Social Enterprise Research Articles

USPOREDBA AKTIVNOSTI KOMERCIJALNIH I DRUŠTVENIH PODUZETNIKA NA FACEBOOKU

The main objective of this study is to examine the differences in Facebook usage practices between social and commercial entrepreneurs. The research is based on the official Facebook pages of six pairs of commercial and social enterprises during a period of two years, giving a total of 1046 posts for analysis. Findings reveal differences in the content and types of Facebook posts between commercial and social entrepreneurs. While commercial entrepreneurs have a clearly expressed market orientation, social enterprises strive to build the legitimacy of philanthropists and initiators of social change. There is no statistically significant difference in the number of reactions per post per follower between the two types of enterprises. However, followers' engagement is stronger among social entrepreneurs than commercial entrepreneurs. What all businesses lack is customer-generated content. Business owners could take the empirical findings into consideration when developing a strategy for managing their presence on social networks.

Incorporating futures thinking into the theory of change: Case and lessons learned from a social enterprise intermediary in Australia

AbstractThe theory of change is an established, widely used approach to guide the design, implementation, and evaluation of change initiatives. Methodological literature primarily focuses on this approach as a way to model causal processes and, secondarily, as a participatory way for groups to explore a change process. We elevate a third use of a theory of change process: to (re)imagine future possibilities. Part 1 synthesizes prior literature to contrast three purposes (i.e., explanation, exploration, and (re)imagination) and emphasizes the opportunities for forward‐looking, imaginative uses by combining the theory of change with foresight approaches. Part 2 presents a case example of a year‐long process to reimagine how to support social enterprises and women entrepreneurs in Australia and the Pacific involving iterative co‐development of a theory of change complemented by futures thinking. We close with lessons and future directions at the intersection of the theory of change and futures studies.

How can we improve support for women with perinatal anxiety in primary care? A qualitative study.

Perinatal anxiety (PNA) occurs during pregnancy and up to 12 months post-partum. PNA affects more than 21% of women and can impact adversely on mothers, children and their families. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance identified evidence gaps around non-pharmacological interventions for PNA. This qualitative study aimed to understand the perspectives of a variety of Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) stakeholders about non-pharmacological interventions for PNA. Ethics approval. Semi-structured interviews with women with lived experience of PNA, healthcare professionals (HCPs), voluntary community and social enterprise (VCSE) stakeholders and commissioners. Topic guide modified in response to emerging themes. Interviews digitally recorded with consent, transcribed, and analysed thematically. A patient advisory group was involved throughout the study. There were 25 interviews conducted. Women with PNA expressed a wish to choose from a range of non-pharmacological interventions, which are often delivered by VSCE organisations or not commissioned within the NHS. HCPs described a hierarchy of interventions that can be offered to women, often related to severity of a woman's PNA. PMH VCSE stakeholders emphasised that their services are flexible and accessible for women with PNA. Tension exists between what is currently recommended by NICE and thus commissioned, and the types of intervention that women want to access, including support from VCSE services. Clinicians should be aware of local VCSE organisations which provide care for women with PNA. There is an evidence gap around the effectiveness of various interventions delivered by VCSE organisations, which requires further exploration.

The influence of society’s perception, social networking and social impact measurement on access to finance of social enterprises: Perspective of eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

The influence of society’s perception, social networking and social impact measurement on access to finance of social enterprises: Perspective of eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Sustainability in Agriculture Management: Role of Social Enterprises in Creating A Better World

Sustainability in Agriculture Management: Role of Social Enterprises in Creating A Better World

Could primary care records be used to identify women at risk of perinatal anxiety? A mixed-methods study.

Perinatal anxiety (PNA) occurs throughout the antenatal period or up to 1 year after childbirth, with a prevalence of 21%. To investigate if primary care records could be used to identify women at 'higher risk' of PNA. Mixed-methods approach using quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data analysis used Clinical Practice Research Datalink and IQVIA Medical Research Data to identify risk factors for PNA. Interviews explored the lived experiences of women with PNA about predisposing factors for PNA and acceptability of being informed of risk; and perspectives of primary healthcare professionals and Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise practitioners about risk communication. Interviews were conducted online, digitally recorded with consent, transcribed, and anonymised prior to analysis. Data were thematically analysed. Patient and clinical advisory groups informed each stage of the research. Women reflected on both positive and negative impacts of being identified at higher risk of PNA, a lack of understanding of how primary care records are used, and who has access to them. All interview participants suggested predisposing factors that would not be coded in primary care records. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that some predisposing factors for PNA can be identified in a woman's primary care records. Initial analysis suggests associations between PNA and infant health and healthcare use. While identification of higher risk of PNA may be acceptable, some factors that may contribute to PNA are not coded in primary care records. Identifying and managing PNA is needed to improve infant health.

Study of Social Enterprise Initiatives: Nourishing Innovation for Global Hunger

Study of Social Enterprise Initiatives: Nourishing Innovation for Global Hunger

Exploring volunteers' emotional reactions to a potential transition from a non-profit organisation towards a social enterprise

PurposeBy focussing on the anticipated emotional reactions of volunteers and drawing on theories of motivation and identity, this study investigates how volunteers react to different options of the entrepreneurial model of Amigos for Children Foundation (ACF). The paper proposes a hypothetical model for volunteer’s emotional reactions to potential business model changes. We suggest the relative importance of intrinsic motivational factors, professional identity and attitudes towards business organisations as mediating variables. ACF works exclusively with university students as volunteers, so their specific characteristics may limit some of the conclusions and propositions of this qualitative research, but public policy consequences of supporting similar entrepreneurial transitions can be generally relevant.Design/methodology/approachBased on the qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with volunteers of ACF, a Hungarian non-profit organisation, we explore the challenges of transitioning into a social enterprise.FindingsPrevious research showed controversial results about the impact of pay on the motivations of volunteers. For a non-profit organisation that would like to utilise the competencies of its volunteers, introducing a market-based service may mean additional financial resources and the potential loss of human resources. Understanding the moderating factors of volunteers' reactions might help build better theories for managing the non-profit-social enterprise transition and designing public policies to support scaling up the impact of successful social purpose organisations.Originality/valueFor practitioners, the research underlines the importance of participatory mechanisms in volunteer management. By managing transitions better, non-profit organisations can expand their social impact by acquiring more financial resources through market-based activities closely related to their original activities and keeping their volunteers. The study elucidates the relevance of the crowding-out effect and indicates some hypothetical moderating variables influencing its potential degree.

Transforming the Creative and Social Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: The Broker Roles of Rural Collaborative Workspaces

Creative social enterprises are increasingly emerging in rural regions, motivated by a desire to take social responsibility through creative approaches. These enterprises integrate entrepreneurial activities with creative social attributes and are sometimes set in rural collaborative workspaces (CWSs) facilitating entrepreneurial activities. Under the frame of entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs), we argue that CWSs can be seen as brokers, who (1) link resources as liaisons, (2) hold and pass resources as gatekeepers, (3) enhance resource flows as coordinators, and (4) reproduce experiences as representatives. Against this backdrop, this paper presents a case study of two creative social enterprises in a CWS with a cooperative structure in rural Upper Austria by analyzing entrepreneurial biographies about the demand and use of entrepreneurial resources. Through a comparison between before and after the emergence of the CWS, the findings suggest that the EE for creative and social entrepreneurship undergoes two different types of transformation, a radical and a gradual one. The brokerage process of the CWS enhances local resource networks’ transformation of EE and brings the transformation in terms of translocal resources and integral EE of enterprises in the CWS. Additionally, the CWS generates social impacts on the local community through social enterprises. This paper contributes to ecosystem literature by introducing an actor-centric perspective and giving new insights into social entrepreneurship and the transformative power of CWSs as brokers.

Chance to Shine or Heading for Disaster? – Exploring German Social Enterprises’ Stakeholder Communication Facing COVID-19-Induced Lockdowns

During COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns were imposed to contain infections. For social enterprises (SEs), that apply entrepreneurial means to fulfil their social missions, research suggests lockdown-related chances and risks. However, no insights on SE stakeholder communication facing COVID-19-induced lockdowns exist. Our work investigates SEs’ communicational framings for two successive lockdowns based on 121 German SEs. Analysing Facebook data with a mixed methods approach, we show that, after both lockdowns, chance-oriented framings dominated. However, they decreased after the second lockdown. Despite a limited generalisability and a potential positivity bias in our data, we offer notable insights regarding SE stakeholder crisis communication.

Does Purpose Matter? Examining Consumers Purchase Intention of for-Profit Social Enterprises (FPSE)

The consumption patterns of modern society have a significant negative impact on socio-environmental issues. Seeking to solve part of the problems hybrid organisations have emerged, among them the For-Profit Social Enterprises (FPSE). The research aims to analyse the factors that influence consumers’ purchase intentions regarding FPSE products and services. Data were collected through structured online questionnaires, resulting in 407 valid responses and analysed using Structural Equation Modelling. The results indicate a positive relationship between attitude and perceived behavioural control with the purchase intention of FPSE products and services. However, consumers have a lack of understanding and information in associating with FPSE brands.

Study on the Participation of Social Enterprises in Community Home-based Elderly Care Services

With the further aggravation of the aging problem in China, different types of senior care services are showing a trend of integration and development, and the model of community-based home care services is being widely adopted in China, and social enterprises can become one of the important main bodies involved in the provision of community-based home care services due to their advantages in specialization and personalization. However, the current development of social enterprises in China still has certain problems in obtaining legal status, enhancing credibility and improving operational efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to solve the development dilemma of social enterprises in the intervention of community-based elderly care services by increasing government support, improving the level of business operation and strengthening publicity and promotion, so as to enhance the blood-forming ability of the enterprises themselves and further optimize the market of elderly care services in China.

Social Enterprise as a Pathway to Work, Wellness, and Social Inclusion for Canadians with Mental Illnesses and/or Substance Use Disorders

People with serious and persistent mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders are among the most economically and socially disenfranchised populations in Canada, and often present with long histories of labour market detachment and underemployment. Work engagement has the potential to improve social determinants of health while also harnessing productive capacity. This article reports on a five-year study examining the social, economic, and health impacts of Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) in the mental health sector in Ontario, Canada. The findings shed light on the population that works in WISEs, its levels of social and labour market integration, and organizational features that influence worker outcomes. Results highlight both the importance of WISEs as a means of supporting employment, and challenges to organizational sustainability.

The commercialisation of microfinance: deploying management control to address institutional complexity

PurposeThe study aimed to examine the transformation of a non-profit microfinance institution (MFI) into a hybrid social enterprise, and the role of formal and informal controls in reconciling the discordance between the two conflicting (social and commercial) objectives that emerged due to the transformation.Design/methodology/approachA case study of a non-governmental MFI located in Southeast Asian country was conducted. This case study drew on the institutional logics perspective as an analytical tool to understand the complexity of change and the mobilisation of management control practices to align two conflicting goals at the core of the MFI’s organisational strategies. This study adopted the interpretive approach and relied on multiple data sources, including semi-structured interviews and documentary evidence.FindingsThe application of commercial principles in the operations of the MFI occurred in several phases. First, the MFI changed from a non-profit business model to a hybrid social enterprise, which pursued a double bottom-line strategy. The informal control practices inherent in the organisation’s culture created a high level of social awareness embedded within a social logic. In contrast, the formal control practices were directly linked to the new commercial logic. The synergy between the two logics was optimised by reinforcing formal and informal control practices.Originality/valueThis study offers insights into the role of control systems in reconciling the discordance between competing social and financial objectives within a non-governmental MFI that enjoys substantial financial and nonfinancial support from the government.

Co-creating sustainable value within a social enterprise: The case of digital homes housing association

This case focuses on how a social enterprise, Digital Homes Housing Association, collaborates with diverse stakeholders to co-create value that is mutually beneficial. It examines how value can be achieved in a sustainable manner while helping to address the prioritised social objectives of the social enterprise. The case outlines how Cormac Redpath, the Chief Executive of Digital Homes Housing Association, attempts to maximise the positive impact derived from stakeholder collaboration and engagement. The case explores Cormac's audit of the organisation's stakeholder activities, and his intention to formulate a streamlined value co-creation strategy that contributes to its social objectives more effectively than currently. The concept of co-creating sustainable value within a social enterprise is explored in the context of the Scottish social housing market, in which not-for-profit Housing Associations work with communities to provide safe, secure, comfortable and affordable homes to individuals who may otherwise not be able to access them.

Corporate social responsibility and firm performance in the financial industry in Vietnam: The mediating role of digital transformation

Purpose: This study evaluated the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives undertaken by banks in Vietnam on their overall performance. Additionally, it sought to examine the relationship between corporate social responsibility and digital transformation efforts within the framework of the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research uses a survey sample from Southeast Vietnam, specifically Binh Duong Province, Dong Nai Province, Tay Ninh Province, Ba RIA Vung Tau Province and Ho Chi Minh City. A total of 245 valid questionnaires were gathered from mid- and senior-level executives, senior employees and department heads who have implemented digital transformation strategies in banks. Findings: This study explores the relationship between corporate social responsibility and firm performance in Vietnam's financial industry focusing on the banking sector. The study discovered a favourable relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and enterprise digital transformation as well as a good relationship between CSR and digital transformation and Vietnamese banks' business success. Conclusion: The digital economy has increasingly contributed to global economic development. Today’s digital landscape is undergoing a widespread phenomenon known as digital transformation. Hence, it is crucial to examine the impact of digital transformation on business processes. Practical Implications: The data also supports the idea that digital transformation serves as a mediator between corporate CSR and financial performance contributing to filling the gap when there is limited research in Vietnam on this relationship. Contribution to the Literature: This research aims to help banks in Vietnam enhance operational efficiency when banks actively engage in CSR and digital transformation.

Directors’ exposure and social enterprise performance: does entrepreneurial mindset and financial resource availability matter?

PurposeBuilding on insights from the upper echelons theory and resource-based view (RBV), this study explains how directors’ exposure influences social enterprise performance through the mediating effect of entrepreneurial mindset, and the contingent role of financial resource availability.Design/methodology/approachThe study follows a quantitative approach. Data were gathered from a survey of 168 social enterprises (i.e. Community Interest Companies (CICs)) in the United Kingdom (UK), and covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results show that directors’ exposure positively relates to social enterprise performance, and that the relationship is mediated by entrepreneurial mindset. Additionally, the findings reveal that financial resource availability moderates the indirect path between directors’ exposure and social enterprise performance such that the effect is more pronounced at high levels of financial resource availability.Originality/valueThis study is a pioneering attempt to uncover the linkage between directors’ exposure and social enterprise performance. Unlike past research, the study integrates the upper echelons theory and RBV to extend social enterprise research within the social entrepreneurship domain and provide important practical value for social enterprise practitioners.

Driving Social Innovation in Bottom-of-the-Pyramid Markets through International Social Alliances: The Role of Legitimacy

International social alliances—in which multinational enterprises (MNEs) and social enterprises (SEs) collaborate—are a vital source for the development and scaling up social innovations for value creation. Yet, these alliances face significant legitimacy challenges, which are more glaring in bottom-of-the-pyramid markets (BOPMs) within emerging and developing economies owing to weak and underdeveloped formal institutions. Drawing on the legitimacy, institutional, and social alliances literature, we develop a conceptual framework that explains the importance of developing social, institutional, and commercial legitimacy in international social alliances operating in BOPMs. We also explored the challenges faced by international social alliances in BOPMs and the factors that enable MNEs and SEs to build different types of legitimacy. We contribute to international business research by providing an understanding of various legitimacy building strategies enacted by international social alliances based in BOPMs for social value creation.

I Am Not Aiming to Be Too Famous: The Exploration of Social Entrepreneurial Intention

Social entrepreneurship (SE) offers an alternative and innovative solution to address complex social problems. Acknowledging the importance of social entrepreneurship for society, researchers and practitioners have been attracted to this topic in recent decades. However, research on the complexity of personal-level variables on understanding why some individuals engage in SE while others are not is still scarce. To address the issue, this study introduces two determinants of SEI—internal locus of control (ILOC) and need for power—and their interaction, and uses a sample of students in a developing country, Indonesia. Using moderating and simple slope analysis, the results show that students with a high level of ILOC have a higher tendency to establish a social enterprise. However, that relationship is getting stronger only when students’ explicit need for power is at a low level while the implicit need for power has no effect. That is, getting high visibility from society is not necessary to start a social enterprise. We argue that religion might be at the basis of these results and provide suggestions for future research.

Finding the right one: understanding the supplier selection process of social enterprises

PurposeThis study aims to develop an in-depth understanding of how supplier selection helps social enterprises achieve their social missions while maintaining commercial viability.Design/methodology/approachThe paper applies a multiple-case design to study the supplier selection processes of 15 Dutch social enterprises.FindingsSocial enterprises tend to build supply relationships through existing networks and evaluate suppliers based on value alignment, relationship commitment, resource complementarity, and cost. Depending on the possibility of social value creation in supplier selection, the importance of these criteria varies across different social enterprise models and between key and non-key suppliers. Moreover, suppliers’ long-term relationship commitment can help reconcile tensions between the social and commercial logic of a social enterprise and facilitate impact creation.Research limitations/implicationsData collection is limited to the perspectives of buyers – the social enterprises. Future research could collect supplier-side data to explore how they engage with social enterprises during the selection process.Practical implicationsManagers of social enterprises can use our research findings as guidance for selecting the most suitable suppliers, while organizations that want to collaborate with social enterprises should actively build network ties to be identified.Originality/valueWe contribute to the cross-sector collaboration literature by showing the underlying reasons for the preference for network reinforcing and indirect networking in supplier identification. We contribute to the social impact supply chain literature by revealing the critical role of supplier selection in shaping collaboration outcomes.