Towards Normative Theories of Social Entrepreneurship. A Review of the Top Publications of the Field

Adélie Ranville () and Marcos Barros ()
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Adélie Ranville: Grenoble École de Management
Marcos Barros: Grenoble École de Management

Journal of Business Ethics, 2022, vol. 180, issue 2, No 2, 407-438

Abstract: Abstract In this article, we apply deductive content analysis to the 100 most influential publications in the field of social entrepreneurship (SE) to identify the normative assumptions in SE scholarship. Using eight contemporary schools of thought in political philosophy as a template for analysis, we identify the philosophies underlying SE literature and the important consequences of their (often ignored) normative stances, such as: ambiguous concepts, justifications and critiques, and normative contradictions. Our study contributes to the SE literature by proposing that political philosophy can help to identify what counts as the ‘social’ in SE. We are showing some of the field’s inherent normative tensions that could dampen its impact, and propose ways in which a normative awareness would help to establish a basis upon which to evaluate and demonstrate the social, economic, and cultural impact of SE.

Keywords: Social entrepreneur; Social entrepreneurship; Political philosophy; Normative theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10551-021-04867-4

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