Between state, market and civil society: What constitutes the social in social entrepreneurship?

This chapter focuses on the central Civic Innovation Research Initiative (CIRI) concepts. Social entrepreneurs can be an example par excellence of interlocutors who exercise their agency to push for civic innovations, in the social and in the economic domain. The chapter explores that the social not only refers to the mission of social entrepreneurs but also resides in processes by which these initiatives are conceived and made sustainable. Furthermore, the critique about the lack of effectiveness of their development interventions has induced NGOs to search for market-based interventions as a way to increase sustainability and this in turn has led NGOs to explore social entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurship is a process involving the innovative use and combinations of resources to pursue opportunities to catalyse social change and/or address social needs. While Robinson specifically seeks to advance people understanding of how social entrepreneurs operate in the social sector, particularly in relation to the Base of the Pyramid. This chapter focuses on the central Civic Innovation Research Initiative (CIRI) concepts. Social entrepreneurs can be an example par excellence of interlocutors who exercise their agency to push for civic innovations, in the social and in the economic domain. The chapter explores that the social not only refers to the mission of social entrepreneurs but also resides in processes by which these initiatives are conceived and made sustainable. Furthermore, the critique about the lack of effectiveness of their development interventions has induced NGOs to search for market-based interventions as a way to increase sustainability and this in turn has led NGOs to explore social entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurship is a process involving the innovative use and combinations of resources to pursue opportunities to catalyse social change and/or address social needs. While Robinson specifically seeks to advance people understanding of how social entrepreneurs operate in the social sector, particularly in relation to the Base of the Pyramid.