The Social Enterprise Trust Deficit

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Brakman Reiser ◽  
Steven A. Dean
Keyword(s):  
Social Enterprise ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Legal Doctrine ◽  
Social Good ◽  
For Profit ◽  
The Social ◽  
Enforcement Mechanisms ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Assurance Problem

This chapter explains why social enterprises have more difficulty gaining access to capital than conventional businesses do. It begins with the insight that law lends both for-profits and nonprofits the stability they need to raise capital; legal doctrine and enforcement mechanisms combine to reassure donors and investors that their contributions to standard businesses and charities will be well spent. Using the tools of game theory, the chapter then describes the more challenging assurance problem faced by social enterprise founders and investors. For either an entrepreneur or investor to commit capital to the venture, each must trust the other to remain faithful to both of its dual missions—and particularly to be willing to trade more social good for lower financial returns. The chapter concludes by describing why neither traditional for-profit and nonprofit law nor the first-generation of social enterprise law satisfactorily bridge this trust deficit.

scholarly journals Online feminist publications as social enterprises: Diversifying revenue streams through corporate social responsibility

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Kamila Jambulatova
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Editorial Content ◽  
Social Good ◽  
The Social ◽  
Revenue Streams ◽  
Corporate Social

This qualitative study examined how feminist online publications can adopt social enterprise business models. The focus group analysis of the audiences of Refinery29, Bustle, HelloGiggles, and Jezebel first explored the audience's outlook on the commodification of feminism. The focus group also considered plausible ways of adopting social enterprise initiatives to diversify revenue streams of these publications, continue promoting gender equality, and to better establish the images of the publications. During four focus groups, twenty total participants shared a variety of feedback, including their opinions on the commodification of the feminist movement and the commodification of editorial content. They talked about how their purchasing decisions are affected by their desire to contribute to the social good. Other themes identified during the study were white feminism, the trivialization of feminist content, and the importance of companies' policies.

Applying Business Solutions to Social Problems

2017 ◽  
pp. 139-164
Author(s):  
Martyna Wronka-Pośpiech
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Conceptual Level ◽  
For Profit ◽  
The Social ◽  
Case Based

Although research on social entrepreneurship has been expanding in recent years, the literature regarding business models in the context of social enterprises is still limited. This chapter explores the issues of business models in both profit and nonprofit contexts and discusses how value, being both the foundation and the overall outcome of the business model employed, is created. It begins with the background on the characteristics of social enterprises. This is followed by the conceptualization of business models and their components designed to account for their unique. Then a case to illustrate it is presented. The objective of the chapter is twofold. First, it is to analyse how nonprofit business models are different from its for profit counterparts (at the conceptual level) and to introduce relevant analytical framework. Secondly, the chapter aims at providing a case based on the particular model of a social enterprise in Poland (social co-operative) in order to investigate whatever the business models for profit firms could be applied in the social enterprises.

Delineating novel aspects of social enterprise theory

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick J. Murphy ◽  
Artem Kornetskyy ◽  
Joseph T. Nixon
Keyword(s):  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Ecological Value ◽  
Entrepreneurial Ventures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
The Social ◽  
Enterprise Theory

Purpose Social enterprises are defined in practice in terms of one operational model generating measurable value in more than one of the economic, social and natural/ecological value denomination categories. However, entrepreneurship theory does not generally or explicitly reflect this definition, which has generated confusion about the social enterprise concept. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to social enterprise theory by delineating novel aspects of this definition and their conceptual ramifications. Design/methodology/approach The authors review the social enterprise literature with a focus only on the most original contributions and most distinct research questions. The authors do not explicitly review research on traditional for-profit entrepreneurial ventures, not-for-profit/non-governmental organizations or mainstream social entrepreneurial ventures. Findings The authors offer several implications for social enterprise theory based on practices that are unique to the area but not amenable other areas of entrepreneurship. The contribution is instrumental to establishing social enterprise as a distinct theoretic area. Originality/value By focusing on novel aspects of social enterprise not easily explainable by mainstream theoretic traditions, the authors offer an original contribution to the development of social enterprise theory.

scholarly journals The distinctive challenges and opportunities for creating leadership within social enterprises

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brad Jackson ◽  
Matthew Nicoll ◽  
Michael J. Roy
Keyword(s):  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Leadership Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Not For Profit ◽  
The Social ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Legal Forms

Purpose The purpose of this study is to present a systematic assessment of the distinctive challenges and opportunities associated with creating leadership within the realm of social enterprise. A modified and expanded form of Grint’s leadership lenses heuristic framework (i.e. person, position, process, performance, purpose and place) is used to examine and highlight what is particular about creating leadership in social enterprises by virtue of their distinctive missions, strategic contexts, legal forms and organisational structures and cultures. Based on this initial exploration, five research priorities are identified to better understand and then develop leadership practice in the social enterprise realm. Design/methodology/approach An enhanced heuristic framework for systematically examining leadership within the social enterprise research literature has been applied, drawing on the leadership practice literature. The application is illustrated through six instrumental case studies. Findings While there are a number of similarities between leading in the social enterprise realm and leading within the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, the levels of complexity, ambiguity and the lack of an established theoretical and practical knowledge base makes creating leadership in the social enterprise sector that much more challenging. On the positive side of the ledger, the fact that the purpose is at the core of social enterprise means that it is relatively easier to use the purpose to create a basis for common meaningful action, compared to leadership within the private and public sectors. Related to this, given the strongly local or “glocal” nature of social enterprise, a ready opportunity exists for leaders to draw upon a place as a strategic resource in mobilising followers and other stakeholders. The novel, uncertain and pioneering nature of a social enterprise is also arguably more tolerant and accommodating of a leadership mindset that focuses on posing questions regarding “wicked” problems compared to public, private for-profit and, indeed, traditional not-for-profit sector organisations. Originality/value As far as we can ascertain, this is the first systematic attempt to examine the distinctive challenges and opportunities associated with creating leadership within the social enterprise realm. The application of the heuristic framework leads to the identification of five key inter-related lines of empirical research into leadership practices within social enterprises.

scholarly journals Attitude Toward Social Enterprises: A Comparison between For-Profit and Social Enterprise Employees

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2720
Author(s):  
Eunsoo Choi ◽  
Eunji Kim ◽  
Inji Kim ◽  
Incheol Choi
Keyword(s):  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Important Condition ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms ◽  
The Social ◽  
Key Players ◽  
Pure Altruism ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Prosocial Intentions

Social enterprises, organizations that pursue social purposes while generating profits, have garnered attention recently as potential key players for a sustainable economy. However, research on the perception of social enterprises by lay people has been ignored even though positive reception of social enterprises is an important condition for their sustainability. In the present study, we compared for-profit enterprise employees (n = 200) and social enterprise employees (n = 162) and examined their differences in attitude toward the profit-making aspects of social enterprises as well as the employees working for social enterprises. The results showed that for-profit enterprises overestimated that social enterprise employees were extrinsically motivated and underestimated their prosocial intentions. In addition, for-profit enterprise employees were less favorable toward the profit-making aspects of social enterprises, including payment of high salaries for the social enterprise employees and using donations to run social enterprises. Interestingly, the difference between for-profit and social enterprise employees in their attitude toward the profit-making aspects of social enterprises was explained by lay theories of altruism called “pure altruism.” The present research makes important contributions by identifying the psychological mechanisms that underlie individuals’ perceptions and attitude toward social enterprises.

What social enterprises can learn from the freemium business model

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Layrisse ◽  
Ezequiel Reficco ◽  
Andrés Barrios
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Business Model ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Significant Variable ◽  
Value Capture ◽  
Content Type ◽  
For Profit ◽  
The Social

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify how the value dynamics of the freemium business model (BM) play out in a social enterprise.Design/methodology/approachWe draw on a multiple case study of two social enterprises –one nonprofit (Aravind Eyecare) in Asia and one for-profit in Latin America (Biodent)– to analyze the implications of applying the value architecture of a freemium BM to social enterprises.FindingsThe freemium BM departs from standard practice when applied in social enterprises. Meaningful differences include the feasibility/desirability of converting free users to paying ones, the presence of significant variable costs –which requires balancing the ratio of free and paying customers– and the use of nontraditional pricing schemes to enhance value capture. The social freemium BM can increase scalability, value creation and value capture. Under this model, “beneficiaries” can be more than passive recipients of value and contribute to a venture's success in various ways –such as lowering its operational costs or enhancing its value proposition toward third parties.Originality/valueWhile in the past years commercial enterprises have been disrupted by the emergence of freemium platforms, the social enterprise field has barely taken notice. We extract lessons and implications from this paradigmatic change for the theory and practice of business model innovation in social enterprises, of particular relevance to Latin America, where social and environmental disequilibria remain a recurring feat.

Applying Business Solutions to Social Problems

2019 ◽  
pp. 783-808
Author(s):  
Martyna Wronka-Pośpiech
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Conceptual Level ◽  
For Profit ◽  
The Social ◽  
Case Based

Although research on social entrepreneurship has been expanding in recent years, the literature regarding business models in the context of social enterprises is still limited. This chapter explores the issues of business models in both profit and nonprofit contexts and discusses how value, being both the foundation and the overall outcome of the business model employed, is created. It begins with the background on the characteristics of social enterprises. This is followed by the conceptualization of business models and their components designed to account for their unique. Then a case to illustrate it is presented. The objective of the chapter is twofold. First, it is to analyse how nonprofit business models are different from its for profit counterparts (at the conceptual level) and to introduce relevant analytical framework. Secondly, the chapter aims at providing a case based on the particular model of a social enterprise in Poland (social co-operative) in order to investigate whatever the business models for profit firms could be applied in the social enterprises.

Emerging role of for-profit social enterprises at the base of the pyramid: the case of Selco

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Goyal ◽  
Bruno S. Sergi ◽  
Amit Kapoor
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Base Of The Pyramid ◽  
Strategic Choices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
For Profit ◽  
The Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze and understand the business logic of the for-profit social enterprises targeting the basic needs of the base of the pyramid (BoP) segment. A case study of an organization offering clean energy solutions to the BoP segment has been used to illustrate the socio-economic business model of the for-profit social enterprises, which can serve the underserved needs of the BoP segment using an inclusive approach. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyses Selco, a social enterprise offering energy solutions to the low-income population in rural India. The qualitative case-based research involves the secondary data inputs from the online sources and primary data inputs from the field interviews with the different stakeholders at Selco. Findings The research findings recommend the following strategic choices for the social enterprises – focus on segmentation; field-based experimentation, innovation and prototyping; local skill-building and engagement; hybrid organizational setup; systemic behavior change orientation; customized value offerings; last-mile delivery and support; and collaboration with non-traditional stakeholders. Practical implications The lessons learnt through the analysis of Selco provide tools and strategies to enable the social enterprises to better understand their business model and make informed decisions resulting in the effective social interventions while remaining sustainable. The paper offers an actionable framework for creating an inclusive formal market ecosystem that is sustainable, scalable and socially relevant. Originality/value This study is an original contribution to the field of social entrepreneurship. It undertakes a field study of the social enterprise delivering inclusive energy solutions to the BoP segment in India. The study of Selco brings out the learnings regarding the key strategic actions, which can lead to sustainable business models for targeting the BoP segment in developing countries like India

Marketing in the social enterprise context: is it entrepreneurial?

2004 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Entrepreneurial Marketing ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Not For Profit ◽  
The Social ◽  
Local Embeddedness ◽  
Marketing Activities ◽  
The Uk

This paper presents some of the findings to emerge from a qualitative study of social enterprise in the UK. The findings discussed in this paper refer to the marketing activities of social enterprises and consider the extent to which these can be described as “entrepreneurial”. This discussion suggests that while social enterprises do engage in entrepreneurial marketing, the local embeddedness of their activities, their not‐for‐profit orientation and challenges posed by social exclusion impact on their marketing activities.

Using a Social Enterprise Service-Learning Strategy in an Introductory Management Accounting Course

2011 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 187-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina L. Zamora
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
For Profit ◽  
The Social

ABSTRACT The accounting profession has long called for learning strategies that actively develop students' critical analysis and problem-solving skills in unstructured settings (Accounting Education Change Commission [AECC] 1990), and where learning outcomes map into American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) (2000) core competencies. This paper proposes the use of a service-learning strategy in the introductory management accounting course. This learning strategy reflects the Institute of Management Accountants' (IMA) new definition of management accounting as a strategic imperative (IMA 2008), and responds to Rama's (1998) monograph revealing limited examples of service-learning in management accounting. In addition, this paper proposes that faculty work with real social enterprises that sell goods and services for profit and in support of a broader social mission. I argue that relative to working on nonprofit/government cases, working in the social enterprise setting may offer students a more tractable transition from the for-profit examples in many textbooks. I also argue that relative to working on for-profit cases, working in the social enterprise setting may provide students access to proprietary data used internally for managerial decision-making. The pedagogy of service-learning in the accounting curriculum and its relevance to that proposed in this paper is discussed. Generalized service-learning planning documents, examples, adaptations of case study questions, and a responsibility checklist are provided. Implementation guidelines that address key stakeholder barriers to success (Kenworthy-U'Ren 2008) are discussed, and examples of social enterprise service-learning implementations are presented. Post-implementation survey responses from students suggest that the social enterprise service-learning experience positively affected their learning of specific management accounting concepts, issues faced by mission-driven organizations, and how they can uniquely contribute by applying what they learn.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document