Social Enterprises: An Organizational Perspective

Social enterprises have been a growing phenomenon around the world in the past decade. The authors of this volume argue that they represent a unique type of organization. By combining social goals with a business orientation, both critical for their mission and survival, they represent a breed of organization with two kinds of logic that in the past were not perceived as belonging under the same organizational roof. The business logic, with its focus on competition and private ownership, did not seem a fitting context in which to deal with social issues or problems. These are traditionally dealt with by a service logic that emphasizes a charitable, empathetic orientation. Putting these two orientations together calls for creative organizational solutions, especially if these organizations are to be stable and sustainable. Social Enterprises presents a first attempt to do that. An organizational perspective of social enterprises allows us to analyze issues such as their governing structure, their modes of operation and their marketing strategies, and begins to formulate some theoretical constructs on how these entities can survive and thrive. This volume provides not only a theoretical and empirical basis to examine these issues, but an international perspective as well.