scholarly journals Stimulating learning about social entrepreneurship through income generation projects

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 417-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Yann Ching Chang ◽  
Abdelhafid Benamraoui ◽  
Alison Rieple

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of income generation projects as a pedagogic method to assess students’ learning about social enterprises. The authors are interested in how and why this innovative approach might improve students’ understanding of the different aspects and attributes of social entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach – The study used thematic analysis of qualitative data comprising the reflective logs of 87 students on an undergraduate entrepreneurship module in a university business programme. The major attributes of social entrepreneurship were identified from a review of literature, and the paper uses the logs to judge whether students had learnt about these attributes. Findings – The results show that students developed an understanding concerning social enterprises’ diverse stakeholder environment, market needs, social enterprises’ ideological foundations, resource mobilisation processes and performance measurement – both social and financial. In addition, they developed skills in reflection and self-awareness, communication, empathy and the generation of new ideas. Research limitations/implications – The study is limited in that it focused on only one cohort of students, undergraduates. The authors cannot claim that the findings are generalisable to other students or contexts. Practical implications – Students are better able to understand the needs and values of social enterprises. However, this is a resource intensive process for educators with implications for curriculum design and management. Social implications – This study sheds new light on how experiential learning helps to raise students’ awareness of social enterprises. Originality/value – This study sheds new light on how experiential learning in the form of income generation projects helps to raise students’ awareness of social enterprises. Its value lies in helping to develop a novel and effective pedagogy for entrepreneurial learning.

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 376-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonali Bhattacharya ◽  
Netra Neelam

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how internship value is manifested in the context of a business school. The authors have examined the internship experience in terms of experiential learning and employability. Specifically, the authors investigate the factors that determine internship at four phases: design, conduct, evaluation and feedback. Design/methodology/approach The authors have applied a mixed method approach. In all, 110 students of a busines school were first surveyed on their expectation, motivation and level of preparation through a self-administered questionnaire before internship. Based on the survey result, eight of these students were interviewed in details about internship expectations from industry, the selection process for internship, communications or exchanges between intern and companies prior to internship and perceived industry expectation from interns. At the next phase, authors used a qualitative research approach by conducting semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 14 interns and their mentors after internship period. They were interviewed on design, conduct, evaluation and feedback process of the internship. Interviews tried capture what kind of leader-member exchange led to satisfactory internship experience and outcome from view of both inter and mentor. Findings The authors find that at various stages of internship program quality of mentor – intern exchanges (as defined by leadership exchange theory), and task characteristics as indicated by autonomy, task variety, task significance and performance feedback determine intern’s performance. An intern’s performance is antecedent to an intern’s and a mentor’s satisfaction and overall internship value. The authors also found that intrinsic capability of intern such as critical thinking ability and learning orientation result in enhanced value of internship experience. The proposed models, postulate that at designing stage, lower the level of communication from employers, higher the feeling of ambiguity and lower the perceived internship value in terms of experiential learning and perceived employability. Feeling of ambiguity is moderated by existence of prior work experience of interns. At conduction stage, mentor-intern exchange is directly related to flexibility in structure of the program and inversely related to dependency on peer learning. Mentor-intern exchange also related to mentor and intern’s learning value. However, the learning value is moderated by learning orientation of the intern. Originality/value The authors have tried the summer internship experience from the perspective of interns and mentors. This is the uniqueness of the research.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Raihan Che Nawi ◽  
Mohd Mursyid Arshad ◽  
Steven Eric Krauss ◽  
Ismi Arif Ismail

Purpose The practice of social entrepreneurship has grown rapidly around the world, including in Malaysia where it is still considered to be at an early stage. Nevertheless, little is known about the career transition among youth who choose careers as social entrepreneurs. The purpose of this study is to explore the challenges faced by youth social entrepreneurs who run social enterprises in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach This study used a qualitative approach to collect and analyse data to answer the research questions. Seven youth social entrepreneurs were interviewed until data saturation was met. An interview guide was created for the purposes of conducting the interviews. The interviews were recorded using a voice recorder. Data were transcribed verbatim and grouped in order to identify the codings, categories and themes. Findings The findings show the career transition to become a social entrepreneur, as well as the major challenges that youth social entrepreneurs face, which include acclimatising to the life and career of a social entrepreneur and not getting support from family. Practical implications The study findings are also significant for presenting valuable data on the experience of the developing social entrepreneur. The qualitative nature of the study provides valuable experiential insight into the lives and struggles of young social entrepreneurs in Malaysia. The findings will allow local authorities and social entrepreneurship regulatory agencies to design initiatives and plan actions intended to overcome the challenges. Originality/value This study makes an original contribution by showing that the process of career development as a social entrepreneur has given meaning to the informants. Despite presenting many challenges, social entrepreneurship has reinforced the role of youth social entrepreneurs, especially in relation to social responsibility.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leandro da Silva Nascimento ◽  
Júlio César da Costa Júnior ◽  
Viviane Santos Salazar ◽  
Adriana Fumi Chim-Miki

PurposeCoopetition is a well-studied phenomenon in traditional enterprises. However, it lacks deepening in the social sphere, specifically on hybrid organizations (social and commercial goals). This paper analyzes the configuration of coopetition strategies in social enterprises and how these strategies can improve social value devolution.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a multicase study with Brazilian social enterprises and a social incubator. Semistructured interviews with founders of the social enterprises and the president of the incubator were the primary sources of evidence, supported by observations and secondary data.FindingsThe authors identified four main findings: (1) the social incubator induces coopetition among social enterprises; (2) coopetition is necessary to improve market performance; (3) coopetition is a natural strategy resulting from the activity of the social enterprise; (4) the behavior and context of social enterprises generate a new framework for coopetition formation. This framework comprises three stages of value: a social cooperation level to co-creation of value; second, a social competition level to the appropriation of value; and the third coopetition-balanced level to social value devolution.Originality/valueThe authors advance knowledge on coopetition in an exciting, underexplored context, social entrepreneurship. The authors highlight that the coopetition nature and outcome in social enterprises have specificities compared to traditional businesses. The authors also improve the understanding of social value devolution based on simultaneous cooperation and competition among small social enterprises, allowing theoretical and practical implications. Thus, they advance the recurring discussion in coopetition literature beyond the generation and appropriation of value.


Kybernetes ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon-Arild Johannessen ◽  
Hugo Skaalsvik

Purpose – One problem that many organisations face today in the global economy is that too few ideas are turned into innovations. The purpose of this paper is to show how innovations in organisations may be obtained by means of creative energy fields. Design/methodology/approach – The design employed in the research represents a holistic, change oriented approach to innovation, and the methodology is conceptual where an analytical model is used. Findings – The paper provides arguments that organisations need to develop creative energy fields in order to enhance their innovative capacity and performance. In the paper the construct creative energy field is conceptualised as “a spot in an organisation where a Group of creative individuals collaborate and work together in order to bring to surface new ideas which may fuel innovation processes and Development in organisations”. The paper shows that creative energy fields are influenced by five distinct components; those of making a clear purpose, planning after the results have become apparant, an organisation’s rule breakers, drawing a map that changes the landscape, and igniting the flame of innovation. Furthermore, the findings encompass three conditions which need to be present in an organisation in order to make creative energy fields work. Research limitations/implications – The carried out focuses on the individual organisation which aims to enhance innovation performance. Practical implications – In relation to practical implications, the paper shows, in particular, how an organisation may move into areas of innovation by means of a Lego system of organising. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge, the creation and use of a novel construct, that of creative energy fields, represents newness and originality in innovation research at the level of the individual enterprise. Furthermore, the paper contributes to the extant management knowledge of innovation by showing how a Lego system of organising may foster innovation at the enterprise level.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Moustakas ◽  
Lisa Kalina

PurposeAthletes are increasingly perceived as important drivers of entrepreneurship and social change. As a result, increasing research and activity has attempted to engage athletes in both entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship. Against this backdrop, the authors aim to provide insights on how high-level athletes in Germany understand entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship and their perceptions of (social) entrepreneurship as a potential career pathway.Design/methodology/approachA survey was designed for athletes to assess their social entrepreneurship-related skills and attitudes. This survey is based on Capella Peris et al. (2020) who developed and validated a social entrepreneurship questionnaire for use in the physical education sector. To deepen the authors’ understanding of the initial survey results, a structured focus group was conducted with an additional set of five high-level German athletes.FindingsBoth the survey results and the focus group indicate that athletes have reservations about starting businesses or social enterprises, and that formal support on the topic is limited.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper suggests numerous possible avenues for future research, both related to athletes and sport social entrepreneurship more generally. The authors also suggest that athlete career programmes need to provide more support for athletes who wish to venture in entrepreneurial activities.Originality/valueThis study answers numerous calls within sport entrepreneurship literature to further integrate athletes into research in the area.


2022 ◽  
pp. 1524-1548
Author(s):  
Burcu Kümbül Güler

With the rise of social entrepreneurship, social enterprises have gained popularity as socially innovative organizations which try to balance their economic and social missions. In the competitive environment of social economy, good management and investment in human resources have become requirements of social enterprises for their survival. Among the management practices, human resources management acts as a tool for gaining competitive advantage and it builds mutual trust between the staff and the organization. Emphasizing the significance and challenges of human resources management, this chapter explains human resources main practices—recruitment, career management, training, and compensation and performance management—in social entrepreneurship.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Zoha A. Karmali ◽  
Meena Galliara ◽  
Manjari Srivastava

Subject area Social Entrepreneurship. Study level/applicability This case study can be used on the module on introduction to social entrepreneurship for postgraduate students specializing in Social Entrepreneurship or Social Work. Case overview This case explores the difference between social entrepreneurship and idealism. It captures the journey of Charlene Vaz and Kavita Gonsalves, two passionate young women, who formed “The Bake Collective” (TBC). Kavita and Charlene are both full-time employees, who spend their weekends and evenings running TBC and through bake sells raise funds for supporting social causes. The women have been able to get a teacher hired for differently abled children, provide water purifiers to victims of the Nepal earthquake, furnish a classroom in a school for less privileged children and provide teaching material for schools in over 400 villages in the State of Maharashtra in India. The case highlights the power of volunteering for a cause that can result in developing a social enterprise. It helps to unfold the steps undertaken to kick-start the cause as well as the risks involved in the start-up stage. It also discusses the measures that can be taken to mitigate the risks in the start-up phase and the ways by which social entrepreneurs can scale and grow their programme. Expected learning outcomes From this case, students will learn about the factors that lead to the germination of a social enterprise and identify characteristics of social entrepreneurs. They will be able to understand critical factors required to sustain start-up enterprises. The case will also enable students to explore systems and processes that need to be designed to sustain the start-up phase. Further, the case will help students to brainstorm on growth strategies for social enterprises. 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.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omid Sabbaghi ◽  
Gerald F. Cavanagh, S.J.

Purpose The study aims to provide an empirical investigation of social enterprises in the context of experiential learning. Specifically, the study aims to investigate the interplay between faith-based principles and the processes of opportunity recognition and exploitation through an in-depth, qualitative study of social enterprises offered through the Global Social Benefit Institute (GSBI). Design/methodology/approach In this study, student experiences with social entrepreneurship are examined and their subsequent reflections are analyzed. Applying the Gioia methodology to the sample of student reflection data, this study enriches the growing literature on sense-making by looking closely at how student entrepreneurs engage their own faith-based education in helping their teams, beneficiaries and stakeholders “make sense” of a social change opportunity. Findings This study finds evidence of variability in the elaboration of the faith-based principles when sampling on the social needs of affection, behavioral confirmation and status. Originality/value The results suggest a role for faith-based sense-making when confronting the realities of social change opportunities.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 977-997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sascha Kraus ◽  
Thomas Niemand ◽  
Jantje Halberstadt ◽  
Eleanor Shaw ◽  
Pasi Syrjä

Purpose Despite growing scholarly interest in social entrepreneurs and the social enterprises (SE) they create, few studies have examined the hybridity of SE including, surprisingly, whether they adopt an entrepreneurial orientation (EO). One explanation for this may be the continuing lack of an appropriate scale measuring social entrepreneurship orientation (SEO). The purpose of this paper is to address this research gap by proposing an initial SEO scale based on input from scholars in the fields of entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach This study employed mixed methods and a two stage design. In stage 1, a Delphi study with 18 researchers with expertise of investigating entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship was used to generate constructs combining aspects of both social and EOs. In stage 2, the authors assessed the face validity of the derived items from the Delphi study by conducting a survey with 82 such experts. Findings This paper provides fresh empirical insights into how SEO can be measured by proposing, for the first time, a 12 item scale with four dimensions for the first time. Research limitations/implications The authors recommend that future studies employ quantitative methods, particularly with firms exhibiting differing levels of the “socialness” dimension which the authors propose and that such studies involve a variety of research informants. Statistical analysis of data collected across large sample sizes will help evaluate the reliability and validity of the scale which the authors propose. Practical implications This paper includes implications for future research based on the proposed SEO measurement scale. Originality/value This paper develops the first SEO scale based on empirical data collected from experts in the fields of entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship.


2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evangeline Elijido-Ten ◽  
Louise Kloot

Purpose – Work-integrated learning (WIL) helps improve the work readiness of accounting graduates. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role played by large and small-to-medium enterprise (SME) employers in providing experiential learning opportunities to accounting students in an Australian higher education context. Design/methodology/approach – Case-study data for this research were collected from the case university’s processes, semi-structured in-depth interviews with employer representatives and online survey with WIL students. Findings – The analysis reveals that both SMEs and large firms provide good training opportunities that enhance the student’s experiential learning particularly when proper WIL structures for pre-placement processes, training, supervision and performance reviews are in place. The results also confirm that WIL is seen as a positive experience by employers and students alike. Originality/value – There is a three-way partnership between the university, employers and students in a WIL contract. Calls for collaborative research involving all three parties have been made to enhance WIL programs. This study is a response to this call.


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