Analysing the differences in the importance of social entrepreneurship critical success factors across social enterprise demographics

Abstract

The present paper was formulated with the purpose to find out the significant differences in the degree of importance of formally identified social entrepreneurship (S-ENT) critical success factors (CSFs) across different demographic parameters of Indian social enterprises (SEs). All in all, the former survey have covered SEs operating in seven prominent socio-economic sectors involving diverse social settings within India. Kruskal-Wallis test in conjugation with descriptive stats was employed to analyse the significant differences in the present study. The study found that out of 24 CSFs, the relative importance of eight outlined CSFs remarkably differs as per the type of legal structure, socio-economic sector and nature of revenue generation of the studied SEs. Further, the analysis led to find the relative importance of the above eight significant factors for different types and nature of SEs under consideration. The study will help the practitioners and other stakeholders of S-ENT in reviewing the relative importance of CSFs while seeking their relevant application for a particular S-ENT venture. Alternatively, the study outcomes would enable the practitioners in weighing the contextual specificities' while prioritising the 24 formerly discovered CSFs. The findings simultaneously are expected to advance literature on S-ENT CSFs vis-a-vis SE management.