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Eight paradoxes of the social enterprise research agenda

Eight paradoxes of the social enterprise research agenda Purpose – This paper summarises key issues arising from a comprehensive research monograph and accompanying discussion paper on social enterprise that reviewed over 150 sources. It aims to provide insight into the future development of the social enterprise research agenda, and how to attract scholars new to the field to contribute to it. Design/methodology/approach – The paper seeks to identify and address some of the difficulties faced by social enterprise researchers, in terms of defining their field, overcoming institutional pressures that may deter scholars from tackling the social enterprise research agenda and in dealing with some of its complexities. Findings – In developing the monograph, two key themes were diversity and distinctiveness. Social enterprise is a form of business that is distinctly different to conventional commercial enterprise and that has an extraordinary diversity in organisational form, legal structure, purpose, culture, scale and scope. There are also a number of “paradoxical” elements to the research agenda for social enterprises arising from their “hybrid” nature. Research limitations/implications – These findings create many challenges for researchers, practitioners and policy‐makers, not least in terms of defining social enterprises consistently, and also in terms of understanding what makes them different to commercial enterprises and what the implications of those differences are. Originality/value – The insights provided by this discussion should help to resolve and explain some of the debates and conceptual and practical difficulties that have hampered the development of the social enterprise research agenda. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Social Enterprise Journal Emerald Publishing

Eight paradoxes of the social enterprise research agenda

Ken Peattie; Adrian Morley
Social Enterprise Journal , Volume 4 (2): 17 – Jun 6, 2008
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References (68)

Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
1750-8614
DOI
10.1108/17508610810901995
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Purpose – This paper summarises key issues arising from a comprehensive research monograph and accompanying discussion paper on social enterprise that reviewed over 150 sources. It aims to provide insight into the future development of the social enterprise research agenda, and how to attract scholars new to the field to contribute to it. Design/methodology/approach – The paper seeks to identify and address some of the difficulties faced by social enterprise researchers, in terms of defining their field, overcoming institutional pressures that may deter scholars from tackling the social enterprise research agenda and in dealing with some of its complexities. Findings – In developing the monograph, two key themes were diversity and distinctiveness. Social enterprise is a form of business that is distinctly different to conventional commercial enterprise and that has an extraordinary diversity in organisational form, legal structure, purpose, culture, scale and scope. There are also a number of “paradoxical” elements to the research agenda for social enterprises arising from their “hybrid” nature. Research limitations/implications – These findings create many challenges for researchers, practitioners and policy‐makers, not least in terms of defining social enterprises consistently, and also in terms of understanding what makes them different to commercial enterprises and what the implications of those differences are. Originality/value – The insights provided by this discussion should help to resolve and explain some of the debates and conceptual and practical difficulties that have hampered the development of the social enterprise research agenda.

Journal

Social Enterprise Journal – Emerald Publishing

Published: Jun 6, 2008

Keywords: Business enterprise; Corporate social responsibility; Enterprise economics; Research

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