By acting as an interface between the rural artisans on the one hand and the global clients on the other, the Rural Opportunities Production Enterprise (ROPE) has been successful in bringing income generating opportunities to the disadvantaged rural population. Not only has ROPE contributed to poverty alleviation in the rural areas, it has also helped in environment conservation. However, ROPE's scalability, sustainability and profitability in the long run, are debatable.

The 2008 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report revealed that 11.5% of India's working population was in an early entrepreneurial stage while the overall entrepreneurial activity stood at 27.6% as against working population of 8.5% and entrepreneurial activity of 13.9% in 2007. And since 2003, the rise of social entrepreneurship has emerged as an interesting trend in India. While some are not-for-profit, many others are for-profit social enterprises - Rural Opportunities Production Enterprise (ROPE) International being one amongst them.

By acting as an interface between the rural artisans on the one hand and the global clients on the other, ROPE has been successful in bringing income generating opportunities to the disadvantaged rural population. Not only has ROPE contributed to poverty alleviation in the rural areas, it has also helped in environment conservation. Its products are made from natural raw materials, which are biodegradable and renewable. However, ROPE's scalability, sustainability and profitability in the long run, are debatable.

To what extent can social enterprises reap profits? The scalability and sustainability of the business in the long run leave a question mark on the viability of practicing social entrepreneurship. Given that there are no best practices and, therefore, benchmarking is a distant game, social entrepreneurship ventures invite critics' attention while offering definite potential with their inclusive business models.

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