Creating Values for the Beneficiaries: Interplay of Opportunity Recognition, Resource Mobilisation (Resourcefulness) and Capabilities of Social Entrepreneurs

Abstract

This chapter explores how using their capabilities, social entrepreneurs identified opportunities, mobilised resources to solve social problems and created value for the beneficiaries. Therefore, this chapter throws light on the interplay of the dimensions of opportunity recognition, resourcefulness and capabilities of social entrepreneur/s in this process. It also focuses on the issue of continuity (sustainability), enhancement or expansion of services (scalability and replicability), finding new opportunities in the process of social value creation, problems associated with these issues, strategies used to face such problems and the measurement of social impact. After identifying opportunities and mobilising resources, social entrepreneurs initiated operations for social value creation. In order to achieve their social mission, they performed a series of actions and exhibited different entrepreneurial behaviours. The chapter also focuses on the influence of various contextual factors at different stages in the process of social value creation. It concludes the process of social value creation and presents different states involved in it. Based on findings, several patterns have been observed and propositions developed. At the end, synthesising all the propositions, the theoretical framework of social entrepreneurship is presented.