Social Entrepreneurship Revisited

The word social enterprise has been in vogue for some time now. The use of the term by U.S President Barack Obama’s administration has lent the sector added visibility (and perhaps credibility). But what does social entrepreneurship mean?

This is the question that Paul C. Light, a professor at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service addresses in his essay, Social Entrepreneurship Revisited.

Light points out that while there is consensus on the general definition of the term, the specifics are grainy. While some empahsize the role of the individual – the changemaker – others focus on the idea, the opportunity and the system that enables them.

The article points to key insights that Light gained through his three year study of the sector. Among the key insights he puts forward are: social entrepreneurs are not like other achievers, socially entrepreneurial ideas are big, opportunities for grand change comes in waves, socially entrepreneurial organizations are built for change.

Read more of Light’s findings here.