Corporate Social Entrepreneurship Research Articles

Corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship and sport programs to develop social capital at community level

The aim of this study was to analyze the reasons that lead companies to support/sponsor, sport projects involving the development of social capital at community level. A questionnaire with five dimensions (innovation/creativity; motivation; social responsibility; image and finally sales/money) was administered to 32 managers from 15 organizations that supported/sponsored a sport program designed to develop children’s social capital. Contrary to the belief that financial profit is the most compelling reason for the existence of business, companies have begun to be involved in conducting business that also involves social responsibility; increasing notoriety in the marketplace; developing actions to benefit others; demonstrating concern about challenges facing a community; increasing credibility; enhancing reputation; and creating a company culture that is inclusive of a community. This investigation reveals that corporate involvement in social responsibility initiatives improve positioning in the market place, which can reflect increased consumer loyalty. It may also increase motivation of employees which can be reflected in increased productivity.

A Corporate Social Entrepreneurship Approach to Market-Based Poverty Reduction

ABSTRACTIn this article, we aim to conceptualize a market-based approach to poverty reduction from a corporate social entrepreneurship (CSE) perspective. Specifically, we describe some market-based initiatives at the base of the economic pyramid and relate them to the social entrepreneurship literature. We refer to the entrepreneurial activities of multinational corporations that create social value as CSE. We then conceptualize CSE according to the corporate entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship domains and shed light on how corporations can implement CSE. Finally, by reviewing relevant literature, we propose some of the factors that can stimulate CSE in organizations and some of the benefits companies can gain by implementing CSE.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Entrepreneurship (CSRE): antidotes to poverty, insecurity and underdevelopment in Nigeria

Purpose– This paper aims to examine the prospect of utilising corporate social responsibility and entrepreneurship (CSRE) as antidotes for mitigating the incidences of poverty, insecurity and underdevelopment in Nigeria. The paper derives its theoretical foundation from the stakeholder, instrumental and legitimacy theories, which all justify the use of CSRE for actualisation of Triple Bottom Line (i.e. the social, economic and environmental concerns of business organisations).Design/methodology/approach– The study used the quantitative research method relying on the use of secondary data published by institutional bodies. The quantitative method entail a systematic extraction of reliable data on corporate social responsibility (CSR), insecurity, poverty and development from the publications of Office of the Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria, CLEEN Foundation, National Bureau of Statistics and Central Bank of Nigeria, respectively. For missing years, the authors improvised using projections as well as proxies. The extracted data, which spanned a period of 13 years, were subjected to econometric tests using SPSS, on the basis of which informed conclusions were drawn.Findings– The first econometric result indicates a negative relationship between gross domestic product and poverty. The second result indicates that there is a positive significant relationship between gross domestic product and total crime rate. The third result indicates that there exists a positive relationship between gross domestic product and unemployment rate. The fourth result indicates that there is a negative relationship between gross domestic product and industrial growth rate. The last result indicates that there is a significant positive relationship between gross domestic product and CSR.Research limitations/implications– The results of this research have macro-level application, hence the outcomes cannot be narrowed to any particular sector of the economy. A micro-level analysis across diverse sectors of the economy is recommended in future studies. The implication of this empirical research is that policymakers in the Nigerian private sector need to reinvent their CSR programmes as mechanisms for poverty eradication, entrepreneurship development (CSRE), dousing tension of restive youth, empowerment/support for security agencies for better crime prevention and for impacting on sustainable development.Practical implications– In the face of dwindling financial resources in the treasury of governments, the reinvention of CSRE by private sector organisations as complementary mechanisms for combating social problems is becoming acceptable in both developed and developing nations. This paper therefore boldly recommends that policymakers reinvent CSRE as development mechanisms through a sound partnership between government, advocacy groups and business corporations in Nigeria.Social implications– The paper explicates that CSR can indeed be reinvented by corporations as part of their social concerns to their operating environment instead of leaving all social problems to governments.Originality/value– The research lends credence to stakeholder, instrumental and legitimacy theories of CSR. It also justifies the plausibility of CSRE, a novel concept being promoted in this research.

Social Workers as Social Change Agents: Social Innovation, Social Intrapreneurship, and Social Entrepreneurship

This article explores and describes social innovation, social intrapreneurship, and social entrepreneurship practiced by social workers within human service organizations. Each year, the nature and complexity of clients’ problems and challenges experienced by communities continuously evolves and grows. These challenges call for social workers to lead and facilitate social change that can have a lasting impact on communities and people. The authors report findings from an exploratory, descriptive study conducted with ten social workers on these practices. The findings point to the need to develop and integrate these contents within social work education and further promote dual-degree graduate programs.

Organizations Driving Positive Social Change: A Review of Mechanisms and an Integrative Framework

Whilst research on market-based organizations and social change is growing, it tends to develop in dispersed streams (e.g., Corporate Social Responsibility and social entrepreneurship) and it criti...

BUSINESS ETHICS, BETWEEN THE THEORETICAL CONCEPTS AND THE ROMANIAN FIRMS’ PRACTICES

Business ethics reflects the philosophy of business, of which one aim is to determine the fundamental purposes of a company. If a company's purpose is to maximize shareholder returns, then sacrificing profits to other concerns is a violation of its fiduciary responsibility. Ethical issues include the rights and duties between a company and its employees, suppliers, customers and neighbors, its fiduciary responsibility to its shareholders. Issues concerning relations between different companies include hostile take-overs and industrial espionage. Related issues include corporate governance; corporate social entrepreneurship; political contributions; the marketing of corporations' ethics policies. Business ethics issues are complex, due to the extensive consequences, to the many alternatives and to the conflicting results, uncertainties and the personal implications. Managers make decisions and develop actions affecting the others; if the effects are adverse, if the others are suffering, then we are dealing with an ethical issue that requires a certain level of an ethical analysis, in addition to the usual economic analysis. But what is more important above all is the recognition that every business decision or action that may affect the others. In the business Romanian environment the unethical behavior is not just an exception.

Improving the Sustainability and Effectiveness of the Inventory Management in Manufacturing Company

The aim of the project was to optimize the company's inventory management and to suggest measures to minimize inventory and costs and maximize production in an effective and sustainable way. The effectiveness and sustainability of the logistics processes was focused on streamlining of inventory management through the actualization and improvement of existing system Kanban. In the context of sustainable development we propose the Kanban method because its principles are to eliminate waste and to ensure employees satisfied. In the centre of attention is the employee and the company should care for its satisfaction by means of enhancement of workplaces. The objective of this paper is to present characteristics of the Kanban method in theory and practice; it addresses actualization and improvement of the Kanban system and recommendations for future sustainable Kanban system. The work is a part of KEGA project No. 037STU-4/2012 -Implementation of the subject “Sustainable Corporate SocialEntrepreneurship” into the study program Industrial management in the second degree at the MTF STU Trnava.and submitted project VEGA No.č.1/0510/15Sustainable strategic management vs. sustainable corporate social responsibility vs. integrated managementsystem of strategic business units.

Social intrapreneurship at Natura

Subject area Innovation and Intrapreneurship. Study level/applicability MSc, MBA and Executive Education Programmes. Case overview The case on Priscila Matta focuses on the role of social intrapreneurship and social inclusion at Natura, the largest cosmetics company in Brazil and a corporate responsibility leader. Centred in the complexity stemming from dealing with a local community which supplies key ingredients to the Ekos product line, the company's most prominent and innovative brand, it illustrates the difficulties of establishing inclusive forms of business with a traditional community in the northeast of Brazil. Ekos builds on the rich Brazilian biodiversity and traditional knowledge. Brazilian law requires Natura to share the benefits obtained from the access to genetic heritage and associated traditional knowledge with those communities who supply such resources. Implicitly, the case focuses on the role of the social intrapreneur – Priscila Matta – and how she navigated corporate politics to structure the company's community relations. The case demonstrates the difficulties of social intrapreneurs who aim to create sustainable innovations to execute shared value strategies. Expected learning outcomes The case has the following four learning objectives: to illustrate best practices in intrapreneurial activities that aim to create shared value – in this case, value for Natura and for the community; to define the role and characteristics of social intrapreneurs – people inside big corporations who drive sustainable innovation; to discuss obstacles the corporate environment presents in the process of social innovation; and to illustrate how individuals within companies can implement a shared value strategy. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Internationalisation of service firms through corporate social entrepreneurship and networking

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how employing corporate social entrepreneurship and developing a network of relationships with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can support and contribute towards the internationalisation of service firms into the base of the pyramid (BOP) markets in emerging markets. Design/methodology/approach – This research adopts an exploratory approach employing qualitative multiple case studies. Three service firms that have targeted the BOP markets in India were studied. In total, 25 in-depth interviews were conducted with multinational corporations (MNCs) and their NGO partners. Data analysis was facilitated through pattern matching and systematic case comparison. Findings – The findings reveal that, by engaging in social entrepreneurship, these MNCs have focused on the neglected needs of the BOP population, developed sustainable solutions and empowerment, and started with social value creation and postponed value capturing. The pursuit of corporate social entrepreneurship has paved the way for them to establish relationships with NGOs. While the MNCs have mainly had the technical knowledge and financial resources required, collaboration with NGOs have allowed them to learn about the BOP’s specific needs and benefit from the NGOs’ knowledge, human resources and good relationships in this market. Originality/value – This research unravels how service firms can seize opportunities at the BOP. The authors build on social entrepreneurship theory and bring new insights to the field of international business. In addition, the authors broaden the network view and show how networking with social actors such as NGOs enables the mobilisation of resources, actors and activities in emerging markets.

Sustainability as a driver for innovation – towards a model of corporate social entrepreneurship at Odebrecht in Brazil

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a model of corporate social entrepreneurship. The case of Odebrecht demonstrates how companies are using society's sustainability challenges to innovate, in particular by adopting a corporate social entrepreneurship approach that allows the company to differentiate from competitors and create shared value.

Building competitive advantage through social intrapreneurship

PurposeThe paper seeks to offer a novel perspective on “deep benefit management” in inclusive business ventures at the Base‐of‐the‐Pyramid (BoP). Furthermore, it explores tensions between social impact creation and financial objectives in multinational corporations (MNCs).Design/methodology/approachThe paper opts for an exploratory research design using empirical data, including an expert interview survey and expert discussions. Data is supplemented by documentary analysis, including corporate publications as well as case and impact studies. The paper applies a nested cross‐case comparison of three sustainability driven initiatives of PHILIPS Electronics.FindingsThe paper provides empirical insights on value creation for customers and partners. Findings indicate the need for “external benefit management”. In addition, MNCs can gain financial as well as non‐financial benefits by venturing at the BoP. “Internal benefit management” should consider employee engagement, reputation, and partnering capabilities. Nevertheless, results indicate conflicts between social and financial objectives to which employees respond with “social intrapreneurship”.Research limitations/implicationsDue to the research methodology, results may not be generalized. Future research is encouraged to corroborate findings.Practical implicationsThe paper develops deep benefit management as a powerful tool to plan, manage, and assess value creation in inclusive BoP ventures. Further, the paper proposes to establish protective space in MNCs to capitalize on social intrapreneurship.Originality/valueThis study provides an enhanced understanding of benefits of and barriers for inclusive business. Novel insights on social intrapreneurship are provided additionally.

Analyzing Corporate Social Entrepreneurship Specific to Knowledge Economy with a Focus on the Romanian Economic Context

The knowledge economy is defined, according to the World Bank, through the integration of its four main component elements: education and training, innovation systems, information infrastructure, economic incentives and institutional regime. The first part of the paper reconciles knowledge economy and corporate social entrepreneurship, while the second part focuses on the education and training, and innovation pillars of the knowledge economy, and more specifically it resorts to the framework of corporate social entrepreneurship as a transformational innovation strategy for company growth. The current investigation has been conducted by means of case study method having the following research question: “How does corporate social entrepreneurship manifest in corporations?”., accompanied by secondary research questions such as: “How does the company mobilize its resources to create an innovative product/ service/ approach in order to tackle the social issue?, How does the company contribute to local development?”. The findings revealed that the social issue of high levels of nitrates in the waters inspired the company to combine a testing tool (technological innovation) with marketing communication which eventually resulted in an innovative approach for the company to increase the loyalty of their customers and to reach out for new ones. The present paper has been developed based on the author’s doctoral research.

The Organizational Foundations of Corporate Social Entrepreneurship

The Organizational Foundations of Corporate Social Entrepreneurship

Corporate social entrepreneurship at the Bottom of the Pyramid:Antecedents and outcomes in India

The dominant poverty in the world has necessitated involvement of more entities and development of more influential solutions. While in the past philanthropic donations was the dominant strategy fo...

Innovation for Inclusive Business: Intrapreneurial Bricolage in Multinational Corporations

abstractIt is often argued that multinational corporations (MNCs) are in a unique position to innovate business models that can help to alleviate poverty. This empirical study into intra‐organizational aspects of pro‐poor business innovation in two MNCs suggests, however, that certain elements of their management frameworks – such as short‐term profit interests, business unit based incentive structures, and uncertainty avoidance – may turn into obstacles that prevent MNCs from reaching their full potential in this respect. We introduce the concept of intrapreneurial bricolage to show how middle manager innovators may promote pro‐poor business models despite these obstacles. We define intrapreneurial bricolage as entrepreneurial activity within a large organization characterized by creative bundling of scarce resources, and illustrate empirically how it helps innovators to overcome organizational constraints and to mobilize internal and external resources. Our findings imply that intrapreneurial bricolage may be of fundamental importance in MNC innovation for inclusive business. In addition to the field of inclusive business, this study has implications for the study of bricolage in large organizations and social intrapreneurship, as well for managerial practice around innovation for inclusive business.

‘The Yunus Inside’ – How Social Intrapreneurs Create and Blend Societal and Business Value

Social Intrapreneurs are persons working within large organizations who take direct initiative for innovation(s) which address(es) social or environmental challenges profitably. This paper explores the concept of social intrapreneurship by some cases and is targeted to a management audience.

Responsible careers: Systemic reflexivity in shifting landscapes

This article examines responsible careers, in which people seek to have an impact on societal challenges such as environmental sustainability and social justice. We propose a dynamic model of responsible careers based on studying 32 individuals in the emerging organizational fields of corporate responsibility, social entrepreneurship, sustainability, and social investing. We describe six career practices — expressing self, connecting to others, constructing contribution, institutionalizing, field shaping, and engaging systemically. Observations suggest that development of these practices is influenced by four learning dynamics: people’s perceptions of ‘shifting landscapes’ in which they seek to orient themselves, exploration and both biographical and systemic reflexivity. Our interdisciplinary and empirically grounded approach, integrating psychological intentions and institutional context, strengthens theorizing about responsible careers. The proposed model depicts responsible careers as continually evolving, sometimes precarious, and as dynamically enacted in relation to pluralist, shifting landscapes.

The Interplay of Form, Structure, and Embeddedness in Social Intrapreneurship

While the influence of form and structure on social entrepreneurship has received some attention within academe, the perception of form as discrete rather than embedded in organizational history, and structure as an individual, dichotomous choice between simple for–profit and nonprofit alternatives, has painted an incomplete picture. Through a rigorous analysis of 10 case studies located within Africa and Latin America involving social intrapreneurship, our findings suggest that cognitive, network, and cultural embeddedness each play an important constraining role that is even more pronounced in organizations that were historically nonprofit in form. However, our results also suggest a variety of decoupled structural approaches that may help mitigate such constraints.

Education for entrepreneurship in nursing

The different types of entrepreneurship, including social entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, and the importance of social entrepreneurship skills in the changing world of health care are discussed. The term social intrapreneurship is introduced to characterise the many nurses introducing change and enhancing care working within the NHS. The strategy for development of entrepreneurship education within one region of the UK is presented and its integration into a pre-registration nursing programme is the main focus of this paper. The process of integration of skills in the changing world of health care is discussed. The strategy for development of entrepreneurship is presented under the headings of the NICENT (Northern Ireland Centre for Entrepreneurship) @ Ulster Integration Model: Awareness and Understanding; Interpretation; Contextualisation; Integration (Theoretical Content); Integration (Assessment); Validation/Revalidation; Implementation; and Review and Reflection. The most important stages were the first two in which nursing academic staff came to realise the relevance of the topic to nursing and the interpretation and translation into 'nurse-speak' of the business terminology to alleviate the initial rejection of entrepreneurship as of no relevance to nursing.

CSR and social entrepreneurship: future global opportunities and challenges in Corporate Community Involvement strategies

Recently businesses and academic researchers alike have displayed increased level of interest in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and social entrepreneurship. In this paper we examine existing models of social enterprise and CSR, which is manifest externally in corporate community involvement. We propose a convergent model of CSR and social entrepreneurship whereby corporate community involvement is studied as the outcome of an interplay between micro, meso and macro levels of institutional activity, driven by corporate venturing initiatives. We suggest that corporations can benefit from developing applicable forms of social enterprise in pursuit of their CSR policies. Equally, social enterprises can incorporate corporate involvement in their funding and operational mechanisms.