Loading...
6 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
- Social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial ecosystems: an empirical examinationPublication . Bernardino, Susana; Freitas Santos, José; Cadima Ribeiro, J.Entrepreneurial ecosystems and social entrepreneurship are receiving increasing attention for their ability to foster economic and social development. This study adopts the entrepreneurial ecosystem approach to analyse the extent to which the perceived favourability of external environment promotes or deters the launch of new ventures by social entrepreneurs. The research was based on a survey that collected data through a questionnaire emailed to Portuguese social entrepreneurship ventures. The results show that a favourable entrepreneurial ecosystem has low importance in the decision to develop new social ventures. This result is particularly consistent in more innovative social ventures. This conclusion supports the idea that many social ventures are not based on social innovation, but derive from a traditional approach to social problems. Therefore, the development of new innovative social ventures has to be supported by institutional stakeholders in order to support social entrepreneurs, regardless of the level of favourability of the entrepreneurial context.
- Unleashing the intelligence of cities by social innovation and civic crowdfundingPublication . Bernardino, Susana; Freitas Santos, JoséPublic resources to address communities’ needs are increasingly scarce. The digitalization of economies has led to an increasingly distance between citizens and public entities. However, the use of ICT by citizens and public authorities must be able to unleash social innovation potential. These are interrelated concepts that could boost the involvement of people in the economic, social, cultural and political decision-making processes of a community. Based on two case studies described in this article, the authors aim to explore the potential of civic crowdfunding for increasing participation and the collaboration of citizens, firms and government. The analysis shows that civic crowdfunding platforms could be a useful tool for public administration enhance the engagement of communities in the solution of their problems. Civic crowdfunding platforms encourage the development of new ideas for common interest as well as the collection of the resources needed for implementing social innovations. Additionally, these civic platforms may be used to strengthen community ties and leverage the bonds among stakeholders and members of the community ecosystem.
- Territorial innovation, social ventures and local development: an exploratory case studyPublication . Bernardino, Susana; Freitas Santos, JoséSocial innovation is recognized as an important driver of growth and social value creation. Social innovative strategies are often pursued at the local level, by (social) organizations which have a more comprehensive knowledge of the complex social problems that a specific community is facing. The objective of the present study is to analyse the extent to which innovative social ventures are able to contribute to local development. By means of a qualitative approach, based on the case study method, we attempt to illustrate the innovative strategies conceived on the ground by a social venture specifically created to foster the local development of its inhabitants. The results shows that social innovation is a viable strategy to revitalize the economic growth of a region, through the creation of local employment on the basis of village’s traditional activities that are redefined in a new and competitive way. However, to be successful the strategy demands the deep knowledge of existing social problems as well as the availability of endogenous local resources and capabilities that could be used by social entrepreneurs. Therefore, social innovation ensures that local development and social cohesion are achieved in a sustainable way, at the same time that cultural and environmental heritage are also preserved.
- Innovation from below: dynamic capabilities of the territory as a source for new social venturesPublication . Freitas Santos, José; Bernardino, SusanaSocial innovation is a critical factor for the conception of new strategies to deal with increasingly complex social problems. Many of these initiatives are pursued at the local level and are based on the dynamic capabilities of a given territory. Through the analysis of the Cooperative Terra Chã, we assess whether dynamic capabilities of a territory can generate opportunities for social innovation and how they can be exploited by local communities. We observe that by using a integrated strategy for the management of the capabilities of a territory, new social ventures are able to cope with severe social issues that are not being adequately addressed by other stakeholders.
- Local development through social and territorial innovation: an exploratory case studyPublication . Bernardino, Susana; Freitas Santos, JoséThis investigation aims to examine innovation in a selected successful Portuguese social venture (The Cooperative Terra Chã) and to analyse the extent to which innovative social ventures are able to contribute to local development. Specifically, the paper highlights the activities developed by the social organization in response to the needs of particular (micro) segments of society and illustrates which key factors triggered the success of the examined social initiative. A case study methodology is used to describe the distinctive characteristics and strategies pursued by the managers of the social venture and to establish the links between the opportunities for social innovation and the territory. The data collected for the study were triangulated from desk research and from in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted with privileged actors. The results show that social innovation is a viable strategy to revitalize the region’s socio-economic tissue, through the creation of new economic activities and consequently local employment that are based on the village’s traditional activities. This strategy seeks to achieve sustainable economic growth and well-being for the people of the region. However, to be successful, the strategy demands a deep knowledge of existing social problems as well as the availability of endogenous local resources and capabilities for use by social entrepreneurs. In this context, social innovation should be a participatory process, in which different entities and the beneficiaries of social programs were active players.
- Building smarter cities through social entrepreneurshipPublication . Bernardino, Susana; Freitas Santos, JoséThe objective of the present study is to examine the extent to which social ventures are able to increase the “smartness” of cities. To achieve this goal, we adopt a qualitative approach using a case study method to obtain valuable insights about different characteristics and strategies of Cais (a non-profit association dedicated to helping disadvantaged people in urban areas). Through our analysis of Cais’s activities, we assess whether its social interventions match the dimensions proposed by Giffinger et al. (2007) to rank smart cities’ performance; specifically, it has smart: economy, people, governance, mobility, environment, and living. The research shows that the action pursued comprises elements from all the above-mentioned dimensions. Further, the analysis reveals that Cais reinforces the smartness of the city in which it acts (in terms of attributes such as living, economy, people, and environment).