Social Entrepreneur Barriers and Enablers

Enablers and Benefits of Social entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship enablers are people who aid and facilitate other people to develop businesses and social enterprises, thus creating economic and social transformation. The need for social enterprises arises because business firms and other for-profit organizations do not have a reason and incentive to support a social cause (Thompson et al, 2000). Therefore, Leadbeater (1997) stated that social entrepreneurship is facilitated to make a difference and empower deprived people and stimulate them to take control of their lives (Thompson, 2002:p.415). The most rewarding advantage of social entrepreneurship is the positive impact it has on the society. Social entrepreneurship is established to create coherent changes to motivate global improvement and helps to develop the quality of life for the people they serve. They have the freedom to explore, constantly innovate and take risks by thinking outside the box to find solutions for problems. Based on Schumpeters analysis, social entrepreneurs are ‘reformers’ and ‘revolutionaries’ with a social mission (Dees, 1998). Public sector organizations in many countries encourage new enterprises, competition and transformation (Thompson, 2010). Nevertheless, social entrepreneurs address significant social needs that prevent the government and other organizations from doing so, either because they are not politically accepted or due to lawful regulations (Kirzner, 1973 stated in Zahra et al, 2009). These non-profit organizations seek legitimacy from private and profit making enterprises whose goods and services have failed and the governments have not taken any measures to resolve it (Sud et al, 2009). It is noted that social entrepreneurs do not allow the lack of limited resources to restrict their choices and follow their stated mission. Both, social entrepreneurs and economic entrepreneurs aspire to have dominance in their environment and urge to be ingenious, to turn their...