Abstract
AbstractTo address the need for more employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID), many vocational rehabilitation agencies have established social ventures called affirmative businesses. Unlike most traditional vocational rehabilitation programs, affirmative businesses compete directly with for‐profit businesses producing similar goods or services. Given that nonprofit agencies operating these businesses are supported by taxpayer dollars and private donations, there is increased scrutiny and expectations for legal and ethical behavior and practices. An earlier study of 15 affirmative businesses identified themes and management strategies that contributed to business viability or failure. A reexamination of the findings through the lens of corporate citizenship theory (being economically responsible, abiding by the law, engaging in ethical and moral management, and ensuring the philanthropy of businesses) found that affirmative businesses adhering to the theory's components succeeded, while those that did not failed. The two case studies presented here demonstrate that knowledge transfer of the theory's components from the for‐profit business sector to the nonprofit sector is possible and suggest this innovative business approach as a framework to attain sustainable viability within affirmative businesses. The viability of these ventures is especially important for those who live in areas where few competitive employment jobs are available or for those with the most severe ID who require higher levels of job support and job stability. Through an in‐depth examination of the theory's components, we suggest options for improving the likelihood that affirmative businesses will achieve viability and provide community‐based employment for individuals with ID.
Published Version
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