 226). The interview does not uncover some
pre-existing meaning, but supports the research participants in developing their own
meaning throughout the inquiry process. It is through the individuals world and their
perception of that world that knowledge can be discovered.
Summary
The single case study allows for the differences of subjects to contribute to the
explanations for behavior and choices made by Harris as reported by him and participants
(team members, peers, and professional colleagues) interviewed about him. This method
allows for the biography, as well as the assessment, of the research participants pertinent
to this particular proposal. The dialogue created throughout the appreciative inquiry
process allows this researcher to hear the assessment created through the words of the
research participants. Likewise, the mystical and miraculous attributes of each life are
41

given voice. The single case allowed this researcher to compare commonalities and
differences discovered between Harris and previous social entrepreneurs and
philanthropists.
Summary of the Review of the Literature
The literature review has provided a working definition of social entrepreneur and
philanthropist. Through the lens of previous researchers, the traits, values, and missions
of social entrepreneurs were examined. These men and women, regardless of their
backgrounds, are agents of change. Additionally, the literature pointed to the risks and
benefits associated with being a social entrepreneur. These individuals take both
monetary and personal risks in the process of pursuing their goals.
The topic of philanthropy and a representative example of historical as well as
present-day philanthropists and strategic philanthropy were reviewed. The strategies and
theories of philanthropists continue to grow. Whereas Carnegie (1889/2006) believed that
with wealth came increased mental abilities, modern day philanthropists such as Howard
Buffett and Jacqueline Novogratz recognized their good fortune as a means to help
others. Their giving attempts to change the structures that perpetuate inequality. The
leadership characteristics of social entrepreneurs and philanthropists developed through
the literature review provided a background for studying the participant of this research,
Malcolm Harris.
The contagious aspects of leadership, leaders stories, and the moral purpose of
leaders were examined through the review of current literature on leadership. The
potential impact of a leaders emotions was recognized for its contagious potential.
Stories of leaders provide a different inspirational way for followers to see the world.
42

These topics provide a background to compare and contrast the stories and descriptions
that were shared by Harris and his followers.
The justification of the use of appreciative inquiry with a single case is presented
in the next chapter by describing the participants, the data collection and data analysis,
ethical considerations, and delimitations and limitations of the study.

43


CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHOD
Exceptions one or two cases may not be exceptions at all,
they may be evidence of a different rule, a different pattern.
(Liebow, 1993, p. 320)
Introduction
This chapter focuses on the single case study and the use of Appreciative Inquiry
as a method of gathering data for the research. Also addressed are the choice of
participants, consent and ethical considerations, procedure, methods, data collection, data
analysis, narrative, delimitations, and limitations of the study.
Participants
This researcher agrees with Pattons (2002) statement: Doing this project the
way Im doing it allows me to touch things that otherwise I would never touch (p. 47).
Harris and the story that I have discovered while studying his life has intrigued as well as
inspired me to learn more as the research progressed.
The participants for this single case study were the fashion designer Malcolm
Harris, along with some of his team members, peers, and professional colleagues. Harris
was studied for his work as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist in addition to his role
as a leader. Further, this researcher solicited a staff roster and requested permission to
contact team members to be interviewed for the study. Harris provided a list of
individuals who collaborated on the One Dress project as well as individuals who have
known him for more than 20 years and other adults who have known him for less than 2
years. The careers of those interviewed spanned from business to the arts. A total of 8
participants were interviewed. The proximity of the physical location where I resided in
New York City allowed me to introduce myself personally to 50% of the interviewees.
44

Two of the interviewees resided outside of the United States. Patton (2002) reported that
mutual trust, respect, and cooperation are dependent upon the emergence of a relationship
between the researcher and the participants. In those cases where a telephone interview
was conducted, emails and Skype were used to assist in forming a more personal
relationship.
Harris agreed to be part of my pilot study in 2007. My interest in the world of
fashion was countered with the knowledge that reaching a fashion designer was difficult
and then gaining entry into a design house presented an even greater challenge. Veronica
Manlow, the individual whose dissertation I critiqued for a qualifying essay, had to gain
employment at a design house in order to even gain entry into the field. In Harris, I found
a designer who literally and figuratively opened the doors of his design house to me. His
role as a leader, social entrepreneur, and philanthropist continues to grow. Harris,
formerly imprisoned for white collar crimes, has as his most recent charitable works been
asked by the French Consulate to organize an event for Doctors without Borders. Princess
Caroline of Monacos son requested that Harris serve on the fundraiser that his mother
sponsors for cystic fibrosis (M. Harris, personal communication, March 1, 2010).
Harris allowed this researcher to enter the worlds of a social entrepreneur and a
philanthropist in ways that I would otherwise never be able to do. At the same time, I was
mindful that the emergent design of any case study needed to allow for the possibility of
new cases to appear during the time of the study.
Consent
The Informed Consent to Participate in Research Form (Appendix A) provided
knowledge to the participants about the overall purpose of the study as well as any
45

possible risks and benefits of participation (Kvale, 1996). Creswell (2003) noted that the
form contains, but is not limited to the following:
The right to participate voluntarily and the right to withdraw at any time; the
purpose of the study; the procedures of the study; the right to ask questions,
obtain a copy of the results, and have their privacy respected; the benefits of the
study to the individual; and signatures of agreement from both the participant and
the researcher. (p. 64)
Saybrook Institutional Review Board guidelines were followed.
Procedure
The New York City interviews took place on the Club Floor of this researchers
hotel. Harris was interviewed and observed during those visits. During that time and
through June 2010, Harris was in the process of moving his design business from the
Soho vicinity of New York to the Financial District. The interview guides are found in
Appendix B and C. The interviews lasted from 1 to 1 hours in length. The researcher
used a digital recorder and took notes throughout the interview process. This researcher
flew to New York City intermittently over a period of 2 months following the approval
by Saybrooks Institutional Review Board. Those participants who were not able to
attend a face-to-face interview were sent a copy of the Informed Consent to Participate
form in the mail with a self-addressed, stamped return envelope. Participants outside of
the United States were reimbursed for the return postage. Emails and phone calls were
conducted to clarify any questions regarding participation in the study. After receiving
the Consent to Participate form from a participant, the interview was held. A copy of the
transcripts and notes were given to each participant. Harris has previously offered to also
share archival records, articles, and online resources if requested by the researcher.
46

Case Study Method
Case study research is preferred in examining contemporary events, and when the
relevant behaviors cannot be manipulated (Yin, 2003, p. 7). A reiteration of the primary
and secondary questions supports the exploratory strategy chosen for the single case
study.
The main question of this study was: What can be learned from the leadership of
Malcolm Harris as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist that contributes to a more
beneficent society?
The secondary questions were:
1. What were the life events in the life of Harris that contributed to the work as a
social entrepreneur and philanthropist?
2. How did Harris describe the changes in his life that contributed to social
entrepreneurship and philanthropy?
3. What commonalities and differences emerged among Harris and other social
entrepreneurs and philanthropists?
Following the format suggested by Srivastva and Cooperrider (1990), the value of
leadership and appreciation was told in the following format:
The discovery phase of the inquiry focused on the story of Harris. The life giving
factors that he has been a part of were probed in this researchers questions of how he
decided to help people, what he has done to improve the lives of others, and what he has
participated in that has helped to build a more beneficent society?
The memories from his discovery phase are built upon revealing his dreams of the
best that can come from his work. In this phase of questioning, boundaries were broken
when he was asked what comes to mind when he thinks of the best, what was his vision
for the future, and is the vision compatible with who he is?
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In the design phase, Harris was asked to share how he is planning to make his
dreams a reality. What roles would he play and how does he envision the process coming
to fruition? These questions address the actions necessary, his role in the process, and
how he plans to build enthusiasm and support for his dreams.
The destiny questions are designed to follow-up on the design questions. How
could the insights generated from this research be monitored, taught, and learned by
others? The suggestions provided by Harris have the possibility to be learned. These
questions refer to the actualization of what he wants to see accomplished and suggestions
for others to consider.
Participants were asked open-ended questions to illicit their perspectives of the
leadership traits evidenced by Harris. They also were encouraged to share their stories of
Harris.
Rationale for Single Case Study and Appreciative Inquiry
The focus is on the uniqueness of the case being studied. Intrinsic to the case are
the decisions made by Harris (Creswell, 1998; Stake, 1995). This researcher used patterns
of meaning from the interviews rather than begin with a theory. Creswell (2003) noted
this method in his review of the paradigm of a social constructivism worldview. Harris
has chosen to dedicate his work to assist people in need.
Data Collection
Miles and Huberman (1994) identified setting, actors, events, and process as
pertinent to data collection. Setting refers to where the research took place. This research
was conducted on site with Harris. Actors are those individuals who were interviewed as
part of the research. The actors for this research were Harris and his followers. Followers
48

included collaborators on the One Dress, peers, and professional colleagues.
Differentiating the roles held by the interviewees was difficult for this researcher due to
the fact that individualsregardless of their formal roleselicited responses indicative
of friendships formed with Harris. Events are those things that the actors did, and process
is the nature of the events undertaken by the actors.
Harris is involved in ongoing ventures to address the poverty in the United States
and abroad. His interview consisted of open-ended questions structured through the use
of appreciative inquiry. Furthermore, Creswell (2003) indicated the types of data to be
collected: observations, interviews, documents, and audio-visual materials if relevant to
the study (pp. 187-188). Observations have been noted throughout the interview process
and during the time spent visiting with Harris in New York City.
Those working with and for Harris were interviewed using semi-structured, open-
ended questions (Appendix C). Patton (2002) referred to these participants as key
informants. Key informants are people who are particularly knowledgeable about the
sources of the inquiry and articulate about their knowledge. This researcher recognizes
that a single case study in addition to the limited number of staff resulted in an N < 10,
yet I also took note that Corbin and Strauss (2008) stated that it is not the sites or the
persons that are being studied, but rather the concepts. In this case the concepts are those
to be found in leadership, social entrepreneurs, and philanthropists.
Stake (1995) recommended that researchers have a data storage system. The
personal log and/or diary include a calendar of meetings, telephone numbers, notes, and
expenses. Stake also noted, There is no particular moment when data analysis begins.
Analysis is a matter of giving meaning to first impressions as well as final compilations.
49

Analysis essentially means taking something apart (p. 71). This researcher stored all
notes and documents, as well as recorded sessions with the participants, in a locked
storage unit. After 5 years they will be destroyed. Additionally, the notes and documents
(field notes) were copied in triplicate for purposes of data analysis. Patton (2002)
recommended one working copy, one copy for safekeeping, and one copy to use for
cutting and pasting as the data analysis takes place. This researcher followed that
particular protocol throughout the research process.
At the end of the fieldwork, all emerging ideas, themes, and/or concepts were
verified by asking the participants of the study to review them as well as three doctoral
level colleagues at the university where this researcher is employed as an adjunct faculty
member. This researcher also had the assistance of her committee member to clarify the
content analysis process.
Data Analysis
Creswell (1998) noted that data analysis involves making sense out of text and
image data. Denzin and Lincoln (2005) cited the researcher as interpreter of the field
notes and at the same time recognized that there is no single truth. Consequently, the
researcher assists readers to comprehend her interpretations and to have the freedom to
arrive at different interpretations. Thus, the researcher conveys the experiences of the
actors, enhances the readers experience with the case narrative and description, and
conveys personal relationships to the reader (p. 454).
This researcher strived to maintain what Patton (2002) termed empathic
neutrality. He further explained that the belief that detachment reduces bias in a study is
not inherent to the work of qualitative methodologists. Patton proceeded to state that
50

without empathy and sympathetic introspection the observer cannot fully understand
human behavior (p. 49).
This researcher took notes throughout the interviews, as well as recorded each
interview. A transcript of the meeting was provided to each interviewee. This is an ethical
consideration for the participants, as well as their opportunity to support or disagree with
the content of the transcript. The researcher read and re-read the interviews looking for
themes to emerge. Notes were made in the margins as this researcher was attentive to
themes, turning points, and epiphanies as given voice by the interviewee (Creswell, 2007;
Schultz, 2005). As a preliminary measure to establish an early coding system, Harris was
identified as H1. Harriss staff of followers was identified by numbers as 1, 2, 3, and so
forth. Additionally, this researcher recognized that it is important to allow the analysis
dimensions to emerge from patterns found in the cases under study without presupposing
in advance what the important dimensions will be (Patton, 2002).
Triangulation of the interview data, observations, and documents was impacted by
this researchers limited budget, time frame of the study, and political restraints that
evolved during the study (Corbin & Strauss, 2008; Patton, 2002). These issues were
addressed as the study evolved. Patton (2002) addressed the ambiguous, emergent nature
of the qualitative study used for dissertations when he notes,
How will they know what will result from the inquiry if the design is only
partially specified? The answer is: They wont know with any certainty. All they
can do is look at the results of similar qualitative inquiries, inspect the
reasonableness of the overall strategies in the proposed design, and consider the
capacity of the researcher to fruitfully undertake the proposed study. (p. 44)
For this reason, this researcher employed the three progressive steps of data
analysis proposed by Wolcott (1994) in his Transforming Qualitative Data: Description,
Analysis, and Interpretation. Chapter 4 of this dissertation presents in narrative form the
51

description and analysis of findings. Chapter 5, as part of the conclusion, is a discussion
and interpretation of the findings.
Bounded System of the Narrative
Creswell (2007) proposed a bounded system for research. That system would
include the time of the interview and the place as well as the context of the case. The time
of the participant interviews, as previously stated, lasted from 1 to 1 hours. Harriss
semi-structured interview lasted close to three hours. Not all of the time was spent on the
actual interview questions, but involved observations as well as general conversation not
based upon the appreciative inquiry process.
Narrative
As the interviewees told their stories, they were prodded to expand and to theorize
on their memories. The narrative assumes that people construct reality through narrating
their stories (Marshall & Rossman, 2006, p. 117). Elliott (2005) theorized that the
narrative is especially useful when exploring social change and causality. This
storytelling supports the social construction of participants reality.
Ethical Considerations
Kvale (1996) noted that the decisive factors for a researcher to keep in mind are
the integrity of the researcher, honesty, fairness, knowledge, and experience. Ultimately,
it is the researcher who is the main instrument for obtaining knowledge. This researcher
is well aware that she was entrusted by a public figure with his stories. This research
complied with all ethical standards. The same ethical considerations were applied to the
participants who agreed to take part in the study. Those standards include: (a) informed
52

consent; (b) avoidance of deception; (c) privacy and confidentiality; (d) and accuracy, as
addressed in Denzin and Lincoln (2005).
Informed Consent (Appendix A) is an agreement based on full and open
information provided to the participants by the researcher. The interviewees must agree
voluntarily to participate in the research. Any deliberate misinterpretation of the
interview is forbidden and would be considered deception on the part of this researcher.
Harris and the interviewees are entitled to their privacy and confidentiality as a safeguard
against any unwanted exposure. Accuracy of the information shared is of utmost ethical
concern. To fabricate, omit information, or contrive information is nonscientific and
nonethical.
Denzin and Lincoln (2005) further noted that the approval by the Institutional
Review Board does not constitute the right of the researcher to invade a participants
privacy. Every effort was made on the part of this researcher to avoid probing or to use
off the road (Creswell, 2007, p. 142) information from participants.
Delimitations and Limitations
Inherent to any research are the constructs of delimitations and limitations.
Creswell (2003) advised to use delimitations to narrow the scope of the study, and
provide limitations to point to potential weaknesses of the study (p. 148). The scope of
this study is narrowed by the use of (a) the single case study method, (b) appreciative
inquiry for data collection, (c) semi-structured questions for participants, and (d) records,
diaries, journals, and online information pertaining to Harris requested by the researcher.
The choice of the main question of this study, What can be learned from the
leadership of Malcolm Harris as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist that
53

contributes to a more beneficent society, narrows the research focus to a single fashion
designer.
It was a conscious choice on the part of this researcher to limit the study to the
case of Harris, along with feedback provided by his followers. Additionally, this research
is not intended to make global statements, but rather add to the body of knowledge
concerning inspirational leadership based on the impact of a single social entrepreneur
and philanthropist. His story, his lessons, his dreams, and the suggestions that he offers to
others are at the heart of this research.
Appreciative inquiry is a method of inquiry labeled as such in Cooperriders 1986
dissertation. Appreciative inquiry was chosen as a method of inquiry with the belief that
through our assumptions and choices of methods, we largely create the world we later
discover (Cooperrider, 1986, p. 24). Operating from the basic assumption that life is a
mystery to be embraced (Cooperrider et al., 2000), this author interviewed Harris along
with those that work with and for him, as well as peers and professional colleagues (see
Appendix B and C). This author has chosen this method of inquiry for interviews as a
means to search for what is the best in people. This was a conscious choice on the part of
this researcher. As a former counselor, this researcher has a bias toward the possibility of
change and growth supported with appreciation. That personal choice was made with the
intent that future leaders may benefit from the stories told.
The limitations of this study include (a) the decreased generalizability of a single
case study, (b) the interpretation of interviews, (c) and the unknown. Marshall and
Rossman (2006) reported that although no qualitative studies are generalizable in the
probabalistic sense, their findings may be transferable (p. 42). Building on this theme,
54

Marshall and Rossman argued that human actions cannot be understood unless the
meaning that humans assign to them is made known. Interviews and questions are
intended to uncover the meanings assigned by Harris and those who agreed to be
interviewed for this research. Additionally, Denzin and Lincoln (2005) contended that the
case study gains its credibility by thoroughly triangulating descriptions and
interpretations.
Creswell (2003, 2007) cautioned that unknowns exist in any qualitative research
project. It is imperative to mention that these unknown limitations may not be apparent
until the actual study is underway. Additionally, this researcher has made a conscious
decision to use only one participant for this dissertation. However, it is this researchers
privilege to have access to Harris, a high profile individual. To minimize the potential
impact of this man would be a lack of appreciation for his accomplishments on the part of
this researcher.
Conclusion
In this chapter, I have reviewed the choice of using a single case study. The
qualitative method chosen is consistent with the literature previously reviewed in that
individual lives are being studied. Then, I reasoned why the phases of appreciative
inquiry (discovery, dream, design, destiny) for interviewing Harris are appropriate to
highlight those factors characteristic of social entrepreneurs. Harris is a high profile
participant and his privacy was important for this researcher to honor. However, Harris
himself offered an open-door policy during the entire dissertation research.
The participants interviewed for this study about social entrepreneur Harris
included One Dress team members, peers, and professional colleagues. The semi-
55

structured open-ended questions directed at the participants were intended to uncover if
Harris is seen as an inspirational leader by others.
Finally, I highlighted the delimitations to the scope of the research by focusing on
a single case, the type of data collected, and the use of appreciative inquiry. Limitations
included decreased generalizability of a single case, the issues inherent in interpreting the
data, and the unknown, as new findings can emerge unexpectedly leading to further
research and discussion.
56


CHAPTER 4: PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS
Be patient
to all that is unsolved in your heart
And try to love
the questions themselves.
(Rilke, 1986, p. 35)
Overview of Data Presentation
This research generated data through the interview with Malcolm Harris and the
interviews with participants. The main research question, What can be learned from the
leadership of Malcolm Harris as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist that
contributes to a more beneficent society, and the secondary questions, What were the life
events in the life of Harris that contributed to the work as a social entrepreneur and
philanthropist? How did Harris describe the changes in his life that contributed to social
entrepreneurship and philanthropy, were addressed by using the phases of appreciative
inquiry (discovery, dream, design, destiny) with Harris (Appendix B) and semi-structured
questions with participants (Appendix C). The semi-structured interview of participants
other than Harris addressed the most basic question: Is Harris an inspirational leader?
The third research subquestion, What commonalities and differences emerged among
Harris and other social entrepreneurs and philanthropists, is discussed in Chapter 5.
A narrative format is used to describe the interview findings of Harris as well as
the interview with participants. The themes that emerged from all interviews with Harris
and the participants are provided. Additionally, the observations and any additional data
used for this research are described as part of the triangulation process. The main
57

question and the secondary questions 1 and 2 were used to develop both the questions for
phases of appreciative inquiry and the semi-structured interviews for followers.
Wolcott (1994) advised, that the findings chapter represents a point of view, not
the [italics added] point of view (p. 7). Therefore, I acknowledge that Chapters 4 and 5
represent this researchers point of view and I take the liberty of reflecting that
perspective by using the first person I for my findings and conclusion.
First, the content of the interviews with Harris is examined from an appreciative
point of view. Harriss responses are reported according to the phases of appreciative
inquiry. Direct quotes from Harris are used to illustrate his personal style of
communication (see Appendix D for additional selections from the interview transcripts).
Secondly, special effort was made to capture the stories of each participant and to be
mindful of the social construction of their realities. Major themes addressing the
definition of inspirational leadership are first provided, followed by additional themes
that emerged in the interviews. The participants responses are organized thematically to
address the leadership traits associated with inspirational leaders, supplemented with the
unanticipated findings.
Lastly, the two contributions of findings are triangulated with relevant additional
data from Harriss website (One Dress, 2009), One Dress community postings (One
Dress Community, 2010), the Executive Plan (Appendix E) and the Financial Plan
(Appendix F). Findings were reviewed by professional colleagues as well as the
participants.
58

Findings From Malcolm Harriss Interview
Setting the Stage
In 2007, I first met Harris when I was involved in my pilot study. It was a bit of
good fortune for me to be able to not only contact a fashion designer, but also to
interview him face-to-face and spend time in his studio. That good fortune began when a
blizzard came through Ohio on February 14, 2007 and I was at home watching the Today
Show. That day, Designers for Darfur was shown as a segment on the morning news
show and it is at that time when I first heard the name Malcolm Harris. Malcolm was the
co-creator of that initiative. I immediately went to my computer and sent a message to the
design house of Harris, Mal Sirrah Inc. (Harris spelled backwards). Much to my surprise
and delight, within 12 hours, his intern had forwarded my message to him and I received
a response from Malcolm personally. Over the next months, we continued to keep in
contact through email and arranged a meeting at his design house.
When I first met Malcolm face-to-face, his couture design business was located in
the Harlem District of New York City. It was the design format (personal
communication, March 19, 2010) that Malcolm knew from his many years in the
industry. An intern worked in the front of the design house, and mannequins and
designers worked in the back of the facility, where all the fabric was located as well.
Malcolm came down the steps that day dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt and invited
me upstairs for our interview. During that interview, Malcolm told me that I got it
(personal communication, April 3, 2007. That was his personal observation that I
understood what he was attempting to do with fashion. I understood that not only had
Malcolm changed as an individual, but his view of what being a fashion designer meant
59

had changed as well. At the time of the interview and following his Darfur experience,
Malcolms focus as a designer had already shifted, and no longer centered on creating a
piece of apparel that would generate only a financial pay-off, but rather on creating a
message through his clothing that would have an impact upon society. Understanding that
focus also provided me with the approval that I needed to have access to him for my
dissertation research. The initial interview was scheduled for one hour; three hours later I
was returning to my hotel. Over the months and years that have passed since that initial
meeting, I have reviewed with Malcolm the discussion we had that day as well as the
subsequent discussions. It is with his permission that I share those stories as well as the
story generated through the questions directly linked to this dissertation.
Malcolm Harriss Life
Malcolm was born in the Miami, Florida and spent the first 15 years of his life
there. He has a sister who is one year older and a brother who is one year younger than
he. His father was Catholic and his mother is Baptist. The parents chose to send all of
their children to Catholic grade school and high school.
Malcolms father was a small business entrepreneur who dealt in real estate, and
owned a bakery and a dry cleaning business, both located in a bad part of town
(personal communication, April 3, 2007). It was in that dry cleaning facility where
Malcolm first saw a garment totally disassembled. He explained that the dry cleaning
business provided him with two very important opportunities: I learned to sew, and I
was able to make clothes from the 90-day bin of unclaimed clothing (personal
communication, April 3, 2007).
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Malcolm graduated from high school at the age of 15. He already was aware of
and was not confused by the fact that he was homosexual. He observed,
I knew that other kids whispered about me, and there would be times that I would
see my Dad look at me when something was on the Phil Donohue Show or the
Oprah show referring to gay men. By the time that I left high school, I had already
worked through my sexual orientation and was confident in that. (personal
communication, March 23, 2010)
In fact, Malcolm refers to Phil Donahue and Oprah Winfrey as both making strides for
the gay population by their leadership in talking about the subject of homosexuality
openly on the air.
When it was time to make a career choice after high school, Malcolms father,
now deceased, told him that before he could attend fashion school he needed to get a
real degree (personal communication, August 6, 2007). At the age of 15, Malcolm
entered the University of Miami, Florida where he earned a Bachelors degree in English.
Upon the completion of his undergraduate work, he moved to New York City and lived
with his paternal grandmother while he attended New York University to complete a
Masters degree in British Literature. From 1987-1989, Malcolm attended the Fashion
Institute in New York, where he finally earned his degree in Fashion Design. He worked
in the design house of Patricia Fields from 1986-1988 and as soon as he completed his
fashion degree in 1989, he moved to Paris, France where he remained till 1992.
It was in Paris that he met his French boyfriend. Malcolm later told me, He was
from one of those families that belonged to another social set, and helped this American
boy from humble beginnings (personal communication, October 21, 2010). It was also
in Paris that Malcolm demonstrated his determination and gift of design. He shared a
story of living near the design house of Yves Saint Lauren and watching the designers
going to and from work on a daily basis. Finding work as an intern at such a house was
61

nearly impossible, but he watched, timed the designers, and one day ran to the house as a
designer entered and held a dress that he had made up against the window. That designer
invited him inside, examined the dress, and on that day, Malcolm began his work as an
intern for the design house of Yves Saint Lauren.
Malcolm and his Parisian boyfriend were also a part of the French night life and
that provided access for him to other top designers. The design house of Jean Paul
Gaultier offered Malcolm a job as their house model, and he explained, I brokered a deal
with them to model if they would also allow me to work part-time as a designer
(personal communication, April 3, 2007). Before returning to the United States in 1992,
Malcolm gained additional design experience working for the design house of Paco
Rabanne.
Back in the United States, Malcolm reconnected with a former classmate,
Katsumi. As young designers they decided to launch their own companya two person
design houselabeled Katsumi and Malcolm. Malcolm recalled that he and Katsumi
were involved in the party scene in New York City. A publicist for Madonna saw part of
their collection, purchased pieces from them, and Madonna wore two pieces of their
collection on the Rosie ODonnell Show. Within a week their design house grew to a 30-
employee operation. For Malcolm this meant that he had to hire production workers and
business advisors about whom he knew nothing. Their clothing was featured in Vogue
and Harpers Bizarre. Malcolm shared, I knew absolutely nothing about running a
business, and relied on the advice of a personnel company (personal communication,
April 3, 2007).
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Malcolm has since described those five years of Katsumi and Malcolm as almost
cheating to advance that quickly. He went on to say,
That began five years of chaos in my life. I was so confused, nothing made sense
to me. I was just trying to catch my breath. It was too much money for any one
person, especially for a person who didnt know what to do with money and
(didnt understand) that money should have a purpose in life. (personal
communication, April 3, 2007)
Malcolm further elaborated that on the day in 1997, when he picked up his new Mercedes
Benz SL 500 (his fifth car at that time), he contemplated how fast he would have to drive
to go into the East River (personal communication, April 3, 2007). With the new
wealth and notoriety he was experiencing at that time, Malcolm considered suicide. This
was a dark period of time for him. Malcolm related to me in April 2007 that after
achieving a certain level of fame as a designer, he felt as though others owned him.
Regardless of the amount of money made, he still felt emptiness inside of him as he
continued to complain about life as he knew it. Monetary gains alone were not enough to
fulfill him.
In 1997, Malcolm and Katsumi were planning to re-locate their business to Japan.
Katsumi did proceed to return to her home country as she realized that she could be held
responsible for unpaid taxes. Malcolm began to receive letters from the IRS, referring to
back taxes that he owed. Malcolms ego still controlled his decisions. He explained that
during that time he paid no attention to how the business was run (personal
conversation, April 3, 2007). Those individuals whom he had hired from a personnel
company held no value to him other than for the jobs they performed to keep the design
business running. He then hired an attorney, who told him that all would be handled, but
unfortunately, it was not. The IRS found Malcolm Harris. Malcolm explained, When the
IRS finds you owing millions in back taxes, someone is going to pay. In spite of the
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efforts by some friends who tried to hook me up with a new social security number
(personal communication, April 3, 2007), Malcolms life changed drastically, as he
headed to a Federal prison in September 2002. During his imprisonment until February
2003 for this white collar crime, Malcolm worked tutoring other prisoners.
Here, he learned that as a college graduate in a Federal prison he was immediately
assigned to tutoring young men who were brought by bus from a nearby prison. Malcolm
recalled,
They looked so much like me. They were young African-American men and at
first I thought some of them were just being smart asses, when I would ask them
to write their names on a paper and they would misspell them. Then I realized that
they didnt know how to spell their names. (personal communication, April 3,
2007)
He distinctly remembered going into a restroom to cry when the tutoring session for that
day was completed.
For reasons of liability, I choose to not mention some of the other prisoners by
name with whom he was in a Federal prison for a white collar crime. Malcolm shared a
conversation with his cell mate who told him:
Malcolm, you are one of the most brilliant men I have known, but when it comes
to running a business, you are stupid. When you get out of jail, learn the business
side of fashion before you do anything else. (personal conversation, April 3,
2007)
The time in prison had a deep impact on Malcolm, and he remembered:
There was a certain peace in being able to disconnect from the world. I didnt
have to make any decisions, and I was able to sleep. In fact, I distinctly remember
thinking those thoughts as soon as I entered into the prison. (personal
communication, October 21, 2010)
Malcolm also shared his belief that when one is presented with such a challenge, one
must look for the bigger lesson, otherwise you are screwed (personal communication,
October 21, 2010). Of interest is the fact that Katsumi was back in her homeland of Japan
64

and essentially never took responsibility for their poor business decisions. By leaving, she
had effectively avoided prosecution.
Malcolm reflected that those months in prison were a gift to him. He knew that he
had been a non-stop complainer all his life. In reflecting and seeing first-hand the lives of
other young men, he had to admit to himself that he had been given the best of education
and had been born into a wonderful life with supportive parents. Malcolm continued,
During those months in prison, I made a promise to myself to never complain again. Up
until that time my life and the world around me had been based totally on my ego
(personal communication, April 3, 2007).
Upon Malcolms release from prison in 2003, the discharge female officer gave
him his prison ID badge because she was confident that she would never see him again. I
learned from Malcolm that the prison badge is not normally returned to the inmate when
he or she is discharged. Unfortunately, the recidivism rate in prisons speaks to the reason
for keeping inmate badges. Malcolm never asked for the badge, nor did he know until
that time that badges are not normally returned to the prisoners. Malcolm was released
from prison and returned to his home in Miami, Florida to decide what to do from that
point in time. Malcolm confided, I had to decide what to do with the business that had
destroyed me; but that creative bug just gets you if you dont feed it (personal
communication, October 21, 2010).
Malcolm returned to New York City in 2004 and took up residence in the Harlem
district of the city. He set up residence with his sofa, a mirror, and candle holders from
his previous life at Katsumi and Malcolm. It was in this Convent Avenue, Harlem district
showroom where he once again unveiled the Mal Sirrah 2006 spring line collection, for
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which he was the sole designer. When I met Malcolm in 2007, his 3-year probation
period was completed, he had two interns working for him, and had already been given
the honor of having the Yale University Sankofa Trailblazer Award renamed the
Malcolm Harris Trailblazer Award. According to the Public Relations person from Mal
Sirrah, the Sankofa group is a creative collective of student fashion designers, models,
and artists working together to expand the definition of global fashion beyond its
traditional Western image (personal communication, April 9, 2007).
The Trailblazer Award came about after Malcolm had organized the Designers for
Darfur fashion show. Malcolms own recognition of the atrocities in Darfur evolved in
2005, when he noticed a sticker in the subway that referred to Darfur. He returned to his
residence in Harlem and watched a video posted on the Internet. He recalled this
experience: I couldnt watch it all the first time, but eventually I came back and watched
it in its entirety (personal communication, April 3, 2007).
Thus, on February 7, 2007, Designers for Darfur held its first fashion show.
Malcolm and a model, Lydia Hearst, organized the event in which 100% of all profits
from the fashions modeled were donated to the Save Darfur Coalition. Since that time,
Ms. Hearst has moved on to other projects, but Malcolm continues to work on behalf of
Designers for Darfur.
After our 2007 meeting, Malcolm and his new partner from the United States
relocated to Soho, combining a show room with their living quarters. Malcolm remains in
contact with the two interns who worked with him at his Harlem design house, as well as
the assistant designer who aspired to start her own line of fashion. Both interns went on
to work in fields outside of the fashion industry. One of them began working as a graphic
66

artist and living with her fianc in Florida, and the other intern took two years off before
returning to Yale University to complete her degree in International Studies. In a recent
interview, Malcolm shared, It is such a tough profession to make it in and people often
go to what is comfortable and safe for them. In fact, I am sometimes surprised how easily
people give upmaybe they are the smart ones (personal communication, October 21,
2010).
Additionally, he explained the move to Soho, The Harlem design house
disconnected me from the circle of those people who could help me grow my brand. Soho
is known for its art community and for the creative people who reside in that area
(personal communication, October 21, 2010). It was in the Soho residence where his
newest design creation, the One Dress, began. He continued with the Mal Sirrah brand,
and being overworked and suffering from insomnia he was on the Internet during the late
night and early morning hours. Women from around the globe, looking for fashion
designers in New York, connected with him through his website/Facebook and asked him
for fashion advice. Malcolm would be awake to receive and respond to their messages!
This is how he developed a community and learned about womens fashion needs.
Out of this causal advice to women, the One Dress design collaboration of 1,000
women from across the globe was born. He described his insomnia as his blessing in
disguise helping him to build a community of women to design this new dress. The One
Dress project materialized through this online community. The One Dress project
changed his approach to fashion in that he no longer needed designers in-house to do
work for his Mal Sirrah Inc., the predecessor design project for One Dress.
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Malcolms insomnia often found him in front of his computer during all hours of
the night. The Internet makes it possible for women to search for fashion designers.
Those searching for New York fashion designers would occasionally come upon
Malcolms name. They would ask him questions about what to wear to work, interviews,
dates, and so forth. As he communicated with this global community of women, he began
to ask them questions about what they liked in clothing. And this is how the design in
reverse (personal communication, March 20, 2010) began. Then Malcolm established an
arbitrary number for how many women would be part of the design project for the One
Dress. After connecting with 1,000 women in his online design community, he stopped
adding women and began the design of the dress. He approached the One Dress project as
a question and answer session, entering responses into spreadsheets for fabric, color, and
the lines of the dress. He would pose the questions and the online community would post
their responses. At the time of this research study, One Dress has become his only design
project, but the brand of Mal Sirrah still exists. In fact, his former business manager at
Mal Sirrah has returned to the United States and is currently engaged with potential
business sponsors for this brand.
In line with his ideological changes about what fashion is and how fashion should
be designed, Malcolm told me numerous times throughout the years, he believes that
ideally fashion has the potential to deliver a message within every brand. Additionally, by
mentoring the younger generation, he hopes to advance this ideal not only with words but
through his actions.
Malcolms idea regarding the role of fashion has changed and once again this
change is also reflected in physically moving his residence to another part of town. His
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and his partners move was precipitated by an appeal to be part of a reality series as yet to
be disclosed to the public. After meeting with the producers of the show, he and his
partner declined the offer. Both Malcolm and his partner did not want to be part of a
reality series that they believed was for the most part scripted by the producers
(personal communication, October 21, 2010).
More significantly, the current residence has a doorman! Malcolm recently
confided that his reputation in the city has grown and with it comes a loss of privacy.
While living in Soho, Malcolm recalled that it was not unusual for someone knocking on
the door in the middle of the night. There is this perception held by many in the city that
if you are a public person, your time belongs to everyone (personal communication,
October 21, 2010). He also observed,
I have been in New York City for many years and I am seen as a person that new,
aspiring designers or artists can go to for advice on what is cool downtown. I
know the old and the new New York City and there appears to be a certain appeal
to that story for others. (personal communication, October 21, 2010)
Now, while settled into his new residence, he and his partner are looking for an
apartment in the same building with more floor space for his showroom. Malcolm said,
You know, in this city it is all about square footage and what you have to pay (personal
communication, October 21, 2010). His process of transformation or metamorphosis
found expression in every aspect of his life. Not only had the place where he physically
resides changed, but his appearance changed along with it.
When I first met Malcolm in 2007, he was dressed casually in a t-shirt and jeans.
Since then, I have met with him dressed that same way, or he might have worn a flowing
skirt made from yards of beautiful fabric. He clarified this transformation to me when he
explained,
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Up until this time I always dressed the way I was supposed to dress as a man. In
fact, one time when I was to meet with a potential investor just this year (2010), I
went home and put on my Tom Ford tuxedo. I walked past the mirror, and
realized that I was posing as someone else, and not really representing who I am
as a creative. So, I took off the tux, and put on my everyday clothing. Incidentally,
the meeting went very well, and I maintain the relationship with the people who I
met. In fact, I am still consulting with them. (personal communication, August,
2010)
Over the years, as I rode in taxi cabs and walked the streets of New York City
with Malcolm, it was interesting to experience being in the presence of a fashion star. He
most certainly knew the city and would say to taxi drivers, No, turn here. People
recognized him and called out his name. It was a new world for me, but it never seemed
to impress Malcolm. He would talk to the young, the middle-aged, and the senior citizens
without hesitation. People shouted his name on the streets, and he was unassuming of that
recognition.
As Malcolm moved from the established protocol of fashion design, he also
moved from the established protocol of what men should wear. When I met with him
during the months of March-May in 2010, I was never sure how Malcolm would show up
for our time together. Sometimes he would be in a pair of jeans with a t-shirt and other
times he would be in a flowing skirt with a t-shirt or jacket. No matter what he used as his
attire, I found the same man to be talking to me. Malcolm is indeed unique. I interviewed
this unique designer turned social entrepreneur and philanthropist using the phases of
appreciative inquiry: discovery, dream, design, and destiny.
The Phases of Appreciative Inquiry
The phases of appreciative inquiry were designed to address the main question of
this research, What can be learned from the leadership of Malcolm Harris as a social
entrepreneur and philanthropist that contributes to a more beneficent society? The
70

secondary questions were also addressed in the phases of appreciative inquiry. Those
questions were:
1. What were the life events in the life of Harris that contributed to the work as a
social entrepreneur and philanthropist?
2. How did Harris describe the changes in his life that contributed to social
entrepreneurship and philanthropy?
3. What commonalities and differences emerged among Harris and other social
entrepreneurs and philanthropists?
The Discovery Phase
The Discovery Questions addressing Research Subquestion 1 (Appendix B,
Section A) drew upon Harriss life and work experience (Whitney & Trosten-Bloom,
2003, p. 154). The results are presented in a condensed format in Table 1.

Table 1
The Discovery Phase: Questions Addressing Malcolms Story, Life Events, and Changes
Question topics Thematic findings
The story

Epiphany: Darfur
Improving the lives of others

Mentoring
Contribution to more beneficent society One Dress contributions

Epiphany. Malcolm further explained his epiphany to me as his reaction after he
saw a documentary on the genocide in Darfur. He designed a t-shirt that he then wore to a
fashion show. The next day, Malcolm said, The t-shirt was everywhere. He then
recounted, You know, that light bulb goes off and I said to myself, I can make a
difference. This was his epiphany. Malcolm clearly defined this as his epiphany, but in
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reviewing his story it appears that the time in prison also changed the way that he viewed
his life and the lives of those around him.
Mentoring. Malcolm has a formal ongoing relationship with Parsons School of
Design as well as the Fashion Institute of Technology. In that formal role as a mentor, he
works with individual students who are not only interested in the world of fashion, but
also in the world of business. As he told me, I sort of depend on this new generation that
is going to come into fashion. Theyre going to have to be in charge and we are very
lucky to have these kids. In a rather humorous way Malcolm also mentored his online
community that was responsible for the creation of the One Dress. He related,
There was this thing that started out from me playing Dr. PhilFashion Dr. Phil.
Women are befriending me. They ask my advice. What should I wear? I am
going to a dinner or I am going to this or to that.
To this day, Malcolm continues his mentoring role with his online community. He
appreciates the fact that he can know his customer anywhere in the world.
One Dress contributions. One Dress proceeds are contributed to various causes,
such as Kiva, Womankind, the American Heart Association, the Susan Komen Breast
Cancer Research, and are directly tied to Malcolms role as philanthropist and social
entrepreneur. Currently he has 45 organizations asking him to create a dress color for
their particular cause. As he related to me, A course of due diligence must be followed
in choosing each organization, (personal communication, July 20, 2010).
The decision to make donations from the sale proceeds of each dress was related
to his view of luxury at this time in his life. He explained:
My definition of luxury is changing. Luxury to me is being able to afford to give
30 bucks to Kiva. That is a huge luxury in my life that when I receive a note on
my phone that says Kiva has updated your account. What do you want to do with
the money? And to be able to say, okay lets donate that to the woman who is
trying to open a food cart. Thats a huge luxury. Do you know what I mean?
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Malcolms attachment to the very process of the One Dress production has
emotional implications for him. He explained the very beginning of the process, There is
this process that you go through that is like giving birth to a new color and you feel sort
of obligated to get it right. To get it right, Malcolm has a plan and I listened to it unfold
as I asked him to dream how that would look.
The Dream Phase
The Dream Questions (Appendix B, Section B) were written to invite Malcolm to
lift up the best of what has been, and imagine even better (Whitney & Trosten-
Bloom, 2003, p. 179). Table 2 presents these responses in answer to Research
Subquestion 2.

Table 2
The Dream Phase: Questions Relating to the Vision of What Could Be
Question topics Thematic findings
Images of the best Power of the fashion industry
Socially aware industry
Vision for the future Brands with bigger messages
Raising awareness
Changing laws
Vision compatible with you Fashion mirrors the times

Power of fashion and social awareness. Malcolm explained, I dont believe that
the fashion industry really understands its power what you could weave into the
stories you could tell with the things you send out onto the runway. Speaking further
about the fashion industry Malcolm continued,
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The company where you truly do what fashion is supposed to domirror the
times in which we live what if you made clothes to empower men and women
to make them feel as if they were connected to something bigger than themselves?
Malcolm further acknowledged that he sees a shift on the part of the buyer who is
now more discriminating. For instance, he observed:
People that were often buying your brands arent buying. They are now spending
money with brands that have a bigger message this is the reason. There is this
bag that says Feed. It is now very chic to be socially aware. For me, I am trying to
make it real and not a marketing tool.
Bigger message. As Malcolm described lessons that he learned in the process of
making the dress and creating a brand with a bigger message, he said,
I cant sell this dress in certain parts of the Middle East. I have to add sleeves to it.
So thats the next part of the process, because woman cant be seen without
sleeves I am so excited by adding a sleeve to a dress!
You know, I want to show people that this is what I was able to accomplish,
because one day I knew that I had to make a difference, and I am so committed
to this journey and not designing from this ivory tower and thinking that I know it
all I refuse to let this business make me a depressed person that is always
struggling. I dont know what it is with the fashion industry that makes it this
thing that people dont think they can be a part of without selling their soul or
giving up who they really are everyday. You have a machine that exists like that
and to decide to unplug yourself from that matrix it is there and you can do it.
So you have to choose. You have to wake up every morning and choose to say to
yourself: my life is going to be exciting, it is going to be magical and it is going to
be purposeful.
Raising awareness and a mirror of the times. As part of his role, he sees himself
responding to the needs of women globally. Malcolm believes that fashion does mirror
the times in which we live. He told me to imagine the possibilities for change in the
fashion industry:
If people like me are the new format, then companies where you truly do what
fashion is supposed to do to will mirror the times in which we livedo you
know? Imagine if that was the foundation of the company where people are
concerned with whats going on in the world and not just this sort of I make
clothes.
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Changing laws. Malcolm sees himself as an activist raising awareness by means
of a single dress, the One Dress. He explained:
I dont feel as if I am in the fashion industry anymore, because what I feel
connected to is so much bigger than that. What I am interested in is connecting
people in a real way that says, Do you see this woman here? I can raise
awareness for different causes that I am concerned with. I can raise funds to fund
research to change laws. That to me is much more important than making a pretty
dress for a woman to wear to a cocktail party.
In order to make these dreams a reality, I proceeded to ask Malcolm for his
insights into the design of this project.
The Design Phase
The Design Questions (Appendix B, Section C) were asked of Harris to solicit his
thoughts on the realization of his dreams (Whitney & Trosten-Bloom, 2003, p. 197).
The results are summarized in Table 3.

Table 3
The Design Phase: Questions Relating to Making the Dream a Reality
Question topics Thematic findings
Necessary actions Real time
Know customer
Harriss role Mentor
Networking
Plan to build Financial plan developed

Real time, know your customers. Capitalizing on the real time concept of knowing
your customer, Malcolm provided an example by showing me an actual purchase made
during the interview. As he explained,
Every time someone buys my dress I get a message on my phone I can then
check to see how she came to me then I can send her a thank you note.
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I had these woman asking me all sorts of questions and it starts with fashion and
you see that they segue into other things it has to do with the loneliness of
people and there is something that you ask a virtual stranger do you know
and never before in history have we had this possibility [referring to the real time
capability to communicate over the Internet].
This is the beauty of the Internet. So, when I am there at 2:00 a.m., I am talking to
a woman who is waking up in the Middle East and she is freaking out because she
has an important interview and is asking me so what should I wear?
Mentor. Malcolm stated:
I have an ongoing relationship working with students at Parsons and FIT. I meet
with students in both design and business studies throughout the semester.
Sometimes I just talk with them. I have been interviewed for projects, and
whenever possible I invite them to events that I feel might provide some insight to
them.
Networking. Malcolm already foresees the vastness of this practice, and went on
to offer this suggestion, As the company expands I will have people that can do that.
Not only does Harris know his customer, but he appreciates and values their loyalty. As
he shared his thoughts on his customer base, he told me:
These women, I can guarantee, will be with me forever. They will follow the One
Dress project today. Next year I plan to do a fragrance that will have the same sort
of give back component and then it grows from there.
Malcolm enjoys the networking aspect of the One Dress project. He reflected on how his
way of working has changed as part of this process:
When I design now, I design in a different way. I want to know about the life of
the person that I am designing for. I want to know what is important, what is this
woman interested in, what is the reason she is buying this particular dress from
me. Is it because we share a common bond?
Financial plan. Regardless of the reasons or motivations for a One Dress
purchase by women around the world, Malcolm is cognizant of the fact that he must have
a plan for growth and sustainability. Part of that plan is dependent upon his financial
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planning. Malcolm acknowledged this business and financial responsibility when he
stated:
At the end of this process, I am the one who has to walk the entire chain of the
production of the One Dress. I have to be able to sort of co-sign every step along
the way. When you have a product like this you have all these manufacturers
coming at you because they want to produce this thing, and I have to say no
because for me this is not a one hit wonder thing. At first I overloaded people
with too much informationwith a new process that no one could understand. So
now I am in the process of redoing the website.
Even with Malcolms self-proclaimed lack of business knowledge, he has aligned
himself with people who are knowledgeable in business growth tactics. This fact is
further exemplified in the interviews with participants. During these interviews presented
in the Section Themes from Participants Interviews, a participant involved with his
Financial Plan (Appendix F) remarks on Malcolms business skills. Malcolms plans for
growing a sustainable business are further described in his answers to the destiny
questions.
The Destiny Phase
The Destiny Questions (Appendix B, Section D) recognizes what has been
learned and the ongoing systemic change necessary for positive change (Whitney &
Trosten-Bloom, 2003, p. 218). The questions and findings are presented in Table 4.

Table 4
The Destiny Phase: Questions Relating to the Actualization of the Plan
Question topics Thematic findings
How to actualize Organization/execution
Loyal network
Strong/inspirational leadership
Suggestions for others Conquer fears

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Organization/execution. Malcolm is cognizant of the fact that just as his personal
epiphany led him to the place where he realized that as one solitary man he could make a
difference, life can change negatively just as quickly. As we continued our conversation
about the business of fashion and the production of the One Dress, Malcolm recounted
the instance where Kathie Lee Gifford had used a sweat shop for the production of a line
of clothing. As he elaborated on that decision, he added, Your life can change. I
remember reading this thing. He envisions his place in the fashion production world as
one where he must strategically make sound, ethical decisions. He emphasized:
So people are depending upon me to do good. It would shake the foundation of
what I am doing if this dress found its way into a sweat shop. Its like giving birth
and you feel sort of youre obligated to get it right. You cant be half-assed
about any of this.
With all of his individual efforts, Malcolm displayed a sense of humility when he
disclosed, I never take too much credit for this thing, because I didnt do it on my own.
Malcolm also mentioned that his insomnia mentally transitioned for him from
being a curse to presenting itself as his Blessing. Returning to his mention of his gut
feelings and dealing with insomnia, Malcolm remembered his time online at all hours of
the night and remarked,
It takes care of my boredom and insomnia at night. Do you know what I mean?
Thats the first thing. Then there was this nagging feeling that you know this is
going to lead you to whereversomewhere goodand you dont know where it
is.
Loyal network. The creation of the One Dress is a visible representation of
Malcolm ability to use his networking skills, build relationships and as he explained it,
design a dress in reverse. The end result was a dress developed entirely online as
Malcolm shared, I just followed it. It was this gut thing. He further elaborated how the
community developed into a loyal network of followers after the initial planning.
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I have this one woman on the site she is nine months pregnant and then she
sends a picture of herself after she has had the babyin the same dress.
We share a common bond I just sort of decided I would answer the questions
and I would let them leave notes I now have some 3,000 Facebook friends.
Strong/inspirational leadership. Gut feelings appear to influence Malcolm in his
day-to-day decisions. Furthermore, strong feelings impact his style of leadership.
No one is willing to raise their hand to say, excuse me, you are suffocating me. I
feel even with this project so ahead of its time that people sometimes look at me
as though I have lost my mind. I have stepped out of the system that I could have
easily gotten to the top I have done that already.
Now I am excited about the journey, every bit of it, even when it is the worst. I
have to stick it out to see. There is this thing: how do we get to, how do I listen to
make sure, and get to this dark place that it is trying to show me. It is a place
where you get ideas. It is a precursor for this great moment that is about to be
revealed, but you have to understand those really low periods. They are painful
but you have to always know that this is just a preparation for the next great idea.
Malcolm went on to say, I should use whatever my voice is to say something.
He continued:
One day I said I feel like I am chained to this process the same hamster going
around the wheel, I dont think this is the path for me. How can I make this
different? Do you know what I mean? How can I make sure that the people who
work with me and for me are equally as excited about what they are doing? I
started thinking, Is there a way to have your employeesthe people who work for
youto have that same sort of autonomywhether working from home, working
from a beach.from wherever?
With this One Dress, I have so many hopes and dreams for this dress, beyond the
actual item, because of all these other things attached to it.
Conquer fears. Malcolm has a daily practice to conquer fears. He explained, I
actually have a practice where I do something every single day that Im afraid of doing;
and slowly but surely, I have become almost fearless.
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Summary
In this section, I have examined the feedback provided by Harris during his
interview in New York City. Additionally, I presented the story of Malcolm as seen
through my eyes. Malcolm freely shared his years of accumulating great wealth, his time
of chaos, and his time spent in prison. Malcolm reflected on the good and the bad times
of his life, and I have given voice to those periods in his life. These stories have added
depth to the study of this man and the leadership that he has provided to others. The
phases of appreciative inquiry were used to answer the main and secondary questions of
this study.
Harris became a social entrepreneur and philanthropist through multiple life
events. Among those were:
Realizing that one individual can make a difference;
Having a new view of what luxury means to him;
Being connected to something bigger than fashion;
Producing fashion as a mirror of the times.
Mentoring and networking with diverse individuals;
Practice conquering fears.
I have had the opportunity to see these events unfold over the years. It was an added
adventure to hear the stories of the participants.
Themes From Participants Interviews
The majority of my interviews were conducted on the Club Floor of the Ritz-
Carlton Battery Park in New York City. The facility allowed me to have a quiet
environment for my participants where I could also provide them with refreshments
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throughout the interviews. I met with people ranging in age from the late twenties to the
early fifties.
Two of the participants who were interviewed over the phone were located out of
the country. I used the telephone rather than Video Skype because I needed to transcribe
the conversation and a recording device and earphone were available to me when I used
the telephone. For purposes of this research I believed that the ability to transcribe every
word spoken was necessary. Introductions and continued communication are still
available through Skype for me and the participants.
Answers to the semi-structured, open-ended interview questions were grouped
thematically as shown in Table 5.

Table 5
Themes From Participants Interviews Based on Research Questions
Questions Topic Themes N = 8
Do you find Malcolm to lead
by example? If so, can you
provide descriptive behaviors
to illustrate this? (Question 3)
Leads by example
Sets good example
Creative brilliance
Humility
6
8
Does Malcolm make work
exciting? Please provide
examples. (Question 4)
Stimulates enthusiasm Fun 8
How does Malcolm inspire
you? Or does he not inspire
you? (Question 5)
Inspires others Integrity
Honesty
Loyalty
7
8
7
Has Malcolm articulated a
vision regarding his work? If
so, what do you interpret that
vision to be? (Question 6)
Compelling vision Clarity of vision
Clothing as a message
7
8

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Questions 1 and 2 were used to acquaint myself with the interviewee and to
establish the length of time that each participant had known Harris. Question 3 asked if
Harris led by example, and how did he exhibit good examples to others. Question 4
inquired as to how Harris built enthusiasm for his work. Question 5 was posed to
participants to solicit how they perceived Harris to be inspirational to others. Question 6
was asked to find out if Harris had a vision that was noticeable to participants.
Considering the small pool of participants, I chose to protect their identities by using no
identifying information when reporting their comments.
Leads by Example
Question 3 (Appendix C) solicited responses for Do you find Malcolm to lead by
example? If so, can you provide descriptive behaviors to illustrate this? The traits of
leading by example and setting a good example were supported by participants
expressing the themes not only of Malcolms creative brilliance but also his humility
which are illustrated through the following statements:
He speaks from experience and knowledge and when he doesnt, hes humble.
Hes very quiet, so when he takes on being a leader he takes it from relation to the
subject or knowing otherwise he has no problem being in the backdrop.
He is very humble. Thats one thing about Malcolm. He doesnt brag about who
he is and what he can do.
He doesnt put on airs. He doesnt act like he is better.
One thing that I can say about Malcolm is that he is very much a thought leader.
He knows exactly what he wants and definitely, I think from a creative
standpoint, hes a creative genius and is definitely outside the box and innovative.
Hes definitely a leader.
He is an entrepreneur. He is just amazingly brilliant.
The specific image that he is building that type of meticulousness and care and
deliberateness is what is going to make the difference.
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None of those interviewed solicited negative comments in response to Question 3
or implied in any way that Harris was not qualified to lead or lacked the intellectual skills
required in his industry. In fact, one of the participants is the producer of the video for
Designers for Darfur. Despite my effort to protect this participants identity, I can still say
that this person felt an immediate bond with Harris, and found him to be very different
from others that she had interviewed over the years from the world of fashion. Another
participant located outside the United States shared hours with me on the phone as she
laughed and recalled stories of college days with Malcolm. She had lived on the West
Coast, married, and traveled extensively with her former husband who was a member of a
foreign consulate. She specifically reassured me that she will come to the states again
to meet when I have completed this research.
Stimulates Enthusiasm
This section illustrates responses provided by the participants to Question 4
(Appendix C). This question addressed the second trait identified of an inspirational
leader, stimulates enthusiasm, by asking Does Malcolm make work exciting? All of the
participants interviewed agreed that Harris was a fun person to be with whether it was a
professional gathering, a work-related venture, or a social event. The effortless nature on
his part to elicit excitement was noted. I personally experienced this while walking the
streets of New York City with Malcolm. I watched and heard people shouting his name
as we traveled the streets. Those who knew Malcolm for decades as well as those who
knew him for a few years enjoyed the company of this man. Participants ranged from
fellow creatives to financial experts. The theme of fun was commented on by every
person interviewed. Participants expressed their impressions in this way:
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I dont think Malcolm makes work exciting for people. I think because Malcolm
is Malcolm everything is exciting. Hes not somebody that you turn on.
When describing time spent with Malcolm and Malcolm making work exciting,
this participant answered,
Because Malcolm is exciting, everything is exciting. Hes not somebody that you
turn on. Hes just interesting, fun, top quality if hes going to throw a party, its
going to be wonderful food, great you know, really wonderful people, top
quality, and he doesnt have to say anything, but its always the best. Hes really
worked hard on himself and hes worked hard on others so whatever he puts his
hand on, its just qualityand you know, my best times are with him.
Its not like I was some big publicist working for a big PR-firm, but he treated me
like I was. Every time I visited him and he had exciting news, he would say: I can
tell you about this one thing that happened.
He definitely reaches out. Its not like he has you work and then he goes off. He
tries to include you.
He is just such a fun person.
Inspires Others
The third trait of an inspirational leader is the ability to inspire others and take
action to insure that others buy into his mission, goals, or agenda. The interview
addressed this trait with Question 5 by asking How does Malcolm inspire you? Or does
he not inspire you? The following statements illustrate answers provided by
interviewees. The themes that emerged were those of integrity, honesty, and the loyalty
that he has earned from others. Malcolm knows firsthand what a lack of integrity and
honesty can eventually bring to a brand. After all, he served time in prison for his lack of
foresight with the brand Katsumi and Malcolm. That being noted, prison changed
Malcolm and he had a new appreciation of his life circumstances growing up as a gay
man in Miami, Florida, as well as the circumstances of those less fortunate than he.
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Personally, I have witnessed his honesty and his willingness to share stories that were
painful in his life. Some participants stated in response to his integrity:
It is rare to find a man who has a heart and a mind. A man who comes from
this intellectual background and isnt so much about me, me, me, but [he] is
doing something with grace and poise and a certain degree of integrity, and who
also has a great talent.
One participant stated quite succinctly, Righteousness and just integrity.
Malcolm said that no matter what they said, you can still be on it [in reference
to a project with the One Dress].
It is easy to say yes to people but sometimes you have to say no to someone if
what they are doing isnt aligned with your goals. For him, the One Dress is a
very specific product with a very specific goal.
His honesty was described by statements such as:
And witnessing him saying no because it doesnt feel in alignment with his
goals and values; it feels as though it is a betrayal to this certain set of values.
It becomes inspiring. Hes not afraid to close the door if its not aligned with his
personal and professional goals otherwise things become noise [noise is
something not aligned with his goals].
because everything he says and does is so consistent. Its really inspirational
because I feel that sort of character is in line with your work with good behavior.
the names of people he does not want to manufacture the dress even if they
were cheaper, even if they keep coming back and giving us a lower bid.
He has no problem sharing and being honest and that is a big thing because
sometimes he will lose friends over thatyou know, of significant power, too
and it doesnt bother him.
He is just so honest.
Malcolms loyalty to and from his followers was acknowledged as:
He is sincerely on a mission he is extremely creative and brilliant as an artist,
but hes sincere.
So, Im not going to let him down on this project, this honor. I will make sure that
I get it somewhere.
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The fashion world and the PR-world are just not friends. People just arent your
friends, but Malcolm is different. Malcolm is just a great person.
He wont back out on me and I think thats what is so inspiring, because it is so
rare these days.
Whenever he wants me or anywhere he wants me I will be there for him.
Communicates a Compelling Vision
Trait number four of an inspirational leader identified by participants,
communicates a compelling vision: generates excitement, enthusiasm, and commitment to
the mission was addressed specifically by Question 6 when asking Has Malcolm
articulated a vision regarding his work? If so, what do you interpret that vision to be?
The themes of clarity of his vision, and clothing as a message were recognized by every
participant. In fact, using clothing as a global message was voiced no less than two times
by every participant. The lows in Malcolms life contributed to his vision. When recalling
the success he initially experienced in the years of Katsumi and Malcolm, Malcolm
expressed the opinion that money needed to have a purpose. In his particular case, the
purpose translates into his vision of fashion serving as a type of messenger for doing
good in the world. When asked what he would like his legacy to be, Malcolm responded,
I would like to create a blueprint for creative people who want to live their truth.
Hopefully, my work can assist in funding their dreams (personal communication,
October 21, 2010). Representative examples of Malcolms vision and how the
participants internalized it are:
Immediately he started to talk about his clothing line from the perspective of, you
know, globally and his relationship to history, and being a person who is not only
just a designer but whos an activist and who has a responsibility to communicate
his experiences in life through his clothing.
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Yes, absolutely. I have seen him dress mannequins and come up with ideas for
how to wear something and the thing about it is that Malcolm himself is an
extension of his work.
Malcolms approach to what he does is about making every woman feel
empowered and beautiful and special and included and he does that and he
inspires me because there are few designers that really go to that length to literally
create something that says were one.
The mission of the One Dress to support women around the world in anyway that
we can to stop violence against the woman and fight for their rights.
Even when he is doing fashion he is thinking about helping people.
Modelingthey were all real women, not just models. They had done some work.
One of them had breast cancerand things like that. It was really great.
He generally does just want every woman to feel good about herself. I think a lot
of that is centered around giving women the resources to really pull themselves
out of bad situations. Its not just charity. Its really giving women lifelong tools.
The level of intimacy that goes into the pieces resonates with me.
To manufacture a sustainable luxury apparel and this specifically has to be
sustainable.
His vision is always very well articulated.
He very quickly is able to scale in on short term and medium term goals and
says heres what I need to be done in the next two years.
He was really meticulous in making sure that everything is going the direction
exactly the way that he envisions it.
I find it very rare to find someone with such a clear vision.
Well, he has lots of visions like the Darfur fashion show.
He is always very clear and precise and deliberate to share exactly what he wants
to do with the One Dress brand.
Clothing as a message was voiced in the following statements:
I really feel like we are kindred spirits in the sense of he said to me that he really
wants to use fashion to bring people together and, you know, I think that he lives
that.
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About beauty and about what it should really do for women. It should be about
lifting and empowering people rather than tearing them down and making them
feel that theyre lacking. Malcolm changes the way you define style.
I am really grateful for him the movement for what he does for the support
of the woman and to protect women for their health.
To have this One Dress that every woman, every shape, every size, every
heightthe dress is right.
There are few designers that really go to that length literally to create something
that says were one.
Questions 7-10 were developed to illustrate how Harris communicated to his
followers the benefit of their contributions to the achievement of his vision. Malcolm was
recognized by several participants for providing feedback to others. One participant
offered this sign of respect to Malcolm, I can tell him my heart and my mind he
could be a mentor to me. Another participant recounted his message when he told, You
have done so much and you have been there from the beginning. Further recounted his
words, Wow, youre an incredible writer. You really got the heart of the story. You
really said what needed to be said. Along with that feedback, another participant noted,
He gives a lot of opportunities to a lot of people. I feel more empowered because I am
friends with Malcolm.
Interns, university students, and fellow designers would more easily be able to
recognize Harris as a mentor with a vision than someone who served as a financial
advisor, peer, or professional colleague. In other words, not all of the participants for this
study would be followers of Harris. Their feedback to these specific questions elicited
answers that led to uncovering a number of unanticipated findings which had not been
reviewed in the literature or been included as relevant factors in the ECI.
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Summary
The participants interviews were used as a means to examine if Malcolm was
perceived as a leader by individuals who knew him in roles of staff, peers, and
professional colleagues. The responses to the main question, What can be learned from
the leadership of Malcolm Harris as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist that
contributes to a more beneficent society, helped to identify if he is seen as an
inspirational leader.
Participants for this study affirmed the following traits as leadership competencies
of Malcolm:
Leads by example
Stimulates enthusiasm
Inspires others
Communicates a compelling vision.
These traits are found in the ECI (Hay Group, 2005) as competencies of
inspirational leaders. Combined with the findings generated from Malcolms interview,
his leadership was affirmed. The unanticipated findings provide additional insight into
the leadership of this social entrepreneur and philanthropist. The new findings are
presented and substantiated by participants comments in the following section.
Unanticipated Findings
All participants were extremely forthcoming in their discussion of Malcolms
characteristics, what inspired them, and why they follow his lead in fashion design,
product development, and in their own personal lives. As Malcolm went through his
transformation from being a luxury clothing designer to becoming a social entrepreneur
and philanthropist he touched the lives of these participants. Some of the participants
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have known him for over 20 years and some have known him for only 2 years, yet their
interviews revealed similar themes. The data yielded additional themes that were not
addressed in the literature.
In this section, I will present those findings as a contribution to what can be
learned from the leadership of a social entrepreneur and philanthropist. The unanticipated
findings are first summarized in Table 6, followed by a detailed description of each factor
and supported by participants statements.

Table 6
Unanticipated Findings From Participants Interviews
Unanticipated Findings Participants
N = 8
Social awareness 6
Ethics and trust of others 8
Sense of self and grounded 8
Challenges and resilience 6
Uniqueness 8
Spiritual 8

These themes of social awareness, ethic and trust of others, sense of self and
grounded, challenges and resilience, uniqueness, and spiritual were confirmed by my
colleagues at the university where I work as an adjunct professor. I originally expressed
the theme of metaphysical, where they found the appropriate term to be spiritual. I agreed
with their interpretation of the transcripts and believe that spiritual more clearly captured
the responses from participants. I confirmed those assumptions by asking the participants
if I had interpreted their conversations correctly and they agreed.
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Social Awareness
Social awareness or the ability to sense others feelings and perspectives (Hay
Group, 2005) is exemplified by one participant who knew Harris through mutual friends.
That participant said, I knew that he was quite pro movement. Now, as someone who is
trying to pass the word of the One Dress on to others, this participant said,
My goal [is] if I can get more women that will join this group, a goal for me is
to make them realize there are still countries or places where women are not
considered equal just to get them to realize that there is somebody out there
that is trying to have a voice.
Another participant was describing the launch party for the One Dress and
reported, We distributed fliers about Kiva and Womankind, which is where a portion of
the proceeds go. This participant reflected:
Malcolm generally just wants every woman to feel good about herself. I think a
lot of that is centered around giving women the resources to be able to break out
of poverty, to break out of abusive relationshipsgiven the resources to really
pull themselves out of bad situations. That one dress is going to be the one
dress that changes the world. That is how I think of it.
A participant who works as a professional colleague and friend of Harris said:
It definitely helps to see people and be brought to people who are still passionate
about what they do, enough to put their own personal ambitions aside in order to
physically make a change themselves you know be the change you want to
see.
He went on to say, Malcolms love for philanthropy is great.
In retrospect Malcolms first glimpse of social awareness, or social inequality,
occurred when he worked as a tutor in prison. It was there that he first saw the differences
in the way that he was raised and the privileges that he experienced in life. Other men
looked like him in appearance, but they certainly did not know the world in which he
lived. Additionally, his first glimpse of Darfur set into motion his creating a t-shirt, and
going on to realize the impact that one man could make for change.
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Ethics and Trust From Others
Malcolms ethics and trust from others was humorously described by one
participant when Malcolm asked her how she slept at night after working financial deals
with clients. As she reported, Malcolm asked, How do you sleep at night? and her
answer was, I thought, I do that with a little milk. Malcolm displays an almost nave
belief in others; yet, he has made strategic decisions in his present business. There is
every indication that his low points in life have changed him. Prison taught him to search
out the people whom he can trust to conduct business with and he in turn responds to
others by being consistent, deliberate, and honest in his interpersonal transactions. His
professional colleagues provided vivid examples of their trust in Harris. A colleague who
knew Harris since college said, I dont know why but he is like, somebody that we trust
totally. Another participant who works as a journalist conveyed in the interview,
He was very understanding about it [lost a job assignment]. He took me at face
value and so that was a huge moment for me with Malcolm he is a real friend
he is a mentor.
A business associate said,
I dont feel like the next day I will wake up and talk to him and feel betrayed
because he decided he is going to do something else. I feel like Malcolm is the
guy who has that gentlemans handshake and he will not back out even if there is
not a contract.
Sense of Self and Grounded
The themes of sense of self and grounded were referred to either directly or in
reference to similar traits by every participant. Malcolm practices meditation. In fact, that
appears to be the way in which he connects to a higher purpose in life. As he told me, I,
one day, realized that the universe wants what is good for us (personal communication,
April 3, 2007). Furthermore, as a gay man he made personal decisions that were in
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alignment with his beliefs. He explained, a gay man is difficult for a Catholic
grandmother to understand (personal communication, April 3, 2007); yet, Malcolm was
able to maintain a relationship with his grandmother and still maintain his identity as a
gay man. In a direct statement one participant said, He has a strong sense of self.
Building on this theme, the participant added:
He is at the center of himself and whether you recognize him or not he is still
going to keep doing what hes doing [I am] not saying that I have trouble
finding the center of myself but it is great to share that [center] with someone who
is at the center.
Another participant told me, I dont think he really cares about status a lot. He
does have a lot of high profile friends but he also has a lot of just normal people and he
treats everyone the same. These interviews also revealed that the participants were
aware that Harris had met challenges along the way and his resilience was admired by
them. That called for the two themes of challenges and resilience.
Challenges and Resilience
When participants talked about their personal challenges, they would ultimately
mention Harris and his attitude towards life. Malcolm came away from time in prison and
returned as a fashion designer. He had lost the vast majority of the material possessions
that he had earned, yet found that contributing to others was of real importance. That
made the concept of earning money purposeful for him. When life knocked Malcolm
down, he rebounded stronger and he is still amazed that others give up so easily. Perhaps
easily is defined differently for Malcolm Harris than for others. That attitude
contributed to the themes of challenges and resilience. One participant said,
You know he has struggled at the end of the day Malcolm is a Black man who
worked his way to his top, the top, very successful, but he has done it righteously.
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Another participant related the story of not having work during the peak of the recession
and shared Harriss response:
When you have no idea what it is youre going to do tomorrow because you dont
have a job or you dont have money think about those children out there or others
out there and give to them.
What was observed as resilience and being able to persist even when times were tough
contributed to a characteristic of what was labeled unique about Harris.
Uniqueness
Nine times in the conversations, the trait of uniqueness regarding Harris was
brought to my attention. Malcolm lives differently. The way he chooses to dress from
day-to-day is a visual example. Furthermore, he spent time as a designer in another
country where his invitation for an internship was provided after he watched the entrance
and exit of designers into the design house. He spent time in a prison as a tutor, and he
tells the story as one of the best experiences of his life. Now, he has created a dress by
means of capturing the ideas of a 1,000 woman across the globe through the Internet.
There was the very direct statement,
He is one man doing everything he can and I think that makes him very unique
and special. I think that he should be recognized as a Black man in history some
day.
There were also the less direct but affirmative comments made that recognized what was
perceived as unique. For example,
I find him truly like someone who is one of those agents of change you find
yourself bumping into every few thousand or whatever someone who would
make a change.
It was not only as a change agent that his work was recognized as unique, but also his
very persona, as described by a participant who said,
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It takes a certain type of person who can afford not to be on time and have people
show up and be so disarmed by his sort of him that they are completely fine with
it.
In the same line of thought another participant reported, I dont think Malcolm his
day he wakes up and has a lot of visions. I dont think 24 hours is enough for him
really.
Spiritual
An intangible, unexpected theme to appear was the spiritual reference made about
Malcolm. Every participant referred to a spiritual essence of Malcolm with some
referring more than once to an old soul or to his essence. As mentioned earlier, there
is a naivety about Malcolm. With his academic intelligence and gift for design, he
continues to trust others. He believes that the universe wants what is best for him. The
following sentences illustrate what occurred in the interviews, It is rare to ever find
someone who has the innocence, the essence. In referring to their first meetings with
him, three participants voiced, I feel like it was years ago. I felt like I knew him
already. I felt as though I knew Malcolm. A more vivid spiritual reference included
the statement, It is very important that people notice how he leads by behavior because
he is he has a very, very old soul.
Summary
The primary research question, What can be learned from the leadership of
Malcolm Harris as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist that contributes to a more
beneficent society, was given voice through the participants interviews (Appendix C) as
well as the questions posed to Harris (Appendix B). Of note, the literal definition of
beneficent means doing or producing good (as by acts of kindness or charity)
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(Beneficent, 2006). The words of participants established that Harris was perceived as a
leader who modeled kindness and charity by his very acts.
Going through the four phases of appreciative inquiry with Harris (Appendix B)
answered the secondary questions relating to life events and the changes in his life, which
were correlated with the open-ended interviews conducted with participants. This section
of the interview also established a basis for identifying commonalities and differences
between Harris and other social entrepreneurs and philanthropists.
Rich data were obtained from all participants. In addition to the themes
supporting inspirational leadership, the following new and unanticipated themes were
discovered from participants interviews:
Social awareness
Ethics and trust from others
Sense of self and grounded
Challenges
Resilience
Uniqueness
Spiritual.
These newly discovered characteristics or factors of an inspirational leader can
serve as a basis for additional inquiries into the inspirational leadership of social
entrepreneurs. Furthermore, they need to be investigated in the context of mentorship and
training to find out if these principles can be taught and learned or if they are specific
features of this unique individual, who was the subject of this study. In order to better
understand this one man, Malcolm Harris, the questions for him were posed in a positive
and appreciative inquiry format.
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Affirmation of Appreciative Inquiry
The questions posed to the participants were developed using the traits of an
inspirational leader as found in the literature and as researched through the ECI (Hay
Group, 2005). Harriss questions were presented in the phases of appreciative inquiry
(discovery, dream, design, destiny) in order to understand his approach from a positive
perspective rather than as a problem to be solved. In that process, similar themes emerged
from both the participants and Harris. Those findings that aligned between Harris and the
participants are discussed in the paragraphs that follow and are in line with Wolcotts
(1994) description and analysis of qualitative data.
I saw not only the same words being used in both Harriss and the participants
interviews, but they addressed similar issues when compared to the appreciative inquiry
phases and when examining the inspirational leadership traits. For instance, in the
Discovery phase, Harris not only addressed his personal epiphany with the realization
that he could make a difference, but he made the effort to mention his mentoring
activities and the charitable contributions made through the One Dress. In alignment with
those themes, the participants mentioned that Harris treated people well regardless of
their particular title or position in life. It was noted that he reached out to others if they
were students, peers, staff, or colleagues. There was not a delineation of title.
Participants also acknowledged in the interviews that they were aware of Harriss global
concerns and his quest to empower others. Both of these observations are congruent with
the contributions of the One Dress.
The Dream phase of the inquiry finds Harris speaking to the power of the fashion
industry and the dream of establishing brands with bigger messages. He plays an active
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part in that dream through his work with fashion students at FIT and Parsons School of
Design, both located in New York City. Participants spent time reflecting on the literal
creation of a brand by Harris that ties fashion to a global message. Just as Harris sees
fashion as a reflection of the times, the participants in this study were aware of the global
relevance that Harris is attaching to his One Dress.
Harriss business plan (see Appendix E, Executive Summary) and the financial
plans (Appendix F) as presented in the Design phase correlate with the meticulous nature
and clear vision that was mentioned by participants in their interviews. His consistent
care to mentor the next generation and the appreciation voiced by participants were in
alignment with his responses during this phase of questioning.
Lastly, the Destiny phase of the appreciative inquiry questions was validated by
the answers of participants as to his inspirational leadership. Every participant voiced his
or her belief that not only was Harris inspirational at work, but he inspired them on a
personal level. His knowledge of the industry made his accomplishments possible, but his
humility in the process touched participants on a personal level.
The main and secondary questions of this research developed through a
collaborative effort. After proposing what I interpreted to be the overarching question, I
sought to develop points of exploration to add to the clarification of the main question.
Furthermore, I consulted with colleagues and solicited their opinions for the secondary
questions. A reiterative process was followed until the questions were developed. The
interview questions for Harris (Appendix B) were specifically targeted to address the
questions through an open-ended appreciative inquiry. In the Discovery Phase, the
question asking Harris for his story brought out the stories of his life events and how he
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described the changes that occurred and continue to occur in his life. The Dream Phase
and the Design Phase questions looked at the life events and changes described by Harris
and asked for the images, visions, and necessary actions that led to the decisions to be a
social entrepreneur and philanthropist. The Destiny Phase of questions added Harriss
thoughts on the actualization of his vision and was used to compare him with what is
known in the literature about social entrepreneurs and philanthropists.
In the next chapter, I relate the findings from the interviews to the literature. This
will also show that the unanticipated findings indicate a possible gap in the literature.
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CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS
If I were to wish for anything I should
not wish for wealth and power, but for
the passionate sense of what can be, or
the eye, which, ever young and ardent,
sees the possible.
Pleasure disappoints, possibility never.
And what wine is so sparkling, what
so fragrant, what so intoxicating as
possibility.
(Kierkegaard, 1992, p. 56)
The purpose of this research was to examine how inspirational leadership
contributes to social entrepreneurship and philanthropy in ways that can be followed by
other leaders. The main question, What can be learned from the leadership of Malcolm
Harris as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist that contributes to a more beneficent
society, emerged as a means to more fully experience this through the eyes of one man
and several additional participants who have known him. As Stayaert (1997) noted, a
study of entrepreneurship is never done and, as such, every entrepreneur endeavor
follows and writes its own story (p. 15).
Overview
A major part of this research took place in New York City where Harris resides. I
made a mindful effort to focus on the medium of the story (Kvale & Brinkman, 2009,
p. 199). All of the participants in this research provided me with their stories as seen
through their eyes; reflecting their construct of Harriss leadership. This final chapter
answers the research questions that were the foundation of this study. The main question
and secondary questions are answered by referring to the themes that emerged through
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the interviews with Harris and the participants. After answering the research questions, I
present my conclusion to the study and implications for further research.
Relating the Findings to the Literature
Appreciative Inquiry
I begin the discussion of Harriss story by restating that this work was not
intended to make a global statement, but rather to examine the story of one man. Prior to
the conversation addressing the phases of appreciative inquiry, I provided the background
of Malcolm. That storyas shared by Malcolmhighlights events relevant to the
decisions made by Malcolm. I shared his beginnings in Miami, Florida and his college
years in that part of the country. Then, his training as a fashion designer and his early
years as a designer and model in Paris were explored. The dark and chaotic period of his
sudden success with his first design house, Katsumi and Malcolm, emerged as the
foundation for his transformation and eventually evolved into his decisions to choose
purpose and meaning for his message with clothing, expressed in the collaborative design
of One Dress.
The phases of appreciative inquiry complemented the dialogue between Malcolm
and myself. I examined the conversation with the mindfulness that reality is what one
perceives it to be (Kvale, 1996; Kvale & Brinkmann, 2009). Commonalities and
differences between Harris and other social entrepreneurs and philanthropists were
discovered as he shared his story.
Harriss story developed through an affirmative cycle of appreciative inquiry
(Cooperrider, 1986; Cooperrider et al., 2000; Whitney & Trosten-Bloom, 2003). The
stories of the participants and interviews about Harris were solicited through semi-
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structured questions developed by using the traits of emotional intelligence (Hay Group,
2005). As a researcher, I attempted to revoice (Stayaert, 1997, p. 28) the participants
stories using an iterative process coupled with the input of professional colleagues.
Inspirational Leadership
The main question of this research asked, What can be learned from the
inspirational leadership of Malcolm Harris as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist
that contributes to a more beneficent society? Through the examination of the
participants interviews it is justifiable to state that Malcolm Harris is an inspirational
leader. Hay Group (2005) defined inspirational leaders as inspiring and guiding
individuals and groups (p. 39). Statements made by the participants demonstrated that
Harris created a focus and energy in his relationships with others. Following that same
line of thought, the intangibles that Harris shares with others align with the energy of the
animateur (Senge et al., 2008). Upon review of themes from the participants
interviews, it was demonstrated to me that Malcolm was able to lead by example, his
enthusiasm was fun, and he displayed creative brilliance and humility. Malcolm inspires
others (Goleman, 1995; Goleman & Boyatzis, 2008; Wilmot, 2003) by means of his
integrity, honesty, and loyalty. Furthermore, Malcolm has articulated a clear vision for his
work. The animateurs ability to combine thoughts, focus, and energy are voiced within
the unanticipated findings of this research.
As participants answered questions during the interviews, a spiritual side of
Harris was referred to consistently in their comments. I mention this for a number of
reasons. First, and most importantly, every participant referred to a spiritual side of
Harris. I found no lead in questions that I had asked participants. As a former
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counselor, I was conscious to not influence participants with either positive or negative
statements. As the spiritual theme reoccurred, I asked Harriss colleagues to review the
transcripts again and to focus on my line of questioning. They confirmed my neutral
stance during the interviews. Furthermore, this brings forth the question of modern day
relevance of the topic of spirituality. Is spirituality now more interesting or is there a new
comfort level in addressing the topic? This idea will be discussed further in the
Discussion of Unanticipated Findings and Conclusion.
Malcolms contagion with his followers was voiced in their responses. Mirror
neurons (Goleman & Boyatzis, 2008, p. 76) may provide a partial explanation. The
independent research of Goleman (1995) and Kets de Vries (1995) investigated this
leader-follower dynamic that contributes to the mirroring effects of emotions of a leader.
Referred to by some in group dynamics research as parallel processing, the effects are
recognized both for intra- and inter-attunement. This leader-follower dynamic was
evident when participants in this study voiced how he [Malcolm] doesnt have to say
anything and still they were touched by his actions.
The current works of Orloff (2010) and Seppala (2010) provide additional insight
into the comments of participants and Harris. Orloff (2010) reported on each individuals
capacity to tap into his or her own wisdom by way of the soul. The idea of an old soul,
gut feeling, just feeling this was going to go somewhere good are found in modern day
discussions of the transformational effects of an avatar (Seppala, 2010). This modern day
avatar is viewed as a teacher or role model in the 21
st
century. This earthly man or
woman of our times embodies spirit and soul, retaining some of the literal dictionary
definition of incarnation (American Heritage Dictionary, 2006).
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Whyte (1994) and Watt (2010) have addressed the souls position in corporate
America. Whyte (1994) stated, By definition, soul evades the cage of definition (p. 13).
In reflecting upon the soul and the soul in corporations, Whyte acknowledged the value
of creativity and the courage it takes to give voice to ones beliefs and values. Then, more
than 15 years later, Watt revisited the timeless concept of the soul giving voice to beliefs
and values in the corporate world of the present. Harriss colleagues were able to voice
what they perceived as his beliefs and his values. It appears that Harriss interactions with
others have had effects that are not always measureable. As stated in the literature
(McKee et al., 2008), this intangible quality of leadership has gained familiarity within
organizations for its transcendent potential.
It is of importance that this transcendent potential reported by participants
regarding Harris could reasonably be linked to a better understanding of the
interconnectedness of humankind to the environment. It is a familiar approach in systems
studies to observe people and the environment in which they function. The prison
environment revealed to Malcolm for the first time inequalities between himself and
other young men who looked just like him. Furthermore, the environment in the
successful brand of Katsumi and Malcolm exposed him to a time of chaos and suicidal
thoughts. At the end, both types of environments contributed to choices he made that
enhanced his personal and professional life in terms of what he valued.
In reference to the animateur and the avatar, the human embodiment of these two
terms has that person interacting with the environment. The intangible traits that emerged
in this study of Harris supported the inspiration felt by others and resulted in their
following Harris.
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With the leadership of Harris being positioned as one of inspiration, I will now
proceed with the next question of this study, What were the life events in the life of Harris
that contributed to the work as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist?
Life Events
Within the discovery phase of questioning, Harris described his epiphany when he
witnessed the atrocities in Darfur and realized that as one person he could make a
difference. The literature supported the construct of an epiphany or conversion
experience (Bornstein, 2007; Dees, 2001; Senge et al., 2004; Wilmot, 2003). To
corroborate Harriss experience, I have described seven modern day social entrepreneurs
who were also touched by what they witnessed from their positions of privilege.
In the same manner, studies of philanthropists found a commonality to be a self
that is responsibly shaping the world (Schervish, 1994, p. 182). Just as Harris reported the
atrocities of Darfur as a changing point in his life, Schervish (1994) reported that wealthy
philanthropists single out events to be transformational for them.
I will discuss at greater length Harriss individual one-on-one mentoring projects
as relevant to Question 3 of this study. Prior to his official mentoring of students, he was
also an official tutor to other prisoners. There is more than a subtle difference between
the professional mentoring that he now does and the assistance he provided to young
prisoners; yet, there is the commonality of helping fellow human beings in their journey
of growth.
Furthermore, it is important to note that Draytons Ashoka Fellows (Bornstein,
2007) were social entrepreneurs chosen as references in their fields. These individuals
provide a path for others to repeat and to expand upon, much as mentors provide a path
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for those they assist. Social entrepreneurs and philanthropistsin assuming a leadership
role in their fieldsappear to be touched by life events. Their life events transform them
and they in turn take the message to others. Harriss life events, particularly Darfur,
contributed to the changes in his life.
Once again, change occurring one mindset at a time (Adams, 2000) is relevant to
the changes in Malcolm Harris. Epiphanies, or specific life events, changed Harris and
transformed his personal and professional life. He now uses the medium of fashion as a
means to deliver not only a message of unity in the labeling of the One Dress, but also
supports the hopes and dreams of organizations and people tied to the mission of helping
others. I will now proceed to examine the next question, How did Harris describe the
changes in his life that contributed to social entrepreneurship and philanthropy?
Life Changes
Harriss resilience was evidenced after his release from prison for a white collar
crime and his decision to establish a different lifestyle while using his talents in fashion
design. Upon seeing the atrocities of Darfur, and creating a t-shirt to address the issue,
Harris realized that as one man he could make a difference. OToole (1995) and Bal
(2008) reported, effective leadership is consistent with high moral purpose. That moral
purpose for Harris was strengthened with the revelation that he as a single person could
effectively impact society and bring issue to the awareness of others that would otherwise
be forgotten or ignored. Malcolm candidly acknowledged that he had made poor choices
in life, but it is evident from the person he has become that he learned from those choices
and did not repeat the same mistakes. In that line of reasoning, Harris has exemplified
that high moral purpose in his actions.
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Harriss dream for change is nested in the world of fashion design. Dees (2001),
Nicholls (2006), and Yunus (2006) described social entrepreneurs as change agents.
Yunus proceeded to state that a certain breed of social entrepreneur is 70 percent crazy
(Elkington & Hartigan, 2008). There is irony in that statement as Harris told me, I
literally danced all the way across the street because I am so excited about everything.
As previously noted, Harris is comfortable in his own skin. Whether that skin is dressed
in jeans, formal wear, or a skirt, he is at ease with himself.
Just as other former and current social entrepreneurs and philanthropists have
changed patterns in their fields, Harris has patterned a dress to not only change the
structure of the fashion industry, but to change individual lives. In fact, Harris reported,
I no longer even feel as though I am a fashion designer.That statement may imply a
transcendent experience for Harris in his development as a leader. Transcendent means
exceeding usual limits, and transcending material existence (Transcendent, 2006). Harris
did verbalize that money needed to have a purpose. In fact, his design talents are now
focused towards delivering a message. Harris has positioned himself more as a designer
who views his work in fashion as more purposeful that merely making a pretty dress,
but rather as being a pathway to change lives.
Harris described the use of fashion as having a bigger message and to mirror the
times. As the literature revealed, the roots of philanthropy are grounded in raising
awareness of those less fortunate. As one man setting out to make a difference, Harris
produced a dress with a message. The message is more than the fabric and the color a
woman chooses. The bigger message of the One Dress mirrors the times and the
circumstances of life in the 21
st
century. With each color produced a different
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organization is helped. Although the design was a collaborative effort, Harriss mindset
that he could make a difference was instrumental to the design and the message of the
piece of fashion produced. The possibility for this project to expand into other brands and
with additional design houses holds potential for present day fashion designers and the
new talents that are to come.
Harriss life has not only changed by seeing the genocide in Darfur, but his
transformation continues to grow. In the description of Harris, I provided the physical
description of him accompanied by the fact that one could never be sure how Harris
would present himself. Lastly, Harris is now working to change laws that help protect and
empower women. With that in mind, I will now proceed to the final question of this
study, What commonalities and differences emerged among Harris and other social
entrepreneurs and philanthropists?
Commonalities and Differences
The continuum from social entrepreneur to philanthropist is a line that can be
blurred by the circumstances of the person sharing talents, time, or financial resources. In
Harriss case, he is sharing his talents, maintaining and developing a viable business, and
simultaneously providing a contribution to charitable organizations through every sale of
the One Dress. At the time of this research, Harris is literally in conversations with two
facilities that train disadvantaged women to work under acceptable conditions in the
garment industry that produce the One Dress. One facility is located in the United States
and the other facility is outside the United States.
Bornstein (2007) highlighted additional characteristics of social entrepreneurs. He
found social entrepreneuers could work quietly, share credit, and be free of established
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structures. In Chapter 4, I presented the participants views that Harris was quick to give
credit to others and to share credit with them. Harris has demonstrated those traits, and he
has also introduced some changes in the fashion industry. Harris has used fashion as a
global message to address the times. In a collaborative effort with 1,000 women, a unique
dress was designed, focusing on the customer and what women want rather than
designing and then selling the design as something they needed. In addition, he shares his
time with others providing mentorship in the design industry and in business.
Harris has undoubtedly changed the established pattern in his field of fashion
design. In fact, he does not think of himself as primarily a fashion designer, but more of
an individual who is using his talents to make a statement. As a fashion designer and as a
mentor, he has tremendous faith in the current generation to use fashion as a means to
send a greater message. Harris takes his message of fashion to the world through his
networking skills. Dees (2001) found social entrepreneurs to adopt a missionand
exhibiting a heightened sense of accountability (p. 4). Harris holds himself accountable
to followers maintaining a one-to-one relationship. As a professional designer, Harris
also holds himself personally responsible for the entire chain of production of the One
Dress. He is fully aware that the integrity of every step in the production process is
instrumental for developing and maintaining the overall vision of the brand. Currently,
students he mentors and customers who purchase the One Dress receive a personal
message from him, either in person or via the Internet. His online community can
question him and he answers. He realizes that with growth the online process will be
changing and he may not be able to answer all questions personally.
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In the world of fashion Harris is a modern day explorer (Bornstein, 2007, p. 1).
Harris is one of the new breed of social entrepreneurs and has used the technology of the
Internet to assist in spreading his message. Social entrepreneurs take on riskswhether
these are financial or professional risks or a combination of the two. Harris admits that
this project may be ahead of its time; yet, he proceeds with enthusiasm.
Harris has transcended the view of Simmels trickle-down theory of fashion
(Ortoleva, 1998). The trickle-down theory posited that the elite set the styles to
distinguish themselves from the lesser classes. Harriss vision is to use fashion as a
symbol of empowerment for all women. That empowerment has its roots in the design of
the One Dress as a collaborative process of 1,000 women and extends to the
manufacturing of the One Dress at a facility that will use the talents of disadvantaged
women to produce the One Dress. Rubensteins (2001) study of fashion labeled turning
points in human development as axial periods. The One Dress has the potential to be an
axial period for fashion.
As Harris told his story it became evident that he did not see the world in the
same way as Carnegie (1889/2006) described in his Gospel of Wealth. Harris did not
speak to acquired superiority due to his knowledge received with his academic training.
In fact, his humility is similar to that of former philanthropist and Nobel Prize recipient,
Jane Addams. Addams did not associate wealth with redemptive powers (Petillo, 1994).
Harriss personal epiphany that he could make a difference shares also some
commonalities with modern day philanthropist Howard Buffett. Both Harris and Buffett
are orchestrating change efforts in which they are personally involved. For Buffett that
includes touching the very soil on the farm land of those whom he assists, while Harris
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feels the fabric and looks for input from women around the globe. These philanthropists
are shaping the world rather than being shaped by it (Schervish, 1994, p. 182). In
addition to shaping the world, there are the implications of what others can learn.
The study of past and present day social entrepreneurs and philanthropists reveals
the similarities of sharing credit and being modern day explorers who were comfortable
in being free of established structures and ways of doing business. In the same way,
Harris has changed the structure of fashion design and its societal message. The axial
period in the history of fashion may be the use of fashion to send a message. The message
now is one to empower not only women, but to be an ongoing visual reminder of poverty,
wars, diseases, hunger, and other atrocities that wait to be acknowledged by society. In
the conclusion to this chapter, I discuss the unanticipated findings and further
implications of this study of Malcolm Harris.
Discussion of Unanticipated Findings and Conclusion
Harris is active as a mentor, both in an official capacity at Parsons School of
Fashion and Design and Fashion Institute of Technology, and in an unofficial capacity in
his friendships. The study of Harris reveals on a very base level that this ability to be a
trusted friend to others is valued by others and may be a trait to be learned. Goleman
(1995), Goleman et al. (2002), Goleman and Boyatzis (2008) have reported that leaders
can be taught to be inspirational and that those traits can be measured as competency
areas. Harris has proven to have the traits of an inspirational leader, and his work is
ongoing as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist.
The themes of social awareness, ethics and trust, challenges, resilience, and
uniqueness are recognized and measured in tests including the ECI (Hay Group, 2005).
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Schools of higher learning, such as Case Western Reserve Universitys Graduate program
in Organizational Behavior examine these traits and have ongoing research discussions as
to how well these can be learned and improved upon after the initial measurement.
However, the themes of sense of self and grounded and spiritual hold different
possibilities for study. These qualities mentioned in reference to Harris are intangible and
open to definition not only by the participants who were interviewed, but also by the
reader. For those who are believers in energy and being centered, the concept of a sense
of self and grounded are relevant to their conversation and use of the terms. Spiritual can
be interpreted by others as related to a specific religion or just a way of living in this
world. However, with Harris as the single case in this study, I examine the themes from
the perspective of this one man.
For Harris, a fashion designer by chosen career, sense of self and grounded and
spiritual hold implications for growth in the profession. The world of fashion is not
synonymous with these traits. To avoid liability issues, I will not mention the names of
designers with whom one is not permitted to have eye contact when passing in the
hallway. As an employee one is not allowed that human interaction.
Harris operates in stark contrast to this. He consistently seeks human interaction
and makes himself available to others. Those others are not defined by their perceived
elite status or lack thereof. I acknowledge that my participant pool was small, yet it was
varied with a wide range of ages, years they have known Harris, and working in different
professions. However, every participant referred to Harriss spiritual life independent of
their personal background, making this a strong unanticipated finding.
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Therefore, I present the question: Would it not be beneficial to work towards a
sense of self and becoming more grounded, as well as spiritual growth, as part of the
development of present and future leaders? It appears that the epiphany and
transformation of Harris was nested in his understanding better who he was and what he
wanted to share with the world. He consistently exhibited the ability to accept challenges
and use them to move forward with a cause. As one man, he incorporated what he had
learned from his own poor business decisions and the inequalities he observed. Moving
forward in life, he was touched but also motivated by what he had seen in Darfur.
However, these experiences and his decisions to change the way he lived and how he did
business were solitary moments. Harris used his sense of self and groundedness along
with a spirituality recognized by others to move forward and to open doors of possibility.
Trahans 2010 dissertation, The Grounded Theory of Building Capacity in
Organizational Leadership Through the Cultivation of Awareness, Attention, and Caring
found that the existing literature on the topic was scarce. With that being noted, in
Harriss particular case, the possibility was given voice in the One Dress. I believe that
his leadership, as one man, is an inspirational example for how a more beneficent society
could work.
As previously mentioned, four of the six themes that emerged in the unanticipated
findings have been measured in tests similar to and including the ECI (Hay Group, 2005).
The literature review for this study did not cover those emergent themes, because those
findings were unanticipated. Of greater significance were the themes of sense of self and
grounded, and spiritual. Mentioned in reference to Harris by all participants interviewed
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for this study, the intangible and energetic significance of these terms is relevant to
leadership studies.
These findings add to the existing literature by examining Harriss solitary
journey of leadership that led him to become a social entrepreneur and philanthropist. A
familiar idiom in the Western world is physician heal thyself. As Harriss story unfolded,
it became apparent to me that one also might say leader lead thyself. Harris had a
leadership journey that did not include workshops or trainings. Of importance to this
study, Harris experienced a journey from white collar crime to the awareness of the
atrocities in Darfur, and the realization that as one person he could make a difference. He
transcended to a place where he was more than his job as a fashion designer. Harris
traveled along this developmental journey of leadership as a solitary man. Ironically, his
one mindset resulted in a collaborative effort resulting in the design of the One Dress.
Implications
As a single researcher, I looked to professional colleagues to provide input to my
findings. That fact, in combination with a single case, lent itself to a process whereby I
have arrived at the implications of this study. Furthermore, I have seen auras while
attending a workshop on energy. That experience for me has provided an enhanced
understanding of the power of energy as a life force. Furthermore, I am better able to
make a connection between Malcolm Harris as he lives in the present moment and how
he impacts others in intangible ways through the energy he puts into his work and life.
Not knowing at the time that the phenomena existed, I am comfortable with the
implications I am about to discuss. I would assert that leaders will be recognized by
others as inspirational leaders if they practice knowing the self, become grounded with
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their own energy, and search for the spiritual in life (whatever spiritual may mean for
them). Their energy will extend to others, whether or not its subtle representation is
perceived with the eyes.
This is in no way to minimize the significance of a clear vision and the design
necessary to reach the destiny of that vision. In this single case, Malcolm Harris has a
vision and a clear path of understanding as to how to proceed with his One Dress and the
mission of changing the fashion industry. Harris knows what he wants to accomplish in
weeks, month, and years. He strategically chooses the people that are knowledgeable in
the business sector, and he does not waver on his ethical decisions.
However, the intangibles provide a gateway for new learning. As one acquires a
sense of self and being grounded, this research has revealed that his message is heard by
others. His one mindset attracted others. In The Mindful Brain, Siegel (2007) reports
intra- and inter-brain resonance beyond the self. People can feel this resonance. If in
doubt concerning this proposition, note how one feels in the presence of others. This
resonance can be positive or negative. The potential for leaders who have the sense of self
and grounded can change entire organizations. Mindfulness of ones own brain activities
and the energy brought to the organization as a single person, has the potential to change
by changing ones very presence.
Spiritual does not refer to religion, but I posit, is a way of being. It is a belief that
something greater than the ego exits. Particularly noteworthy is Malcolms recognition
that for years he had been operating totally from his ego. It is the way that I am present in
the world. Leaders take that spiritual I into their organizations and being mindful of that
fact can impact their leadership.
115

Recommendations for Leaders
In addressing current and future leaders, I would share with them lessons learned
from Harris. What is learned from a single life is not to be minimized; otherwise, what
would be our purpose and admiration of individual heroes?
First, I would suggest to a leader to ask himself or herself the question, How do I
see myself in the universe? Is my vocation a task to be completed, or does my journey in
life represent more than that to me? That question could solicit varied responses
depending upon the person and the time in his or her life.
A plausible response may well be something in the line of I am my task (doctor,
lawyer, teacher, accountant, etc.) and my primary purpose is to excel at that vocation.
Another answer may be, I want to contribute something greater than a task well done.
Using Harris as my example, I repeat his statement, I no longer even feel as though I am
a fashion designer. As individual leaders, what does each person question as his or her
life progresses? Malcolm was able to accept the dark and the chaotic periods and chose to
hold them as gifts that provided a gateway for growth.
If a leader begins to feel as though he or she has transcended the task that he or
she is performing, I would encourage that person to search within and pursue that which
will be of benefit to him or her as well as a contribution to society. I would suggest to that
person that one can make a difference and to experiment in the adventure of finding that
thing that is greater than the self.
A leader may be fulfilled by serving as a local volunteer or may be driven to
impact a larger segment of society. My words of encouragement would include the fact
that anyone can be a leader, live in gratitude for the gifts of talent, and reach out to
116

others. That would also include developing the resilience necessary to move forward
when periods of time present challenges in ones life.
If a leader has chosen to pursue a higher purpose than the task at hand, hopefully
he or she would recognize the value of mentoring others. Mentoring can be a formal
position, or informal. Formal mentoring may include participating in professional
organizations or institutions of higher learning. However, as was reported in this
dissertation, Harris was perceived as a mentor by participants who had no formal ties
with him. In fact, Harris does not even know that he is perceived as a mentor by those
participants and will be informed as he reads this dissertation. As Chesterland (1957)
noted, No plans or proposals, or efficient rearrangements will give back to a broken man
his self-respect and sense of speaking to an equal. One gesture will do it (p. 89). In that
line of thinking I would remind a leader to never minimize the power of his resonance
and contagion with others, being aware that he may never know of his impact.
Stewarts (2010) dissertation, Bringing Sustainable Practices to Communities
Through Industry-Sponsored Community Panels, addressed the assets of knowledge,
money, and leaders. Of significance for this research and of special significance for
leaders, is the fact that knowledge and money cannot lead. To lead takes a person. I
would encourage a leader to use his or her talents to lead in order to contribute to a more
beneficent society. Most importantly, never forget the potential of one, and be mindful
that some part of the journey may be solitary.
Suggestions for Further Research
Further research is possible in fields including but not limited to the fashion
industry. The spiritual dimension of Harris was not measureable in the approach taken in
117

this study. As the theme did reoccur, I inquired with Harris if he had any particular
practices that he followed. He confirmed that his meditation practice is ongoing. The
implications of prayer and the spiritual side of leadership could be investigated further in
future studies. If the effects are measured and correlated with financial returns, the
constructs of prayer, meditation, and spirituality would gain further relevance for the
success of organizational leadership.
This focus could lend itself to more research using quantitative or mixed methods
approaches. With functional MRI (fMRI) available, the brain functions of leaders could
be scanned for meditative states as well as the prefrontal cortex that is studied with
emotional intelligence. The scans could be evaluated in collaboration with other
psychological and academic tests. Scans provide a visual explanation for participants.
This assists those participants who hold little regard for the validity of a feeling side of
the human. A scan provides that picture.
Extending the research to participants, those who purchase the One Dress could
be part of a study. Questions asking for their reasons for purchase or the impact upon
them after the purchase could be investigated. The outcomes could contribute to greater
awareness of how goods are produced, and how this process affects marketing and
advertising programs.
Longitudinal studies could provide a different lens into the work of social
entrepreneurs and philanthropists. The examination of their backgrounds, present day
work, and follow-up over intervals of time could supplement the body of knowledge on
leadership as well as evaluate the authenticity of the message given to staff, peers, and
professional colleagues. Additionally, this adds credibility to the long-term effects of
118

change and the potential to learn new behaviors. Change is difficult as is evidenced by
the volumes of books written on how to change and how to make it stick! Longitudinal
studies add depth to the research on factors of change.
Additionally, studies could move beyond the world of the fashion designer and
include individuals in the business sector and/or educators. An examination of various
types of vocations and their relationship to social entrepreneurship and philanthropy
could be investigated.
Implicit to the study of emotional intelligence is the construct of self-awareness.
Schools of business could profit from research into the relationship or lack of relationship
between a leaders self-awareness and profitability. Is there a correlation between self-
awareness and monetary profits in the corporate world? As previously mentioned, current
research by Kim Trahan (2010) adds to the scope of this question through her
dissertation.
A Final Personal Reflection
I waited until middle age to embark on this Ph.D. journey. Throughout the years, I
worked primarily as a counselor and also for the fashion industry. The world of fashion
presented a diametrically opposed relationship in heart. As much as I enjoyed the clothes,
the industry was often antithetical to what I believed our purpose on earth was meant to
be. Malcolm provided me with an opportunity to investigate what is right with the world
of fashion and the tremendous possibilities that it holds for each and every person who
wears clothing.
119

Malcolm is a changed man, and such extensive personal change is very difficult.
Throughout that transformation, he chose to help others. The energy of that choice fills
my heart with gratitude.
While I worked on this dissertation study, I would listen to music. One particular
song Man in the mirror always resonated with me in relationship to Malcolm and his
bigger message and being a mirror of the time. That song was sung by Michael
Jackson. Jackson, though at times greatly misunderstood, wasand to some extent still
isan inspirational leader in the world of music. It is with those words that I would like
to end this dissertation.
Going to make a change
For once in my life.
Im starting with the man
in the mirror.
Im asking him
to change his ways.
No message could have
been any clearer.
If you want to make the world
a better place
Take a look at yourself
and then make a change.
(Jackson, 2003, track 10)
120


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York: Oxford University Press.
Yunus, M. (2007). Creating a world without poverty: Social business and the future of
capitalism. New York: PublicAffairs.

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APPENDIXES
Appendix A
INFORMED CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

Purpose:
The purpose of this research is to understand the life influences that
contributed to Malcolm Harriss work as a philanthropists and/or social
entrepreneurs. This project is being conducted by Denise A. Gotchall,
who is a graduate student of Saybrook University, as part of the
dissertation requirement.

Principal Researcher:
Denise A. Gotchall
[address]
[phone] [email]

Procedures:
[1] This study involves the analysis of data obtained through
interviews structured as an appreciative inquiry. You will be asked
questions that address the positive aspects of leadership.
[2] Completion of these procedures will require approximately
one hour of interview time with a summary period of 15 minutes.
You are under no obligation to respond to any question. During
the summary period you will have more opportunity to clarify or
add to answers that were given.
[3] The Appreciative Inquiry interview design will be used to
focus the participants on the research questions from a positive,
life-giving design. Although the subject matter of the interview is
specified, I encourage you to freely expand upon the subject
matter. The interview will consist of open-ended questions that
will elicit views and opinions. The interviews will be conducted
face-to-face in an area designated by you. A digital recorder will
be placed between you and me (the researcher).

Possible Risks and Safeguards:
This study is designed to minimize as much as possible any potential
physical, psychological, and social risks to you. Although very unlikely,
there are always risks in research, which you are entitled to know in
advance of giving your consent, as well as the safeguards to be taken
by those who conduct the project to minimize the risks. Those risks
131

include the stress involved in recalling emotional events. The
researcher will be attentive to nonverbal and verbal communications
that may suggest distress.

I understand that:
[1] My participation shall in no way have any bearing on my
personal, professional, social, or religious standing or alter or
deprive me of any or all services presently received in the
institution and setting in which I participate, as well as those
provided by the institutions sponsoring, funding, and providing
oversight, inclusively, for this research project.
[2] This informed consent form will be kept separate from the
data I provide, in a safety deposit box for five years, known only
to the Principal Researcher, after which it will be destroyed.
[3] The data collected in their raw and transcribed forms are
to be stored in a locked container accessible only to the Principal
Researcher and for five years, after which it shall be destroyed.
[4] Transcribed data in the form of computer disks, will be
kept indefinitely for future research.
[5] All the information I give will be kept confidential to the
extent permitted by law.
[6] There is to be no individual feedback regarding my
responses. Only general findings will be presented in a Summary
Report of which I am entitled a copy, and my individual responses
are to remain anonymous.
[7] None of the personal information I provide associated with
my identity will be released to any other party without my explicit
written permission.
[8] If quotes of my responses are used in the research report
for the dissertation, as well as any and all future publications of
these quotations, I shall be informed and have the write to refuse
the release of the information.
[9] I have the right to refuse to answer any question asked of
me.
[10] I have the right to refuse at any time to engage in any
procedure requested of me.
[11] I have the right to withdraw from participation at any time
for any reason without stating my reason.
[12] I have the right to participate without prejudice on the part
of the Principal Researcher and other persons assisting the
Principal Researcher.
[13] It is possible that the procedures may bring to my mind
thoughts of an emotional nature that may upset me. In the
unlikely event that I should experience emotional distress from my
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participation, the Principal Researcher shall be available to me.
They shall make every effort to minimize such an occurrence.
However, should an upset occur and become sufficiently serious to
warrant professional attention, as a condition of my participation in
this study, I understand that a licensed mental health professional
will be made available to me. If I do not have such a person, the
Principal Researcher will refer me and reasonable costs up to the
first two visits will be paid by the Principal Researcher.
[14] By my consent, I understand I am required to notify the
Principal Researcher at the time of any serious emotional upset
that may cause me to seek therapy and compensation for this
upset.
[15] I will receive a copy of this signed consent form for my
records.

Regarding any concern and serious upset, you may contact the
Principal Researcher at: [phone] or [phone]. You may also contact the
Research Supervisor of the project, John Adams, Ph.D. at [phone].
Should you have any concerns regarding the conduct and procedures
of this research project that are not addressed to your satisfaction by
the Principal Researcher and his or her Research Supervisor, you may
report and discuss them with Dr. M. Willson Williams (email), the Chair
of the Saybrook Institutional Review Board.

Possible Benefits:
I understand that my participation in this study may have possible and
potential benefits.
[1] I may obtain a greater personal awareness, knowledge,
and understanding of the constructs of leadership, philanthropy,
and social entrepreneurship.
[2] Through future communications and possible applications
of the findings of the research, indirectly my participation may
bring future benefits to others who have the same interests.
[3] My participation may enable the Principal Researcher and
others working in the topic area to contribute to knowledge and
theory of leadership, philanthropists, and social entrepreneurs.

Summary Report:
Upon conclusion of this study, a summary report of the general
findings will become available. If you would like a copy of the report,
please check the box below and provide the address to which you
would like it sent (your email or postal address):

I would like to receive a copy of the Summary Report
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Postal or Email Address:





Consent of Principal Researcher

I have explained the above procedures and conditions of this study,
provided an opportunity for the research participant to ask questions,
and have attempted to provide satisfactory answers to all questions
that have been asked in the course of this explanation.


Principal Researcher Signature Date


Principal Researcher name

Consent of the Participant

If you have any questions of the Principal Researchers at this point,
please take this opportunity to have them answered before granting
your consent. If you are ready to provide your consent, read the
statement below, then sign, and print your name and date on the line
below.

I have read the above information, have had an opportunity to ask
questions about any and all aspects of this study, and give my
voluntary consent to participate.


Participant Signature Date


Participant name


If you have any questions of the Principal Researcher at this point,
please take this opportunity to have them answered before granting
your consent. If you are ready to provide your consent, read the
statement below, then sign, and print your name and date on the line
below.
134


Appendix B
Interview Guide for Malcolm Harris
Thank you for participating in my dissertation research. Today I will be asking you a
series of questions designed as an appreciative inquiry process. In other words we are
going to be investigating the best of what you have demonstrated and learned as a leader.
Additionally, you will be asked to envision what is best in what you do as well as your
dreams for the future.

Please feel free at any time to stop me with any questions or concerns.

A. The Discovery Phase
1. I am interested in hearing your story. Can you remember any life events that
influenced your current work as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist? Were
there specific changes in how you viewed life that occurred or may be occuring at
the present time because of those life events? Additionally, please tell me about
how you decided to work to help people in need.
2. What things have you been able to do that you believe have improved the lives of
others?
3. What are the things that you have participated in that have helped to build a more
beneficent society?
B. Dream
1. What comes to your mind/what images do you see when you think of the best that
could come from your work?
2. Would you please share with me your vision for the future as you think it can and
should be?
3. Is this vision compatible with who you are and the work that you do currently?
C. Design
1. What actions do you believe are necessary to make your dream a reality?
2. What role do you think you can and should play in the design process?
3. How do you plan to build enthusiasm and support for your dreams?
D. Destiny
1. How and what should be done be actualized?
2. What suggestions would you offer to others who face similar issues so that they
too might become successful and impactful?

Would you like to provide any additional comments, suggestions?
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Appendix C
Interview Guide for Followers
Thank you for participating in my dissertation research. Today I will be asking you a
series of questions designed to better understand Malcolm Harriss work as a leader in
the field of social entrepreneurship/philanthropist. Your responses will remain
anonymous, and your name will not be cited in the final document.

Please feel free to stop me at any time to clarify a question or concern that you may
have. The questions are based upon information found in the literature used to describe
inspirational leaders.

1. How long have you known ____________?
2. What capacity do you perform as part of his organization? If you do not work
for Malcolm in what capacity do you know him?
3. Do you find Malcolm to lead by example? If so, can you provide descriptive
behaviors to illustrate this?
4. Does Malcolm make work exciting? Please provide examples.
5. How does Malcolm inspire you? Or does he not inspire you?
6. Has Malcolm articulated a vision regarding his work? If so, what do you
interpret that vision to be?
7. Does Malcolm recognize your strengths? If so, how do you know this?
8. Does Malcolm give directions clearly? If he disagrees with you, how does he
manage to let you know that?
9. Do you receive constructive feedback on your work?
10. Do you receive ongoing mentoring or coaching?

Do you have any additional questions or anything that you think I should have asked you
regarding Malcolm and his leadership? Are there any stories that you care to share about
Malcolm?

Thank you for participating in this research study.
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Appendix D
Selections From the Interview With Malcolm Harris
D: How did the One Dress come about?
M: Firstly, I have sort of insomnia, so it used to be my curse. I would hear people talking
about sleeping 8 hours, 10 hours, and I would just be like, is there something wrong with
me? You should be getting your rest, but for me, I am up all night and usually on the
computer- social networking siteseither Facebook or Twitter, MySpace. So, because I
am a fashion designer women are befriending me. They ask my advice. What should I
wear? I am going to a dinner, I am going to this or that. What should I wear? Can you
recommend the perfect color? All of these questions.
D: Really?
M: Yes, it happened all the time.
D: So, what do they do? Go to fashion designer site?
M: Yes, you can search fashion. You can search New York City. And so they basically
found me. So there was this sort of period when I was up answering for months and
months. I just sort of decided I would answer these questions. I would let them leave
notes. Leave whatever the questions are and I would get to them within 24-48 hours.
Then I realized how many women had these questions. So you open this sort of Pandoras
Box and wonder what you are going to get. Do you know what I mean? But it was one of
those sort of experiments that you say, lets see if I am going to learn something through
these question. You know, you had these woman asking me all sorts of questions and it
starts with fashion and then you see that they segue into other things. Almost like a
therapist, you know, you become friends with these women in the beginning. I was able
to attach the questions to the names and the faces, but then there were so many people
asking questions that I just had to erase the names and faces and look at the information
and questions and process. What does that mean that shes asking me? There were
questions like she is having her first date-should she kiss the guy- everything and it all
has to do with theres a loneliness of people. There is something that you ask a virtual
stranger. Do you know? And never before in history have we had this possibility. So I
spent months and months just talking to these women and there was this I knew there
was something else and I just followed it. It was this gut thing. I didnt know what this
was about, but I just followed it. It takes care of my boredom and insomnia at night. What
I mean. Thats the first thing. Then there was this nagging feeling that you know this is
going to lead you to wherever, somewhere good. You dont know where it is. So, I would
say for the first 6 months it was just me listening to them and then I started to explore
turning the questions around. So, if a woman was asking me a question I would ask her
one. Do you know? It became a sort of seeing the dots being connected and then I had
one of those moments when you say, well, if I look at this in the right sort of way
instead of me sort of having to figure out what women want to wear every season is a
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guessing game. Maybe this is going to be the new trend. When will I get it right? Is it
going to be the right shape? The right silhouette for the season? Then I said to myself,
why dont you design in reverse? Instead of you telling them what to wear, have them
tell me what they want to wear. Then you create it from the information that you get so
it was this thing that started out from me playing Dr. Phil fashion Dr. Phil. For them
there was that thing that happens when it becomes a full circle and you say, So whats
your favorite color? And then its like I would say, Okay, if you could pick your
favorite fabric, what would it be? Then they would send me a list of fabrics and then
what I did with those-I would make a spreadsheet and if they said cotton was their
favorite fabric I would ask what kind of cotton. Does it matter if its organic? Is that
important to you? And then a lot would say jersey, I love jersey. Then I would say, okay,
what kind of jersey. Is silk jersey one of your favorites? They would maybe answer
depending where it was from, and then I would take all of this information and I created a
little spreadsheet everyday and get back online at a certain time, so it was very sort of
organized so that people knew when I would be online. At one point, I had 600 female
friends on facebook and now I have some 3,000 female friends on Facebook, but it
started out when I said; when I have 1,000, I will stop. That should give me a magic
number, because you need to know when to stop listening to the voices.
D: Malcolm Gladwell would tell you 150 [in reference to the author of The Tipping Point
(2002) and the Rule of 150].
M: Yes, I know. You know, but for me I needed a magic number.
D: Yes, boundaries.
M: The great thing about women. They talk. They tell another and another and another.
They are much better at it than men, because men sort of hoard information. They really
do. They take it in as my knowledge; whereas women share their knowledge. You know.
I had this magic number and said to myself, okay, this should get me a really sort of clear
focus group of women. I had to get rid of some because you also get the women who
become sort of obsessed with the relationship and I understood that because in the
beginning they were numbers. Some of the women were hard core because depending
upon where they were the only connection they had to the outside world was the
computer. They went from the office and home back to the computer. I had to be careful
to not have some of the relationships become too personal.
D: Were there women from other parts of the world?
M: EverywhereI am talking about Dubai, Egypt, etc.
D: Did they speak English?
M: Yes, and some didnt because I have enough French 101 and it is spoken. You can
communicate in French. Everyone in the Middle East basically speaks French. It is one of
the most popular languages after English; so, I was able to do this. This is the beauty of
the Internet. So, when I am there at 2:00 a.m., I am talking to a woman who is waking up
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in the Middle East and she is freaking out because she has an important interview and is
asking me, So what should I wear?
D: Really?
M: But for me it felt so right, and if I did not have this insomnia I would never have been
able to go with this questionnaire and ideas and do you know what I mean? I used to look
at this as my curse. It has been my Blessing, and now I am able to operate at all sort of
crazy hours. So at times I may seem exhausted, but I am not exhausted. It is just that I
have been up.
D: I understand that.
M: It is just my thing. It is my thing. I take naps during the day. I take an hour here.
During the day, I am very fortunate. So, I am very lucky. It is my gift. So these women
sort of design this dress for me. It had to do with the fact they were the sounding board
for what this thing was that was missing. You had these women who were so excited to
having whatever they wanted. Single women who could buy a 800 dollar dress, a 1,200
dollar dress. So now they were wearing the same dress three times a week and you never
knew it was the same dress. So it fed in. They could put a jacket over it and they could
look completely different. They could impress their friends with having this dress that
they helped design. I never take too much credit for this thing, because I didnt do it on
my own, do you know? It just came through me.
D: So you moved from the time that I met you at Mal Sirrah. When I came into the studio
there were mannequins with things on them and fabric. So what moved you to the One
Dress?
M: I realized that was even the way it was set up was a model that was given to me.
Thats a model that the fashion industry set up. You had to have an atelier. You had to
have the showroom. You had to have the PR person. You had to have those things that
were already there. I just had to put myself into this thing that was already there. That is
the model you get: you go work for a few companies, you see the way they do it. What
your job is is to go and duplicate that.
D: Is that how everybody does it?
M: Yes, when you come out of fashion school.
D: Yes, when you come out of fashion school?
M: That is what you do. You come out and do an internship. That is what you do. You
work for a designer that you sort of admire and you duplicate that for yourself.
D: I didnt know.
M: What happens is there is nothing original. You just put your name here, because it is
the same set up for everyone.
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D: And that set up being?
M: You have the showroom. You have the girls and the guys that work for you and they
design. They do the sales and they do the marketing and you create this machine. Each
house is basically the same. It is just the same and for me that now longer felt like my
sort of natural course. I didnt feel like I was doing anything new. Everyone does the
same thing. We were all doing the same thing. The set up-we all see each other at the
same parties. We all do the same thing. It is like-really-this just no longer felt right. I felt
like I was copying something because that is what you are supposed to do in the world of
fashion. One day I said I feel like I am chained to this process. The same thing every day
and people assume because you are creating things and you are having this fabulous time
you should be so happy. You are doing what you love. But, it is the same cycle. The same
wheel; the same hamster going around on the wheel, you know? I just said this is it. I
dont think this is the path for me. How can I make this different? Do you know what I
mean? How can I make sure that the people who work with me and for me are equally as
excited about what they are doing. Do you know? I started to look intothe one thing
you knew from my set-up. I worked from home basically that was one of the benefits. I
started thinking, Is there a way to have your employeesthe people who work for
youto have that same sort of autonomyworking from home, working from the beach,
working from wherever? Now you can. My entire process is now done online.
Everything; if I have a meeting with a production house it is done online. I can sit on my
computer on skype and talk to anyone in the world from China to the new plane in LA. I
can get the rate. I can get fabric. That meeting takes an hour thats done. Im off to walk
the city, to visit a museum.
D: That group in LAWhat are they all about?

M: It just seems so perfect for what I am doing. They are very expensive and when you
are first starting out you have to find the cheapest place to have things made, but you
spend so much time making sure that they are not using child labor and not using sweat
shops. One of the problems is that they can show you all of the good things, but at the
end of this process I am the one who has to walk the entire chain of the production of one
of these dresses. I have to be able to co-sign every step along the way.
D: And youve learned a lot about signing the wrong line.
M: I have. People do not understand you life can change. I remember reading this thing
about Kathie Lee Gifford. You can sit and say as much as you want, but people dont
want to hear that because people think that you should know.
D: I know.

M: this is what can happen for me. What would happen is it would shake the foundation
of what I am doing if this dress found its way into a sweat shop. What happens when you
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have a product like this is you have all these manufacturers coming at you because they
want to produce this thing and I have to say no, because for me this is not a one hit
wonder. It has to last for years,

M: I will tell you the mistake I made in the beginning. This is the mistake I know now. I
was so excited about telling people about this project that I just wanted to tell all of the
things about it. You can wear it all these different ways and there is a portion of it that
goes to charity and were going to divide it up. There are going to be other charities were
going to be taking care of andI overloaded people with too much information with a
new process that no one could understand. So, now I am in the process of redoing the
website so that it shows the dress just one way. You can wear the dress attached to one
organization and then that is it for now and we add bits and pieces as rollouts.
D: It is associated with Kiva, but now you are putting the dress in different colors.
M: I will set up different colors and send it to my women and ask what color do you
think we should do next and then they will vote why this color. I need to know why, what
does it symbolize? It is important. Is it attached to this organization or this organization
or that organization? Every organization has a color. For me it is not just introducing a
new color, it is introducing a whole new chapter in the process of this dress, whereas if ...
he is just doing a new color. For me there is a whole range of things that have to be
associated with a new color. There is this process that you go through that is like giving
birth to a new color and you feel sort of youre obligated to get it right. You cant be
half-assed about any of this because you will have people who will say that organization
who think it is awful, that it sets up this sort of false environment for entrepreneurs
because all they have to do is they default.
D: You got a backlash from?
M: Yes, but this is sort of the thing that I learned from doing charity work. There will
always be naysayers. I dont know if you know this model
D: Yes.

M: What I love, of course, I still use changing the world one dress at a time. There is
this thing whenever someone writes about the dress they say wrap yourselfso on the
plane coming back from Paris, I was thinking, How do I change it? I was thinking of
wrap yourself in love, because thats what it feels like because it is not just like you are
wrapping this thing. You are wrapping peoples hopes and dreams around your body. Do
you know what I meanwith this one dress? So I have such hopes and dreams for this
dress beyond the actual item because all of these things are attached to it, but I will tell
you about my young. It was difficult watching her go down that path, but you have to
remember that you cannot impose your will on other people. You have to let them make
their mistakes. You have to let them choose their own path and you hope that one day
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they will see the light. I am in a business where I have been around long enough to know
that some people never see the light and they stay in that until they disappear and in this
business girls are dying.
D: Yes, I knowbut I got you off track because you were talking about .
M: So gave me the best advice when I started Designers for Darfur, and she has a
charityYes a beautiful campaignand the girl who had partnered with me had decided
that she no longer wanted to show up at the events that we were hostingand this is the
difference with me. You cant sign up for something and not realize that this is for the
long haul. Do you know what I mean? Two fashion shows arent going to save the people
of Darfur. You have to be able to beat the drum every single day.
D: Even when its not popular.
M: Even when its not popular. So she decided she wasnt going to do it anymore and she
is completely lovely
D: Okay.
M: So I went to one day and we were at the gym and I was completely sort of feeling
lonely. No one wants to help you and people want to criticize because you know, he is
just a fashion designer, what does he know? I see and say, I am having such a tough
time and everyone is there in the beginning and then they try to find a way to tear you
down. She looks at me and she goes, Malcolm, I am going to tell you this once:
em,em all! There are times people will say oh no, you shouldnt do that or you
guys are the same. You just have to say and they think you are being polite, but in
your head you are saying. You are not going to stop me from doing what I need to do
because you are too afraid to do it. Do you know? Because you are too afraid that you are
going to fail at it or you are not going to make a difference, so why bother? So the
opposite of that is doing nothing and what if and then you criticize or you find an
excuse to say I am not getting involved because of x, y, z, and it is the best. She never lets
any naysayers get in her way. We have chosen an industry that people find it very easy to
dismiss and say, oh, theyre all the same.
D: As an outsider looking in, it is a tough industry.
M: Brutal, oh it is brutal. You meet these people and before you can get five feet away
they are ripping you guts out. Do you know what I mean? And for mea personI
know the dark, I know what it is to be completely dark.
D: Its called prison.
M: It is. So you have to choose. You have to wake up every morning and choose my life
is going to be exciting. It is going to be magical and its going to be purposeful.
D: Living a life with attitude.
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M: Yes, and they have chosen to be miserable sort of surrounded by other people that are
exactly the same. They want to be in these groups or cliques that all think alike and have
the same opinion on everything. No one is willing to raise their hand to say, excuse me,
you are suffocating me. They will go down with the ship.
D: I know, this is your worldbut there is so much more.
M: I know. That I feel even with this project it is so ahead of its time. People
sometimes look at me as though I have lost my mind. I have stepped out of the system
that I could have easily accelerated to the top gotten all of the press all of the
money, and for me, I have tried that way already.
D: and prison.
M: I know thats what it got me and I very unhappy spirit I know it is time to get
thinking of other people and I know that when people are depending on me to
succeed.
D: I am.
M: So, people are depending on me to do good. Do you know what I mean? ... Let me tell
you that this guy I wish I could have been in his room to say, They will be sad for
two weeks and then they will go on. This is the business we are in; in the business of
keeping it moving, going forward, and for you to think that if you kill yourself there is
going to be this big moment when you stop history and the change no. Now I am so
excited about the journey; every bit of it. Even when it is the worst I have to stick it out to
see. I have been here before in the very dark part and there is this thing how do we get
to that? How do I listen to make sure and get to this dark place that is trying to show me.
It is a place where you get ideas. It is a precursor for this great moment that is about to be
revealed, but you have to understand those really low periods. They are painful. They are
awful, and I think if you are a creative person they are even more magnified. You are
used to that connection that comes from wherever and if anything is wrong with that
connection, you think that is the last great idea. That is the last one and that relationship
to the higher power is done. That is how you feel, but you have to always know that this
is just a preparation for the next one.
D: That is the precursor of my questions. I am trying to look at it all in a positive way: the
discovery, the dream, the design and the destiny of the whole process. What you are
describing is the discovery phase and extrapolating even more how would build even
more on what is right, what have you seen work well?
M: This is the thing I have learned and I think this is the reason why it is called One
Dress. Somewhere along the line someone told each one of us we didnt matter. You,
your one-self couldnt change the world. Do you know what I mean? Somewhere along
the line people were told by whatever, you dont matter. You cant change anything. Just
go with the flow, but if you have that moment of clarity or that moment when you see
someone or hear someonethat person who has made a huge differenceand you just
think maybe I could do something like that to change. Listen, I used to thinkI would
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read about people who did these great things. When I was at the top of my game in the
fashion world, I used to think whats wrong with me? Why dont I have that thing that
makes you want to do good in the world? Most people feel that they werent born with
that thing so you stay out of it. So you stay with the things that you are good at. It is no
work to do things that are your God given gifts. You just, but when you read the story
of someone who is like you: this much I knowI am nothing special. I am nothing, but
one day I decided that that story or that thing was more than I should allow to happen. I
should use whatever my voice is to say something because you know for me it was a t-
shirt and I didnt have the voice. But, I did have a camera that was going to be following
me all day, so the t-shirt could say it for me.
D: What did the t-shirt say?
M: The t-shirt said, Darfur is real. I didnt think that I could say anything, but I put it on a
t-shirt.
D: Did you make the t-shirt?
M: Yes, I had it made and I wore it to this fashion show and the t-shirt was everywhere
the next day. Youve never seen the picture? And there were people there who thought
that I had this voice just from the little bit that I knew. It was wrong, you just know that
this is wrong. So, here I am this guy who made pretty dresses. Do you know, that light
bulb goes off, and I said to myself: I can make a difference, I can make a difference. It is
as simple as that. People need to be sort of plugged in again and to see that they can make
a difference. That you are just as you are: special. You can make a huge difference
thinking of someone other than yourself.
D: So, thinking in the same way, how would you see looking at the fashion industry?
Whats your vision of the best that can be within that world that you know-the fashion
industry?
M: It goes back to that thing. I dont believe that the fashion industry really understands
its power. I dont think that they get it. They really dont get it. They really dont
understand their power. The one connector that we all have in a civilized world. Imagine
what you could weave into your brand. Imagine what you could weave into the stories
you could tell with the things that you send out onto the runway, if you really wanted to.
Instead of sending this notion that we are all so frivolous and superficial and it can be
that. It should also be a thing that connects and not separates us. Because you paid 2000
dollars for that does it mean that you are better?
D: Than the person with the 500 dollar dress?
M: Yes, but that is sort of what the industry sets up. It is sort of an elitist thing, but it is
crumbling and causing them to rethink everything. It is a great time for a person like me
to exist because no one is buying 2000 dollar dresses now. What they are trying to do is
come up with these lesser lines and other things, at like 500 dollars. It doesnt ring true
and people that were often buying your brands arent buying. They are now spending
money with brands that have a bigger message. Tell the story. This is the reason, because
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now everyone has to justify every purchase so this is the reason. There is this bag that
says feed and it is very chic now to be socially aware. Now, whereas before it wasnt.
For me, I am really trying to make it real and not a marketing tool.
D: Okay, that is what I was going to ask. What is the message that is compatible with
who you are? What if youre dreaming, what is the best that can come from that?
M: I think it goes back to what I said in the beginning. When I was in school, coming out
the format was: you go worked for a designer, you copy the studio, you copy this, you
copy that. Imagine, if what I set up is the new format. If people like me are the new
format, the company where you truly do what fashion is supposed to do: mirror the times
in which we live. Do you know where people are looking out for each other, where
people are concerned with whats going on in the world. Imagine if that was the
foundation of the company and not just this sort of, Oh, I just make clothes to make
women feel pretty. No, what if you made clothes to empower men and women, to make
them feel as if they were connected to something bigger than themselves. Do you know
what I mean? What if that was woven into your story as opposed to your story being Oh,
I grew up in Palm Beach and I did this? My family vacationed in and that was what
your brand was based upon. Imagine if that was where we were headed in the fashion
industry. It is possible. Before I thought it was impossible, but my business is crumbling
and I am so happy because I told you before I dont feel like I am in the fashion industry
anymore. What I feel connected to is so much bigger than that. Do you know what I
mean? It is like they are sort of being held in this box because they have to be a part of
this thing. They have to show up at the right party. They have to be nominated for this
award. I dont have any of those concerns. What I am interested in is connecting people
in a real way that says, Do you see this woman here? Her story is very similar to your
story. Learn what is going on in this part of the world. Especially, the women in
America. I have learned so much from these women by putting this dress. The reason I
cant sell this dress in certain parts of the Middle East is, I have to add sleeves to it. So
thats the next part of the process, because a woman cant be seen without sleeves. So
you have to sort of do this second evolution of the dress by adding things like that. I am
so excited by adding a sleeve to a dress, whereas before it was that thing where you made
60 dresses to see what was going to stick. Now I know what is going to stick: this thing
that a woman can have, where a woman has a dress that she can give to a friend when she
is done with it. It can be sort of reinterpreted as she goes along in her life. I have this one
woman on the site I dont know if you have seen it she is nine months pregnant and
then she send a picture of herself after she has had the baby in the same dressjust
because there is a life span to this project. There have been times when I look at what I
have been able to accomplish with this one project. Imagine an entire sort of movement
towards something much more meaningful. When you look at these things that connect
us there are some designer like. This intelligent man, this man with such a deep heart.
Why does your brand not reflect that?
D: Can you spell that?
M:...Yes, one of the best designer to ever live and he spent so much time talking about
bamboo and this and that and not telling the reason why he was using the bamboo. He
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was using it for creative sampling and not explaining that it is one of the most sustainable
fabrics on this plant. Now, your company is going bankrupt and now all of a sudden you
want to change and talk about your company and sustainability. It is too late. You have
already created an image of luxury and all of these other things, even though the
definition of luxury is changing. To me it is being able to afford to give 30 bucks to Kiva.
That is a huge luxury in my life. When I go to dinner and actually receive a note on my
phone that says Kiva has updated your account. What do you want to do with the money?
To be able to say, okay lets donate that to the woman who is trying to open a food cart.
Thats a huge luxury. Do you know what I mean?
D: Oh, absolutely.
M: Luxury to me are just those things.
D: So, how would you make that dream, where is a starting point to make all of that a
reality? I dont know the industry, where would you have to start?
M: The starting point to?
D: The present-day fashion industry does not understand. We are not talking about the
designers living in poverty. How can they take this industry and do something good with
it? How would that happen in the big picture? You understand, the schools, the
grassroots, where would it start in the system?
M: I think and it is almost as if I do it from this place where you dont understand that
you are doing it. This is it. The fashion industry as it is today is not going to change. Its
now. So what you have to do is sort of depend on this new generation that is going to
come into fashion. Theyre going to have to be in charge of changing it, and we are very
lucky that we have these kids now who look at the world completely different. This elitist
system is not the same. They are interested in connecting with people from all over the
world, from all different backgrounds. In the fashion industry every season there is this
big fight over not using models of color. The younger kids dont care about that at all.
What they care about are new ideas. How to sort of connect all of this in a real way. I
dont think the fashion industry at this point is interested in connecting outside of making
money. I dont think that they are willing to show the heart of the business. I think
because I want my vision to be completely different. I see it, its almost as though I cant
find the words for it. I dont think that we should just be looking at fabric as just fashion.
I think that it has to mean something else. How do I explain it?
D: Well, I have to go back to this new generation coming up. I mean colleges have even
labeled them as entitled. Do you think some of them have entered this profession without
the feeling of entitlement?
M: I think so. But, you know, I am a particular sort of brand of designer that the only kids
that reach out to me are the ones who have a similar belief to what I am doing.
D: They would only be attracted to you?
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M: I only get the ones who wouldnt write a or a so my experience is so much
different.
D: That made the definition easier for me. The ones attracted to you are the people with
the mindset of I want to do something.
M: I want to do something that is bigger than make pretty clothes. The deal is, I always
say to people I can make a pretty dress in my sleep because it is my God given gift: a
pretty dress. But to create something that can change the trajectory of a womans life is
much more important. When I can design something that if I get it, if I get it, if I nail it, I
can make sure that that dress goes into the universe and creates something magical. I can
raise awareness for different causes that I am concerned withI can raise funds to fund
research, to change laws. That to me is much more important than making a pretty dress
for a woman to wear to a cocktail party.
D: So, in a perfect world if you were going into a school of fashion and design, what
would you tell them?
M: This is the thing. When I was in school we were taught you just produce things that
were original, that were beautiful. So know your customer and that sort of thing. When I
design now, I design in a different way. I want to know about the life of the person that I
am designing forI want to know what is important. What is this woman interested in?
What is the reason she is buying this particular dress from me? Is it because we share a
common bond? I want to really know and before this wasnt possible, where you could
find out about your actual client in real time. This is the difference with my project.
Every time someone buys my dress I get a message on my phone that says- I will give
you an example. This is a message that just came across my phone. What is today? I will
get the order where she lives, her email address: everything is on this order form. I can
then check to see: is this a person on Facebook? Is she a friend on a small world? Is it a
person who came on MySpace? How she came to me, or I can see what article came up
that day that may have gotten her interested. Then I can send her a thank you note and I
will say, how did you come to the One Dress project? She will say, Well I read it. Then
I will create this conversation and I will ask where are you going to wear this dress? Do
you know? And literally, as the company expands I will have people that can do that, but
now, for this moment I enjoy having that connection to the woman and this dress. Never
before in history could this have been done, but now it can. So, now when you have these
young kids that are in school they have to know that it is now more than just about
producing a beautiful dress. And this is why my business, my industry is failing and other
businesses are flourishing, because they have a direct connection to their client base; a
direct sort of loyalty that you can only get to by knowing your customer in a special way.
Not this sort of airy, fairy sort of, you get the demographics and write it down and mass
produce all of these things that will last for but so long. The loyalty is not there. These
women, I can guarantee it, will be with me forever. They will follow. It is the One Dress
project today. Next year I plan to do a fragrance that will have the same sort of give back
component and then it grows from there.
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D: Unless I am reading it wrong, you are going to be able to accumulate wealth while
helping other people.
M: Because at the end of this, you can do very well.
D: You can do well by doing good.
M: And it is that simple. Because for me it is not about being guilt free. It is about that
thinking, when you know that you are doing the right thing. It helps you get from point A
to point B and you are so much more fulfilled. Do you know what I mean? I mean
instead of wanting to drive your Mercedes into the river.
D: Yes.
M: You just want to show people that this is what I was able to accomplish because I
woke up one day. I knew that I had to sort of make a difference and I could. I might not
be the person who can put it into words, because my vision is changing and because I am
so connected and committed to this journey and to not designing from this ivory tower
and thinking that I know it all. Just knowing; if you look at the books from the 70s and
the hippies and they were connected to the earth. Thats what I feel. I tell you, I literally
danced all the way across the street because I am so excited about everything and I refuse
to let this business make me this depressed person that is always struggling with these
things that dont even really matter to me. I dont know what it is with the fashion
industry that makes it this thing that people dont think they can be a part of without
selling their soul or giving up who they really are. Every day you have a machine that
exists like that and to decide to unplug yourself from that matrix. It is there. That thing
where you say, I could have done this a long time ago.
D: I talked to and he was very, very nice but he does not allow anyone to talk to
anyone associated with him.
M: Why?
D: I dont know, but you cannot talk to anyone who works for him. He wont allow any
of the people. It bothers me that you have that much power over other people. It would be
similar to me knowing this guy , but you having the power over him to say, you cant
talk to her. Thats fascinating to me to not allow anyone to talk. Why would you not
allow anyone to talk?
M: Many companies are like that.
D: I cant imagine saying to someone, you cant go outside and talk about me. Even if
they said something negative, it is this total lack o f trust.
M: You find a lot of that in fashion. Its very popular, especially in the fashion industry.
There are some companies that if the designer comes down the hall, they have to clear the
hallway. You are not allowed to look at them. Did you know , the designer-very
popular brand. She runs a company with hundreds of employees, but no one is allowed to
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look at her when she walks in. They have to put their heads down. I cant imagine even
taking a job like that, and if you talk about her to the press youre done.
D: I thinkis like that also; you cant say a word. Buying becomes an ethical decision.
M: I want to make sure I am getting all of your questions.
D: I will call before we meet tomorrow.
M: I am getting a message from him right now.

M: You have seen me long enough now. I need advice. Anything you can give me
because I will tell you what. I feel like I am so disconnected from the fashion industry. It
is as ifand I used to love itand I know how to play the game. I am not interested in
the game, I am not interested in the people, but it is how I make my living. As much as I
say I am not in it, people want to put you in an industry in a box that they can understand.
You know, I just dont fit nicely into boxes.
D: With everything you have ever said, it seems as though you love the world of fashion,
you just dont love the business of fashion.
M: There you go.
D: And that is the part that requires some thought.
M: Because the business is so important. It is the missing link. I am a creative. I do not
have the patience for the numbers and theI am just not interested.
D: Readresume.
M: I have to, because I know my gift. My gift is being able to have the dream. I used to
think that everyone had the dream. I used to think that everyone lay down and woke up
and had this think inside of them to do. When you learn I have the gift of having the
dream there are sometimes when I think, hey, take that dream to someone else.
D: Take this, go ahead.
M: Sometimes you just dont want it. One day I saw, she did this presentation at the
TED conference. Did you know that I was invited 5 years ago and didnt know anything
about it. This friend of mine said, I have this invitation and they want you to come and do
you thing on Designers for Darfur.
D: You didnt go.
M: Everything happens for a reason. It was happening at a time when I was asked to go
to do this presentation for Save Darfur, so I had this obligation already.
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D: It costs $6,000 to attend that conference.
M: Are you serious? I wouldnt have had to pay and they would fly me in. I said that I
already promised to do this thing. I already had an obligation, but I would do it now. So
this woman, she talks about creativity and the dream and not attaching it to your own
ego. You have to see this video. It was the first time that I was able to understand this
thing because I never owned it. Everyone said that you should really embrace it and I
never sort of bought into it, but I knew that this was a thing that came from somewhere
else. You dont own it. So, I see this video and I remember sitting in front of the
computer and sobbing because finally someone had given me a name. It isnt mine. It is
this thing if you are lucky, it comes through you and you wither respond to it or some of
them, you let go. It will come through you and will find its home that its meant to reside
in. I dont sleep. There are times when I will actually say, okay God for lack of a better
word, could you stop? Im really trying to get a little sleep. When I saw her talking
about it it just felt like okay.
D: I know the woman and the book that you are talking about.
M: That helped me to not feel so strange. I used to think that I was weird, but I just
stopped caring. Okay, weird is okay. This American woman who had been living in Paris
for 30 years was very mean to meAnd you never know what the pain is. I was very
fortunate to get to the pain which proved to me that a lot of times we are as good as our
stories and our background. Do you know what I mean? It was one of those moments
where you say to yourself, okay, sometimes you just have to go with the story. I could
have easily ended it; I could have easily walked away. There was nothing holding me to
this woman.
D: There is prejudice that has still not gone away and I know that I need to wrap my head
around it more.
M: And we forget. We really forget. Today I was coming through to the hotel and this
guy was throwing a football with his kid. It was against the backdrop of the west side
highway and you just dont think of New York in that way. I almost started to cry
because it was so beautiful, and the sun was hitting this little blonde kid in just the right
way. I am thinking, Can people see this? Do they see how beautiful this moment is?
And I was there and this was so beautiful and there was a part of me that wanted to cry,
because I knew that no one understood the beauty.
D: Okay, before your dinner, can you add more about how you would make your dream a
reality? What are some things that you are doing right now?
M: I have an ongoing relationship working with students at Parsons and FIT. I meet with
students in both design and business studies throughout the semester. Sometimes I just
talk with them. I have been interviewed for projects, and whenever possible I invite them
to events that I feel might provide some insight to them. As I mentioned, I think that we
need to have faith in this younger generation of designers. So, working with that
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generation gives me satisfaction. I know my customers, and for my growth plan I look to
for advice. She is brilliant. I will send you the plan.
D: Great. I know that we will talk more, but one more question for today. How do you
see the nuts and bolts of actualizing the plan? Is there anything in addition to what we
have discussed that you think is important to add?
M: I actually have a practice where I do something every single day that Im afraid of
doing; and slowly but surely, I have become almost fearless.
D: Thanks, Malcolm, what a nice way to wrap up todays meeting. Have a nice dinner
and I will see you tomorrow.

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