BYU Ballard Center to Host Self-Reliance Book Launch Party

PROVO, Utah – Jan 17, 2014 – Students will have the chance to discuss new ways to eliminate poverty at a book launch for “More than Money: Five Forms of Capital to Create Wealth and Eliminate Poverty,” by Brigham Young University business strategy professor Paul Godfrey.

Hosted by the Ballard Center for Economic Self-Reliance, Godfrey will speak and hold a question and answer session on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m. in 3280 WSC. Book discounts and giveaways are available for those who preregister for the free event.

“More than Money” challenges traditional assumptions about poverty elimination. Instead of focusing on large institutions such as health care or education systems to address poverty, Godfrey looks at small-scale methods to increase self-reliance. This self-reliance enables people to utilize the five types of capital: institutional, social, human, organizational and physical.

“The fight against societal level poverty has always been about the money,” says Godfrey. “Helping individuals and families escape poverty is about changing habits and building a foundation of self-reliance.”

The Ballard Center, where Godfrey also serves as assistant academic adviser, funded a large part of his research for the book and will sponsor the book launch party.

Todd Manwaring, Ballard Center director, says Godfrey’s book addresses overlooked factors that help individuals and families become financially stable.

“For a family to be resilient and prosperous they need to become self-reliant,” Manwaring says. “This new book describes what self-reliance looks like and how development organizations can encourage this with their clients.”

For more information and to preregister for the event, visit ballardexpert.byu.edu.

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, public management, information systems, and entrepreneurship. The school’s mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.