Performance Of Social Enterprises Research Articles

Less is more? Communicating SDG orientation and enterprises' economic performance

As the interest in sustainable development increases, businesses can benefit from aligning their orientation with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It remains unclear, however, how focusing on a broader or narrower set of SDGs affects enterprises' economic performance. This study examines the impact of a communicated SDG orientation on the economic performance of social enterprises and traditional commercial businesses. Using natural language processing (NLP) techniques to analyse textual content from 661 enterprises' websites, we found a positive relationship between the communication of a narrow set of SDGs and enterprises' economic performance. The extent of this effect is similar between social and traditional commercial enterprises. Therefore, stakeholders may value an enterprise's SDG orientation strategy that focuses on a narrow set of SDGs in distinct purpose-driven institutional contexts.

The Relationship between Leadership and Performance in Enhancing the Sustainability of Social Enterprises

As social enterprises are established for the purpose of solving local problems, the sustainability of social enterprises is also important for local development. In order to increase the sustainability of social enterprises, performance improvement is necessary, and research on finding leadership styles suitable for social enterprises continues to be an important method of performance improvement. However, despite considerable interest in social enterprises over the past few decades, no consistent conclusion has been reached about what leadership style is appropriate for social enterprises. The present study aimed to find a suitable leadership style for social enterprises within the major leadership styles recognized in commercial enterprises. This study investigated the impact of the three major leadership styles in commercial enterprises on satisfaction and performance in social enterprises. Based on prior research, transformational leadership, with its capacity to promote change and support the achievement of goals, was considered appropriate for social enterprises, and entrepreneurship was also considered as challenge is important for balancing economic and social purposes. Servant leadership also focused on the importance of providing support for employees on the basis that employees’ success is the success of social enterprises. In this study, in order to broadly understand the performance of different leadership styles, job satisfaction and leader satisfaction were considered at the individual level, and economic performance and social performance were considered at the firm level. To support the argument of this study, the researcher aimed to survey employees who perceive a leader as possessing leadership qualities in social enterprises. For this purpose, a survey on transaction leadership was conducted among employees who participated in a three-week training session related to social enterprises. And on the last day of training, three leadership and four outcome variables were surveyed. Analyzing data form 170 respondents in 52 social enterprises whose evaluation of their leader’s transactional leadership was higher than the average, the present study found that transformational leadership had a positive relationship with all four variables considered as leadership outcomes. And this study found evidence that entrepreneurship had a positive relationship with job and leader satisfactions, but the impact of entrepreneurship on economic and social performance was insignificant. However, servant leadership had a positive relationship with leader satisfaction and social performance, but the impact of servant leadership on job satisfaction and economic performance was insignificant. These results contribute to confirming that the emphasis on leadership styles in commercial enterprises can effectively operate in social enterprises as well, and that the effectiveness of leadership can vary depending on the desired outcomes.

Can women empowerment contribute to sustainable growth – examining the enablers for social enterprise performance of women social entrepreneurs in India

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that drive superior social enterprise performance for women-led social enterprises. The authors examined the role of individual entrepreneur cognitive characteristics contributing to social enterprise performance and recommended a framework for women's social entrepreneur development. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted an exploratory qualitative study of 22 women founders of social enterprises using a semi-structured questionnaire. In-depth interviews were conducted, and the transcripts were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Findings This study found a significant impact of self-efficacy on the performance of social enterprises among the studied subjects. Social support in the form of material, information and emotional support enhanced the ability of women social entrepreneurs to better achieve business sustenance and continuance of operations. The business skills of the women social entrepreneurs led them to move from just social impact generators to becoming thought leaders. The strong prosocial motivation of the founders contributed to building their resilience in the face of adversity. Research limitations/implications This study extended the existing theories on social entrepreneurship by bringing the dimensions of entrepreneurial resilience in driving social enterprise performance along with business skills. Thus, it provided an enhanced explanation to the existing body of knowledge on contributors to superior social enterprise performance. Practical implications This study gathered insights into the role of entrepreneurship education focused on business skills, especially for women social entrepreneurs in achieving superior performance for their social ventures. This also reconfirmed the role of social support and how structurally this could be provided by educational systems to aspiring women social entrepreneurs. Social implications The practice of social entrepreneurship by women social entrepreneurs has been growing. Its importance in developing economies because of its ability to make grassroots changes at the lower levels of society was substantive. Women have shown more inclination toward social business with an affinity for prosocial contribution. By focusing on nurturing these social enterprises, governments as well as global agencies like the United Nations and the World Economic Forum could accelerate social change. Furthermore, support for the current women social entrepreneurs as change-makers making a difference in society could be achieved. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research study was one of the first studies on women social entrepreneurs focusing on the factors of self-efficacy, social support and entrepreneurial resilience contributing to social enterprise performance. This study combined the social entrepreneurship intention theory with entrepreneurial resilience and business skills to understand the factors leading to successful social enterprise performance for women social entrepreneurs.

Revenue drift, incentives, and effort allocation in social enterprises

AbstractRevenue drift, whereby insufficient attention is given to economic, relative to social, goals, threatens social enterprise performance and survival. We argue that financial incentives can address this problem by redirecting employee attention to commercial tasks and attracting workers less inclined to fixate on social tasks. In an online experiment with varying incentive levels, monetary rewards succeed in directing worker effort to commercial tasks; high‐powered incentives attract less prosocial employees, but low‐powered incentives do not alter workforce composition. Social enterprises combining monetary rewards with a social mission not only attract more workers but are also able to guard against revenue drift.

Does Digital Capabilities Foster Social Innovation Performance in Social Enterprises? Mediation by Firm-Level Entrepreneurial Orientation

Social innovation as an outcome of social entrepreneurship represents the primary drive of social enterprises (SEs). In the emergent context of a digitally transforming entrepreneurship scenario, this study intends to investigate the role of digital capabilities (DC) in social innovation performance (SIP) in SEs while considering the underlying effects of a firm-level entrepreneurial orientation (EO). Utilizing a quantitative survey approach, the study acquired a total of 344 valid responses from SEs in Saudi Arabia. The data analysis performed through partial least square structural equation modeling (SmartPLS 3.0) revealed that DC have no direct impact on SIP in SEs. However, DC influence SIP through the full mediation effects of EO dimensions of social proactiveness, and social innovativeness. The mediation effects of social risk-taking on the DC-SIP relationship were not established. This work is the first to conceptualize and test a theoretical framework linking the DC and EO constructs concerning SIP in SEs. As a result, the study produces several academic and managerial implications underpinning social innovation amid the digitally transforming entrepreneurship context in SEs.

Unleashing the power of organizational social capital: exploring the mediating role of social entrepreneurship orientation in social enterprises' performances

PurposeThis study investigates the influence of organizational social capital (OSC) on the social and economic performance of social enterprises (SEs) in Greece and the mediating role of social entrepreneurship orientation (SEO) in these relationships.Design/methodology/approachA theoretical framework was developed integrating resource-based theory, OSC theory and behavioral entrepreneurship theory. The data were collected from 345 Greek SEs and structural equation modeling (SEM) with bootstrap analysis was employed to estimate path coefficients.FindingsThis study shows that OSC positively impacts SEs’ social and economic performance, while SEO mediates only the relationship between OSC and SEs’ social performance. This research offers insights for scholars, practitioners and policymakers in social entrepreneurship by highlighting the significance of OSC and SEO.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature on SEs by integrating resource-based theory, OSC theory and behavioral entrepreneurship theory, presenting a novel comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding SEs’ performances. Additionally, the study advances the understanding of SEO as a mediator in the relationship between OSC and SEs’ social and economic performance. The unique focus on the Greek context provides a valuable setting for examining the relationships among OSC, SEO and SEs’ performances.

Digital Capabilities and Social Enterprise Performance: The Mediating Effect of Digital Innovation

Social enterprises are driven by financial objectives to preserve social values and focus on attaining self-financial stability. Digital technologies increase awareness and opportunities for social entrepreneurs. The relationship between digital capabilities and social enterprise performance is associated with digital innovation in a broader social context. This study assesses the connection between digital capability and social enterprise performance. Furthermore, we consider how digital innovation mediates the way in which digital capability influences social enterprise performance. Data were gathered from 326 respondents from various small and medium social enterprises in Bangladesh. The deductive reasoning method was used, and the data were examined through structural equation modelling using IBM SPSS 25 and SmartPLS4. The results indicate that digital capability is positively correlated with social enterprise. In addition, digital innovation was determined to mediate the connection between digital capability and social enterprise performance.

Effectuation and Co-Creation in Social Enterprises: Examining the Relationship in the Context of Uncertainty

This study investigates the impact of effectuation and co-creation on the success of social enterprises in India. Given the hybridisation in their operations, social enterprises operate under highly uncertain environments. Although scholars have attempted to identify approaches and strategies for scaling social enterprises, we propose the relevance of effectuation and co-creation in social entrepreneurial action to drive social enterprises in uncertain environments. To achieve this, we examined government support (GS) and slack resources (SR) as environmental and firm-level factors respectively in impacting the performance of social enterprises. We gathered empirical data from a sample of 181 social enterprises based in India and utilised hierarchical regression in our analytical approach. The results largely support our research model.

Role of Transformational Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship in Achieving Enterprise Performance: Taking Creativity as a Mediator

Purpose: In the recent business context, the pivotal drivers of organizational success are increasingly identified as transformational leadership and social entrepreneurship. These dynamic forces have emerged as crucial predictors, shaping the trajectory of enterprise performance. The present study proposed to explore the role of transformational leadership and social entrepreneurship in achieving enterprise performance through creativity among employees of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Egypt.   Design/Methodology/ Approach: We applied quantitative methods to detect this problem by collecting data from the employees of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Egypt. Finally, we utilized 294 samples to get the results.   Findings: Applying the analysis of moment structures (AMOS) version 26.0, the results show a positive and significant impact of transformational leadership, social entrepreneurship and creativity on enterprise performance. The mediating path leads to a positive mediating impact of creativity in developing the connection between transformational leadership and enterprise performance. On the other hand, creativity did not mediate the relationship between social entrepreneurship and enterprise performance.   Research, practical and social implications: The research outcomes serve as a strategic compass for policymakers and planners, offering actionable insights to elevate enterprise performance through the strategic integration of transformational leadership and social entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the study provides valuable guidance for organizations aspiring to cultivate a culture of innovation and creativity, fostering the essential elements for sustained success in today's dynamic business environment.   Originality/ value: This study addresses the gaps in the empirical evaluation of enterprise performance through transformational leadership, social entrepreneurship and creativity among Egyptian employees of Egyptian SMEs.

Corporate social capital and enterprise performance of technology-based SMEs: The mediating role of knowledge integration ability

How to improve enterprise performance has been a research topic widely studied by scholars for a long time. As economic globalization deepens, the business competition becomes increasingly harsh. Technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play an important role in the rapid development of the country’s economy, especially in China. This study aims to investigate the mediating effect of knowledge integration capability in the relationship between corporate social capital and enterprise performance. The sample group used in this study were 300 technology-based SMEs in China. The research tool was a questionnaire adapted from previous scholars, which passed assessment in terms of content validity and reliability. Data were analyzed using structural equation modelling. The results show that: 1) corporate social capital has a positive impact on enterprise performance, but the impact differs between well-performing and poor-performing enterprises; and 2) knowledge integration ability plays a mediating role in the relationship between corporate social capital and enterprise performance, and the mediating role is the same for both well-performing and poor-performing enterprises. But it played a partial mediating role in the good-performance comparison group and a complete mediating role in the poor-performance comparison group. This study is useful for enterprise management in cultivating and developing the abundant social capital of enterprises and expanding channels for knowledge integration ability to increase enterprise performance.

Relationship between business information, business networking, access to finance and financial performance of social enterprises: Perspective of resource-based view and signalling theory

Relationship between business information, business networking, access to finance and financial performance of social enterprises: Perspective of resource-based view and signalling theory

Internal and External Factors that Boost the Performance of Social Enterprises During Covid-19 in Malaysia

The objective of this study is to examine the internal and external factors that contribute to the improvement of resilience and performance in social enterprises (SEs) operating in Malaysia, particularly in response to the unanticipated market conditions arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to the unpredictable market conditions induced by the Covid-19 pandemic, this study aims to examine internal and external factors that can enhance the resilience and performance of social enterprises in Malaysia from the lens of Resource Dependence Theory and Resource-Based View Theory. This research is a quantitative-based study where an explanatory model was developed and statistically tested to analyse the data collected from an online survey conducted on 109 registered social enterprises in Malaysia. The statistical findings demonstrated that entrepreneurial orientation and network connections have a positive effect on the financial performance of social enterprises. Surprisingly, traditional business planning has a negative impact on financial performance during times of crisis. Moreover, this quantitative study affirms a notable association between fiscal performance and societal achievement, underscoring the pivotal importance of financial viability in fostering enduring social value. These observations provide valuable additions to the current body of knowledge on SEs and provide practical implications for individuals involved in the field, as well as policymakers and stakeholders.

An investigation on social impact performance assessment of the social enterprises: Identification of an ideal social entrepreneurship model

AbstractThis study examines the characteristics of ideal social entrepreneurship by assessing their social impact. The use of the contemporary design and triangulation approach allows for validating information gathered from different sources. Data were collected from in‐depth interviews, focus group interviews and documentary analysis, and MAXQDA (a qualitative analysis software package) was used for data management, coding and retrieval. The performance assessment logic model was used to assess the social performance of social enterprises. The findings show that selected social ventures have created a remarkable social value that explicitly resulted in economic empowerment, community improvement, career growth and political empowerment of its intended beneficiaries. We also found a significant variation in the linkage between social performance indicators, such as inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes and impact, across the five selected case studies.

The Scaling Strategies and the Scaling Performance of Chinese Social Enterprises: The Moderating Role of Organizational Resources

Abstract It is a significant challenge for social enterprises (SEs) to scale up their social impact, especially for those in transforming societies such as China, where the ecosystem of SEs remains at a nascent stage of development. Although previous studies have devoted attention to scaling strategies and scaling performance, none of them has examined the relationship between scaling strategies and scaling performance through empirical quantitative analysis. To address this gap, this study utilizes a hypothesis-testing quantitative method, for the first time, to investigate the divergent impact of different scaling strategies on scaling performance and the moderating role of organizational resources. Our results demonstrate that three types of scaling strategies are positively associated with scaling performance, and the magnitude of the linkages descends from knowledge dissemination through organizational growth to contractual partnerships. Additionally, our results reveal that the adequacy of financial and human resources perform as positive moderators, significantly magnifying the contribution of the scaling strategy of organizational growth to scaling performance. The findings provide important implications for SE managers and practitioners, helping them make informed decisions regarding how to choose and implement suitable scaling strategies in Chinese or other similar contexts, while considering the SEs’ organizational resources.

A systematic literature review on performance of social enterprises

A systematic literature review on performance of social enterprises

Analysing Social Entrepreneurship's Legal and Regulatory Frameworks Using Collaborative Innovation

Objective: The concept of social entrepreneurship, which combines commercial competence with social impact, has recently emerged as a major driving force in the effort to overcome intractable societal problems. This research takes a deep dive into a critical analysis of legal and regulatory frameworks and how they affect the field of social entrepreneurship. Knowing these frameworks is crucial because of their impact on social enterprise development and performance. However, there are a number of difficulties created by the interplay of social entrepreneurship and legal norms. These include things like generic legal frameworks, vague terminology, competing requirements, and insufficient resources. Creating conditions that allow social companies to thrive over the long term requires overcoming these obstacles.
  
 Method: Combining comparative legal research with stakeholder engagements and impact evaluations, the paper proposes an Adaptable Regulatory Legal Design Using Collaborative Innovation (ARLD-CI). The objective of this method is to create flexible legal frameworks that can accommodate the wide range of social enterprise business models while still meeting the requirements of existing laws. The research conducted proves that specialized legal frameworks (SLF) can increase creativity, funding possibilities, and social impact.
  
 Result: Potential changes in the law and regulation are modelled using hypothetical situations to see how they might affect social businesses, stakeholders, and the ecosystem as a whole. Using this ARLD-CI method, policymakers and stakeholders can better anticipate and prepare for the consequences of proposed regulatory changes when compared to SLF.
  
 Conclusion: Based on the Sensitivity Factor, Long-Term Sustainability, Social Entrepreneurship Performance Metrics, a simulation research investigation is conducted.

The Effect of Social Capital on Social Enterprise Performance: Focusing on the difference in perception among stakeholders in the community

The Effect of Social Capital on Social Enterprise Performance: Focusing on the difference in perception among stakeholders in the community

The Effect of Governance on the relation between the Organizational Social Capital and the Performance of Social Enterprise

The Effect of Governance on the relation between the Organizational Social Capital and the Performance of Social Enterprise

Does social performance contribute to economic performance of social enterprises? The role of social enterprise reputation building

PurposeLiterature on the relationship between social performance and economic performance of social enterprises has long been inconclusive. This paper aims to investigate whether and, if so, how social performance contributes to economic performance of social enterprises. Specifically, drawing from the resource-based view and signalling theory, the study examines how the development of reputation, which enables social enterprises to signal the enterprises' stakeholders' commitment towards social causes, mediates the relationship between the two.Design/methodology/approachEmploying a quantitative research design, data were collected from a sample of 164 social enterprises in the UK and analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM).FindingsThe results illustrate that whilst the direct relationship between social and economic performance is inconclusive, social performance contributes indirectly to improve economic performance through improving social enterprise reputation.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first of this kind in the context of social enterprises which sheds light on the long-standing conflicting literature on the relationship between the dual objectives (i.e. social and economic) by providing reputation as the mediating variable.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Enterprise Performance: The Chain Mediating Effect Test Based on Corporate Reputation and Brand Value

Corporate social responsibility (hereinafter referred to as “CSR”) sometimes does not directly affect enterprise performance but through some mediator variable. Corporate reputation and brand value have chain-mediating effects in the influence mechanism of CSR on enterprise performance. Theoretically, this paper broadens the scope of study on CSR and enterprise performance, deeply explores the internal mechanism between them, and opens the “black box” in the process of transforming CSR into enterprise performance. Practically, it can encourage Chinese enterprises to actively undertake CSR, strengthen reputation management, enhance brand value, and finally promote the sustainable development of enterprises. A-share listed companies (listed companies in the Chinese A stock market) in Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges from 2008 to 2020 in “China’s 500 Most Valuable Brands List” by World Brand Lab are studied in this paper. The results of the empirical study based on relevant data show a significant positive relationship between CSR and enterprise performance. It investigates the mediating chain effects of corporate reputation and brand value in the influence of CSR on enterprise performance. Listed companies must disclose the annual CSR report. CSR reports as an effective supplement to corporate financial information, which provides an important communication channel for the enterprise and stakeholders. Stakeholders can timely understand their rights and interests through the CSR information and have a more comprehensive and deeper understanding of enterprises. In turn, the enterprise can also win a good reputation, establish a good brand image, and get sustainable development.