Retaining the nonprofit mission: The case of social enterprise emergence in India from a traditional nonprofit

Abstract

ABSTRACT Literature examining the emergence of social enterprises from traditional non-profits has noted a shift in organizational mission, from a predominantly social mission towards a dual focus on both social and commercial goals. Less is known about how such social enterprises, which transition from traditional non-profits, retain the original non-profit social mission. The present study, employing an institutional logics perspective, identifies how a social enterprise, emerging from a traditional non-profit in India, re-conceptualized its means in diverse ways towards a common social end, preserved its core guiding principles and processes, and maintained a broad organizational vision, to seamlessly retain and continue with the original social mission. The study concludes with implications for social enterprise and institutional logics research.