scholarly journals Immigrant-owned small businesses' participation in diaspora philanthropy: a case study during the COVID-19 outbreak

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ximeng Chen
Keyword(s):  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Opportunity Recognition ◽  
Specific Context ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Intermediary Organizations ◽  
Recognition Theory

PurposeThe concept of diaspora philanthropy contains the following two components: diasporas, who are individuals who live outside of their homelands but maintain a sense of identity with their home countries, and charitable giving provided by these diasporas to causes related to their hometowns. Often diaspora philanthropy happens through intermediary organizations such as hometown associations, internet-based philanthropic platforms and faith-based groups. Little research explores immigrant-owned small businesses as intermediary organizations for diaspora philanthropy. In the literature of social entrepreneurship, the theory of opportunity recognition provides insights on how do businesses identify opportunities for fulfilling social missions. However, it is uncertain whether this major theory can be applied to a specific context such as immigrant-owned small businesses. In this research, I aim to understand immigrant-owned small businesses' participation in social entrepreneurship through diaspora philanthropy, especially in responding to natural disasters. Specifically, three research questions were proposed: What role do small businesses play? What mechanisms do they use to partake in diaspora philanthropy? Moreover, what motivates them to participate?Design/methodology/approachThis research uses an in-depth case study that focuses on a specific diaspora philanthropy behavior in responding to a natural disaster in the diaspora's hometown. The subject of this work is a small business owned by an immigrant in New York City, the US. To collect data on this case, the author utilized a mixed-methods design, which involves two types of qualitative data: document analysis and interview. Giving the purpose of this study, the author used thematic coding for both newspaper article data and interview data following a deductive approach.FindingsThe result shows that small businesses have an inherent advantage in building close interpersonal relationships with their customers and serve as the connector between their customers and larger philanthropic organizations. Because of their limitations on resources, small businesses collaborate with larger nonprofit organizations to do complicated philanthropic work for improved capacity. When diaspora philanthropy happens due to natural disasters in homelands, diasporas experience some level of guilt since they are not there with the people of their homeland in solidarity facing the difficulties. This guilt, which is related to cultural influences, is one of the motivations that make diasporas give to their homelands. The findings also show that the opportunity recognition theory fits well into explaining the altruistic behaviors of small businesses owned by immigrants.Originality/valueA lot remains unknown about immigrant-owned small businesses, including their altruistic behaviors and participation in social entrepreneurship. This research expands the current knowledge on diaspora philanthropy by identifying the roles of small businesses, the mechanisms used by small businesses and the motivations of giving during natural disasters. This research also validates the opportunity recognition theory of social entrepreneurship in a specific context.

From NPO to social enterprise: the story of Schwab awardee, Sharanjeet Shan

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Kerryn Ayanda Malindi Krige ◽  
Verity Hawarden ◽  
Rose Cohen
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Social Entrepreneur ◽  
Financial Sustainability ◽  
Social Investment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Corporate Social Investment

Learning outcomes This case study introduces students to the core characteristics of social entrepreneurship by teaching Santos (2012) positive theory. The case allows students to transition from comprehension and application of what social entrepreneurship is, to considering how they operate. Druckers (2005) argument that social organisations will never have sufficient resources to do their work because they operate in an environment of infinite need is the catalyst for a conversation on resource dependency theory and the risks of mission drift. Students are introduced to the funding spectrum that can be used to understand the type of income that comes to an organisation, and to apply this to the case. By the end of their studies, students should be able to apply the Santos (2012) definition to social enterprises and social entrepreneurs, have insight into the complexity of operating in an environment of infinite need and able to apply the funding spectrum as a tool to manage to understanding financial sustainability. Case overview/synopsis The case tells the story of Sharanjeet Shan, a globally recognised social entrepreneur, and recipient of the Schwab Foundation’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2015. Shan moved to South Africa as the country moved into democracy, and has spent the past 20-plus years building the skills of Black African school children in mathematics and science through the organisation she leads, Maths Centre. But the country remains at the bottom of world rankings for the quality of its maths and science education, despite spending more per capita on education than any other country in Africa. Maths Centre has seen a dip in donations despite steady growth in the amount of money that businesses are investing in social change in South Africa through corporate social investment. But does Shan really need more donor income? Or are there other ways that she can build the financial sustainability of Maths Centre? Complexity academic level This case study is aimed at students of non-profit management, entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, women in leadership, corporate social investment, development studies and sustainable livelihoods. It is written at an Honours / Masters level and is therefore also appropriate for use in customised or short programmes. The case study is a good introduction for students with a background in business (e.g. Diploma in Business Administration / MBA / custom programmes) who are wanting to understand social enterprise and apply their learning's. Supplementary materials A list of supplementary materials is provided in the Teaching Note as Table I, which includes video's, radio interview recordings and a book chapter. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

scholarly journals Socio-business responsibility in the Gulf Arab states: the case of the Pearl Initiative

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Linzi J. Kemp ◽  
Imelda Dunlop
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Business Leaders ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Business And Society ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Arab States ◽  
Gulf Arab

Subject area Leadership, international business, financial reporting, entrepreneurship Study level/applicability The case study is aimed at undergraduate students at a 300 level. Case overview Mr Badr Jafar, co-founder of the Pearl Initiative (PI), is the chief protagonist in this case study set in the Gulf Arab states. He launched this company at the United Nations in September 2010, and the launch was timely, as business leaders were looking to rebuild the global economy following the economic downturn. The Initiative was originally the idea of a number of leading company owners in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The company vision is to improve business practices for the benefit of business and society in the future, but the context is one of a highly competitive and secretive business environment. The mission of the PI is to improve private sector corporate culture to one of transparency and accountability. The PI approaches that mission through building a network of business leaders in the GCC, particularly those from the family-owned companies in the private sector. A biography of the founder and the background to the founding of the PI is given, followed by a rationale of the company structure. The potential influence of the network of companies and leaders on the socio-business climate is considered. The specific activities are outlined within the strategy of the PI to address four key business areas: anti-bribery and corruption; corporate governance; corporate reporting; and women in leadership The PI focuses on raising awareness about the potential benefits of social entrepreneurship for business and society. To what extent this relatively new model of business can be successful in the context of the GCC is a case dilemma. Key issues: There are two main issues raised in the case study: the rationale for the relatively new business model of social entrepreneurship and the extent to which PI can modify the past and current GCC business environment by addressing the four business areas. Expected learning outcomes Students will be able to: analyze the business case for social entrepreneurship and explain the contribution of PI activities for changing the business environment. 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.

Supporting the cause – a case study on social entrepreneurial identity at the Rosenlund heritage site

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennie Elfving
Keyword(s):  
Identity Construction ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Organizational Identity ◽  
Construction Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Entrepreneurial Cognition ◽  
Social Venture ◽  
Identity Perception

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study how a social venture perceives and constructs its identity. This study highlights the importance of a common cause and collective entrepreneurial identity when studying entrepreneurial cognition in a social entrepreneurship context. The study also introduces the concept of identity layers. These aspects have not been emphasized in previous research and, therefore, there is a lack of knowledge in this specific area. The research question that this paper sets out to explore is “What influences the identity perception of a social venture and how does the identity construction process affect organizational behavior?”. Design/methodology/approach – The paper starts by presenting references to previous research in social entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial cognition and organizational identity, thereby building a theoretical context for the case study. The case chosen is the cultural heritage site Rosenlund located in Pietarsaari, Finland. The study is based on qualitative data. Previous research on entrepreneurial identity has often been based on narrative analysis and discourse analysis (Jones et al., 2008; Down and Warren, 2006). To get a different point of view, this analysis concentrates more on behavior and outcomes, but in combination with narratives. The data analysis starts out by mirroring Rosenlund in the categorization of Zahra et al. (2009) and then moves on to taking a closer look at the organizational identity and how it is constructed. Findings – The results from the case study show that the identity perception and the identity construction process are strongly affected by the mission (i.e. the cause) of the organization. Due to limited resources, the organization needs to be flexible, but the organization is under no circumstances ready to compromise its values. To avoid this potential dilemma, the organization has created an identity consisting of many layers, where the outer layer is thinner and more inclusive, thus providing the flexibility needed. This way of constructing identity clearly impacts the way the organization works. Research limitations/implications – The results indicate that Rosenlund identity-wise perceives itself mainly as a collective actor. The entrepreneurial actions undertaken cannot be assigned to one single actor, but instead to a group of people. This does not rhyme very well with existing entrepreneurial cognition research where the focus is on the person, i.e. individual actor. To get a better understanding of social entrepreneurship, “collective entrepreneurial cognition” therefore needs to be studied. The organization studied turned out to be a social constructionist. It remains for future research to investigate if the same layers of identity can be seen in social bricoleurs and social engineers. Practical implications – The results indicate the importance of identifying and communicating mission and values, i.e. defining core identity. Strategic decisions become easier when the organization has clearly defined its cause and its values, because then the organization will know when to compromise and when to say no in order not to jeopardize the cause. In the long run, this will have a positive effect on the organizational development. Originality/value – One important finding is the existence of different layers in the organizational identity. This aspect has not been addressed before and can certainly deepen our understanding of social entrepreneurial ventures. Moreover, the findings show that by introducing the concepts of organizational identity and identity building, the focus of the entrepreneurial cognition debate shifts from an individual perspective to a collective perspective. This aspect has not previously been explored in entrepreneurial cognition research.

Training the world: using archetypes to create a practical global learning strategy

2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-14
Author(s):  
Richard Mesch ◽  
Stacie Comolli
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Global Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Learning ◽  
Cultural Preferences ◽  
The World ◽  
Cultural Preference

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define a new methodology for designing corporate learning for a global audience and to provide a case study of that methodology in action. The Global Learning Archetypes approach adapts well-established cultural preference models and combines them with insightful learning models. The result is three primary Global Learning Archetypes and six secondary archetypes that allow training to be designed once and used around the world. Design/methodology/approach – The Global Learning Archetype approach was created by evaluating well-established global cultural preferences models, integrating them with a proprietary learning criteria model, and developing a model for rapidly and cost-effectively creating learning for multiple geographies. Additionally, a case study illustrates both the challenges and successes when implementing this model in a large global corporation. Findings – Most organizations create global learning either by creating content in their “home” location and then adapting it for other locations, or by distributing a single version of content and trusting local facilitators to provide context for it. The first method is expensive and time-consuming; the second method is risky and unreliable. The Global Archetype method provides for creating learning interactions that are appropriate for multiple geographies in a single effort. Practical implications – Most large organizations are global, and smaller organizations increasingly have a global footprint. According to Fortune Magazine, the Fortune Global 500 are headquartered in 37 different countries and do business in over 150 different countries. An Institute for the Future/Intuit study notes that by 2018, half of all US small businesses will be involved in international trade. CSA Research observes that businesses spend about US$31 billion a year on localization. A method for providing global learning in both an impactful and cost-effective way is clearly necessary. Originality/value – The Global Learning Archetypes method is comparatively new, but it draws from well-established and well-vetted content on worldwide cultural preferences and on effective learning criteria. As such, it is a valuable synthesis of the proven and the innovative. Far more than a conceptual model, the Global Archetypes have been used by some of the largest organizations in the world; a case study of one such implementation is provided in this paper.

scholarly journals Entrepreneurial learning: gender differences

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 557-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignatius Ekanem
Keyword(s):  
Learning Process ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Entrepreneurial Learning ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Support Programmes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the differences in the entrepreneurial experiences between male and female entrepreneurs. The study investigates what entrepreneurs learn, how they learn, who they learn from and what prompted such learning. Design/methodology/approach – The data under analysis is drawn from a qualitative study which involves in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted longitudinally as a case study in ten firms over a period of five years. The case study findings are analysed and discussed using a learning framework. Findings – The findings suggest some differences in the learning experiences between male and female entrepreneurs. Whilst male entrepreneurs were more likely to challenge and depart from industry norms, thus utilising double-loop learning process, female entrepreneurs were more likely to engage in “routinised” learning which enhances confidence, thus adopting the single-loop learning process. Research limitations/implications – The main implication of the study for policy makers is that unique training, networking and support programmes should be designed for women entrepreneurs. The study is limited to the extent that it can be generalised to a wider population of small businesses. Originality/value – To date, there have only been speculations and little understanding about whether there are differences in the entrepreneurial learning experiences between men and women. Thus, policy makers have little guidance as to whether or not unique training and support programmes should be designed for female entrepreneurs. The study is novel in so far as it was conducted longitudinally over a period of five years to sufficiently follow the learning behavioural pattern of entrepreneurs in different business sectors.

Social entrepreneurship and SDGs: case studies from northeast Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-38
Author(s):  
Fardeen Dodo ◽  
Lukman Raimi ◽  
Edward Bala Rajah
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Institutional Entrepreneurship ◽  
Sustainable Entrepreneurship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entrepreneurial Development

Case synopsis The use of entrepreneurship to deliver profound social impact is a much-needed but poorly understood concept. Although the authors can generally recognize social enterprises when they see them, they lack a common approach to understanding and measuring the different ways they create social value for them. The authors also lack an appropriate method for reducing the difficulties of starting and expanding them within the difficult conditions of developing countries. In the northeast of Nigeria, for example, the mammoth challenge of rebuilding communities in an unfavorable entrepreneurship environment makes the need for a solution even more urgent. This case study illustrates a model of promoting entrepreneurship that advances the conditions of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in local communities using a configuration of the key theories of social impact entrepreneurship (variants of entrepreneurship with blended value or mission orientation, including social entrepreneurship, sustainable entrepreneurship and institutional entrepreneurship). The extent to which ventures can adjust and improve the extent of their contributions to the SDGs are shown using examples of three entrepreneurs at different stages of growth. From this case study, students will be able to understand how entrepreneurs can identify and exploit social impact opportunities in the venture’s business model, within the network of primary stakeholders as well as in the wider institutional environment with the support of Impact+, a simple impact measurement praxis. Learning objectives The case study envisions training students how to hardwire social impact focus in the venture’s business model (social entrepreneurship), how to run ventures with minimal harm to the environment and greatest benefit to stakeholders (sustainable entrepreneurship) and how to contribute to improving the institutional environment for social purpose entrepreneurship (institutional entrepreneurship). At the end of learning this case study, students should be able to: 1. discover an effective model for a startup social venture; 2. explore options for managing a venture sustainably and helping stakeholders out of poverty; and 3. identify ways to contribute to improving the institutional environment for social impact entrepreneurs. Social implications For students, this case will help in educating them on a pragmatic approach to designing social impact ventures – one that calibrates where they are on well-differentiated scales. For business schools, entrepreneurial development institutions and policymakers, this case study can help them learn how to target entrepreneurial development for specific development outcomes. Complexity academic level The case study is preferably for early-stage postgraduate students (MSc or MBA). Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

Principles of frugal innovation and its application by social entrepreneurs in times of adversity: an inductive single-case approach

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oly Mishra
Keyword(s):  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Research Paper ◽  
Social Entrepreneur ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Frugal Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social

Purpose This study aims to focus on implementing frugal innovation and its principles by social entrepreneurs to face the challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research paper discusses the case of an Indian social entrepreneur who works for menstrual health and hygiene of unprivileged and rural women in India. The social entrepreneur’s constant endeavor is to create an ecosystem to ensure rural women’s economic and social upliftment through financial inclusion and livelihood training. When faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, the social entrepreneur re-purposed the manufacturing process to produce masks that were the need of the hour. Design/methodology/approach The research paper is qualitative and follows an inductive case study approach. The underlying principles of frugal innovation are established through content analysis of the social entrepreneur’s interviews and her team members. Findings The study discusses how adversity can be an opportunity for social entrepreneurs by implementing frugal innovation principles, i.e. re-use, re-purpose, re-combine and rapidity, in times of crisis. Research limitations/implications One of the major limitations of this study is that it is based on a single case study, as, in the current scenario, this case appeared to be the most suitable one. There is no way to generalize the assumptions of this model. Researchers will have to study the phenomena of frugal innovation in adversity across multiple cases in the future. Also, the study is based on a single emerging economy, i.e. India. Further research may be carried out with such cases from other countries. Practical implications The proposition of this research paper will help new and established social entrepreneurs understand that the four principles of frugal innovation and their practical application by a social entrepreneur. This will act as a guiding light for the present and future entrepreneurs regarding how one can respond to a crisis. This will also help advance our understanding of the distinct ways in which social entrepreneurs’ activities can help society in times of crisis. The findings of this research paper provide timely implications for social entrepreneurs. To respond efficiently to various crises, it is important to consider its effect on social entrepreneurship. Social implications The research paper shows that the social enterprise has implemented frugal innovation principles to manufacture the COVID-19 protection items supplied through existing supply chain networks. Also, a social entrepreneur is not intimidated by the sudden changes in the business environment; instead, they look at the situation as an opportunity to do something new. They are always willing to take the risk to innovate a solution that will address people’s problems. frugal innovation, due to its highly collaborative nature and its ability to make the most from limited resources, is the only way social entrepreneurs can create an inclusive, secure and sustainable future. Originality/value There are several challenges in social entrepreneurship, especially in emerging economies like India. During the pandemic, availability of resources was the major challenge, due to which social entrepreneurs had to find solutions through frugal innovation. This paper provides the practical application of the four principles of frugal innovation implemented by a social enterprise to manufacture and supply Covid protection items. It also presents the practical and managerial implications of the principles of frugal innovation by social entrepreneurs in low resource settings.

Suboptimal food retail model in Czechia: social super discount stores

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomáš Sadílek
Keyword(s):  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Size Range ◽  
Food Distribution ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Status ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Discount Stores ◽  
Selection Of

PurposeThe paper aims to identify retail models redistributing suboptimal food and their presence in Czechia. The author aims to give an overview of the status in comparison with other European Union countries and the form of such models in the Czech retail market concerning social super discount stores (SSDSs).Design/methodology/approachThe analysis is based on data obtained from an empirical study conducted by the study of secondary materials, author store-check observations and interviews with owners of SSDSs. The theoretical part consists of a literature review on social enterprises, food wasting and the definition of certain food distribution formats such as social supermarkets, food banks and SSDSs. The criteria for the selection of the research sample for observation were chosen based on the research conducted in Austria by researchers from the Vienna University of Economics and Business.FindingsThe research sample consists of 40 retail stores belonging to five retailers. The particular variables of the study are the number of stores, store size, range of categories and products, discount rates, location and the number of employees in the selected stores in Czechia.Originality/valueThis paper is a case study to identify and explore social retailing in Central Europe. This paper contributes to the emerging set of literature on social entrepreneurship, particularly in the field of retail for suboptimal food products.

Value generation in B2B contexts: the SMEs’ perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lourdes Pérez ◽  
Jesús Cambra-Fierro
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Value Appropriation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
A Value ◽  
Novel Concept ◽  
To Receive ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Asymmetric Relationships

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to understand the process of value creation in business-to-business (B2B) contexts from the perspective of small- and medium-sized firms (SMEs). Small businesses are challenged to compete and collaborate with larger firms. While the “sharks” dilemma (often the most dangerous sharks also have the most valuable resources) focuses on specific defences, the authors emphasize a value generation perspective. Design/methodology/approach – The concept of asymmetric relationships is taken as a reference and examined using a longitudinal multi-case study. Findings – The authors results demonstrate how small firms not always assume an inferior, defensive position. Ambitious and growth-oriented SMEs learn to collaborate with larger partners and exhibit a proactive attitude towards relationship management. They understand the importance of developing social ties. They foster frequent and informal communication with their customers, favouring personal visits as a means to receive advice for directing their research efforts and exchange information and views. Such ties help them to develop shared plans and goals. Research limitations/implications – In asymmetric relationships, partner selection models should help firms to concentrate their efforts in a reduced group of key partners. These models should include not only economic performance indicators – variables such as flexibility and autonomy – but also innovation and improvement in processes, image, prestige and positioning, access to markets and stability. Originality/value – The authors found insight into a novel concept: dual-value appropriation, where partners do not split the pie of the total value generated, as frequently proposed in the literature, but fully appropriate a different and unique value from the relationship. The authors further highlight the important role played by the committed champions in developing communication and trust.

scholarly journals Implementing social projects with undergraduate students: an analysis of essential characteristics

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 198-214
Author(s):  
Izabela Simon Rampasso ◽  
Renê Grottoli Siqueira ◽  
Vitor W.B. Martins ◽  
Rosley Anholon ◽  
Osvaldo Luiz Gonçalves Quelhas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Community Needs ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Method Analysis ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This study aims to analyse the essential characteristics for the success of social projects developed with undergraduate students of higher education institutions (HEIs). Design/methodology/approach A case study was conducted to verify the main characteristics of projects in a social entrepreneurship initiative. These features were used to perform a survey with experts to understand which of these items are essential for social projects success, through Lawshe’s method. Findings Of the ten items evaluated, two were considered essential by the experts: “Proper alignment between project scope and actual local community needs” and “Good level of interaction between students participating in the project and the local community”. Practical implications These findings can be useful for professors and coordinators to prepare future projects in HEIs. They may also be advantageous for researchers who may use them as a starting point for future studies. Originality/value The novelty of this study is the methodological approach used: a case study of projects in a social entrepreneurship initiative in a relevant Brazilian university; and a Lawshe’s method analysis of responses of experts in social projects developed in HEIs. The findings can greatly contribute to the debates in this field. No similar research was found in the literature.

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