Managers Of Social Enterprises Research Articles

Influence of Organizational Market Culture on Change Management in Kenyan Social Enterprises

Firms ought to continuously adapt and modify their operations to fit the changing circumstances in the fiercely competitive and dynamic business environment. This suggests that businesses must incur substantial costs to carry out a variety of changes that will enable them to operate in the changing environment. Adjustments play an important part in defining firm competitiveness in the modern economic environment; however, many firms struggle to properly manage innovations, ensure long-term development, and motivate employees to accept change. This study explored the influence of organizational market culture on change management in social enterprises in Kenya. The study employed the Competing Values Culture theory to assess the company's culture. Using a descriptive design, the study targeted all 129 employees of Kidogo Early Years Company Limited, from top management to departmental level. Data collection involved questionnaire surveys for primary data. Analysis of quantitative data was by Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 29. The regression analysis findings revealed that organizational market culture (β = 0.310, p = 0.012) had significant positive influence on change management. The study concludes that organizations that are goal-oriented and market-driven are more adaptable to external pressures and are better positioned to manage change effectively. In view of the findings, the study recommends that for organizations with a market culture, it is crucial to embed a results-oriented approach that aligns change management with organizational goals and objectives. Practices such as setting clear performance targets, encouraging a competitive spirit, and focusing on market-driven strategies should be incorporated into daily operations. Keywords: Organizational Market Culture, Change Management, Social Enterprises, Organizational Culture Influence, Kenya

Impact assessment of social entrepreneurship

The purpose of the article is to elucidate the main methodological and normative aspects in assessing the impact of the activity of social enterprises in the Republic of Moldova. The methodological approach is based on the PDCA quality management cycle and the role of the monitoring and evaluation function in the managerial cycle of any activity. Currently, in the Republic of Moldova, the social entrepreneurship activity is at the embryonic stage of development. Thus, in order to boost the development of this sector and achieve the desired economic and social impact, there is a need to increase the quality of managerial procedures both at the macro level – that of sectoral public policies, and at the micro level – that of the management of social enterprises. In the process of evaluating the impact of social entrepreneurship, the author relies not only on the economic and social effects, but also on the principles of sustainable development.

Complex Systems and Sustainable Leadership: Enhancing Resilience and Sustainability of Community-Based Social Enterprises in Soweto, South Africa

In urban South Africa, community-based social enterprises (CBSEs) face challenges at the intersection of financial and environmental sustainability and social purpose. These enterprises address social exclusion and community development within complex institutional environments. Despite increasing governmental support, CBSEs struggle with historical inequalities, resource limitations, high poverty levels, inadequate infrastructure, and complex social dynamics. These challenges contribute to a high failure rate among SMMEs, including CBSEs, which represent approximately 71% of community-level businesses. This study examines how complex system dynamics in marginalized South African suburbs impact the sustainable leadership and resilience of CBSEs. Utilizing a qualitative approach, the study conducted 15 in-depth semi-structured interviews with CBSE leaders. The findings revealed that effective leadership in CBSEs requires extraordinary abilities to traverse complexity, adapt to changes, and engage in dynamic organizational change. The key themes identified included adaptive and flexible leadership, interdependencies and network collaboration, community engagement and co-creation, continuous learning and feedback loops, policy influence and response, and resource utilization and constraints. By applying complex systems leadership theory (CSLT) and sustainable leadership principles, the research offers insights into the mechanisms enabling CBSEs to thrive in challenging environments. These findings contribute to Social Enterprise Management and Leadership Studies, providing practical implications for policymakers and practitioners to support CBSE development and sustainability in marginalized urban communities.

Fostering social enterprise innovativeness: the interplay of learning, market orientation and stakeholder engagement within a capability framework

PurposeDrawing on capability theory, this study aims to examine the interplay of learning orientation, market orientation and stakeholder engagement in fostering social enterprise innovativeness.Design/methodology/approachA survey of 1,044 Australian social enterprise executives and managers tested hypotheses in a mediated moderation model using structural equation modelling.FindingsNested model comparisons revealed key insights: market orientation partially mediates the relationship between learning commitment, open-mindedness and innovativeness. High stakeholder engagement hinders learning commitment’s effect on innovativeness while enhancing open-mindedness’ impact. Shared vision negatively affects innovativeness. Control variables highlight gender-based perceptions, with female executives viewing market orientation and innovativeness less favourably than male counterparts. This study underscores the importance of heightened market orientations in hostile business environments.Research limitations/implicationsFindings prompt further investigation into stakeholder engagement’s negative impact on learning commitment and shared vision’s effect on innovativeness. It is crucial to recognise gender perspectives in strategy and align internal practices with external conditions.Originality/valueThis study clarifies the interplay between learning orientation, market orientation and stakeholder engagement in fostering innovativeness amid contradictory findings. It advances social enterprise research by introducing a capability-based approach to cultivate innovativeness, challenging dominant customer-focused strategies to enhance organisational performance.

Exploration of the Deep Impact of Digital Platforms on Innovation and Entrepreneurship Activities of Entrepreneurs under the Information Management Framework

With the rapid development of information technology, digital platforms (DPs) have emerged as an indispensable aspect of the entrepreneurial landscape, which has a profound impact on entrepreneurial innovation and practice. However, there remains a gap in understanding the specific ways in which DPs influence the entrepreneurial process. Therefore, within the framework of information management theory, this study aims to deepen the understanding of how DPs foster entrepreneurial innovation and enhance entrepreneurial effectiveness, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency of DPs. Firstly, the concept of information management in contemporary social enterprise management is thoroughly examined and reviewed to establish a robust theoretical foundation for further research. Secondly, the conceptual framework and core elements of DPs are extensively discussed, elucidating their role and function in the entrepreneurial process. On this basis, a theoretical model illustrating the impact of DPs on entrepreneurial innovation and activities is formulated, along with six specific research hypotheses. These hypotheses encompass the effects of DPs on entrepreneur behavior, enterprise development, and the platform–entrepreneur relationship. To verify the validity of these hypotheses, a questionnaire survey involving 398 entrepreneurs is conducted to facilitate in-depth communication. Simultaneously, the various attributes of entrepreneurs are categorized, and the resulting classifications are thoroughly analyzed and evaluated. The results show that the DP plays a positive role in promoting the development of platform enterprises, improving intrapreneurship activities, and enhancing the ability of intrapreneurship. In addition, DPs can effectively regulate the relationship between platform enterprises and entrepreneurs and promote the self-development of entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the entrepreneurial growth process has positively influenced platform enterprises. This finding strongly supports the practical application of DPs and provides valuable guidance for entrepreneurs to leverage them effectively in fostering innovation and entrepreneurial activities in the digital era. Meanwhile, this offers crucial insights for platform enterprises on enhancing their service offerings to entrepreneurs and fostering the sustainable development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. In summary, through rigorous theoretical discourse and empirical analysis, this study emphasizes the significant role of DPs in the entrepreneurial journey, providing robust backing for their continued advancement and utilization in the entrepreneurial realm.

Social enterprises in supply chains: driving systemic change through social impact

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a starting point to discuss how social enterprises can drive systemic change in terms of social impact through operations and supply chain management.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reviews existing literature and the four papers in this special issue and develops a conceptual framework of how social enterprises and their supply chains create social impact and further enable systematic change.FindingsOur paper finds that social impact and systemic change can be shaped by social enterprises at three different levels of analysis (organization, supply chain and context) and through three enablers (cognitive shift, stakeholder collaboration and scalability). Such dimensions are used to position current literature and to highlight new research directions.Originality/valueThis paper proposes a novel understanding of operations and supply chain management in social enterprises intended as catalysts for systemic change. Based on this premise we distinguish different practices and stakeholders to be considered when studying social impact at different levels. The conceptual framework introduced in the paper provides a new pathway for future research and debate by scholars engaged at the intersection of social impact, sustainable operations and supply chain management.

Social enterprise performance: A Systematic Review

The surge in the growth of social entrepreneurship scholarship and its evolution concerning social enterprise management and performance results in the extant literature demands a comprehensive study from a holistic viewpoint. In order to close this gap, the current study undertakes a thorough review of empirical research. The results revealed the following: (1) Performance assessment of social enterprises should blend both financial and social performance to reflect their “total wealth”. (2) Behavioural factors of social entrepreneurs have a positive impact on social enterprise performance, in which entrepreneurial orientation and social orientation are the most prevalent characteristics. (3) To manifest the performance and efficacy of social enterprises, it is crucial to apply a combination of bricolage, effectuation, and causality logic. Bricolage guarantees community commitment and social innovation; the effectuation approach is to overcome resource constraints, and causation is important for a successful organisation. (4) A country's institutions, such as government laws, value systems, and shared social knowledge, exercise their significant effect through the social entrepreneurship journey. This review is expected to deepen understanding of the effects of entrepreneur’s behaviours, processes, and external institutions on the performance of social enterprises; and set the stage for interested scholars to undertake in their future inquiries.

Be my AI—micro-volunteering in the time of ChatGPT

Purpose: This case study explores the evolution of Be My Eyes, a micro-volunteering platform connecting blind and visually impaired individuals with sighted volunteers. The case analyzes the challenges faced by the founder, Hans Jørgen Wiberg, in balancing the company's social mission with its financial sustainability. It also examines the impact of technological advancements, specifically generative artificial intelligence, on the platform's business model. Pedagogical Objective: The case study aims to provide insights into the challenges of balancing social impact and financial sustainability in a social enterprise context. It also explores the potential of technological advancements in shaping business models and discusses the ethical implications of integrating technology into social enterprises. Case Positioning and Setting: This case study is suitable for undergraduate and graduate courses in entrepreneurship, social enterprise, and innovation management. It can also be used in courses on technology and society or business ethics. The case is set in Denmark, where Be My Eyes was founded, and covers the period from the platform's inception till the present day.

Framing conflicting demands and strategies for managing hybridity in social enterprises

ABSTRACT Research has shown that social enterprises must constantly balance conflicting demands between their social and economic goals. However, little is known about the factors that shape managers’ strategic choices in response to the tensions associated with social enterprises’ hybrid nature. To address this issue, we conducted a case study analysis of six work integration social enterprises that draws on insights from previous literature on organizational hybrids and managerial frames. This study identifies two distinct cognitive frames that managers adopt to interpret the hybrid condition of their organization, balancing and integrative, each of which is associated with different types of strategies for managing hybridity, defensive and exploratory, respectively. Additionally, we unveil the mechanisms through which these frames shape hybrid strategies, namely, through the representation of the environment, representation of agency, and capability to integrate conflicting prescriptions. These results underscore the individual agency of managers and their idiosyncratic cognitive processes as important explanatory factors for the wide array of strategic responses observed in the management of social enterprises.

An integrated path framework of tourism and hospitality social entrepreneurship: a systematic literature review

PurposeAs an important emerging topic in recent years, reviews on tourism and hospitality social entrepreneurship (THSE) by theme remain limited. This paper aims to map the current publication trends, reveal the formation path and identify the future research directions of THSE, providing comprehensive and in-depth insight.Design/methodology/approachThis study presents a systematic review of 89 articles on THSE published in the Web of Science, ScienceDirect and EBSCOhost. It follows grounded theory to classify literature and an expert feedback process to ensure validity.FindingsResearch on THSE is mainly found in developing countries and regions. Qualitative methods have been the most popular for researchers. This paper classifies THSE research into four main themes: antecedents, processes, effects and challenges.Practical implicationsThis review suggests that social enterprise managers should consider the inclusive business model and adopt empowerment, network construction, market approaches and bricolage to mobilize resources. Policymakers should disseminate relevant laws and regulations to provide a flexible and equal environment. Education and capacity building for people should be strengthened to train future social entrepreneurs.Originality/valueThis review provides an integrated process model by clustering articles to update the holistic picture of THSE. This work identifies research gaps that future research should address.

"사회혁신기업의 부패리스크 관리 표준 모델 구축에 따른 조직 효과성 연구 : 농업협동조합의 부패방지경영시스템 구축 사례"

"사회혁신기업의 부패리스크 관리 표준 모델 구축에 따른 조직 효과성 연구 : 농업협동조합의 부패방지경영시스템 구축 사례"

Intra-Stakeholder Heterogeneity Perspective on the Hybridity of Competing Institutional Logics for Social Enterprises

Both academics and businesspeople are interested in how to make social enterprises sustainable. The focus of this research is on the different kinds of stakeholders within a group that make it easier for competing logics to coexist in social enterprises. Based on intra-stakeholder heterogeneity and competing institutional logics, we identify key sub-categories among market stakeholders such as investors, customers, and employees. We tested our hypotheses using survey data collected from 190 social enterprises in Korea. Our research shows that the hybridity of competing logics is better when there are more ethical investors in the investor stakeholder group and cross-sector employees in the employee stakeholder group. However, impure altruistic buyers do not have much of an impact on the hybridity of competing logics among consumer stakeholder groups. Our study’s analysis of intra-stakeholder heterogeneity provides theoretical insight into the hybridity of institutional logics in social entrepreneurship. This study also makes the practical suggestion that in order to achieve hybridity, managers of social enterprises should put in a lot of time and effort to understand the different institutional logics of within-group stakeholders.

The effect of network capabilities, trust and pricing and selling capabilities on the impact of social enterprise

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of structural and relational network capabilities on trust, and its effect on pricing and selling capabilities, as well as their influence on the enterprise social impact.Design/methodology/approachAn explanatory and cross-sectional design was conducted, and 100 managers of Mexican social enterprises were surveyed.FindingsNetwork structural capability did not affect trust, nevertheless network relational capability did. Likewise, trust influenced pricing and selling capabilities, and these affected the enterprise social impact.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough a sufficient number of entrepreneurs participated by responding to the survey, the results cannot be generalized to all social enterprises in Mexico.Practical implicationsSocial enterprises should capitalize on the development of network relational capability and network structural capability because it facilitates access to scarce resources and positioning of the enterprise to act more actively as an agent of change in its network.Social implicationsThis research identifies the relevance for social enterprises to develop and capitalize on networking and marketing capabilities in their management routines and activities, as this can significantly enhance their social impact.Originality/valueThe main research contributions revealed the importance of dynamic capabilities and their effects on the impact of social enterprises.

Governance and Management of Social Enterprises

Governance and Management of Social Enterprises

The development of the Islamic social enterprise management index (ISEMI).

This study aims to determine items with Islamic elements to develop an Islamic social enterprise management index (ISEMI). An Islamic social enterprise (ISE) works by managing operations within the principles of shari’ah to redistribute wealth and reduce poverty which is supported by a similar study by Indah and Hakim (2023). The design and method for this study involved three phases of analysis which are 1) general descriptive analysis, 2) validity and reliability analysis, and 3) data analysis phase of the study. In all, 40 items with Islamic traits were identified and analyzed. Three identifiable themes emerged, which were then labeled as: 1) God; 2) humanity, and 3) nature. Because of the limited sample size, the data offers results that are likely suggestive rather than conclusive. The study offers a practical single-figure-summary indicator to measure and evaluate ISEs and has the potential as a guideline for Muslim entrepreneurs to build favorable relationships with ISE management. The novelty of the ISEMI is in its unique construction of items embedded with Islamic factors. It could thus assist in the management of ISE to ensure they fulfill the principles of the shari’ah (Islamic law) and stakeholders’ expectations.

Catholic Social Teaching as a Source of Enrichment of the Moral Dimension of Social Enterprise Management

Social enterprises perceive social and environmental issues as primary objectives of their hybrid socio-economic activities. They believe that financial stability is a prerequisite, not a goal. This approach is similar to Catholic social teaching (CST). The detailed content of the social encyclicals is a valuable means of deeper exploration and enrichment of the moral dimension of social enterprise management. The following article analyses social entrepreneurship from the point of view of the fundamental principles of CST and theological premises. The reference to the management of a social enterprise of the supreme personalistic standard and principles such as the common good, subsidiarity, and solidarity allows the moral dimension of this process to be understood more deeply. The paper was created based on a method appropriate to research focused on moral theology and CST. First, the content of selected literature on the subject (social entrepreneurship) and carefully selected theological-moral sources (especially papal documents and publications by CST researchers) were analysed. Subsequently, the results of the analysis were subjected to inference and conceptual work in relation to the adopted general research objective and specific research tasks: the phenomenon of social enterprises was described; the specific features and limitations of the social enterprise management process were identified; the fundamental principles of Catholic social teaching as normative criteria for social enterprise management were reviewed; the possibility of applying the aforementioned CST principles to social enterprise practice was discussed and presented, and the final conclusions were formulated.

Strategic Management of Social Impact Enterprises during Zero-COVID Implementation: An Application of Value Chain Analysis in Vietnam

This research examines strategic management of social impact enterprises, when the government closed international borders and imposed domestic lockdown as a result of the ‘Zero-COVID-19 implementation’. The study is based on theoretical framework of strategic management and value chain analysis. A semi-structured questionnaire with guiding questions is applied to gain information about the enterprise’ strategic management. The interviews were performed online using the Zoom video communiation platform. Fifteen founders of Vietnamese social impact businesses from a variety of demographic characteristics, genders, product or service categories, and economic sectors, were chosen for the in-depth interviews based on non-probability sampling technique. Results show that social impact businesses have struggled and used a variety of new operational methods to adjust to legislative changes. The significant lessons learned have been noted and discussed.

How Social Enterprises Present Their Identities in Entrepreneurial Narratives

Social enterprise offers an interesting context for organizational identity research since social enterprise combines two contrasting institutional logics – social logic and economic logic – to construct its identity. This paper attempts to explore how social enterprises build and present their identities in entrepreneurial narratives by combining the contrasting identity elements from social and economic logics. Using Korean social enterprises as an empirical setting, the research finds that the social performance relative to aspiration and the resources received from the social sector influence the identity management of social enterprises. Specifically, the results show that when social performance is below aspiration, social enterprise reduces the presentation of social identity but increases the presentation of economic identity. In addition, the amount of resources received from the social sector has a positive relationship with the social identity presentation but has a negative relationship with economic identity presentation.

Engaging symbiotic ecosystems to build community centred business models for the BoP: Evidence from small social enterprises in East Africa

This article examines how small social enterprises (SSEs) in East Africa build business models for base of the pyramid (BoP) markets, through engaging symbiotic ecosystems. Through in-depth qualitative research, a three-stage process is identified. First, SSEs learn and become sensitised to the manifold challenges of building business models for BoP markets. Second, SSEs identify and connect with key BoP actors, weaving them together to create a symbiotic ecosystem and to overcome the aforementioned challenges. Third, SSEs harness this symbiotic ecosystem to deliver community-centred business models for the BoP. This research contributes to social entrepreneurship, small business, and BoP literatures, by shedding light on the challenges faced by SSEs working in the BoP, and through novel elaboration of how SSEs develop and interact with symbiotic ecosystems to surmount these challenges. It also provides important practical insights, for social entrepreneurs and social enterprise managers in Africa and elsewhere.

Management of social enterprises from the perspective of institutional logic: A Comparative Case Analysis of Japanese Employment Transition Support Companies for People with Disabilities

Management of social enterprises from the perspective of institutional logic: A Comparative Case Analysis of Japanese Employment Transition Support Companies for People with Disabilities