Social entrepreneurship and social business associated with multiple functions of urban agriculture in Japan

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine the relationships among social entrepreneurship, social business (SB) and multiple functions of urban agriculture in Japan, by introducing the methodologies of SEM (structural equation modeling) and TEM (trajectory equifinality model). Following conclusions are obtained based on the analytical results. First, people who are thinking creatively (TC) with a high level of social capital pay attention to social business and prefer multiple functions of urban agriculture not only in megacities but also in designated cities. These people are assumed to have a high level of social entrepreneurship as well. Second, social business develops through the virtuous cycle of social institutions, social entrepreneurship and social business. Among the social institutions, social capitals are important both in the beginning of SB establishment and in the processes of business development. Policy implication drawn from the research suggests that the government should provide opportunities to create a virtuous cycle between social institutions, social entrepreneurship and social business, especially to improve the accumulation of social capital, in order to attract the TCs who have a high level of social entrepreneurship and solve the problems through social business such as agriculture-related businesses.