Social Value Creation and Social Innovation by Human Service Professionals: Evidence from Missouri, USA

Monica Nandan, Archana Singh and Gokul Mandayam
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Monica Nandan: Social Work and Human Services, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA
Archana Singh: Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai 400088, India
Gokul Mandayam: School of Social Work, Rhode Island College, Providence, RI 02908, USA

Administrative Sciences, 2019, vol. 9, issue 4, 1-22

Abstract: Owing to the contextual challenges, human service professionals (HSP) are creating social value (SV) for diverse vulnerable population groups through social innovation. This qualitative exploratory study investigates the nature of SV created by 14 HSPs, representing a diverse range of human service organizations (HSOs), and examines ‘why’ and ‘how’ they innovate. In addition, the study examines HSPs’ current understanding and practices related to social entrepreneurship (SE). The study findings highlight that increased accountability and new funding opportunities challenged HSPs to innovate. HSPs created SV by addressing new unmet needs, developing new collaborations, and employing alternative marketing strategies, thereby ensuring the financial sustainability of their programs and organizations, and promoting social and economic justice. Different understandings of SE were voiced based on the educational backgrounds of HSPs. Without formal training in SE, HSPs trained in social work appeared to use various components of the SE process, though in a haphazard fashion compared to those with a non-social work academic training. We suggest that the graduate curriculum across various disciplines should formally include principles and behaviors related to social innovation and entrepreneurship. Finally, more research is needed to understand and describe how HSPs create SV in HSOs.

Keywords: social value creation; social innovation; social entrepreneurship; resource mobilization; collaboration; opportunity recognition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L M M0 M1 M10 M11 M12 M14 M15 M16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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