How to Grow Successful Social Entrepreneurship Firms? Key Ideas from Complexity Theory

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (03) ◽  
pp. 243-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Han ◽  
Bill McKelvey
Keyword(s):  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Complexity Science ◽  
Social Impacts ◽  
Financial Health ◽  
Bottom Line

Social entrepreneurship (SE) is increasingly popular in academia and practice, but unified theoretical explanations about the performance of social entrepreneurship firms (SEFs) is missing (Santos, 2012). This deficiency motivates us to theorize about SE from a complexity science perspective. We draw from complexity science to analyze and explain how SEFs emerge, achieve performance, and grow. We link complexity science with SE so as to add explanatory value as well as offering guidelines for better SEF performance toward achieving social objectives while avoiding the chasm of chaos. Our theoretical framework offers complexity insights for building effective networks, and accountability, as well as for improving trust, legitimacy, and sound governance. Drawing on complexity theory to better explain the key elements necessary for improving SEFs’ performance and growth, enhances the probability of meeting the challenge of the so-called ‘double bottom-line’: achieving continuous positive social impacts while attaining financial health.

scholarly journals An Exit Strategy for the Definitional Elusiveness: A Three-Dimensional Framework for Social Entrepreneurship

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 563
Author(s):  
Bing Ran ◽  
Scott Weller
Keyword(s):  
Social Change ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Exit Strategy ◽  
Conceptual Paper

Despite the growing utility and prevalence of social entrepreneurship, an accepted definition remains elusive and infeasible. Yet, it is imperative that the principles guiding social entrepreneurship are identified so that common ground is established to facilitate future research. On the basis of a systematic literature review, this conceptual paper proposes a theoretical framework outlining social entrepreneurship as a three-dimensional framework as a function of continua of “social” and “business” logics, “beneficial” and “detrimental” social change logics, and “innovation” and “mundane” logics. The framework accommodates the fuzziness and ambiguity associated with social entrepreneurship whilst remaining a workable, identifiable construct. By accounting for the shifting logics practiced by social entrepreneurship that both influence and are influenced by the organizational environment, this framework provides an exit strategy for the definitional elusiveness of social entrepreneurship. The resultant structures and functions of social entrepreneurship are shaped by these constraints as reflected by the fluidity and flexibility endorsed by the framework. Four avenues for future research regarding social entrepreneurship are recommended on the basis of the framework proposed in this article.

Complexity

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Keyword(s):  
System Dynamics ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Business Management ◽  
Complexity Science ◽  
Structuralist View ◽  
New Perspective

Complexity theory provides a new perspective to address the transformative and evolutionary nature of organizational phenomena, as well as system dynamics. After reviewing the most influential studies of complexity science, this chapter reflects on the application of the conceptual framework of complexity theory on business management by providing the “3Vs model” for interpreting both the structuralist and post-structuralist view of complexity in organizations.

Utilizing Social Networks in Social Entrepreneurship

2019 ◽  
pp. 232-250
Author(s):  
Nuray Atsan
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Growth Process ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Network Approach ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Organizational Growth ◽  
Network Usage

This chapter focuses on the linkage between social networks and social entrepreneurship and argues that social networks are crucial in social entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurs rely on different compositions of social networks in different stages of the entrepreneurial process. Drawing from network approach in entrepreneurship, this chapter continues by exploring the theoretical framework including conceptualizations of social entrepreneurship and social networks. It then introduces evolution of social networks in comply with organizational growth process. As a result, the chapter discusses utilizing social networks in social entrepreneurship. The conclusion reflects on possible characteristics of network usage and composition through the life cycle of social enterprises.

scholarly journals Complexity Theory 101 for Educators: A fictional account of a graduate seminar

2009 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angus McMurtry
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Education ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Complexity Science ◽  
University Of Alberta ◽  
Graduate Seminar ◽  
Collective Creation ◽  
The University

Abstract The following fictional account of a seminar on complexity science and its relevance for education makes use of several real events. The first is an actual seminar that took place during the spring of 2005, in the Department of Secondary Education at the University of Alberta. The second is the collective creation of the Complexity and Education Online Glossary (McMurtry et al., 2004; see http://www.complexityandeducation.ualberta.ca). Furthermore, many of the ideas presented in this article are based on the definitions originally developed for that glossary.

scholarly journals Ethical Responsibility to Distant Others through the Coffee Industry

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
William Durbin
Keyword(s):  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Ethical Consumption ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Ethical Responsibility ◽  
Development Discourse ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Depth Interviews

<p>How we live our lives here in New Zealand affects others who are distant from us. We live in a world with many networks across space, which connect people with radically different lifestyles. These connections create an avenue to respond to the poverty of these ‘distant others’. One such network of connections is the coffee industry. Ethical consumption and social entrepreneurship within the coffee industry are a means to address development issues, and ultimately poverty. This research will look into coffee social enterprises, and how they can be included in a post-development theoretical framework. In particular, it will discuss the motivations of social entrepreneurs involved in the coffee companies interviewed.  Post-development provides a theoretical framework for this research of coffee social enterprises. It provides a critique to mainstream development, and has questioned how development is done, as well as its very validity. In doing so, it has encouraged new ways of ‘doing development’. One example of this is Sally Matthews’ three responses the wealthy can have to poverty: first, re-thinking of the development discourse in light of post-development; secondly, supporting popular initiatives; and thirdly, solidarity with distant others here at home.  This is an appreciative inquiry into different coffee companies, using qualitative ethnographic methods. Seven in-depth interviews have been conducted with managers, past owners or head roasters, as well as one with an expert on social enterprise.</p>

White Print: The Dotted Word

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (02) ◽  
pp. 331-349
Author(s):  
Sameer Bhajni ◽  
Varsha Khandker ◽  
Sourabh Patil ◽  
Upasana Makati
Keyword(s):  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Young Female ◽  
Social Entrepreneur ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Poor Vision ◽  
Reading Material ◽  
Alphabet Books ◽  
Working Out ◽  
Interesting Reading

This case describes the efforts put in and challenges faced by a young female social entrepreneur, Upasana Makati, in an attempt to make a difference in the lives of people who are visually impaired or with poor vision in India. The idea of White Print was to provide interesting reading material for the visually impaired population, including Braille Tactile alphabet books in English and Hindi. Upasana had been handling all the functions on her own with occasional help from interns which has been working out well so far. However, going ahead, the business is bound to face issues related to revenue generation, scaling up, and impact. This can be a good case to introduce the concept of Social Entrepreneurship, Dual Bottom-line, and Hybrid organizations to students.

The future of social entrepreneurship: modelling and predicting social impact

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Azreen Zulkefly ◽  
Norjihan Abdul Ghani ◽  
Christie Pei-Yee Chin ◽  
Suraya Hamid ◽  
Nor Aniza Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
Prediction Model ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Naive Bayes ◽  
Social Impacts ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Impact Prediction ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Future

PurposePredicting the impact of social entrepreneurship is crucial as it can help social entrepreneurs to determine the achievement of their social mission and performance. However, there is a lack of existing social entrepreneurship models to predict social enterprises' social impacts. This paper aims to propose the social impact prediction model for social entrepreneurs using a data analytic approach.Design/methodology/approachThis study implemented an experimental method using three different algorithms: naive Bayes, k-nearest neighbor and J48 decision tree algorithms to develop and test the social impact prediction model.FindingsThe accurate result of the developed social impact prediction model is based on the list of identified social impact prediction variables that have been evaluated by social entrepreneurship experts. Based on the three algorithms' implementation of the model, the results showed that naive Bayes is the best performance classifier for social impact prediction accuracy.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough there are three categories of social entrepreneurship impact, this research only focuses on social impact. There will be a bright future of social entrepreneurship if the research can focus on all three social entrepreneurship categories. Future research in this area could look beyond these three categories of social entrepreneurship, so the prediction of social impact will be broader. The prospective researcher also can look beyond the difference and similarities of economic, social impacts and environmental impacts and study the overall perspective on those impacts.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills the need for the Malaysian social entrepreneurship blueprint to design the social impact in social entrepreneurship. There are none of the prediction models that can be used in predicting social impact in Malaysia. This study also contributes to social entrepreneur researchers, as the new social impact prediction variables found can be used in predicting social impact in social entrepreneurship in the future, which may lead to the significance of the prediction performance.

Management of pension discount rate and financial health

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-162
Author(s):  
Paula Diane Parker ◽  
Nancy J. Swanson ◽  
Michael T. Dugan
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Discount Rate ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Pension Plans ◽  
Financial Health ◽  
Z Score ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to examine the unexpected portion of the pension discount rate to determine if the pension discount rate is being used to manage earnings for both financially healthy and financially unhealthy firms as categorized based upon their Altman z-score for bankruptcy. Design/methodology/approach Regression analysis is conducted with the unexpected portion of the pension discount rate as the dependent variable and various metrics indicating potential firm strengths and weaknesses as the independent variables. Findings This study finds evidence that suggests managers for both groups of firms are using their choice of discount rate to manage bottom-line earnings. These findings highlight the patterns of various firm choice differences found between the two groups and the magnitude of the differences between the groups. Originality/value Three streams of literature are considered in this research: earnings management, defined pension plans and z-score bankruptcy. This study extends prior research by examining the unexpected portion of the pension discount rate based on the z-score determination of whether a firm is considered financially healthy or financially unhealthy. Our findings highlight the impact of various firm choice differences found between the two groups of firms.

scholarly journals Insights from the study of complex systems for the ecology and evolution of animal populations

2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
David N Fisher ◽  
Jonathan N Pruitt
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Complex Systems ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Complexity Science ◽  
Self Organization ◽  
Emergent Properties ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Animal Populations ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
And Behavior

Abstract Populations of animals comprise many individuals, interacting in multiple contexts, and displaying heterogeneous behaviors. The interactions among individuals can often create population dynamics that are fundamentally deterministic yet display unpredictable dynamics. Animal populations can, therefore, be thought of as complex systems. Complex systems display properties such as nonlinearity and uncertainty and show emergent properties that cannot be explained by a simple sum of the interacting components. Any system where entities compete, cooperate, or interfere with one another may possess such qualities, making animal populations similar on many levels to complex systems. Some fields are already embracing elements of complexity to help understand the dynamics of animal populations, but a wider application of complexity science in ecology and evolution has not occurred. We review here how approaches from complexity science could be applied to the study of the interactions and behavior of individuals within animal populations and highlight how this way of thinking can enhance our understanding of population dynamics in animals. We focus on 8 key characteristics of complex systems: hierarchy, heterogeneity, self-organization, openness, adaptation, memory, nonlinearity, and uncertainty. For each topic we discuss how concepts from complexity theory are applicable in animal populations and emphasize the unique insights they provide. We finish by outlining outstanding questions or predictions to be evaluated using behavioral and ecological data. Our goal throughout this article is to familiarize animal ecologists with the basics of each of these concepts and highlight the new perspectives that they could bring to variety of subfields.

scholarly journals Social Entrepreneurship and Communication for Development and Social Change

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (Special-Issue) ◽  
pp. 205-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emile G. McAnany
Keyword(s):  
Social Change ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Change Agency ◽  
Grameen Bank ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
The Social ◽  
Real Change ◽  
Communication For Development ◽  
Development Practice

Abstract This article argues that social entrepreneurship has not yet been adequately defined even though it is increasingly being used in social change/development practice. Muhammad Yunus, creator of the Grameen Bank and microlending, and Bill Drayton, founder of the global change agency Ashoka, have practiced social change through social entrepreneurship for more than 30 years. Increasingly, the development community has been adopting many of its practices. The basic process of social entrepreneurship involves: defining a social goal for the solution of a serious problem; innovation in solving the problem; ability to expand the organization to serve large numbers of people (scaling up); focusing on the social bottom line with empirical evidence (impact evaluation). Three cases are briefly reviewed to illustrate this process. Finally the article examines how these practices might help Communication for Development (C4D) to better adapt its own practices in achieving real change with people.

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