Title: Understanding social enterprise performance - a business model approach

Authors: Giorgi Jamburia; Jean-Marie Courrent

Addresses: University of Montpellier, Rue Vendémiaire, CS 19519, 34960 Montpellier Cedex 2, France ' University of Montpellier, Montpellier Management Institute, Rue Vendémiaire, CS 19519, 34960 Montpellier Cedex 2, France

Abstract: This paper aims to provide a better understanding of the performance of social enterprises within a sustainability approach. The conceptual model proposes that the major aspect of sustainability lies in the implementation of business models that create a balance between social and economic value creation. The hypotheses were tested on a sample of 115 Swedish work integration social enterprises (WISEs), and an analysis of the results suggests that social imprinting and partner network strength are positively related to social performance, whereas social bricolage has a positive effect on both social and economic performance. The social and economic performances of social enterprises are also positively associated with each other, suggesting the possibility that WISEs can be simultaneously successful in both dimensions.

Keywords: social entrepreneurship; social enterprises; social enterprise performance; social performance; economic performance; business models; partner network; social imprinting; social bricolage; work integration social enterprises.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2024.137754

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2024 Vol.52 No.1, pp.1 - 27

Received: 16 Dec 2020
Accepted: 15 Jul 2021
Published online: 05 Apr 2024 *

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