Social entrepreneurship
Any definition of the term social entrepreneurship must start with the word entrepreneurship. The word social simply modifies entrepreneurship. Peter Tillström
Social Entrepreneurship...is self-sufficient organizing with a primarily social aim was born our of community entrepreneurship (Bengt Johannisson & Anders Nilsson, 1989) identification, evaluation and utilization of opportunties, which have social change as the effect (Trevis Certo & Toyah Miller, 2008)
Defining Social Entrepreneurship Combination of passion for a social mission with business methods, innovation and determination, which are usually commonly associated with business pioneers such as the high tech industries of Silicon Valley (Gregory Dees, 1998).
Defining Social Entrepreneurship Social entrepreneurs are pathbreakers with a powerful new idea, who combine visionary and real world problemsolving capacity, who have a strong ethical fiber, and who are totally possessed by their vision for change. (David Bornstein, 1998)
Social entrepreneurs play the role of change agents in the social sector, by: adopting a mission to create and sustain social value (not just private value); recognizing and relentlessly pursuing new opportunities to serve that mission; engaging in a process of continuous innovation, adaptation, and learning; acting boldly without being limited by resources currently in hand, and exhibiting heightened accountability to the constituencies served and for the outcomes created.
Aims of social entrepreneurship Supporting people to take responsibility for their lifes Failure = disappointing the local community Moral values Individualized measures (Caroline Parkinson & Carole Howorth, 2008)
Not the same thing as charity/ NGO Social entrepreneurship: Must be economically sustainable and support itself Must be innovative Is multidimensional creating something new rather than giving
Not the same thing as activism Social entrepreneurship: Must be economically sustainable and support itself Is taking direct action rather than creating consciousness/ influencing other social actors Can invlove activists as co-organizers
Defining Social Entrepreneurship Any organization, in any sector, that uses earned income strategies to pursue a double or triple bottom line, either alone (as a social sector business) or as part of a mixed revenue stream that includes charitable contributions and public sector subsidies (Jerr Boschee, 2006)
Double bottom line Economic profit = funds to support organization Social profit = realization of social aims
Triple bottom line Economic profit = funds to support organization Social profit = realization of social aims Ecological profit = gains for the natural environment
Benefits of social entrepreneurship are measured in qualitative terms, such as: fulfillment of human needs care of the natural environment (ecopreneurship) education sociality and socialization
A Balancing Act Greeg Dees: The management of social enterprises is a balancing act between different areas and aims Joakim Larnö
The entrepreneur is attracted to a suboptimal equilibrium, seeing embedded in it an opportunity to provide a new solution, product, service, or process. The reason that the entrepreneur sees this condition as an opportunity to create something new, while so many others see it as an inconvenience to be tolerated, stems from the unique set of personal characteristics he or she brings to the situation inspiration, creativity, direct action, courage, and fortitude. These characteristics are fundamental to the process of innovation. The entrepreneur is inspired to alter an unpleasant equilibrium. The social entreprenur is inspired to alter a disturbing social equilibrium.
Defining social entrepreneurship Gregory Dees: mission-related impact : identifying a stable but inherently unjust equilibrium that causes the exclusion, marginalization, or suffering of a segment of humanity that lacks the financial means or political clout to achieve any transformative benefit on its own; identifying an opportunity in this unjust equilibrium, developing a social value proposition, and bringing to bear inspiration, creativity, direct action, courage, and fortitude, thereby challenging the stable state s hegemony; forging a new, stable equilibrium that releases trapped potential or alleviates the suffering of the targeted group, and through imitation and the creation of a stable ecosystem around the new equilibrium ensuring a better future for the targeted group and even society at large.
Inspired by the opportunity and having in mind a creative solution, the entrepreneur takes direct action. The social entrepreneur takes action with and for other people. He or she is an altruist. Ronny Hallberg
Idealism Pragmatic idealism (Fulton & Dees, 2006) Observation/ reflection/ empathy/ action Peter Tillström
Types of Social Enterprise Affirmative business: created specifically to provide permanent jobs, competitive wages, career tracks and ownership opportunities for people who are disadvantaged, whether it be mentally, physically, economically or educationally. (John DuRand, 1973). In the United Kingdom, an affirmative business is known as a social firm. Blended enterprise: creates blended value or a combination, of economic, environmental and social factors, and that maximizing value requires taking all three elements into account, regardless of whether the organization is in the for-profit or nonprofit sector. Ecopreneurship: serves triple bottom line, including environmental aims. Niche social entrepreneurship: emphasizes specific products or services aimed at specific target markets rather than trying to be all things to all people.
Social Entrepreneurship in Context Should not be a replacement for either public or private sector organizations Should be relatively independent from either Should aim, first and foremost, at finding innovative solutions Can be seen as a strong socially innovative factor as such
What Can Corporations Learn from Social Entrepreneurs? Life without pursuit of profit is possible Principles matter Make space for idealists and ideals People are not just egoistic they are altruistic too; allow for altruism as management value Without social change agents, organizations will grow cynical and eventually dysfunctional
A good idea is the main thing. But it has to be one that speaks to thers. Luck is important, too. Ronny Hallberg, Bryggeriet