Local geographies of developing country social enterprises

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nimruji Jammulamadaka ◽  
Kamalika Chakraborty
Keyword(s):  
Social Problem ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
National Level ◽  
District Level ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Organizational Infrastructure

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the geographic distribution of social enterprises at the local sub-district level in one Indian state.Design/methodology/approachThis paper adopts a multimethod approach. The exploratory phase involved interviews and analysis of social enterprise distribution at the national level. Phase 2 involved mapping the distribution of social enterprises at the sub-district level in one state. Distribution around established social enterprises was plotted using latitude–longitude positions. Grounded theory approach to analysing qualitative data was adopted to identify the mechanism for agglomeration.FindingsSocial entrepreneurship sees the entrepreneurial problems as solving universalized social problems abstracting them out of the geo-historical and political economic context of the social problem. This study shows that solving a social problem is itself implicated in a social–historical organizational context of aid giving within developing countries. Networks of resources that early enterprises enable draw newer organizations toward them and lead to the formation of clusters. While such clusters might improve chances of enterprise survival, the phenomenon inadvertently leads to a new kind of inequity, as areas with fewer social enterprises lack the organizational infrastructure necessary for delivery of welfare.Research limitations/implicationsResearch in social enterprises needs to pay more attention to the context of the enterprises or society in addition to its current focus on universal social problems. Social enterprises themselves could be new sources of inequity in terms of the organizational infrastructure they represent.Originality/valuePolicymakers need to make directed efforts that respond not only to social problems but also to the socio-historic-organizational contexts where the problems are being solved and seeding the entrepreneurial effort in those spaces.

Should knowledge management in organizations be rebranded?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maayan Nakash ◽  
Dan Bouhnik
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Qualitative Research Methodology ◽  
Knowledge Intensive ◽  
Strategic Perspective ◽  
First Time

Purpose This study aims to examine the relevance of the term “knowledge management” (KM) in the organizational context, and deliberates whether there is a need for rebranding of this field. It also enriches the understanding regarding the appropriateness of the term “KM,” which was chosen to represent the discipline. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative research methodology, and a case study approach was followed by conducting 19 semi-structured in-depth interviews with international KM experts working in a global consulting firm. The data were analyzed using a thematic analysis method based on the grounded theory approach. Findings The findings provide empirical evidence that attempts are being made to move away from the label “KM” in certain knowledge-intensive organizations. This study sheds light on the challenges associated with this term, which leads some to believe that the name of the discipline needs to change. Originality/value The present pioneering research contributes to empirical knowledge through investigation of an unexplored scientific field. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, for the first time, its uniqueness can be established by the fact that the opinions of KM professionals are being heard regarding the “KM” label, as well as the need for a rebranding of this discipline in the organizational context. From a practical and strategic perspective, this study suggests that the research community and practitioners pay attention to attempts to shift away from the existing title identified in organizational practice.

Healing work

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-99
Author(s):  
Sarah V. Suiter ◽  
C. Danielle Wilfong
Keyword(s):  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Strong Predictor ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Barriers To Employment ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Health And Well Being

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore women’s experiences in one such social enterprise, and to analyze the ways in which this social enterprise supports and/or undermines its employees’ health and well-being. Finding and keeping employment during recovery from addiction is a strong predictor of women’s ability to maintain sobriety and accomplish other important life goals. Many treatment organizations have programs that support job readiness and acquisition; however, less priority is placed on the quality of the workplaces and their consequences for continued health and well-being. Social enterprises that exist for the purpose of employing women in recovery have the potential to be health-promoting workspaces, but understanding how health is supported for this particular population is important. Design/methodology/approach This paper provides an ethnographic account of Light Collective, a social enterprise run by women in recovery from addiction. Data were collected through 2 years of participant observation, 38 interviews and 2 focus groups. Data were analysed using a grounded theory approach. Findings Light Collective provides a health-promoting workplace by keeping barriers to employment low and making work hours and expectations individualized and flexible. Furthermore, the organization creates a setting in which work is developmentally nurturing, provides the opportunity for meaningful mastery and serves to build community amongst women who are often marginalized and isolated in more traditional contexts. Originality/value This study contributes to literature exploring the potential for social enterprises to create health-promoting workplaces by focusing the types of workplace commitments required to support a particularly vulnerable population. This study also explores some of the challenges and contradictions inherent in trying to create health-promoting work environments vis-à-vis the constraints of broader economic systems.

scholarly journals Understanding social enterprise country models: Spain

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramon Fisac ◽  
Ana Moreno-Romero
Keyword(s):  
Economic History ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Regional Differences ◽  
Current Model ◽  
National Level ◽  
Institutional Context ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Discussion Paper ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the historical institutional context of Spain in the past 40 years and to analyze the influence of institutional factors in the current model of social enterprise existing in the country. Design/methodology/approach – This study draws on the theory of historical institutionalism, national-level empirical data and Kerlin conceptual framework (2013) that informs models of social enterprise. Findings – This paper describe some traits of Spain’s social enterprise that can be explained by the evolution of its institutional context in the past 40 years. It helps to validate, from a historical institutionalistic perspective, aspects of the Kerlin framework for social enterprise models. It also begins to show that the analysis of regional differences in the context should be taken into consideration when examining a country’s social enterprise space. Research limitations/implications – This discussion paper encourages academics to analyze regional differences in the emergence of social enterprise within a country. The main limitation of the paper is the lack of an “official” definition of social enterprise in Spain. Originality/value – This paper applies a valuable framework to a country with a unique political and economic history in the past 40 years. It contributes to enrich the research on the emergence and development of social enterprises in a variety of contexts and advances understanding of how regional differences inside a country influence the development of social enterprises.

Lean Office contributions for organizational learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 1027-1039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo de Castro Freitas ◽  
Maria do Carmo Duarte Freitas ◽  
Glauco Gomes de Menezes ◽  
Ricardo Siebenrok Odorczyk
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Continuous Improvement ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Value Stream Mapping ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Value Stream ◽  
Collective Levels ◽  
The Individual

Purpose In organizational contexts, learning fosters the creation of knowledge at the individual and collective levels. In Lean Office, processes are customer oriented through continuous improvement and elimination of waste. In addition, Lean Office can promote changes in the corporate environment and drive organizational learning. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze the Lean Office factors that contribute to the organizational learning. Design/methodology/approach The method consists in a qualitative analysis of researches on Lean Office carried out in Brazil, based on the theoretical framework for analyzing organizational learning proposed by Argote and Miron-Spektor (2011). This framework defends the relevance of context and experience in knowledge conversion processes in organizations. Findings The study shows that Lean Office provides benefits for the learning process through Work Cells, Value Stream Mapping and Continuous Improvement. The effects of Lean Office are present in the organizational context, culture and behaviors, attitudes and skills of individuals. Practical implications This study brings for academics a discussion on Lean Office from the standpoint of elements pertaining to the organizational learning process. In this aspect, the study proposes treating the topic at a strategy level, striving to break out of the research boundaries that limit their scope to their operational results. For practitioners, the study introduces Lean Office factors that add positive results to the organizational learning process. Originality/value The paper presents a reflection of Lean Office in the field of organizational learning. In addition to the elimination of waste, the study investigates other functions in which Lean initiatives play a role, such as providing solutions for organizational problems and creating favorable learning contexts.

A hybrid approach to innovation by social enterprises: lessons from Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudheer Gupta ◽  
Stefanie Beninger ◽  
Jai Ganesh
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Societal Challenges

Purpose – This paper aims to provide a detailed analysis of the key capabilities needed for social enterprises to succeed in the context of extreme poverty. Facilitating growth and alleviating poverty in the world’s most impoverished regions requires introducing innovative solutions to achieve social impact while generating financial returns. Design/methodology/approach – This paper studies two social enterprises operating in Africa. Semi-structured interviewers were conducted with co-founders of the organizations. The transcribed interviews were analyzed through an open coding process, iterated to overarching categories, and compared between the organizations using a grounded theory approach. Secondary archival data and respondent validation were used to triangulate these findings. Findings – This paper proposes a model that highlights five key capabilities social enterprises need to tackle complex societal challenges while overcoming resource constraints and institutional voids. The processes followed to develop and deploy these capabilities are delineated, and the necessity of hybrid mechanisms that blend non-profit and private-sector approaches is shown as a key enabler for social enterprises to meet their dual objectives. Research limitations/implications – This research is limited to two cases studies from two different industries in Africa. Future research would refine and extend the proposed model to increase generalizability. Originality/value – This paper addresses a gap in the literature on understanding innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa, and it proposes a model for innovation derived from data. This paper also offers insights to the growing community of social entrepreneurs looking to develop sustainable solutions to societal challenges.

Islamic social business to alleviate poverty and social inequality

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 573-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Nusrate Aziz ◽  
Osman Bin Mohamad
Keyword(s):  
Social Inequality ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Social Business ◽  
Efficient System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Efficient Management ◽  
Islamic Financial Institutions ◽  
Conceptual Research ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify some well-set instruments in Islam that can efficiently alleviate poverty, solve social problems and reduce social inequality through a new operational framework called “Islamic social business (ISB)”. Design/methodology/approach – This is a conceptual research that is based on Al-Quranic principles as well as contemporary social welfare philosophies, such as, augmented stakeholder theory, social enterprise and social business. Al-Quran, Al-Hadith and existing traditional and Islamic literature are consulted for this study. Findings – The study proposes an efficient system of Islamic wealth sourcing and management to make the process of poverty alleviation sustainable. Other social problems for disadvantaged people, such as, health-, shelter-, literacy- and environmental-related issues are also addressed in the proposed system. The study identifies the inefficiency in the current practices and makes some propositions that are in conformance with Islamic principles and implementable by Islamic institutions all over the world. The authors propose a theoretical framework and operational propositions for ISB. Practical implications – In following this study, social policymakers, Islamic financial institutions, Islamic social enterprises and Islamic charity organizations will find organized guidelines to initiate “new entities” or “reshape existing entities”. Social implications – The study will be effective in solving social problems, alleviating poverty and reducing social inequality. Originality/value – This is the first study that identifies all the potential Islamic sources of funding and the efficient management thereof through ISB. The study also proposes an ISB model and makes several propositions for different types of ISB.

An activity theory approach to information security non-compliance

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 485-501
Author(s):  
Rima Khatib ◽  
Henri Barki
Keyword(s):  
Information Security ◽  
Activity Theory ◽  
Task Characteristics ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Contexts ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
It Systems ◽  
New Research

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce activity theory (AT) as a new theoretical lens to the field of information security non-compliance by explaining how research in that field can benefit from AT and to suggest eight propositions for future research. Design/methodology/approach Based on AT, the paper suggests that employees, IT systems, task characteristics, information security policies (ISPs), community and division of labor can be viewed to form an ensemble that is labeled activity. Their characteristics and/or the relationships that exist between them in organizational contexts are hypothesized to influence non-compliance behaviors. Findings The paper suggests that AT provides a broad lens that can be useful for explaining a large variety of non-compliant behaviors related to information security. Research limitations/implications The paper focuses only on non-compliant behaviors that employees undertake with non-malicious intentions and offers avenues for future research based on the propositions that are developed in the paper. Originality/value The paper provides a useful step toward a better understanding of non-compliant ISP behaviors. In addition, it proposes and explains new research areas in the non-compliance field.

Entrepreneurial ecosystem and social entrepreneurship: case studies of community-based craft from Kutch, India

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Santana Pathak ◽  
Sujata Mukherjee
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Research Question ◽  
National Level ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This study aims to explore social entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) in the craft sector in the state of Gujarat, India. With liberalization, India witnessed the growth of social entrepreneurship and is considered one of the pioneering countries in social innovation. The objective of the research was to answer the research question: what role do various stakeholder groups play in creating and promoting craft sector social EEs. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a qualitative case study approach of methodological triangulation combining analysing documents, a participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Two case studies – one of the Ajrakh craft cluster from Ajrakhpur and the other of Kala Cotton from Aadeshar, Bhuj are studied to explore the symbiotic linkages of social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Kutch district of Gujarat, India. A total of 24 in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders of the EE. Findings The study concludes that the role of like-minded individuals/social entrepreneurs, social enterprises, design networks and educational institutions is vital towards revival and sustainability of craft as economic commodities geared for scalability. Furthermore, the engagement of the systemic condition agents such as various local and national level institutions, the communities play an important role to revitalize, redeem and commercialize craft infrastructure based on active engagement, innovation and services. Originality/value This paper fulfils an identified need to study how traditional craft-based enterprises can be enabled, revived, grown and sustained.

scholarly journals Social innovation success factors: hospitality and tourism social enterprises

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 1155-1176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Alegre ◽  
Jasmina Berbegal-Mirabent
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
Business Model Innovation ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Similar Process ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hospitality And Tourism

Purpose This paper aims to contribute to the existing literature on social enterprises and business model innovation. Particularly, it sheds some light on those factors that turn a social innovation initiative into a success, both in terms of meeting social needs and achieving economic sustainability. Design/methodology/approach By using a grounded theory approach, an inductive comparative case study is conducted. Two work integration social enterprises in the hospitality and tourism sector are selected. Both companies are located in Barcelona (Spain) under the same legal regulation and economic situation and initially run a manufacturing business. Due to the economic crisis they were forced to reinvent themselves to survive. Data were collected from different sources and coded using content analysis procedures. Findings Results indicate that three factors, namely, value proposition, appropriate market research and stakeholder involvement, heavily contributed to firm’s success, corroborating previous studies. Furthermore, our study reveals that social need pressures and managerial trust on employees are additional factors that drive social business model innovation. Practical implications Changes in the demand, the rules governing the market or economic downturns are external drivers for demand-pull innovations. In such context, firms need to reformulate their business models if they wish to survive. Acknowledging the factors that help firms overcome these obstacles is of great interest for both academics and entrepreneurs. Originality/value Social innovation in business models is a topic still poorly defined in the literature, yet, its boundaries to other fields are still fuzzy. This paper aims to fulfill this gap by presenting the theoretical domain in which this topic fits in and evidencing those successful factors that should be considered when designing and implementing a business model innovation which may help other firms facing a similar process.

Police social work and social service collaboration strategies one hundred years after Vollmer

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 863-886 ◽  
Author(s):  
George T. Patterson ◽  
Philip G. Swan
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Service ◽  
Social Problem ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Social Service Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Collaboration ◽  
Collaboration Strategies

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on a systematic review that examined police social work and social service collaboration strategies implemented to address social problems. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review was conducted to identify the components of police social work and social service collaboration strategies. A total of 11 databases were searched. The inclusion criteria centered on the social problem, focus population, service providers, collaboration components and geographic location. Any methodological approach was included provided that a collaboration between police and social service providers focused on addressing a social problem was implemented and described. Findings The database searches identified 3,065 hits. After first eliminating duplicate titles, then reviewing and eliminating titles and abstracts that did not met the inclusion criteria, 119 full-text studies were reviewed. Among the 81 studies included in the systematic review, 83 implemented collaborations were found. The most collaborations were implemented in the USA, whereas only one implemented collaboration was found among the majority of the countries. Interpersonal violence was the most frequent social problem addressed by the collaborations followed by mental illness, crime, juvenile delinquency, and alcohol and substance use and abuse. Interventions were predominantly delivered by social workers who provided referrals and collaboration with social service agencies that assisted adults. Practical implications Given that police officers are first responders to a wide range of social problems, investigating and disseminating information about the characteristics of police social service collaboration strategies is an important endeavor. Whereas investigating the effectiveness of collaborations was not the aim of this review, several practical implications can be derived from the findings. These findings show the types of social problems, partners and tasks that comprise the collaborations. The present findings suggest that law enforcement agencies do not have accessible name brand social work and social service collaboration models that can be replicated. The majority of the collaborations found appear to be unique models implemented between law enforcement and social service agencies. More outcome studies are needed that investigate whether the social problem has improved among citizens that received services from the collaboration. Originality/value This paper is the first systematic review focused on police social work and social service collaboration strategies implemented to address social problems.

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