Transcript Social Enterprise: Towards a differentiated approach

Social Enterprise: Towards
a differentiated approach
Simon Teasdale
Institute for Volunteering
Research
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Presentation Outline
Introduction
 Tensions in Social Enterprise
 Forms of Social Enterprise: A preliminary
typology
 Research Design
 Selection of case study organisations
 Findings
 Implications for policy and practice

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Introduction
My background in Social Enterprise
 To what extent can Social Enterprise
combat exclusion
 All rhetoric, no reality
 Need to differentiate between types of
Social Enterprise

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Why classify?
Different approaches to classification
 Overlapping streams of literature

– Co-operative
– Social Business
– Voluntary Sector
– Community Sector
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Tensions in Social Enterprise
Individual v Collective
 Social v Economic
 Forms of Social Enterprise: A preliminary
typology

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Forms of Social Enterprise: A
preliminary typology
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Research Design
Literature Review
 Selection of geographic location
 Mapping / Scoping Exercise
 Case Study research
 Themes for analysis

– The multi-faceted social enterprise
– Differentiated impact
– Social Enterprise, Capital and Exclusion
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Selection of case study
organisations
Ideal
Type
Case
Study Org
People - Pounds
Individual Collective
Internal
External
Internal External
Community Global
Enterprise Theatre
Productions
People
People
Collective Collective
Non-Profit
Enterprise
Borderline People
Supported
Housing
Individual Borderline
Community Community
Business
Times
Pounds
Borderline Individual Collective
Social
Business
Pounds
Borderline Individual Borderline
Health 4 All
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Findings
Theme
Associated Finding
The multi-faceted social
enterprise
Social Enterprises are seen as a different entity
by different stakeholders
Social Enterprises are able to portray a
different façade to different observers
Different responses to
tackling exclusion
The
The
The
The
Relationship between
bonding and bridging
social capital
Bonding social capital develops inclusion within
a group
Bridging social capital develops inclusion within
wider society
The distinction between the two is not clear-cut
provision of employment to local people
provision of services to excluded people
development of bridging social capital
development of bonding social capital
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The multi-faceted social enterprise
(1)
Social Enterprises are seen as different
entities by different stakeholders
 Successful Social Enterprises are able to
portray a different façade to different
observers

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The multi-faceted Social Enterprise
(2): Global Theatre Productions
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The multi-faceted Social Enterprise
(3): Community Times
Sell
advertising
space
Link
Businesses
together
ILM
Social
Events
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Different responses to tackling
exclusion
Means of
tackling
exclusion
(For
beneficiaries)
Community Non-profit
Enterprise Enterprise
(GTP)
(Supported
Housing)
Community
Business
(Community
Times)
Social
Business
(Health 4
All)
Employment Low
None
Medium
High
Services
None
High
None
High
Bonding
social
capital
High
High
Medium
Low
Bridging
social
capital
Medium
Low
Medium
Low
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Relationship between bridging and
bonding social capital





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Not easily distinguishable, people can bond or bridge
across the same dimension e.g. ethnicity
Bonding develops as a response to exclusion from wider
society
Develops in-group solidarity
Those involved in organisational capacity form links /
bridges with other organisations and institutions
Where excluded people are involved in organisational
capacity, bridging social capital benefits them directly
However, only benefits those with pre-existing advantage
e.g. human capital
Bridging social capital can be used for individual or
collective benefit
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Implications for policy and practice


Social Enterprises aren’t always what they seem
Different forms of Social Enterprise have
different impacts:
–
–
–
–
People-focused orgs generate bonding soc capital
Pounds-focused orgs provide employment
Collective-focused orgs develop bridging soc capital
Individual-focused orgs deliver services
A tendency to focus on what works (what can be
counted) ignores smaller people-focused and /
or collective orgs
 My research suggests that it is democratic
process which works in combating exclusion
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