Social enterprise development in Ireland: making a case for actor-network-theory

Purpose - The development of social enterprises in Ireland holds much promise with regards to the potential to create innovation and growth within local economies. However, fulfilling this promise requires the ability to recognise the complexities of this multifaced sector. In response, this article proposes Actor-Network-Theory (ANT) as having the theoretical capability to develop and create further progress in social enterprise development in Ireland. Design/methodology/approach - ANT upholds that reality consists of series of heterogeneous networks composed of relations between entities. This relational lens foregrounds the interactions among the varied actors involved in social enterprise. To investigate the capabilities of ANT, this paper aligns ANT with three core areas of concern for social enterprise research: structure, power and shared meaning. Findings - ANT works to address these identified key concerns by bridging the conceptual divide between theory and practice within the social enterprise sector. This brings to light the state of affairs as empirically practiced and not as recognised under traditional dualisms. As a result, the influences which shape the collective reality of social enterprise networks can be empirically investigated. Originality/value - As an alternative sensibility, the core capabilities of ANT lie in the ability of the theory to reclaim an empirical grasp of a local environment. In this instance, it is demonstrated as to how this theoretical approach can be used to understand how growth and development manifests within social enterprise networks. From this, there is a great potential to use these insights to direct change in the place of random, and often contested, growth.