scholarly journals The stories of social entrepreneurship: Narrative discourse and social enterprise resource acquisition

Author(s):  
Philip Roundy

Social entrepreneurship is a phenomenon of increasing significance. A key challenge for social ventures is resource acquisition. However, how social entrepreneurs gather the resources necessary to grow their organizations is not clear. The focus of this study is how narratives are used to acquire social venture resources. This topic is examined using a multi-study, inductive, theory-building design based on 121 interviews, observation, and archival data. In Study 1, I interview 75 entrepreneurs, investors, and ancillary participants in the social enterprise sector. In Study 2, I construct case studies of eight technology-focused social ventures. Evidence from this study is used to construct a framework explaining how differences in entrepreneurs’ narrative tactics and characteristics are associated with differences in their resource acquisition success. Specifically, from Study 1 I develop a typology of social enterprise narratives, identify three narrative-types (personal, social-good, and business), and show that they possess unique elements. Evidence from Study 2 suggests that the three narrative-types serve as the building blocks for communication with external stakeholders. These findings contribute to three literatures that formed the basis of the study – social entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial resource acquisition, and organizational narrative theory – and have implications for work on competing organizational logics. They also produce several practical implications for social entrepreneurs.


2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Roundy

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to focus on how narratives are used to acquire social venture resources. Social entrepreneurship is a phenomenon of increasing significance. A key challenge for social ventures is resource acquisition. However, how social entrepreneurs gather the resources necessary to grow their organizations is not clear. Design/methodology/approach – This topic is examined using a multi-study, inductive, theory-building design based on 121 interviews, observation and archival data. In Study 1, 75 entrepreneurs, investors and ancillary participants were interviewed in the social enterprise sector. In Study 2, case studies of eight technology-focused social ventures were constructed. Findings – The result of this study is a framework explaining how differences in entrepreneurs’ narrative tactics and characteristics are associated with differences in their resource acquisition success. Specifically, from Study 1, this paper develops a typology of social enterprise narratives, identifies three narrative-types (personal, social-good and business) and shows that they possess unique elements. Evidence from Study 2 suggests that the three narrative-types serve as the building blocks for communication with external stakeholders. Originality/value – These findings contribute to three studies that formed the basis of the study – social entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial resource acquisition and organizational narrative theory – and have implications for work on competing organizational logics. They also produce several practical implications for social entrepreneurs.



2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leena Ajit Kaushal

Social ventures aim at creating social value. The literature on social entrepreneurship analyses how social entrepreneurs pursue the aspect of social change. The combination of shared value creation-economic and social value- does pose a formidable challenge for social ventures.



2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Nahyun Oh

In this dissertation, I explore early-stage social ventures' resource acquisition, the first CEO selection, as well as how funding foundations supporting early-stage social ventures overcome challenges emerge from the economic crisis. Social ventures are organizations established by social entrepreneurs who seek to create social impact by providing systematic and sustainable solutions. They pursue the integration of social mission and economic goal in organizations' core, thus are distinguished from both commercial organizations and nonprofits. Successful acquisition of seed capital and the first CEO selection are crucial milestones for social ventures to survive and flourish. The proposed model in Chapter 2 suggested factors of social ventures that affect impact investor's eventual investment decision. It explicates how characteristics of a core founder, a founding team, and a social venture relate to each other and contribute to the increasing possibility of seed capital acquisition. Chapter 3 of this dissertation examines the first CEO selection of social venture. I empirically tested hypotheses using a dataset of 261 social entrepreneurs from 108 social ventures and found that previous working experience in social mission-oriented organizations is crucial for being assigned as the first CEO. Additionally, previous working experience in commercial firms contributes to only female social entrepreneurs' possibility of becoming the first CEO. In Chapter 4, I shift the focus to impact investors and explore the survival strategy of a funding foundation, Echoing Green, in response to financial challenges during the economic downturn in 2008.



2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Som Sekhar Bhattacharyya

Purpose The purpose of this paper was to ascertain how social entrepreneurs were required to recognize their new ventures’ scope and scale of operations. The firm boundary was based upon two dimensions, namely, the scope of the offering and its scale. The objective of this research was to ascertain the thinking regarding this of social entrepreneurs engaged through technology-based social entrepreneurship (TBSE). Design/methodology/approach This study conducted an in-depth interview of 26 technology entrepreneurs engaged in social entrepreneurship ventures in India. The interview was carried out based upon a semi-structured open-ended questionnaire. This study undertook thematic and relational content analysis to develop a model of technology-based social entrepreneurs’ venture scoping and scaling. Findings This study found that the antecedent variables were the level of support perceived by social entrepreneur from government and at the industry level. Furthermore, the variables’ entrepreneurial and market orientation of social entrepreneurs were found to be the independent variables. These four variables in turn determined the explorative and exploitative horizon of the technology-based social entrepreneurs. Finally, an interplay of these variables ascertained the perspectives of social entrepreneurs engaged in TBSE regarding the notion of their firm’s scope and scale. Research limitations/implications The theoretical insights developed in this research study provided an integrated theoretical perspective accommodating both environmental perspectives (industry support and government support) and organizational perspectives (entrepreneurial and market aspects). This was in context of TBSE. Practical implications The insights from this research study could provide a robust and comprehensive understanding to social entrepreneurs regarding the strategic thinking towards scale and scope for a technology-based social venture. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study was one of the first theoretical works in TBSE towards scaling versus scoping perspectives.



Author(s):  
Elena Anatolyevna Malysheva ◽  

The article presents an overview of social entrepreneurship in Russia. The main characteristics of a social enterprise are highlighted: innovation, financial stability, self-sufficiency, replication and social impact. Areas of project implementation by social entrepreneurs have been identified.



Author(s):  
Susana Bernardino ◽  
J. Freitas Santos ◽  
J. Cadima Ribeiro

Entrepreneurial ecosystems and social entrepreneurship are receiving increasing attention for their ability to foster economic and social development. This study adopts the entrepreneurial ecosystem approach to analyse the extent to which the perceived favourability of external environment promotes or deters the launch of new ventures by social entrepreneurs. The research was based on a survey that collected data through a questionnaire emailed to Portuguese social entrepreneurship ventures. The results show that a favourable entrepreneurial ecosystem has low importance in the decision to develop new social ventures. This result is particularly consistent in more innovative social ventures. This conclusion supports the idea that many social ventures are not based on social innovation, but derive from a traditional approach to social problems. Therefore, the development of new innovative social ventures has to be supported by institutional stakeholders in order to support social entrepreneurs, regardless of the level of favourability of the entrepreneurial context.



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 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill Kickul ◽  
Lisa Gundry ◽  
Paulami Mitra ◽  
Lívia Berçot

Social entrepreneurship is an emerging and rapidly changing field that examines the practice of identifying, starting, and growing successful mission-driven for-profit and nonprofit ventures, that is, organizations that strive to advance social change through innovative solutions. For educators teaching in this field, we advocate for a design thinking approach that can be integrated into social entrepreneurship education. Specifically, we believe that many of the design thinking principles are especially suitable and useful for educators to facilitate student learning as they create and incubate social ventures. We also advance a broader conceptual framework, which we describe as the four main mega-themes in social entrepreneurship education, namely innovation, impact, sustainability, and scale. We offer ways in which the design thinking steps can be integrated and applied to each of these themes and accelerate the social venture creation process. We conclude by discussing and presenting how design thinking can complement an overall systems thinking perspective.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen MacCarthy

This holistic case study showcases Building Up as an exemplar of a successful social enterprise in the city of Toronto. Data was collected through the interviewing of the founder, an employee, and a program participant in addition to an observational visit. Many perspectives surrounding the evolution, current conduct of the organization, and its overall impact were gained. The findings shine light on important aspects of social entrepreneurship that is absent within the literature. The discussion of the findings draws from critical and decolonial frameworks which deepened the conversation of what it means to be a successful social enterprise in Toronto. This paper concluded with contemplations, contradictions and suggestions on how best to move forward. Keywords: Social Entrepreneurship, Successful Social Enterprise, Social Entrepreneurs, Alternative Systems, Connection, Social Change



2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-95
Author(s):  
Yam Bahadur Silwal

This study primarily tried to find out social entrepreneurship practices in Nepal, though this is an young phenomena for scholarly in Nepal. Study followed exploratory case type and selected Martyrs Memorial Park (Sahid Smarak) as a case so that it is a qualitative research. Social entrepreneurship is phenomena about utilization of creative idea of individuals for the society and social benefits through entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial venture creation. Martyrs Memorial Park (Sahid Smarak) is a social venture situated in Hetauda, Bagmati province, Nepal established by social and political personalities. This venture is found as a good practice of social entrepreneurship that generate revenue for the society, providing employment opportunities, utilizing resources, paying tax, contributing to uplift tourism, giving recognition of the area and members of the executive committee and council members as well. This venture became a model for others and many are trying to implement this in another part of the country. Social entrepreneurship process model found which started from social or political person with entrepreneurship intention that converted into entrepreneurial behavior and realize the social venture. Then economic outputs bring transformation in the society and generate social entrepreneurs' personality enrichment



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