A Quick Approach to the Microfoundations of Social Entrepreneurship
The very first section of the book deals with the phenomenon of social entrepreneurship from a microeconomics perspective. In this line, the individual represents the unit of analysis, that is, the social entrepreneur. Social entrepreneurs are agents who intend to make a positive change in society in such a way that their solution presents a tool to improve the quality of life of the segment of the population they want to target. In these first pages, our intention has been to explain what is inside the mind of the social entrepreneur in the process of developing the idea and putting it into practice. We assumed that entrepreneurs are individuals forming part of a particular society and con…
Social Entrepreneurship as a Form of Institutional Entrepreneurship
Bureaucracy as a form of structuring and working of current organizations may be seen as the result of a set of circumstances. For Weberians, bureaucracy is the consequence of the principles of protestant values applied to the market. For institutionalists, bureaucracy is the outcome of the replication of practices in organizations, that is, bureaucracy is due to isomorphism among organizations. Following the institutional approach, organizations act by imitation. This imitation provides a certain way to compete and work necessary to survival, meaning that this imitation gives stability and equilibrium to the context in which organizations operate. Nevertheless, this equilibrium may not be …
Social Bricolage as the Path to Social Entrepreneurship
In the present chapter, the concept of social bricolage is applied to the particular case of Dr. Mateo. A contextualization of her environment is exposed, for the reader to understand the intrinsic and extrinsic motivators explained in Part I. These influences represent the starting point of her professional career. Dr. Mateo’s interests have always been placed in advancing local solutions for local problems. In Pilar’s case, the phenomenon of entrepreneurship began as an act of seeking economic solvency and survival through her ingenuity, creativity, and innovation. Similarly, the phenomenon of causation-related bricolage predominates, in which the process of incessant experimentation fost…
Business Sectors Involved in Social Entrepreneurship
The present chapter offers detailed insights about the characteristics at a microeconomic level of four practical examples of social ventures. After providing a robust theoretical framework about the motivations, challenges and aspirations of social entrepreneurs, it is time to put into practice these conceptions through the lens of real social ventures. The literature encourages the use of case studies to connect the theory groundwork, developed in the academy, to real life. As for this call to study, the present chapter thoroughly covers the ideation and consolidation stages of the selected social ventures, which sheds light for inspiration on a context where social entrepreneurship is in…
Using a configurational approach to understand information and technologies in human resources management
The objective of this study is through a qualitative comparative methodology (QCA), determine the conditions affecting firm performance on the basis of two traditional contingency factors (company ownership and CEO educational background), taking into consideration the use of information systems and technology for human resources management.
Legitimacy of Social Ventures
Legitimacy of organizations or ways of acting remains a basic factor to compete. A company whose actions differ from other companies may have legitimacy issues. To overcome them, it will be necessary to demonstrate that the new actions are also legitimate. To do so, a process of legitimation is necessary. This process alone will confer the necessary taken-for-grantedness to survive. Social entrepreneurship, as a type of institutional entrepreneurship, can experiment with these difficulties. Studying these difficulties becomes necessary to understand the conflicts of interest that move society for or against social ventures.
Transgenerational innovation capability in family firms
PurposeBased on the theory of dynamic capabilities, the purpose of this study is to examine how generation influences the effect of innovation capability on family business performance. To achieve this purpose, a moderation model is tested using the generational level as the moderating variable.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a sample of 106 family businesses CEOs who were surveyed by mail using the Limesurvey 2.5 platform. The results obtained were analyzed using the second-generation partial least squares (PLS) structural equation model. The MICOM (Measurement Invariance of Composite Models) approach was used to analyze the moderating effect.FindingsThis research sheds lights o…
Civic crowdfunding: A new opportunity for local governments
Abstract In civic crowdfunding, local communities are asked to financially contribute to projects aimed at the regeneration of an area. Usually a local government acts as a co-funder. This paper employs a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis to discover which conditions are combined and may result in the collection of a significant amount of funds. Five conditions were selected: the nature of project, the number of backers, the number of rewards, the percentage of backers that did not require a reward and the percentage of rewards not required during the fundraising campaign. The study used a sample of 40 Italian successful civic crowdfunding rounds sponsored and match-funded by a loc…
The effect of entrepreneurial orientation on firm performance: a multigroup analysis comparing China, Mexico, and Spain
Abstract This article analyzes firm entrepreneurial orientation across different contexts. In the light of the existing literature on entrepreneurship and institutional theory, it departs from the hypothesis that the context in which firms operate determines the importance of each dimension comprised in the multidimensional concept of entrepreneurship orientation, thus moderating its effect of on firm performance. The sample for this study is composed of both small and medium-sized firms from three countries: China, Mexico, and Spain. In the means of testing our hypothesis and thus quantifying the moderating effect of context, a structural equation model PLS-SEM technique and, specifically,…
Institutional Issues About Social Entrepreneurship
This chapter summarizes the main conclusions of this part of the book. In doing so, it explains the value that social ventures add to their contexts. Revisiting each one of the chapters of the macro perspective addressed in the second section of the book, social entrepreneurship is seen as a way to solve social problems. By way of this problem-solving, social ventures present legitimacy issues. However, once the difficulties are overcome, it is important to spread the values and principles that guide social entrepreneurship. The last part of this chapter is dedicated to limitations and future research in acquiring the macro approach.
An Avenue to Social Equilibrium
The purpose of the second part of the third part of the book is to show how the theory translates into reality. That is why the most important factors studied in the first and second parts of the book are concluded in this chapter. The first part of the chapter is addressed to examine the personal characteristics and motivation of the social entrepreneur, that is, it is focused on the micro approach. The second part is addressed to analyze the institutional context, that is, it comprehends the macro approach. Based on this, the chapter shows the stages followed by social entrepreneurs to shift the context. The legitimation process is the base of this shift.
Challenges in the Business Model of Low-Cost Airlines
In recent decades, low-cost airlines have proliferated in the European market offering cheap tickets and increasing popularity. This business model, characterised by cost leadership, has been studied on numerous occasions. The case of the Irish airline Ryanair has presented different challenges over the last few years in relation to its stakeholders, who are shaping the sustainability of the current era of air travel. This business model should be adapted to the current demands of the market, such as corporate social responsibility or care for the environment. The functioning of low-cost airlines regarding the use they make of ERP management systems is also analysed. They aim to balance the…
Social Entrepreneurship: Where to Go Next?
This chapter summarizes the main conclusions of the micro perspective section. It revises the foundations of the social entrepreneurs and outlines a path for future avenues of social entrepreneurship. However, although the unit of analysis is the individual, this does not mean that it is an individual phenomenon. In fact, it can be considered as a widespread collective phenomenon, that is, the small initiative of a social entrepreneur at a local level can also be successfully replicated in other places around the globe. The social entrepreneur becomes himself through the influences and motivations of the environment, added to his innate and unique characteristics, these intrinsic motivation…
Qualitative analysis of housing demand using Google trends data
Big data analytics often refer to the breakdown of huge amounts of data into a more readable and useful format. This study utilises Google Trends big data as a proxy for an analysis of housing demand. We employ a qualitative method (fuzzy set/Qualitative Comparative Analysis, fsQCA), instead of a quantitative method, for our estimate and forecast. The empirical results show that fsQCA successfully forecasts seasonal time series, even though the dataset is small in size. Our findings fill the gap in the qualitative and time series forecasting literature, and the forecasting procedure herein also offers a good standard for industry.
The Origins of Social Ventures
This chapter addresses the social venture as a form of organization that has a role in the current society. In an economy based on markets, the intervention of multiple actors by itself—like governments, social movements, charity, and social ventures—cannot ensure the mechanisms necessary to the proper working of the system. In this way, markets present a set of failures and externalities that government action tries to solve. However, government action is limited due to a set of circumstances. Social movements and charity emerge to overcome the government’s limitations. Social entrepreneurship, as the last organization analyzed in this chapter, arises when social movements and charities fa…
Ambidextrous Leadership, Social Entrepreneurial Orientation, and Operational Performance
In the knowledge era, new forms of organizing and managing firms emerge to adapt to new situations. One such new form of organizational management is ambidextrous leadership. Ambidextrous leadership combines opening leader behaviors, such as promoting creativity, and closing leader behaviors, such as accomplishing objectives and adhering to norms. Thus, the aim is to demonstrate that a social orientation is not at odds with measures of operational performance other than profitability. The purpose of this study is to examine how ambidextrous leadership is linked to social entrepreneurial orientation and how this in turn affects operational performance. This is done through a rigorous review …
An overview of ecopreneurship, eco-innovation, and the ecological sector
Given the current trend toward a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly economy, the overlap between entrepreneurship and sustainability has become a key research area. Part of this trend is the emergence of ecopreneurial businesses. These businesses are pioneers in using innovation to achieve sustainable growth by exploiting market opportunities. This article presents an overview of the concepts of ecopreneurship, eco-innovation, and the ecological sector. A rigorous review of the literature in this area is presented. The results of this review show the key values and principles that are central to this new stream of research and shed light on opportunities for further research. The…
The Contexts Where Social Ventures Develop
This chapter starts from the idea that definitions are crucial to understanding diverse phenomenology. This importance is a basic factor of social entrepreneurship. Defining social entrepreneurship will allow the academia to measure the magnitude of the phenomenon. Through two studies that link the phenomenon of social entrepreneurship with post-materialistic values, it can be concluded that social ventures emerge in certain contexts. Finally, the chapter ends with the thought that although social ventures are a form of organization that may or may not emerge, their values are necessary for current ventures.
Social Constructionist and Social Engineer
This chapter follows the times series of the previous chapter. It is not just the scale of the problem that distinguishes one stage from another but also the nature of the problem. When social entrepreneurs try to shift the context in an institutional approach, they have to face some issues previously described in the second part of the book. This case study exemplifies what these issues are, linked to the concept of legitimacy, and the strategies carried out by the social entrepreneur to overcome them.
Three decades of subsidiary exits: Parent firm financial performance and moderators
Abstract This study aimed to find important constructs and relationships among models of subsidiary divestment during the period from 1989 to 2018 using correlation matrices of 80 studies, the selection of which was based on six criteria. It revealed eight important constructs, namely firm innovativeness, environmental factors in the target country, type of experience, organizational characteristics, investment strategy, parent firm financial performance, subsidiary divestment, and the moderating effects of advertising intensity and product diversification. Furthermore, it shed light on seven relationships that should be considered in future attempts to assess parent performance related to …
Family Council From A Cultural Approach: the case of eastern european countries
The family council is a formal mechanism of the family governance in family businesses that aims to give a voice to all members of the family, and to unify the interests of all members. These interests are identified with the purpose of the family, necessary to achieve a long-term legacy, and the sustainability of the company. However, the establishment of the family council is a topic that is still at an incipient stage, both in the literature and for practitioners, so our contribution advances the understanding of family governance within the sphere of family businesses culture and context. For that purpose, we rely on two cultural indexes widely accepted in the literature. We have taken …
The role of innovation and knowledge for entrepreneurship and regional development
The impact of entrepreneurial activity on regional economic growth continues to be a focus of research and policy-makers throughout our global environment (Carree and Thurik 2000; Agarwal, Audretsc...
The Lineup of Social Entrepreneurship
As an introductory chapter to the second section, this chapter describes the sequence of the social entrepreneurship analysis followed from the macro perspective. As a chronology, the construction of social ventures begins with a social problem or an unjust social equilibrium. At this point, an individual tries to change the unjust situation through a disruptive idea. The big challenge for that individual arises because, as in any equilibrium situation, institutional forces make difficult the shift from one situation to another. One of the main issues linked to the institutional forces is legitimacy, which can be seen to a certain extent as conflicts of interest. Finally, social ventures an…
Intellectual capital, organisational performance and competitive advantage
At present, the role of intellectual capital in organisations is significantly more important than in the past owing to the transition from an economy based on assets to another based on knowledge. The value of intangible assets increases as that of tangible assets decreases; this allows organisations, which prioritise intellectual capital, to produce competitive advantages and achieve better performance. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain if human capital, structural capital and relational capital have a positive influence on the organisational performance of medium-sized firms in the Mexican manufacturing sector. Moreover, it is analysed if competitive advantage mediates the relati…
Introduction and Empirical Framework
Part III describes the methodology used to converge the micro and macro approach. The methodology chosen has been the case study. The first part of this chapter justifies the election of the methodology. The second part is the explanation of the case study. Through diverse sources of archival data as well as scientific papers and an interview with her founder (Dr. Mateo), the chapter addresses the issue of social entrepreneurship’s role as a problem solver showing the case of a social entrepreneur and the technology developed to change the context. The methodology is presented as a time series that the entrepreneur follows until she finds a way to add value to society. The critical moment a…
Does institutional quality affect the level of entrepreneurial success differently across the entrepreneurship distribution?
The phenomenon of entrepreneurship has driven much of the attention of academics, practitioners and policy makers. A correct and deep understanding of all the different conditions affecting entrepreneurship rates will advance in the establishment of useful measures that increase entrepreneurial success. The vast majority of the literature on the effect of institutional quality on entrepreneurship has been investigated based on average effects. However, how the impact of institutional quality on the level of entrepreneurship varies with the conditional distribution of entrepreneurship is still poorly understood. The present study attempts to fill the research gaps in this field. In order to …
Sources of Financing for Social Entrepreneurship
The following chapter discusses the main forms of financing for social entrepreneurship. The ultimate goal of social entrepreneurship is to create social value. To this end, financial means act as intermediaries to achieve this goal. These means must be aligned with the mission, vision, and values of the new venture. Therefore, there must be certain parallelism in the modus operandi of the entrepreneurial companies and the institutions supporting their launch in the market with economic resources. Since social entrepreneurship arises as a new paradigm to create the business, its financing sources represent a new method to obtain economic resources. Ethical banking is the core concept of the…
Who Is the Social Entrepreneur?
Social entrepreneurs are understood as individuals integrated within a society, being continually influenced by the environment. This chapter explains that the constitution of a social entrepreneur is determined by external variables (environmental influences) and internal variables (characteristics of the individual). Among the external influences, we should highlight the Triple Bottom Line phenomenon, the Corporate Social Responsibility trend, technological advances and the Sustainable Development Goals. The intrinsic motivators would be divided into three different dimensions: attitude and intention, personality traits and leadership skills. The synergies produced as a consequence of the…
Innovation and Knowledge in Academia
It has recently become very popular among academics to study the process of knowledge transfer within their own organization, with the aim of improving their innovation and performance on a general scope. Knowledge can be divided into two main groups: “explicit” and “tacit” knowledge. The main interest lies in tacit knowledge, since it is one that includes the specific “know-how” of an organization. The cooperation between the different units of an organization promotes the transfer of knowledge between the different organizational areas and positions the departments in an ideal situation to promote innovation. To understand the evolution of the scientific production in terms of innovation …