'Landscape' of Social Entrepreneurship in India: An Eclectic Inquiry

Abstract

The term Social Entrepreneurship has gained an increasing currency in India and abroad, in the recent. However, in many ways, social entrepreneurship still remains a term in search of a “definition-in-practice”. The broad definition of social entrepreneurs describes them as entrepreneurs with a social mission, who find innovative and sustainable entrepreneurial solutions for social problems. However, the nature and magnitude of “social problems” (and the corresponding “solutions”) are invariably embedded in the socio-cultural milieu and the socio-economic and regulatory context of any society. Correspondingly, this paper takes the position that while the conceptual definition of the term may remain same across different social contexts, the actual nuances of “social entrepreneurship in practice” are determined and circumscribed by its societal context.Building on responses from 46 practitioners/stakeholders (e.g., the social entrepreneurs, social investors, support organizations, etc.), and drawing from published material, this exploratory on-going study seeks to build an understanding of the distinctive nature, opportunities and challenges of “practice of social entrepreneurship in India”.