Context of Social Entrepreneurship and Background: Definitions, Related Terms, and Characteristics

Abstract

Social entrepreneurship has been the subject of considerable interest in the literature. It has become a global phenomenon by addressing the basic needs of humans, which are neglected, and enriching communities and societies. This chapter introduces the context of social entrepreneurship and its background; it continues by exploring the related terms and characteristics of social entrepreneurship. Over the years, social entrepreneurship has emerged as a distinctive context by integrating the resourcefulness of traditional entrepreneurship with the compelling drive to address social problems. Social entrepreneurship needs to be properly defined and it requires a theoretical framework that links it to the theory of entrepreneurship. The purpose of this chapter is to review and extend the current literature by providing insight about social entrepreneurship in the spectrum of entrepreneurship through value creation. As a result, this chapter suggests implications for social entrepreneurs and boundaries for social entrepreneurship.