Purpose The purpose of our study was to explore and identify the type of work and life domain strategies that Korean small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs in the USA implemented to mitigate challenges for achieving a work–life balance (WLB). Design/methodology/approach A total of 17 Korean entrepreneurs volunteered to participate in our qualitative exploratory case study, who shared successful strategies they developed to mitigate work–life challenges. A thematic analysis supported the data collected from interviews and a focus group meeting. Findings A total of four themes emerged from the data analysis. The findings revealed that successful entrepreneurs achieved work–life balance by (1) having sufficient money, preparation, experience and family, (2) having delegated quality time for recreational activities and hiring more employees and (3) prioritizing and scheduling quality time for culture, family, health and faith. The fourth theme revealed challenges to acquiring business knowledge, health, money, skills and sufficient time. Research limitations/implications Limitations indicated potential research weaknesses outside the researchers’ control (Theofanidis and Fountouki, 2018). The most significant limitation was the identification of participants from the Western region of Korean Association for the research. Originally, 20 participants were planned: ten for interviews and ten for a focus group meeting. Maybe due to the reserved personality of Koreans, very few participants volunteered. From these seed volunteers, additional participants were recruited through a snowball sampling method. Due to this limited recruiting process, participants were not selected in a random fashion. Thus, the research results might not be generalizable. Practical implications The findings may help policymakers, Korean community leaders and other minority group leaders train ambitious future SME entrepreneurs to maintain WLB from the onset of their businesses. Social implications The findings may shed light on how Korean minority entrepreneurs coped with WLB, which may answer research needs for minority groups. The findings may contribute to the scarce Western literature and provide intervention tools to practitioners. By discovering behaviors and the leadership skills of the struggling Korean SME entrepreneurs in achieving WLB, this study may provide some intervention strategies to practitioners helping future entrepreneurs. Originality/value While there is an abundance of WLB research about American SME entrepreneurs, studies on Korean SME entrepreneurs in the Western region of the USA were exiguous. Our study contributes to expanding the knowledge and understanding of WLB among Korean SME entrepreneurs.

Purpose This study investigates the process of selecting the inaugural chief executive officer (CEO) in nascent social ventures, emphasizing the unique qualities required due to these ventures’ dual social and economic objectives. Design/methodology/approach This study integrates human capital theory and gender expectancy violation theory to examine how nascent social venture founding team members select their first CEO. It analyzes the influence of prior occupational experience in social mission-oriented organizations and commercial organizations on the likelihood of a team member taking the CEO post. Findings The findings indicate that founding team members with prior experience in social mission-oriented organizations are significantly more likely to be selected as the inaugural CEO. Additionally, while past commercial experience increases the chances of becoming the first CEO, this effect is notably stronger for female team members. Research limitations/implications The findings provide a foundation for future empirical exploration of CEO selection dynamics in social ventures. It contributes to the literature on social entrepreneurship by highlighting the interplay of human capital and gender in leadership decisions. Practical implications This study offers insights for social entrepreneurs, policymakers and scholars on the critical factors influencing CEO selection in nascent social ventures. Understanding these dynamics can help in forming effective leadership teams aligned with the venture’s dual mission. Originality/value This research enhances our understanding of CEO selection in nascent social ventures, shedding light on the role of gender and specific experience in leadership choices, thus advancing the fields of social entrepreneurship and organizational leadership.

Purpose Using firsthand insights from nonprofit executives, our study aims to contribute to a refined understanding of innovation within nonprofit organizations, particularly in the aftermath of a disruptive event – the COVID pandemic. Design/methodology/approach We adopted an inductive, qualitative approach based on in-depth personal interviews with executives of ten nonprofit organizations operating in the Northeast of the United States. Findings Our study uncovers the main challenges facing nonprofit organizations in the aftermath of the global pandemic. Our findings provide empirical evidence of how nonprofit organizations responded to these challenges through innovative efforts. We also have identified the innovation-enabling factors and types of innovation that allowed nonprofit organizations to sustain their services and social mission in the aftermath of this disruptive event. Originality/value By capturing the perspectives of nonprofit leaders, we contribute to the literature on how nonprofit organizations and nonprofit leaders pursue innovation after a disruptive event that dramatically alters routines and established practices.

PurposeCarbon offsets gained attention about 15 years ago, with numerous providers emerging under regulated and voluntary regimes. However, due to a lack of technical literacy among some market participants, no common quality or certification structure existed, leading to concerns over “worthless” credits. This paper critically assesses the voluntary carbon market’s evolution, aiming to identify top providers and evaluate them based on six criteria: project quality, additionality, certifications, single ownership, price transparency and social entrepreneurship. The last criteria are new research criteria since the purpose of this study is to determine how many projects are aimed at social entrepreneurship.Design/methodology/approachThis study examines factors determining top carbon offset providers, with a focus on the role of social entrepreneurship. We ranked 73 providers based on criteria like project quality, additionality, certifications and social entrepreneurship. Our analysis found that project quality and certification were key differentiators, while social entrepreneurship had the lowest score. Despite many providers engaging in sustainable projects, few were women- or minority-owned. This study highlights the effectiveness of current criteria and key focus areas within the carbon offset sector.FindingsOur results show that top carbon offset providers are distinguished by project quality, certifications and standardizations. While most focus on sustainable projects, there is little emphasis on women- and minority-owned initiatives. Social entrepreneurship is only correlated with project quality and price transparency, not with other factors like additionality or certifications. Top providers excel in project quality, additionality, certifications, single ownership and price transparency but not in social entrepreneurship. Probit regression analysis highlights project quality, additionality, price transparency and social entrepreneurship as the most important criteria, with social entrepreneurship scoring the lowest.Research limitations/implicationsBecause the study was based on a web search, our team could only research carbon offset providers that had operational websites and that were in English. Hence, our study did not include those ventures that do not have a web presence or whose webpages are in other languages.Practical implicationsThis paper can be used by individuals or organizations that are looking into carbon neutrality to understand the risks and misinformation in the market. We hope this study will provide background and guidance to social entrepreneurs and policy makers in the space of social entrepreneurship. Indeed, though there are examples of corporations purchasing carbon assets in the media, most of these are large-scale projects.Social implicationsIn our survey, we included a question asking respondents to explore whether carbon offset providers’ projects were social ventures. If they were, respondents classified these projects into four categories: women entrepreneurship, minority entrepreneurship, sustainable entrepreneurship or development entrepreneurship. The goal was to determine if providers focus on social projects, such as those owned by women or minorities or projects within the sustainable or development spheres.Originality/valueOur study is one of the first to link social entrepreneurship to the area of carbon offsets. To our knowledge, no prior study has linked these two domains of research. Given that these markets are largely unregulated, users must grasp how they function and be aware of concerns such as the lack of standardization and the risk of double-counting permits.

PurposeBuilding a new venture’s legitimacy can be considered an arduous task and maintaining that legitimacy is significantly important given the influence legitimacy has on access to scarce resources. There are many factors that may contribute to a new venture’s legitimacy and need to be investigated. The purpose of this paper is to explore how an entrepreneurial founder affects the legitimacy of a new venture and how employees may harm that legitimacy.Design/methodology/approachA review of the founder imprint, legitimacy and counterproductive work behavior literature was performed.FindingsBased on a review of the literature, four testable propositions are developed. The first suggests that an entrepreneurial founder’s imprint will influence a firm’s legitimacy. The remaining propositions focus on how dysfunctional behaviors, which are often visible to the public given that they are reported in the media, may harm the development of the new venture’s legitimacy when employees engage in those behaviors.Originality/valueThe new venture literature has examined many drivers of new venture legitimacy; however, the literature lacks an examination of the impact an entrepreneurial founder’s imprint makes on the new venture’s legitimacy. Another important contribution to the entrepreneurship literature is the assertion that counterproductive work behavior may impact the founder imprint on the legitimacy relationship. The study of the issues presented in this paper aims to provide a framework that may spur new research on these topics which leads to a better understanding of these relationships.

PurposeThis paper aims to explore and analyze effective methods for measuring the impact of social ventures. By examining existing frameworks such as Social Return on Investment (SROI) and Impact Reporting and Investment Standards (IRIS) and through qualitative case studies of Turkish social ventures, the study aims to identify the limitations and adaptability of these methodologies. The goal is to provide actionable recommendations for social entrepreneurs, policymakers, and stakeholders to enhance the accuracy and relevance of impact assessments, thereby contributing to the sustainability and effectiveness of social ventures.Design/methodology/approachThis research employs a qualitative methodology, focusing on in-depth case studies of Turkish social ventures. Data collection involves a combination of direct interviews with social entrepreneurs, analysis of organizational reports, and review of relevant literature. The study examines existing impact assessment frameworks, such as Social Return on Investment (SROI) and Impact Reporting and Investment Standards (IRIS), assessing their applicability and limitations within the Turkish context. The research aims to identify context-specific challenges and innovative practices by analysing these case studies, offering insights into more effective and tailored impact assessment methodologies for social ventures.FindingsThe study reveals that while global impact assessment frameworks like Social Return on Investment (SROI) and Impact Reporting and Investment Standards (IRIS) are helpful, they often require adaptation to fit Turkey’s unique socioeconomic conditions. Key findings highlight the need for context-specific, resource-efficient, and participatory impact assessment tools. The case studies illustrate innovative practices in Turkey, such as integrating local cultural factors and leveraging technology for data collection. These insights underscore the importance of developing tailored methodologies that accurately capture social ventures' diverse impacts on varied regional contexts.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is limited by its focus on a few case studies, which may not fully represent the diversity of social ventures across Turkey. Additionally, the reliance on qualitative data may introduce subjective biases. The dynamic nature of social issues and the evolving socioeconomic landscape in Turkey further complicate the development of standardized assessment tools. Despite these limitations, the study offers valuable insights into context-specific challenges and innovative practices, highlighting the need for adaptable and responsive impact assessment methodologies. Future research should expand the scope of case studies and explore quantitative approaches to complement the qualitative findings.Practical implicationsThis study provides practical recommendations for social entrepreneurs, policymakers, and stakeholders to improve impact assessment practices in Turkey. It offers strategies to tailor global frameworks like SROI and IRIS to local conditions by emphasizing the need for context-specific, resource-efficient, and participatory tools. Social ventures can adopt these insights to enhance the accuracy and relevance of their impact assessments, ultimately improving their effectiveness and sustainability. Policymakers can use these findings to create supportive environments and policies that foster social entrepreneurship. At the same time, investors can better evaluate the social return on their investments by aligning their portfolios with their social objectives.Social implicationsThe study underscores the importance of accurate and context-specific impact assessment in enhancing the effectiveness of social ventures in Turkey. By providing tailored methodologies, social ventures can better address local socioeconomic challenges, leading to more meaningful and sustainable social change. Improved impact assessment practices enable ventures to demonstrate their value more convincingly, attracting better stakeholder support from investors, policymakers, and the community. This can lead to increased funding, better policy support, and more robust community engagement, ultimately fostering a more vibrant and impactful social entrepreneurship ecosystem that drives positive societal transformation.Originality/valueThis paper offers original insights into the challenges and opportunities of measuring the impact of social ventures in Turkey, a context that has received limited attention in the existing literature. By analyzing these case studies, the research highlights innovative, context-specific practices that can be adapted to other regions with similar socioeconomic dynamics. The studys value lies in its practical recommendations for developing resource-efficient and participatory impact assessment tools that address the unique needs of social ventures. These findings contribute to the broader discourse on social impact assessment and offer valuable guidance for social entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors.

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the strategic priorities of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in the contexts of the United States, Korea and Bangladesh. Specifically, it examines how entrepreneurs can integrate these priorities into business operations to drive long-term success, including sustainable revenue growth and enhanced brand perception.Design/methodology/approachUsing a ranked-order approach, this study analyzed a sample of 512 responses from the United States (n = 107), Korea (n = 292) and Bangladesh (n = 113) to prioritize ESG factors for each country. We also conducted a one-way ANOVA to measure how individuals ranked ESG by level of importance in three countries.FindingsThe findings of this study reveal that ESG should be tailored to specific business contexts within each country rather than treated as a universal global standard. More specifically, in the United States, entrepreneurs place significant emphasis on all three ESG dimensions – environmental, social and governance. In contrast, entrepreneurs in Korea prioritize governance factors over social and environmental considerations. Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, the focus is primarily on environmental factors.Originality/valueThis study serves as an eye-opener for entrepreneurs in the United States, Korea and Bangladesh, highlighting where they should focus their efforts when considering ESG factors. It is also the first comparative analysis of ESG priorities across developed and developing countries.