Opportunity formation in social entrepreneurship

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Purpose - This paper aims to explore the concept of opportunity and its role in social entrepreneurship processes.

Design/methodology/approach - A single-case study of a sustainable community in Denmark. The data include interviews, documents and television programmes.

Findings - The case study finds that the opportunity takes a number of different forms in the process. These different forms are the result of a continuous mobilisation of actors. On the basis of these findings a model of social entrepreneurship processes is proposed, where the process is driven by mobilisation and transformation.

Research implications - The findings of the case provide support for a creation view of opportunities and the view that opportunity discovery does not necessarily precede resource mobilisation. The proposed model contributes to the development of the creation view of opportunities as an alternative to the discovery view and to our understanding of the role of opportunities in the social entrepreneurship process. 

Practical implications - The findings suggest that the social entrepreneur is one that actively creates external circumstances rather than responds to opportunities already present therein. This implies a focus on different skills and ways of thinking.

Originality/value - The paper presents a model of social entrepreneurship processes grounded in a deep understanding of an empirical setting. The findings and model question the value of the discovery view of opportunities in the field of social entrepreneurship, while contributing to the development of the creation view of opportunities.

Key words - Opportunity, Social entrepreneurship, Process, Sustainability, Case Study

Paper type - Research paper

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Enterprising Communities
Volume5
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)265-285
ISSN1750-6204
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011
Externally publishedYes

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