SEDA/SEDA301/Factors Influencing Social Entrepreneurship

Before we start

Last week 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?

Week Two Overview 

This week we will be further drilling into one aspect of social entrepreneurship and social enterprise identified in Week 1 - 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.

Learning Objectives

After reviewing the content and learning activities for this week, 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

Hybrid missions and sustainable social impact

Social enterprises have been referred to as the ideal type of hybrid organisation. In order to be sustainable, social enterprises must incorporate and balance contradictory organisational structures, cultures, practices, processes, goals and objectives associated with a traditional non-profit and for-profit organisational forms. As you can imagine, this at times can be very challenging.

Resources

• Lecture:
• Reading: Battilana et al. 2012 - In Search of the Hybrid Ideal

YouTube videos:

• Understanding Hybrid Organizations
• Food Justice Truck

Understanding Hybrid Organisations

Social Enterprise in Action

Socio-political, economic, cultural and technological factors related to the growth of social entrepreneurship

In efforts to develop the theoretical underpinnings for social entrepreneurship, many authors have sought to understand the drivers behind the growth in numbers and popularity of social entrepreneurs and their social enterprises. What they determined is that the factors influencing social entrepreneurship activity are highly contextual, which means that social enterprises in different regions develop unique relationships with their socio-political, economic and cultural environments. The activities of the market, government and the community sectors all have a role to play in the need for, and emergence of social entrepreneurship.In Lecture X, we delve into a number of the influences that these sectors have upon socially entrepreneurial activity, along with other environmental factors such as changes in cultural values and technological advancements.

This knowledge covered in this lecture will help you with AT1 - a component of which requires you to consider these factors in relation to your chosen case organisation. We'll be looking at these drivers in greater depth in the Webinar in Week 3.

Resources to review

• Lecture
• Reading: Hoogendoorn 2016 - The Prevalence and Determinants of Social Entrepreneurship at the Macro Level
• Reading #2 (optional): Kemp et al., 2016 - The Humanization of the Economy Through Social Innovation

Week One Activities:

Discussion

We always love to learn more about our students, and it's great to see students connect with people they know, or have studied with previously.

REQUIRES SOPHIE INPUT

Social issue #1: No Poverty

Social issue #2: Quality Education

Social issue #3: Life on Land

Social issue #4: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Review questions

To help guide your learning throughout this unit, we have developed weekly self-assessment quizzes which cover the content provided for each week. The quizzes are not assessed, and you can attempt the questions as many times it takes to answer correctly Assess your understanding of this learning pathway by selecting the correct answer for each of the following questions:

• Social enterprises are considered to be a hybrid organisational form because:
  • They utilise hybrid technologies to run their businesses
    • Incorrect.
  • They rely upon multiple sources of funding
    • Incorrect.
  • They meet the needs of a range of different individuals in society
    • Incorrect.
  • They combine both social and commercial values and objectives
    • Correct.
• The issues faced by both individuals and organisations are contextual, which means that they are dependent upon the specific environment in which they live and operate.
  • True
    • Correct.
  • False
    • Incorrect.

Assignment