SEDA/SEDA301/Drivers of Social Entrepreneurship/Overview

Revision: key concepts of social entrepreneurship

In the last Learning Pathway we covered quite a lot of theoretical content about social entrepreneurship, social innovation and social enterprise. Now that you have had some time to process this information, it is time for some reflection.

Reflection

Take a few minutes to reflect upon the following questions:

• Has your understanding of social entrepreneurship changed, and if so, how?
• Why do you think that social entrepreneurs and social enterprises are important?

You are encouraged to comment on our Learning Pathway Discussion Board.

Learning pathway overview: Drivers of social entrepreneurship 

In this Learning Pathway, we will be further drilling into one aspect of social entrepreneurship and social enterprise identified in the last Learning Pathway - the hybrid nature which falls at the core of their goals and activities. There is a growing focus within academia upon what it truly means to be a hybrid organisation, and what this may look like at an organisational level. It is recognised that the combination of two, often very conflicting value systems, can create many challenges for individuals and organisations. Some even consider the combination of two different institutional logics (or value systems that guide action) is in itself innovative. We cover these issues in greater depth in Lecture 3.

To further develop your understanding of social entrepreneurship and social enterprise, Lecture 4 examines some of the historical, socio-political, cultural and technological factors which have supported the rise and importance of social enterprise as a vehicle for change in our communities.

Pathway learning objectives

After reviewing the content and learning activities for this Learning Pathway, you should:

• Understand the hybrid nature of social entrepreneurship and social enterprise
• Understand some challenges associated with managing hybrid objectives
• Identify the key environmental trends and drivers which have supported the rise of social entrepreneurship