Editorial
Abstract
Nowadays, Social Entrepreneurship attracts the attention of both academics and practitioners, as it is supported by the growth of the theoretical literature about the topic, as well as by the rise of new scientific and not scientific communities (Zahra et al., 2009; Chell, 2007). However, in spite of this, social entrepreneurship is still a misunderstood phenomenon, challenged by competing definitions and conceptual frameworks, gaps in the research literature, and limited empirical data (Mair & Marti, 2006; Nicholls, 2006). As Cukier, Trenholm, Carl and Gekas (2011) show, the available studies about social entrepreneurship lack for consistency in definitions and the objects of focus, as well as for rigorous comparative analysis. In a content analysis of 567 unique articles concerning ‘social entrepreneur’ or ‘social entrepreneurship’, the authors highlight the existing overlapping between and among different levels of analysis, including studies of individuals (micro), studies of organisations and processes (meso), and broader studies of the economic, political and societal context (macro). They also found that the majority of the journal articles focused are more theoretically grounded than empirically based. Referring to its meaning, definitions of Social Entrepreneurship are often vague, covering a wide variety of activities and representing different models worldwide (Hoogendoon & Hartog, 2011; Kerlin, 2009; Nicholls & Cho, 2006). The multiplicity of actors involved in innovative and social activities, as well as the variety of motives which lie upon their adoption (Baccarani & Pedrollo, 2015) also improve the complexity of the phenomenon. Therefore, the need for a better understanding of social innovation processes in different contexts (e.g. Canestrino, Bonfanti, & Oliaee, 2015) was elicited, thus the present call for articles was announced.
Author Biography
Marek Ćwiklicki
Associate Professor at the Cracow University of Economics, Head of Chair for Management of Public Organisations, Faculty of Public Economy and Administration.
Habilitated doctor of Economics within the discipline of management science (2012), PhD in Economics science within the field of Management Science (2003), MSc in Economics within the specialisation of Public Administration and Economy (CUE, 1998), MSc in Economics within the specialisation of Enterprise Management (CUE, 1998), Master of Business Science Administration (Baltic Sea Management Academy, 1997).
Scientific interests: business administration, organisation studies, organisational theory, infonomics, business history.
Memberships: Society of Scientific Organization and Management (Towarzystwo Naukowej Organizacji i Kierownictwa) (1998-), Association for Information and Image Management – Basic Member (2000-), European Academy of Management (EURAM) (2010-), European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) (2012-).
Member of the Editorial Boards: ‘Zarządzanie Publiczne/Public Governance’, published by the The Malopolska School of Public Administration CUE; ‘Argumenta Oeconomica Cracoviensia’, published by the CUE; ‘Studia Negotia’, published by Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; IEBE (International Academy of Business and Economics) Editorial Board 2006-2013; ‘Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review’ (EBER) - Thematic Editor: Management and Business Studies.
References
- Baccarani, C., & Pedrollo, S. (2015). L’impresa Pedrollo Spa tra innovazione, tecnologia e sostenibilità. Sinergie Italian Journal of Management, 33(98), 61-65.
- Canestrino, R., Bonfanti, A., & Oliaee, L. (2015). Cultural insights of CSI: how do Italian and Iranian firms differ?. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 4(12), 1-9.
- Chell, E. (2007). Social enterprise and entrepreneurship towards a convergent theory of the entrepreneurial process. International Small Business Journal, 25(1), 5-26.
- Cukier, W., Trenholm, S., Carl, D., & Gekas, G. (2011). Social Entrepreneurship: A Content Analysis. Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability, 7(1), 99-119.
- Chell, E. (2007). Social enterprise and entrepreneurship towards a convergent theory of the entrepreneurial process. International Small Business Journal, 25(1), 5-26.
- Hoogendoorn, B., & Hartog, C. (2011). Prevalence and determinants of social entrepreneurship at the macro-level. Scales Research Reports H201022. EIM Business and Policy Research. Retrieved on February 20, 2018 from https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/6480306.pdf
- Kerlin, J.A. (Ed.). (2009). Social enterprise: A global comparison. Medford, Mass.: Tufts University Press.
- Nicholls, A., & Cho, A.H. (2006). Social Entrepreneurship: the structuration of a field. In A. Nicholls (Ed.), Social entrepreneurship: New models of sustainable social change (pp. 99-118). Oxford-New York: Oxford University Press.
- Nicholls, A. (Ed.). (2006). Social entrepreneurship: New models of sustainable social change. Oxford-New York: Oxford University Press.
- Zahra, S.A., Gedajlovic, E., Neubaum, D.O., & Shulman, J.M. (2009). A typology of social entrepreneurs: Motives, search processes and ethical challenges. Journal of Business Venturing, 24(5), 519-532.