Grassroots entrepreneurs and social change at the bottom of the pyramid: the role of bricolage

Soumodip Sarkar

Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 2018, vol. 30, issue 3-4, 421-449

Abstract: This study explores how entrepreneurs living and working at the ‘bottom of the pyramid’ overcome acute resource constraints to create something from nothing. In a departure from most previous studies that consider those at the bottom either as potential consumers or as recipients of aid, we look at grassroots entrepreneurs. Despite extremely challenging conditions, they are able to assemble resources and to combine and align principles of business strategy and social value creation to effect important economic and social change. Using a resource based view lens, we redirect the spotlight onto the individual entrepreneur in social entrepreneurship and extend the study of bricolage to that field. We rely on inductive methodology applied to eight cases to unpack the resource assembly process of such entrepreneurs, revealing distinctive features of bricolage such as the setting aside of cultural norms, the rejigging of domain-specific skills, and the use of spare time.

Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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DOI: 10.1080/08985626.2017.1413773

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