Heterogeneity of Value Creation Processes: A Taxonomy of Social Enterprise Business Models

Abstract

Taking a business model perspective, this study investigates the heterogeneity among the value creation process of social enterprises. We employ a dataset of 437 Dutch social enterprises to conduct a cluster analysis, resulting in a taxonomy of seven distinctive business models. It goes beyond existing classifications by more comprehensively capturing value creation using 25 variables. Therefore, it opens up opportunities for further research through more nuanced insights into the core organisational processes of social enterprises. The taxonomy can also assist practitioners and policymakers in understanding the implications for different social enterprises when making decisions.