Social Entrepreneurship Measurement Framework for Developing Countries

Objective: this study aims to propose and validate with experts a framework with elements for measuring social entrepreneurship for developing countries. Theoretical framework: social entrepreneurship is approached based on elements from the three main schools of thought: European, American, and of developing countries. Methods: the proposed framework was designed based on a literature review of entrepreneurship models indexed in Web of Science and Scopus databases. The dimensions associated with social entrepreneurship and their potential analysis categories were identified, composing a preliminary framework of indicators validated by a panel of experts using the Delphi technique. Results: the model includes elements of entrepreneurship measurement related to the individual and organizational levels, composing four dimensions, namely: social entrepreneurial intention, social entrepreneurial orientation, processes, and outcomes. It shows that social entrepreneurship in developing countries depends on an orientation toward the social, which is reflected in the desire to solve society’s problems. Thus, in addition to economic value, it generates social and environmental value. Conclusions: among the study’s contributions, the development of a form of assessment for social entrepreneurship in a specific context stands out, since no models for measuring social entrepreneurship were found within this context. The results also tend to contribute to the advance of the field, given that it can become a tool, a measurement model that includes the main characteristic elements of both the entrepreneur and the social enterprise.