The Singularity of Social Entrepreneurship: Untangling Its Uniqueness and Market Function

Roundy, P. T. & Bonnal, M. “The Singularity of Social Entrepreneurship: Untangling its Uniqueness and Market Function,” Journal of Entrepreneurship, Forthcoming.

32 Pages Posted: 8 May 2017

See all articles by Philip Roundy

Philip Roundy

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Michaël Bonnal

University of Alabama - Department of Economics, Finance and Legal Studies; University of Tennessee, Chattanooga - Department of Economics

Date Written: March 1, 2017

Abstract

Social entrepreneurship is an activity that is receiving intense scrutiny from scholars, practitioners, and policy-makers. However, research is only beginning to explore the unique function social entrepreneurs fill in the marketplace. This conceptual paper examines if social entrepreneurs indeed represent a novel category of market actor. Building on prior work claiming that the unique function of social entrepreneurs is the creation of positive externalities and generation of spillover benefits for society, we compare social entrepreneurs with conventional entrepreneurs and other entities that seek to increase social welfare, including governments and traditional nonprofit organizations. Specifically, we contend that the strengths of social entrepreneurship are its reliance on voluntary exchange, promotion of dignity and self-sufficiency in beneficiaries, attunement to the signals of the marketplace, and ability to tap into consumer spending. We also uncover the limitations of social entrepreneurship, which include the challenge of combining multiple institutional logics, the existence of social issues around which viable businesses cannot be built, dependence on consumer demand, and competitive disadvantages relative to conventional businesses. We discuss the implications of our conceptualization of social entrepreneurship for practitioners, policy-makers, and future research.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship, Social Enterprise, Social Innovation, Externalitie, Social Welfare

JEL Classification: D62, L26, L31, O35

Suggested Citation

Roundy, Philip and Bonnal, Michaël and Bonnal, Michaël, The Singularity of Social Entrepreneurship: Untangling Its Uniqueness and Market Function (March 1, 2017). Roundy, P. T. & Bonnal, M. “The Singularity of Social Entrepreneurship: Untangling its Uniqueness and Market Function,” Journal of Entrepreneurship, Forthcoming. , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2964609

Philip Roundy (Contact Author)

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ( email )

Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship
Chattanooga, TN 37403-2598
United States

HOME PAGE: http://https://www.utc.edu/college-business/profiles/marketing-entrepreneurship/gbr973.php

Michaël Bonnal

University of Alabama - Department of Economics, Finance and Legal Studies ( email )

P.O. Box 870244
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
United States

University of Tennessee, Chattanooga - Department of Economics ( email )

United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.utc.edu/Michael-Bonnal

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