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A New Understanding of the Role of Self-oriented Motivations in the Creation of Social Enterprises

Author

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  • Alice Mascena Barbosa

    (Ivey Business School)

  • Guillaume Dumont

    (EMLYON Business School)

Abstract

Drawing on two long-term ethnographic fieldworks with social entrepreneurs, this article starts to uncover the multilayered nature of the motivations underlying the creation of social enterprises. We investigate the following research question: what types of self-oriented motivations might drive social entrepreneurs? Departing from previous research and popular opinion, which foregrounds the primacy of prosocial intentions, we show the critical role played by self-oriented motives. To explain this finding, we advance three analytical categories of self-oriented motives—entrepreneurial lifestyle, repurposing expertise, and solving a social or environmental puzzle. We then illuminate these categories through the illustrative examples of six social entrepreneurs. Based on our findings, we contend that creating a social enterprise can also be the unintended consequence of adopting entrepreneurial behavior, leading to the creation of a venture guided by these three types of self-oriented motivations. Finally, we consider the implications of this study for the field of social entrepreneurship.

Suggested Citation

  • Alice Mascena Barbosa & Guillaume Dumont, 2024. "A New Understanding of the Role of Self-oriented Motivations in the Creation of Social Enterprises," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 191(3), pages 591-609, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:191:y:2024:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-023-05464-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-023-05464-3
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