Lokasamgraha: An Indigenous Construct for Social Entrepreneurship from India

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of the indigenous construct lokasamgraha in the field of social entrepreneurship. Lokasamgraha discusses universal welfare, which has the potential to make a significant contribution to this field. Lokasamgraha was identified through content analysis of the Bhagwat Gita using the methodological approaches advanced by Bhawuk (2010). Social enterprises are a special kind of organization due to their ability to address social issues in a sustainable manner. However, creating social and ecological impact and remaining financially sustainable is a very challenging task and, if not managed properly, may lead to mission drift. Therefore, we investigated the prevalent tensions in social enterprises using paradox theory as a theoretical lens. We developed a framework to demonstrate how lokasamgraha can aid social enterprises to manage their tensions and achieve the triple bottom line goal. Furthermore, we validated our framework by citing an Indian social enterprise as evidence of the lokasamgraha practice. Finally, we discussed the implications for various stakeholders and provided direction for future research before we concluded.