Swithina Mboko
(Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA)

 

Abstract: Social Entrepreneurship is a rising and growing field of research and action all over the world. The various definitions of the social entrepreneurship concept by writers agree that social entrepreneurship is about adopting an innovative and business-like approach to addressing social needs or problems. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the ongoing research dialogue on the complexities embedded in modeling successful social entrepreneurship through narrating the tensions of using a business model to generate funds to support a social cause. We use a case study approach to conduct this exploratory study. We find in the same venture tensions between humanistic and economic pursuits generally at various stages of the entrepreneurial process and specifically in the four areas of opportunity description, resource mobilization, organization building and the venture concept.

 

Key words: entrepreneurship process; social entrepreneurship; social venture

JEL code: L310