scholarly journals Social Entrepreneurship

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

The purpose of this chapter is to contribute to a better understanding of the link between social entrepreneurship and institutional environment in Portugal. A quantitative approach is used in the study, with primary data collected through an online survey. A questionnaire was emailed to both Portuguese Non-Governmental Organizations and projects available on the Portuguese Social Stock Exchange. In the analysis of the data, we used descriptive statistics, factorial analysis and t-student tests in an attempt to validate the research hypotheses. The results show that a favorable institutional environment has low importance in the decision to develop social entrepreneurial initiatives. This conclusion supports the idea that many social entrepreneurs can emerge even in developing regions where the institutional environment is weak. Therefore, social entrepreneurship could be an instrument of regional development and contribute to attenuating the social and economic differences among Portuguese regions.

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

Institutional environments are widely regarded as a crucial advantage of regions to promote social entrepreneurship. However, there is scarce empirical support on the importance of network relationships and the ties that bind, both institutions and social entrepreneurs. This study contributes to filling this gap by analyzing network relationships and the institutional environment in Portugal. A quantitative approach is used in the study, using primary data collected through an online survey. A questionnaire was emailed to both Portuguese Non-Governmental Organizations and projects available on the Portuguese Social Stock Exchange. In the analysis of the data, the authors used descriptive statistics and canonical correlation analysis in an attempt to examine the links between network relationships and the institutional environment. The results we got show that a favorable institutional environment is not independent of the decision to start a new social venture.


2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susana Bernardino ◽  
J. Freitas Santos

Studies on the profile of the social entrepreneurs that use crowdfunding (CF) for financing social projects are relatively rare, specifically in the context of Social Stock Exchange platforms. This research aims to understand the role played by social entrepreneurs’ personality traits on the choice between the traditional donation model and social CF to finance social projects. The particular case of the Portuguese Social Stock Exchange (PSSE) is presented and a quantitative and exploratory approach is used. The data were collected through a questionnaire that was emailed to non-governmental organizations in Portugal and founders of the projects listed on PSSE. Logistic regression is employed to predict the probability that a social entrepreneur would use PSSE rather than traditional financing. The predictor variables are based on the Big Five personality traits. Our investigation reveals that the conscientiousness personality trait is the only factor that might explain the use of the PSSE platform.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Fernanda Rios Cavalcanti

Purpose This paper aims to examine how social entrepreneurship (SE) practices give rise to social change in the context of urban Brazil. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on a broader inductive, ethnographic and iterative practice-based study conducted in three Brazilian non-governmental organizations. Findings Social change is established through intertwined practices that involve active interplay of ambivalent positive and negative feelings associated with the social mission pursued by the social enterprise; flat organizational structures that encourage participation and taking of ownership among all stakeholders; and focused organizational objectives (social purposes). Research limitations/implications The paper presents an analytical framework composed of five propositions that may be used in future research aimed at maturing and refining the understanding of SE. The study also provides a methodological contribution for future studies of new phenomenon and young fields of research that often must rely on inductive methodologies, by demonstrating how an iterative thematic analysis can be used in practice-based studies. Practical implications This paper has practical implications directly connected to its social implications, because understanding how social change is achieved may enhance the effectiveness of SE practitioners in bringing desired changes about. Furthermore, the discussion also provided insights for practitioners to reflect upon the paradoxical nature of practices aimed at social change. Originality/value The study suggests a set of propositions and an original definition of SE that mitigates conceptual inconsistencies found in literature drawing on empirical data and by incorporating the political lens found in practice theory.


In the globalized economy, entrepreneurship is the asset for economic development. Social Entrepreneurship works to bring positive social, economic environmental outcomes for the society. Social entrepreneurs, in the globalised economy thriving to fit into effective and efficient business through solving community based problems. A social entrepreneur has greater impact in achieving sustainable business models and approaches through addressing social and environmental problems. The fast paced growth of new digital technologies provides powerful resources for facing existing social and environmental challenges. The research paper aims to reveal the role of Social entrepreneur benefits and Challenges in developing our Economy. The research is of an empirical nature and primary data are collected using convenient sampling techniques through a structured questionnaire. The study outcome will help the social entrepreneurs to enhance their business worth and for economic development.


2021 ◽  
pp. 251512742110219
Author(s):  
Angela E. Addae ◽  
Cheryl Ellenwood

As boundaries between the business and social sectors dissolve, social entrepreneurship has emerged as a phenomenon that bridges two worlds previously divided. Now, social entrepreneurs embrace market-based tools to address society’s greatest challenges. Coinciding with the growth of the sector, students and researchers have sought to understand development, growth strategies, and the practical challenges related to social entrepreneurship. In turn, universities have bolstered social entrepreneurship education by creating academic offerings that emphasize business, social impact, and innovation. Still, social entrepreneurship education remains in its infancy. Courses are as varied as the field itself, and instructors routinely rely on their professional backgrounds and networks to develop curricula that explore the field’s multifaceted character. Thus, social entrepreneurship courses are diverse across disciplines, and the academic literature theorizing the phenomenon is similarly emergent. As social entrepreneurship courses combine theoretical insights with experiential learning in a myriad of ways, aligning theoretical insights with necessary core competencies presents a challenge. To address this dilemma, we highlight the importance of employing theory-driven concepts to develop core competencies in social entrepreneurship students. In doing so, we review key threshold concepts in the social entrepreneurship literature and suggest how instructors might link theoretical insights to practical skill sets.


2010 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mildred T. Mushunje ◽  
Muriel Mafico

The unprecedented number of orphans and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe has created an urgent need to create innovative ways to provide for the social protection of these children. Innovative packages consisting of educational, food and psychosocial support are being implemented by non-governmental organizations. However, as the orphan crisis continues to deepen, more needs to be done and, learning from the experiences of other countries, the option of cash transfers for social protection for orphans and vulnerable children offers an attractive option for Zimbabwe. This article explores the possibility of using cash transfers for the support of orphans and vulnerable children and highlights the challenges and strengths of this approach.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olu Oludele Akinloye Akinboade ◽  
Trevor Taft ◽  
Johann Friedrich Weber ◽  
Obareng Baldwin Manoko ◽  
Victor Sannyboy Molobi

Purpose This paper aims to understand social entrepreneurship (SE) business model design to create values whilst undertaking public service delivery within the complex environments of local governments in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach Face-to-face semi-structured interview was conducted with 15 purposively selected social entrepreneurs in Gauteng and Western Cape provinces. The interview guide consisted of main themes and follow-up questions. Themes included SEs’ general history, the social business model; challenges faced and how these were overcome; scaling and growth/survival strategies. These enabled the evaluation of SEs in terms of identifying key criteria of affordability, availability, awareness and acceptability, which SEs must achieve to operate successfully in low-income markets. Social enterprise owners/managers within the electricity distribution, water reticulation and waste management services sectors were surveyed. Findings Most respondents focus on building a network of trust with stakeholders, through communication mechanisms that emphasize high-frequency engagements. There is also a strong focus on design-thinking and customer-centric approaches that strengthen value creation. The value creation process used both product value and service value mechanisms and emphasized quality and excellence to provide stakeholder, as well as societal value, within their specific contexts. Practical implications This study builds upon other research that emphasizes SEs’ customer-centric approaches to strengthen value creation and on building a network of trust with multiple stakeholders. It contributes to emphasizing the business paradigm shift towards bringing social values to the business practice. Social implications Social good, but resource providers are demanding more concrete evidence to help them understand their impact (Struthers, 2013). This is because it is intrinsically difficult for many social organizations to document and communicate their impact in more than an anecdotal way. The research has contributed to the understanding of how SEs can provide evidence of value creation. Originality/value This study contributes to the understanding of how business models are designed to create value within the context of the overwhelming complexity of local government services in South Africa.


2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (9) ◽  
pp. 1252-1267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip T. Roundy

Purpose The formation of entrepreneurial ecosystems is recognized as an activity that can produce economic development and community revitalization. Social entrepreneurship is also an activity that is receiving growing attention because of its potential for addressing social and economic problems. However, while scholars have focused on how the participants in entrepreneurial ecosystems, such as investors and support organizations, influence ecosystem functioning, it is not clear what role social entrepreneurs can play in entrepreneurial ecosystems. Nor is it known how the entrepreneurial ecosystems in which social entrepreneurs are located can influence the founding and operation of their ventures. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach In this conceptual paper, theory is proposed to explain the interrelationship between entrepreneurial ecosystems and social entrepreneurship. Findings It is theorized that entrepreneurial ecosystems will influence the operations and effectiveness of social entrepreneurs through mechanisms such as the ecosystem’s diversity of resource providers, support infrastructure, entrepreneurial culture, and learning opportunities. In turn, social entrepreneurs can shape the entrepreneurial ecosystems in which they are situated by influencing the heterogeneity of ecosystem participants, garnering attention for the ecosystem, and increasing its attractiveness to stakeholders. Originality/value Scholars examining entrepreneurial ecosystems have not studied the role of an increasingly important market actor: the social entrepreneur. At the same time, work on social entrepreneurship has not emphasized the community of social relations and cultural milieu in which social entrepreneurs found their ventures. The theory developed addresses both of these omissions and has important implications for practitioners focused on spurring entrepreneurial ecosystems and social entrepreneurship.


2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 47-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
VIRGÍNIA TALAVEIRA VALENTINI TRISTÃO ◽  
JOSÉ AMÉRICO MARTELLI TRISTÃO

Abstract Environmental education practiced by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) presents itself as a new teaching method directed at changing habits, attitudes and social practices seeking solutions for the social-environmental degradation afflicting the contemporary world. This work seeks to identify the perception and expectations of stakeholders regarding the contribution of NGOs in environmental education. The research was guided by the Delphi method and, as a result, verified that the involved stakeholders understand that environmental education practiced by NGOs must be ample, free, professionalized and directed towards all the segments of society via partnerships with public and private sector organizations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-124
Author(s):  
Natalya М. Lavrenyuk-Isaeva ◽  

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the overall risks and demonstrated the attitudes of members of society towards them. The subject is the carriers and owners of risks in the context of a pandemic from among social entrepreneurs and traditionally classified as vulnerable categories of citizens. The purpose of the work is to analyze the contradiction between the demand for a number of state support measures for traditionally allocated vulnerable groups of the population and the situation with their implementation, in which social entrepreneurs are involved along with state structures to provide services in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The novelty of the approach is to clarify the categories of socially vulnerable citizens based on the division of social risks in the new conditions of the pandemic. Current empirical sociological data obtained by the online survey commissioned by the relevant department allowed us to determine the urgency of the demand for state support measures. To reduce dependence on the state and develop partnerships, the income of social entrepreneurs should not be lower than the average salary in the region. To do this, it is important to create associative forms of interaction and develop cooperation with business, science, and education. A promising and difficult task for the authorities is to involve socially vulnerable citizens in innovative social activities in the format of social entrepreneurship, in interaction with social protection agencies for their effectiveness. The development of tools for stimulating cooperation between beneficiaries and stakeholders is on the agenda for further study


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document