Social entrepreneurship: Lithuanian case study

Social entrepreneurship is a process in which, using business principles, a company is organized and managed in such a way as to achieve social change in society. Whereas a business measures its success solely by the amount of profit, a social business also measures the results of its positive activities in society. The article aims to examine the theoretical aspects of social entrepreneurship and present an analysis of cases of social entrepreneurship in Lithuania. The article analyses the concept of social entrepreneurship, investigates cases of social entrepreneurship in Lithuania, and presents interviews with experts about social entrepreneurship. The aim of the study was to find out the prospects of social entrepreneurship in Lithuania. The study showed that social businesses mainly operate in education, integration into the labour market, and support for children/adults/families. Considering the development trends of the social economy, the development of social business in Lithuania should also take place by encouraging traditional private companies to get involved in solving social problems. Social business focuses primarily on a social mission, while socially responsible business focuses on profit, but with social and environmental impact in mind a socially responsible business deals with the solution of social problems as a short-term one-time/periodic initiative, the solution of social problems is not the goal of the activity.