The dawn of the 21st century has marked the beginning of an era characterized by a heightened awareness of social issues and an urgent need to address them on a global scale. These challenges are diverse, ranging from degradation and social inequality to health crises. To tackle problems, it is necessary to go beyond traditional boundaries and disciplines. This is where social entrepreneurship comes into play, evolving from a focus on purely economic impacts to addressing more holistic, multi-dimensional societal concerns (Santos, 2012; Zahra et al., 2009).
Entrepreneurship has increasingly recognized the role played by "enablers" or "catalysts" in driving impact. These enablers encompass a range of entities, including businesses, multinational corporations, technological advancements, public policy initiatives, non-profit organizations, and social enterprises (Cajaiba Santana, 2014; Saebi et al., 2019). Together they create an ecosystem that shapes the extent and direction of the impact generated through entrepreneurial activities (Dacin et al., 2010; Battilana et al., 2015).
This special issue of the Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (JSBE) aims to shed light on the interplay between these enablers in catalyzing social impact through entrepreneurship. It calls for studies that reevaluate and deepen our understanding of these factors in the context of the changing landscape of entrepreneurship, which is now characterized by technological advancements and significant socio-political changes (George et al., 2016; Gupta et al., 2020). Furthermore, the purpose of this issue is to bridge the gap between research and practical implementation in social entrepreneurship. It seeks to offer actionable insights that can inform policy, strategy, and execution, making the examination of these enablers both timely and pertinent.
Hence, the call for papers for this special issue aims to solicit original research that sheds light on the various pathways and enablers in catalyzing social impact in entrepreneurship. We aim to cultivate an academic discourse that is grounded in rigorous research, resonates with practitioners, and contributes meaningfully to the evolving practice of social entrepreneurship.
Submissions will be accepted between July 15 and 30 November 2023. For manuscript submission instructions, please refer to the JSBE's instructions for authors.
Topics of Interest include, but are not limited to:
- The role of small businesses and not-for-profit organizations in fostering social entrepreneurship.
- Influence of innovative technologies, including digital platforms and social media, on the advancement of social entrepreneurship.
- Policies, regulatory frameworks, and governmental support to encourage social impact creation.
- The impact of social, economic, and environmental factors on social entrepreneurship.
- Interdisciplinary approaches and innovation in promoting social entrepreneurship.
- Social entrepreneurship education, training, and skill development.
- Empirical studies on the measurable impact of social entrepreneurship on communities.
- The intersection of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and social entrepreneurship.
- Financial models, impact investing, and funding opportunities for social impact projects.
- Partnerships, collaborations, and organizational culture in the ecosystem of social entrepreneurship.
- Ethical considerations in social entrepreneurship.
- Trends, future directions, and post-pandemic opportunities in social entrepreneurship research.
- The role of leadership in shaping and driving social entrepreneurship initiatives.
- Strategies for measuring, evaluating, scaling, and replicating social impact models.
- Innovative business models facilitating social impact.
- Capacity building for social impact creation.
- Exploration of the nexus between technological innovation, social entrepreneurship, and social impact creation.
