scholarly journals Beyond box-ticking: a study of stakeholder involvement in social enterprise governance

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Larner ◽  
Chris Mason
Keyword(s):  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Stakeholder Involvement ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Advisory Group ◽  
Legal Form ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Community Interest ◽  
Enterprise Governance

Purpose – This paper aims to present the findings from a small study of social enterprise governance in the UK, taking a case study approach to uncover the experiences of internal actors who are involved in their board-level management. Design/methodology/approach – The study took a qualitative constructionist approach, focusing on stakeholder involvement in social enterprise governance. Initial theme analysis of 14 semi-structured interviews with board or senior management representatives revealed key issues in the governance of social enterprise, which were then explored through a comparative case study of two organisations. Findings – The study found that social enterprises surveyed employed a number of mechanisms to ensure appropriate stakeholder involvement in their governance, including adopting a participatory democratic structure which involves one or more groups of stakeholders, creation of a non-executive advisory group to inform strategic direction and adopting social accounting with external auditing. The research also highlighted the potential of the community interest company legal form for UK social enterprise, particularly in developing the role of the asset-locked body in terms of providing CIC governance oversight. Research limitations/implications – This survey was limited to the North West of England; however its findings can potentially support innovation in conceptual developments internationally. Originality/value – This research contributes to the under-researched field of social enterprise governance, potentially enabling these organisations to adopt more effective governance mechanisms that appropriately manage the involvement of beneficiaries and other stakeholders.

scholarly journals Social enterprise: a model of recovery and social inclusion for occupational therapy practice in the UK

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Joy Stickley ◽  
Kelly J. Hall
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
The Uk

Purpose Occupational therapists are increasingly working in organisations outside of the public sector. UK government policy over the past decade has promoted health and social care provision by social enterprises. The purpose of this paper is to examine the compatibility of occupational therapy practice and a social enterprise environment, within the UK and questions if this approach may enhance experiences of social inclusion for people who use these services. Design/methodology/approach Case study methodology was used with eight social enterprises in the UK. Data were collected through: semi-structured interviews, formal organisational documents, and field visits and observations. Interviews were conducted with 26 participants who were occupational therapists, service users and social entrepreneurs/managers. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Occupational therapists experienced job satisfaction, professional autonomy and were able to practise according to their professional philosophy. Service users valued support with: employment, routine, social relationships, and developing a sense of identity, particularly outside of a medical model definition. To a degree therefore, people using these services claimed socially inclusive benefits. Challenges with funding social enterprises, however, impacted occupational therapy delivery in some cases. Research limitations/implications The majority of social enterprise research is drawn from case study methodology; however, this was the most appropriate research design to gain greatest insight into a small but developing phenomenon. Further research into occupational therapy practice within social enterprises is required, particularly on the effectiveness of returning to work and social inclusion. Social implications Social enterprises can provide therapeutic environments to promote recovery and social inclusion which is also compatible with occupational therapy practice. Originality/value This is the first known national research into occupational therapy provision in social enterprises within the UK, which evidences a compatibility within occupational therapy practice within a social enterprise environment and the benefits of this.

Governance in South Korean social enterprises

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcello Bertotti ◽  
Younghee Han ◽  
Gopalakrishnan Netuveli ◽  
Kevin Sheridan ◽  
Adrian Renton
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Latent Class Analysis ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Conceptual Models ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Content Type ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Governance Processes ◽  
Enterprise Governance

Purpose – The aim of the present study is to identify the prevalent model of social enterprise governance in South Korea by empirically testing five conceptual models. Theoretical and empirical research on the governance of social enterprises have grown considerably in the past decade, centred primarily on the UK, Europe and the USA. Whilst some articles have discussed the role and growth of social enterprises in Asia, the empirical evidence remains scant, particularly in relation to empirical studies of social enterprise governance in South Korea. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing upon established literature on social enterprise governance, we empirically tested five conceptual models on a sample of 69 South Korean social enterprises collected through an online survey to identify the prevalent model of governance. Such models were found unable to fully explain governance processes observed. Thus, the authors used an innovative statistical technique, latent class analysis, which identifies clusters of associations between key governance variables. Findings – This exercise revealed two opposite models, centralising and interdependent. The latter represent an interesting shift towards widening forms of participation in governance processes in South Korea. Research limitations/implications – The sample is small and only limited to some social enterprise types. More research needs to be done on larger samples including the growing South Korean co-operative sector. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first published data available on the governance of South Korean social enterprises and the analysis used to identify governance models (i.e. latent class analysis) is novel.

scholarly journals Corporate governance practices and outcomes in social enterprises in the UK

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Mswaka ◽  
Olu Aluko
Keyword(s):  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
The Social ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Governance Models ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Enterprise Governance ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the growth of social enterprise in the UK in the context of the renewed interest in the creative use of organisations with a social mission to complement public service delivery. Given the impact of globalisation and increased demands for effective social welfare interventions, this paper specifically focuses on the nature and type of social enterprise governance models and how they influence their outcomes. Design/methodology/approach – The study utilises a mixed method approach involving the complementary use of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Findings – The paper finds that the way in which the social enterprise governance structure is designed ultimately influences its outcomes. In particular, those with stewardship governance models tend to perform better than those with democratic models of governance. This leads to a conclusion that in the social context of the UK, social enterprise should aim for a paradigm shift in the design and selection of governance models. Research limitations/implications – Comparative regional experiences in other regions or social contexts could enrich our understanding of whether these results are applicable across the board. Practical implications – This paper is of potential benefit to researchers and particularly those designing policies for the governance of social enterprise. Originality/value – The study employs innovative analytical theoretical lenses not normally associated with the social economy, namely agency, stewardship and resource dependency theories to provide a more in-depth analysis of the governance of contemporary social enterprise.

scholarly journals Ethnographies of social enterprise

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (02) ◽  
pp. 114-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie Mauksch ◽  
Pascal Dey ◽  
Mike Rowe ◽  
Simon Teasdale
Keyword(s):  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Development ◽  
Work World ◽  
Emotional Commitment ◽  
Discourse Practice ◽  
Collective Representations

Purpose As a critical and intimate form of inquiry, ethnography remains close to lived realities and equips scholars with a unique methodological angle on social phenomena. This paper aims to explore the potential gains from an increased use of ethnography in social enterprise studies. Design/methodology/approach The authors develop the argument through a set of dualistic themes, namely, the socio-economic dichotomy and the discourse/practice divide as predominant critical lenses through which social enterprise is currently examined, and suggest shifts from visible leaders to invisible collectives and from case study-based monologues to dialogic ethnography. Findings Ethnography sheds new light on at least four neglected aspects. Studying social enterprises ethnographically complicates simple reductions to socio-economic tensions, by enriching the set of differences through which practitioners make sense of their work-world. Ethnography provides a tool for unravelling how practitioners engage with discourse(s) of power, thus marking the concrete results of intervention (to some degree at least) as unplannable, and yet effective. Ethnographic examples signal the merits of moving beyond leaders towards more collective representations and in-depth accounts of (self-)development. Reflexive ethnographies demonstrate the heuristic value of accepting the self as an inevitable part of research and exemplify insights won through a thoroughly bodily and emotional commitment to sharing the life world of others. Originality/value The present volume collects original ethnographic research of social enterprises. The editorial develops the first consistent account of the merits of studying social enterprises ethnographically.

Understanding social enterprise in The Netherlands

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-45
Author(s):  
Joost Willem Backer
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Institutional Context ◽  
The Body ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Political Will ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Country Case Study

Purpose This paper aims to provide a qualitative country case study of The Netherlands, adopting the macro-institutional social enterprise (MISE) framework as developed by Kerlin (2009, 2013, 2017). The research question is twofold: How does the institutional context shape the social enterprise country model in The Netherlands, and To what extent can the MISE framework be a useful tool in explaining this dynamic between the institutional context and social enterprise country model? Design/methodology/approach This research applies the MISE framework developed by Kerlin (2017), which is founded upon the historical institutionalist approach. Findings The analysis of the institutional context in The Netherlands shows that the country context shares most traits with the autonomous diverse model. Its institutional environment should however be more enabling for the development of social enterprises. This discrepancy is explained through the notion of political will, resulting in the suggestion that the historical institutionalist approach of the MISE framework could be expanded by a greater focus on political will. Research limitations/implications To investigate the Dutch social enterprise country model, this paper principally relies on external sources, including surveys (McKinsey, 2016; PwC, 2016; Social Enterprise NL, 2015; 2016; 2018). This is problematic due to its subjective nature, small population size used and potential conceptual misfit with the definitions used in this research. Practical implications For academia, this paper enhances the understanding of the relations between the institutional environment and social enterprise by adding a case study of The Netherlands to the body of research around the MISE framework. Furthermore, the paper suggests to enhance the historical institutionalist approach of the MISE framework with a greater focus on political will. For advocates of social enterprises in The Netherlands, including policymakers, this paper may add to their understanding of the current developments around social enterprise in The Netherlands and possibly enhance their effectiveness of advocating for policies that are conducive to the development of social enterprises. Originality/value This research is the first in applying a universally applicable theoretical framework to the context of The Netherlands. For scholars of social enterprise in The Netherlands, it provides a comprehensive overview of developments of social enterprise in the country over recent years, as well as a thorough analysis of the current state of affairs. For international scholars of social enterprise, this research provides a case of comparison with other countries, taking into account all main institutions that shape a country and social enterprise in that country. For scholars of the MISE framework, this research offers an additional country case study that further helps improve the framework.

LOTS Charity Foundation – transitioning into a social enterprise

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Ogechi Adeola ◽  
Munachim Amah
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Markets ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Poverty Rate ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Subject area Social Entrepreneurship. Study level/applicability Entrepreneurship modules of undergraduate programs. The case was developed for undergraduate students taking courses or modules on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and social entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on how social enterprises evolve in emerging markets. It may also be used to teach MBA students taking similar courses. Case overview This case highlights the challenges NGOs face in emerging markets and provides motivation for transitioning into social entrepreneurship. The setting of the case is Nigeria where the World Bank estimates the poverty rate to be about 46 per cent. Innovative solutions, especially those originating from socially oriented organisations, are desperately needed to overcome the myriad social challenges facing Nigeria, all of which are direct or indirect consequences of poverty. Social entrepreneurship is gradually becoming a viable career option, especially as interested organisations absorb the teeming graduates from Nigerian universities, thereby themselves contributing to the mitigation of the undesirable consequences of unemployment. NGOs that primarily relied on donors are also beginning to look inwards because of the harsh economic climate in the country. With donors gradually reducing and, in some instances, withdrawing financial support, NGOs may have to look to other options for raising the needed capital to achieve set goals. Beginning in 2008, and driven primarily by spiritual and altruistic ideals, Tolulope Sangosanya (Tolu) walked the filthy streets of Ajegunle, a notorious ghetto in Lagos, where the inhabitants lived in shanties built on heaps of refuse. Shortly after that, she established an NGO – LOTS Charity Foundation – supported mainly by generous donors and her small-scale trading business. LOTS, an acronym for Love on The Streets, began to care for the physical and educational needs of the residents of this slum that she named Dustbin Estate. Though LOTS would go on to feed and educate hundreds of children, in December 2014, a major donor cancelled two weeks before a major charity event – Christmas For Every Family. This dealt a devastating blow to Tolu’s efforts, and she had to seriously consider how the organisation would continue to sustain itself in the future. Faced with mounting challenges, she began contemplating either giving up or transforming the Foundation into a full-fledged social enterprise capable of financing its activities. Expected learning outcomes The key learning points from the case study are as follows: to understand the dilemma NGOs in Nigeria (and perhaps some other emerging markets), face, and how transitioning into a social enterprise may become a viable option. To analyse the impact of social–cultural and economic context under which NGOs operate and how social enterprises evolve in emerging markets. To identify the key determinants of entrepreneurial behaviour and some of the business skills needed to resolve social problems successfully in developing countries. To explicate the key theories and concepts underlying the case study: the asset-based community development and social bricolage theories. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

Brownies & Downies: coffee, culture and community: a social innovation that supports the intellectually disabled

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Jonathan Marks ◽  
Karen Hidden
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Intellectually Disabled ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
The Social

Subject area Entrepreneurship; Social entrepreneurship. Study level/applicability Graduate level. Case overview This paper, The Brownies & Downies case study, aims to examine a social enterprise that provides employment, training and job placements for people with intellectual disability within a trendy artisanal coffee shop in Cape Town, South Africa. The business is based on a similar establishment (same name) in The Netherlands and was brought to Cape Town by Wendy Vermeulen, a Dutch national who completed a social development internship in Cape Town. The case is located within the field of social enterprise with a particular focus on the tension between purpose and profit and the pressure and challenges of replication, growth and scale/expansion. The protagonist in the case is Wade Schultz, Wendy’s business partner, who is grappling with how to not only remain true to the social purpose of the business but also turn a profit in the pressured and competitive coffee industry. He is further challenged by deciding whether to expand the existing training business into other sectors or seek a replication model in other South African cities as a means of growing revenue and increasing the social impact. Expected learning outcomes The key learning from this case study are as follows: First, intellectual disability is a hidden form of disability, often misunderstood and subject to prejudice and discriminatory hiring practices. Intellectual disability exists on a scale – some individuals are able to work outside of pretexted or sheltered workspaces. Greater effort is required within open workplaces to sensitive staff to working with/alongside intellectually disabled people. This case illustrates a social enterprise model that seeks to bridge the gap between sheltered workspaces and open workspaces. Second, most social enterprises grapple with the tension between profit and purpose; this case presents a company that is living this dilemma. The importance of remaining true to purpose needs to be balanced carefully against becoming economically self-sufficient; however, the pursuit of profits should not happen at the cost of social mission. Alternate business models are a mechanism to building revenue to support the social objective. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS: 3: Entrepreneurship.

Social entrepreneurs as institutional entrepreneurs: evidence from a comparative case study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgios Chatzichristos ◽  
Nikolaos Nagopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Field Conditions ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Institutional Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Entrepreneurs

Purpose This study aims to illuminate the field conditions under which social entrepreneurship can become institutionalized and transform the existing institutional fields. Design/methodology/approach A comparative case study was conducted among three social enterprises, within different regional institutional fields, following a most different systems design: OTELO, in Mühlviertel, ADC MOURA, in Baixo Alentejo and STEVIA HELLAS in Phthiotis. Findings The results indicate some of the field conditions under which an institutionalization of social entrepreneurship can thrive, namely, a high civil approval, a highly institutionalized and decentralized institutional field that allows the social enterprise to remain autonomous, as well the anchoring of the venture to a pre-existing counter-hegemonic narrative or/and to an embedded network that drives the dissemination a new institutional logic forward. Research limitations/implications The institutionalization of the voluntary collective action that social entrepreneurship embodies has significant limitations. The same is true for innovation, which tends to lose its innovative spirit as it becomes institutionalized. Future research has to explore if institutionalized social entrepreneurship can maintain a voluntary perspective and an innovative drift. Originality/value Most studies on institutional entrepreneurship deploy in-depth case studies while multi-case comparative research remains rare. The current comparative study adds significantly to the understanding of institutional entrepreneurship, as it compares different degrees of institutionalization and successful institutional entrepreneurs to non-successful ones.

Social enterprises in Palestine: a critical analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 510-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devi Akella ◽  
Niveen Eid
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Critical Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Mission

PurposeThis paper aims to critically examine the concept of social enterprises in Palestine. It uses the lens of institutional theory to understand how the political and economic context of the society can influence certain types of entrepreneurial behaviors and be responsible for the emergence of social enterprises. The paper uses a critical perspective to deconstruct social enterprises in Palestine to shed light on reasons for their emergence, motives and agendas.Design/methodology/approachA case study design was used to examine the phenomenon of social enterprises. The case study method is valuable in describing the how and why issues of a phenomenon in the present time frame. Two leading social enterprises operating within the Palestinian region were identified. The two enterprises were contacted for a series of interviews (over a period of few months) with their owners and other active members.FindingsThe empirical findings suggest that social enterprise model is still in its embryonic stages in Palestine. Their social mission of community development and sustainability is not completely sincere. The social entrepreneurs were willing to compromise social mission for economic surplus. The national structure, political framework, legal environment, social, cultural and the economic conditions of Palestine have served as suitable launching pads for social enterprises with not so authentic mission of serving the society. It has encouraged entrepreneurial philosophy and behavior, which has masked hidden economic and political agendas with exterior goals of social welfare and community development.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper adopts a critical perspective and a qualitative methodology, and this raises the concern if the arguments pertaining to social enterprise raised in this paper can sustain in a developed nation with a stabilized political scenario or whether this alternative ideology is only relevant to underdeveloped countries with unstable, political conditions, such as Palestine.Practical implicationsThis paper provides relevant information for students, critical academics and policymakers.Social implicationsThe paper argues for a more concise definition for the model of social enterprises. It argues for clear legal guidelines which could monitor the formation of social enterprises in Palestine.Originality/valueThis paper provides an alternative perspective on social enterprises within a constrained and political unstable economy of Palestine.

scholarly journals What’s Love Got to Do with It? Religion and the Multiple Logic Tensions of Social Enterprise

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 655
Author(s):  
Bruce R. Borquist
Keyword(s):  
Social Welfare ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Faith Based ◽  
Religious Worldview ◽  
The Social ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Organisational Behaviour

This paper develops a model that advances our understanding of how social enterprises respond to the complexity of a constellation of multiple, often competing goals, referred to here as institutional logics. Introducing a religious logic to the recognised social welfare and commercial logics of social enterprise, this model builds on a religious worldview foundation and incorporates religion-inspired altruistic love and non-transactional giving as its scaffolding. A comparative case study of faith-based, faith-inspired and secular organisations located in Southeast Asia demonstrates the origin and applicability of the model. Findings highlight that religion serves as an overarching logic, or “metalogic”, and frame of reference. Faith-based social enterprises use this religious logic to redefine perceived paradoxical tensions between the social welfare and commercial objectives they embody. Study results advance knowledge on organisational responses to multiple logic prescriptions, underscores the influence of religion, altruistic love and giving on organisational behaviour and contributes to the scarce literature on faith-based social enterprises.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document