Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Research Articles

Walking the talk? An exploratory study on the contributions of municipalities to the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Netherlands

Walking the talk? An exploratory study on the contributions of municipalities to the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Netherlands

Empowering Innovation: Advancing Social Entrepreneurship Policies in Croatia

This paper examines the impact of public policy guidelines on social entrepreneurship in Croatia, focusing on regional disparities and the effectiveness of various policy areas. Using a mixed-method approach, this research highlights how these variations influence policy outcomes, particularly in terms of the diverse levels of support across regions. The findings reveal the necessity of adopting region-specific and policy-area-specific strategies to effectively nurture a robust social entrepreneurship ecosystem. Additionally, enhancing public awareness and education is found to be critical for fostering a supportive environment for social entrepreneurship.

Farming is not a joke: the entrepreneurship ecosystem of agricultural social enterprises

PurposeThis study aims to work toward understanding the entrepreneurship ecosystem of agricultural social enterprises in the Philippines by exploring the interactions between policy, culture, supports and human capital domains.Design/methodology/approachThe authors considered using an exploratory single-embedded case study approach, involving methodological triangulation of document analysis, semistructured interviews and participant observation. The authors analyzed the data using a narrative approach to map the ecosystem.FindingsThrough the research, the authors discovered that while each domain functions effectively individually, disconnects exist when interacting collectively as an ecosystem. The authors come to know that there is no policy consensus on social enterprise definitions, which limits specialized policy support. Although support services like incubators are available, the authors observed that awareness and accessibility vary based on location and business maturity. The authors also noted that human capital helps translate concepts into frameworks, but research tailored to agriculture and social entrepreneurship is limited. The authors come to the conclusion that collaboration and openness across domains are needed to strengthen connections and synergies.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was geographically limited to Luzon Island, and the authors did not include the finance and markets domains of the ecosystem model in the analysis.Practical implicationsBased on the findings, the authors identify strategies to reinforce connections, such as increasing awareness of support services, developing tailored policies for social enterprises, conducting specialized research and promoting collaboration across domains. The authors are convinced that implementing these strategies can further develop the agricultural social entrepreneurship ecosystem.Originality/valueThe study provides unique empirical insights into the agricultural social entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Philippines. The authors captured the narratives and experiences of key ecosystem stakeholders along the process. The authors have confidence that what the authors found can strategically guide policymakers and support organizations, educational institutions and social entrepreneurs to accelerate ecosystem development for greater social impact.

Analysis of Strategy Selection for Social Leading Enterprise Partners in Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

Analysis of Strategy Selection for Social Leading Enterprise Partners in Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

Catalysts for Change: Examining Prosocial Motivation's Role in Fostering Social Entrepreneurial Intentions Among Women in Matrilineal Cultures

Social entrepreneurship is important to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) worldwide. Currently, women have been heavily involved in social entrepreneurship activities. However, until now, a study involving women of Minang ethnicity (matrilinear lineage) on the student's interest in social entrepreneurship still needs to be completed. The objective of this paper is to look into the impact of prosocial and intrinsic motivation antecedents on women’s social entrepreneurial intention. The inquiry model was tested in this study using a quantitative technique. This study involved 250 Minang students (female)who met the criteria that they had taken lectures for at least two semesters in Padang City. The moderating variables were investigated using the Moderated Regression Analysis (MRA) approach effect of intrinsic motivation (STATA). An interesting finding from this study is that prosocial motivation shows a positive and significant effect on social entrepreneurial intention. The urge to engage in social action triggers them to become social entrepreneurs. Although the results of the moderating effect are not proven, the implications of this investigation are very helpful for the government and higher education to develop a social entrepreneurship ecosystem and social entrepreneurship education. The originality of this paper lies in the fact that previous studies haven’t focused on the role of culture in shaping the social entrepreneurial intention of Minang students.

SOCIODYNAMICS OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN UZBEKISTAN AND INTRODUCING THE SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT INDEX (SED Index) IN COMMUNITIES

Based on sociological researches conducted by the author this article provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of social entrepreneurship in Uzbekistan, a relatively new and evolving phenomenon within the country. Through a thorough examination of the existing landscape, the author evaluates the level of development, challenges, and opportunities for social entrepreneurship in Uzbekistan. By proposing an algorithmic framework for its future growth and development, the article offers valuable insights and recommendations to foster a flourishing social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Uzbekistan. analyzes some methodologies to quantify the level of social entrepreneurship development within regions, followed by the proposal of a potential Social Entrepreneurship Development Index (SED Index) as an exemplary measurement tool. KEYWORDS: social entrepreneurship, sociodynamics of social entrepreneurship in Uzbekistan, resources for the development of social entrepreneurship, algorithm of developing social entrepreneurship in Uzbekistan, measuring the level of social entrepreneurship development within regions, Social Entrepreneurship Development Index (SED Index)

ECOSYSTEM APPROACH TO ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SOCIALLY ORIENTED ENTREPRENEURSHIP

The most pressing task of modern society is to ensure sustainable development based on inclusive economic growth. In this regard, the importance of social and socially oriented entrepreneurship in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is increasing. Scientific research discusses various aspects of the phenomenon of social entrepreneurship. The least developed in the applied aspect is the issue of the effectiveness of social entrepreneurship and its assessment. The purpose of the study is to determine the conceptual foundations of the ecosystem approach to assessing the effectiveness of socially oriented entrepreneurship to improve the sustainability of the socio-economic development of regions.The methods include bibliographic analysis, modeling and statistical analysis. Bibliographic analysis revealed the need to distinguish between external and internal efficiency of social entrepreneurship. Modeling allows this to be implemented based on the ecosystem approach. Statistical analysis revealed that social entrepreneurship develops in rural areas much more slowly than in cities. Such imbalance cannot contribute to sustainable growth of regions in Kazakhstan.The results include literature analysis and identification of current research areas in the field of social entrepreneurship effectiveness assessment. The need to develop a social entrepreneurship ecosystem at the regional level is substantiated. The structure of the regional ecosystem as a complex institutional system is developed. The role of the state in the formation of this ecosystem is characterized. The types of ecosystem resources that determine internal efficiency are substantiated. The definition of the effec-tiveness of socially oriented entrepreneurship is formulated. An algorithm for assessing the effectiveness of socially oriented entrepreneurship has been developed The ecosystem approach allows classifying social entrepreneurship into non-profit and commercial, taking into account not only external but also internal parameters, such as inclusiveness, density of connections and synergy. A statistical analysis of social entrepreneurship in Kazakhstan in the regional context is carried out.The findings highlight the need to develop socially oriented entrepreneurship as a key element of an inclusive economy for sustainable socio-economic development of regions. When developing public policy aimed at achieving sustainable development goals, one should rely on the concept of social en-trepreneurship and its ecosystem, as well as on assessing its effectiveness.

Analysis of social entrepreneurship ecosystems in the international context

The article examines the ecosystem of social entrepreneurship, its players and identifies its types. The topics of ecosystem and ecosystems of social entrepreneurship are studied in various scientific and literary sources. It has been established, the ecosystem of social entrepreneurship has rarely been the subject of ecosystem studies. Based on the analysis of ecosystems in the international context, the main problems of the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Ukraine have been identified. The social entrepreneurship ecosystem is a comprehensive tool for supporting social enterprises and social initiatives that aim to solve social problems and improve the quality of people’s lives. The ecosystem formula is a triangle that combines local government, community, and business into a coherent network to support and promote the growth of social enterprises. Ecosystem logic allows us to maintain the required level of innovation and not lose our position in the competitive market. Depending on the key players and elements, the social entrepreneurship ecosystem can be typed through certain components. 7 different types of social entrepreneurship ecosystem and their brief characteristics are presented in this article. In the study, we analysed ecosystems in four countries, including Ukraine. It is found that in the studied countries there is a significant number of types of social entrepreneurship ecosystems. Most social entrepreneurship ecosystems are present in the Netherlands — six types, of which the business ecosystem is the most powerful and efficient. Canada has the most developed ecosystems, and the financial ecosystem is a priority. There are five social entrepreneurship ecosystems in Malaysia, the same as Canada, but the priority is given to the state ecosystem. So, from the experience of these countries, to develop a powerful and effective ecosystem of social entrepreneurship in Ukraine, we must take the experience of government support from Malaysia, experience in financial initiatives from Canada and experience in creating collaborations between business, private sector, and social entrepreneurs from the Netherlands. The leaders in the development of the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Ukraine are Ternopol and Vinnitsa, two regional centres. Obstacles to social entrepreneurship in Ukraine are lack of funding, low level of social awareness, lack of understanding on the part of society, imperfect legal regulation, and insufficient government support. It is determined that for the effective operation of the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in different countries of the world, there should be assistance from the State, business, and the public, as well as improving the conditions for their activities.

COMPETENCES NECESSARY FOR A SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR: A CASE STUDY OF LATVIA

Social entrepreneurship as a specific kind of business has been developing in Latvia since 2018, and it is a little researched field. Achieving the goals of social entrepreneurship is facilitated by several factors, including the competences of the social entrepreneur him/herself. The present research aims to identify the general basic knowledge, skills and competences necessary for a social entrepreneur in Latvia. The authors made a review of theoretical literature on the role of managerial competencies in social enterprises and analysed the results of surveys of social entrepreneurs and their institutional partners – university teaching personnel – conducted in Latvia. The research found that there were areas of general knowledge, skills and competences of social entrepreneurs that were rated as equally important by both groups surveyed, yet the social entrepreneurs gave more importance to competences related to business goals and opportunities. The present research makes a scientific contribution in two aspects: 1) the identified general competencies required for a social entrepreneur could serve as a basis for further research to measure the actual competencies of social entrepreneurs; 2) the research contributes to an institutional framework for the social entrepreneurship ecosystem by developing recommendations for cooperation partners – those involved in adult lifelong learning, incl. universities, for the development of competencies in social entrepreneurs.

The role of higher education institutions in preparing individuals for social entrepreneurship

Introduction. Social entrepreneurship is based on work with resources, including competence, and professional and personal qualities of the individual. the system of education is able to ensure their development. Aim. To analyze the relevant scientific literature and, on its basis, to determine the role of higher education institutions in preparing individuals for social entrepreneurship. Methods. Theoretical analysis, systematization and generalization of scientific literature on the problem of interest. Results. Higher education institutions play a significant role in the social entrepreneurship ecosystem. The organization of social entrepreneurship education includes educational support, level of training, field of knowledge, content of training, tools of informal education, and work of private organizations. The author describes the personal competencies, professional and personal qualities and values that should be developed after taking the "Social entrepreneurship" course. Conclusions. The study demonstrated an important role of education in preparing individuals for social entrepreneurship and building the social entrepreneurship ecosystem. A prominent place in the educational support for the development of social entrepreneurship is occupied by the strategic planning of the university's activities with regard to social needs and the implementation of the university's "third mission". The social entrepreneurship programs should be based on both formal and informal education with the focus on developing needed personal and professional competencies.

BETWEEN MISSION AND MONEY: A LESSON LEARNED FROM SOCIAL ENTERPRISE IDENTITY

Social Entrepreneurship is a popular business model that proposes entrepreneurship to solve social and environmental problems by selling products or services. In Indonesia, the development of the number and awareness of entrepreneurs supported by the Social Entrepreneurship ecosystem is growing. However, due to the need for a unified definition of 'Social Entrepreneurship' and the slow pace of formal recognition from the government, organizations have developed with mixed practices and results. This study aims to describe the practice of Social Enterprise through the disclosure of corporate identity. Using Identity and Stakeholder Theory, this study explores the five characteristics of identity: mission, activity, governance, performance, and accountability. This multiple case study uses 10 Indonesian Social Enterprises. Data was collected through interviews and speeches in webinars coupled with documentation studies of uploaded narratives, photos, and videos on the company's official website, carried out from March to June 2023. Data analysis uses Nvivo to find themes from various Social Enterprise identity criteria groups. The results show that Social Enterprise has a unique mission and activities that carry a social value where community, empowerment, welfare and sustainability are more emphasized than profit. Institutional commitment as a Social Enterprise is proven by disclosing the impact achieved through impact reports, impact achievement profiles, SDG achievements, or articles in the news column. However, Financial performance is rarely disclosed, even though several companies have disclosed the distribution of their profits. Accountability practice in formal and informal to its stakeholder. This study provides guidelines for how companies disclose and be accountable for their identity as a Social Enterprise.

The role of universities in Latin American social entrepreneurship ecosystems: a gender perspective

PurposeThis study examines the role of universities in the social entrepreneurship ecosystems (SEEs) in Latin America from the perspective of female academic staff, administrators and outreach workers of universities in the region.Design/methodology/approachUsing a qualitative approach, the study scrutinises in-depth interviews conducted with 24 women from eight Latin American universities.FindingsThe findings underscore the pivotal role of universities in promoting social entrepreneurship through knowledge generation, entrepreneur training, network enhancement and the promotion of equity. They also highlight the importance of incorporating a gender perspective into university programmes and practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe qualitative nature and small, diverse sample of this research inherently limit its scope. However, these limitations arise from the exploratory approach adopted, which was confined to eight Latin American countries. Further comparative studies in different contexts are needed to deepen the understanding of the dynamics involved.Practical implicationsUniversities should offer more tangible support and training in social entrepreneurship with a gender focus. Governments can create incentives for universities to prioritise their contribution in this area.Social implicationsThe study emphasises the potential of women-led social entrepreneurship initiatives to generate positive impact, underscoring the need for inclusive supportive environments.Originality/valueBy providing insights on the role of Latin American universities in SEEs from a gender perspective, this study contributes to limited literature on the intersection of social entrepreneurship, gender, higher education and geographic context in the region. The research underscores the need to further explore how gender and regional dynamics influence social entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Young Women as Social Entrepreneurs in the Environmental Sector in Ghana: Development Hackers and the Re-imagining of Sustainable Development Models

The article considers the extent to which social entrepreneurship of young women is contributing to sustainable development in Ghana, based on field research conducted between October 2018 and April 2019. Data collection involved a review of the literature and a questionnaire survey of actors within the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Ghana but is primarily based on the life histories of 13 women entrepreneurs collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Social entrepreneurship is undergoing a boom in Ghana which is characterized as having the most entrepreneurs as a proportion of the population globally and with women outnumbering men. Critical discourse analysis was employed to highlight the potential difference between grand narratives of entrepreneurship for development—how it is supposed to work, and how it is working in practice for young women social entrepreneurs in Ghana. The life histories demonstrate that the social entrepreneurship of young women in Ghana does not appear to be contributing to sustainable development because the enterprises yielded small or non-existent economic benefits for the entrepreneurs, demonstrating the limitations of this framework in the Ghanaian context. Indeed, most of the enterprises do not go beyond the ideation stage while the fame of winning social entrepreneurship competitions is used by individuals to build social and symbolic capital for employment by the public sector and the United Nations. In this way, young women are “hacking” social entrepreneurship for their own purposes as it is one of the opportunities open to them but it does not lead to sustainable enterprises. While the social entrepreneurship sector in Ghana is booming, it appears in reality to be a survival activity for women who are subject to gender inequalities and social-cultural harassment.

Making sense of each other: Relations between social enterprises and the municipality

Social Entrepreneurs address ‘wicked’ societal problems and achieve social impact using innovative practices. This study contributes to the analysis of the role of government in the ecosystem of Dutch social entrepreneurs by looking at the support initiatives that the Amsterdam municipality offers. Our paper reveals how municipal officials and social entrepreneurs position themselves in this ecosystem and how they make sense of their collaboration. We think that these issues are important to dwell on to be able see the limits of collaborative governance approaches in the Dutch Social Entrepreneurship eco-system. The results of qualitative interviews conducted with municipality officials, social entrepreneurs and members of network organizations show that the ties between the municipality of Amsterdam and social entrepreneurs are not strong enough to overcome the institutional barriers and that the relationship between them is disrupted by the different logics used. Social entrepreneurs operate from both a social as well as a commercial logic. Social entrepreneurs see themselves as running noble social enterprises that put impact first, but the municipality values a commercial logic when granting subsidies. This means that the social enterprises do not always fit within the frameworks offered by the municipality because their commercial logic is seen as less legitimate when it comes to support. The results of this study confirm that in the governance of wicked problems, there is an ongoing actor positioning process where, in this case, social enterprises and municipalities, hold on to their actor-based understanding of the nature of issues and collaboration.

A study of Basic Framework of Social Entrepreneurship and Present Opportunities in social Enterprising Domain in India

In recent years, social enterprises have been receiving increased attention in many parts of the world. In India, the number of social enterprises has increased fast and more support has become available in all dimensions. India has been witnessing a magnificent growth in the number of social enterprises, especially in last seven - eight years. Social enterprises tend to operate with a purpose of creating value for the society and also generate income. The solutions they offer are innovative, unique, people, affordable and environment friendly. Social enterprises play a crucial role in local communities by creating new opportunities in terms of employment, income growth, enhanced provision of services, increase in local income retention and engaging the community in development programmes. Despite of this remarkable contribution and growth, there is lack of adequate empirical studies to understand the social entrepreneurship ecosystem within the country. This research is conducted to understand the basic framework of social entrepreneurship that has evolved over time and study the present opportunities available in social enterprising domain in India.

Social entrepreneurship ecosystem: The case of the state of Paraíba

This article aims to analyze the configurations of the Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem (SEE) in Paraíba from the model described by Isenberg (2011) adapted by Audretsch et al. (2022). The case study had a qualitative approach of a descriptive and exploratory nature. The techniques were non-participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The units of analysis were the actors involved in the SEE of Paraíba. The SEE brings together a set of talents with transformative potential. However, the main challenges encountered are the lack of public policies and training. With this, the SEE of Paraíba proved to be an environment still in development, lacking interaction between the actors for the ecosystem strengthening of the region.

Building our understanding of social entrepreneurship ecosystems

ABSTRACT While the literature on conventional entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) is large and growing, relatively little has been written about social entrepreneurship ecosystems (SEEs). Yet, because social entrepreneurship is distinct from conventional entrepreneurship, it is reasonable to assume that their respective ecosystems differ in significant ways as well. How exactly do they differ, if in fact they do? Do a community’s EE and SEE interact, and, if so, in what ways? What system-level attributes make an SEE vibrant? What role do local social entrepreneurship support organizations play in SEEs, and what is their impact on social entrepreneurs and the social and economic fabric of the community? In this thematic issue, we curate a selection of articles that address these and other questions about SEEs and, in so doing, hopefully inspire more research on this important subject while helping to organize it into a cohesive body of research going forward.

Community, capabilities, and the social entrepreneurship ecosystem

ABSTRACT Social entrepreneurs do not work alone; they shape and are shaped by their entrepreneurial ecosystem. While navigating the ecosystem, it is critical to remain focused on the community, including beneficiaries and the end-user. After a brief review of the entrepreneurship ecosystem (EE) and social entrepreneurship ecosystem (SEE) literature and its evolution over time, we elaborate the active and passive roles of community within the SEE, considering both agency and participation. Turning to the capabilities approach, developed by Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum, we show its relevance not only for understanding the way community impacts the SEE, but also as a theoretical frame for processes and programs that aim to further embed community in the SEE. To illustrate this, we discuss the processes of asset mapping, human-centered design, and integrated advocacy; the way they relate to strengthening community-SEE integration; and the way they reflect the capabilities approach. We conclude by discussing lessons learned and providing suggestions for further research.

Does entrepreneurial project monitoring and controlling process matter in social enterprises? Evidence from a developing African country

Social enterprises in developing countries act as development agents and are a constituent of the rising ‘social and solidarity’ economy whose established vision is to create social value and generate positive social outcomes. Traditional monitoring limit project managers’ capabilities to probe a project's ‘known – unknown’ impacts. Given that traditional monitoring arrangements persist to be challenging in resolving the high project failure rate in Africa, entrepreneurial project monitoring and controlling process enables project success. Corporate entrepreneurship literature has provided a strong theoretical basis for incorporating entrepreneurial actions, orientations, and decisions into ‘traditional’ project management process. This paper draws primary data from six selected social enterprises in Uganda to examine what constitute entrepreneurial project monitoring and controlling process. The findings support the need for (a) creating room for errors, (b) self-managed teams, and (c) soft skills maximisation amongst entrepreneurial project managers. Implications for strengthening social entrepreneurship ecosystems in developing economies to accelerate and scale-up social ventures to deliver social and economic value is discussed.

Appalachian social entrepreneurship ecosystem: A framework for rural development

ABSTRACT This paper contributes to the gap in the understudied, but increasingly salient, topic of the development of social enterprise ecosystems (SEEs) in rural areas using the Appalachian Ohio SEE as a framework for understanding the development of rural SEEs. Building on prior studies of the successful rural entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) in Appalachian Ohio, this paper relates the relationship between the EE and SEE in Appalachian Ohio to the context of traditional economic and community development. The case studies reviewed here illustrate the importance of the social capital of regional champions, university as convener and place for ecosystem overlap, and multiple capitals approach to community regeneration. The commonalities identified among cases suggest that a fourth wave of economic development will depend on a healthy intersection of community and economic development that recognizes the need for maintaining real ecosystem services. The SEE framework is especially suited to catalyze this intersection.