The One and the Many Sides of Social Business: A Critical Reflection

Karin Kreutzer () and Stefanie Mauksch ()
Additional contact information
Karin Kreutzer: EBS Business School
Stefanie Mauksch: Leipzig University

Chapter Chapter 13 in Social Business, 2014, pp 225-237 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract The concept of social business has inspired many people world-wide. However, also critical voices have been raised pointing to potential shortcomings of social business models. Especially because the model addresses issues highly relevant to society, it is inevitable to scrutinize its positive effects, but also the challenges involved. In this chapter, we present the four main strengths of social business in fostering positive social change, empowering marginalized groups, producing effective solutions, and defining a new role for business. We then point to four limitations and critically discuss them. Thereby, we elaborate on a set of questions regarding the reach, effects, and sustainability of social business models as well as the degree of participation they achieve. Lastly, we provide an overview of critical management challenges social businesses are facing. We conclude that if social business policies and founders take account of and engage with these challenges, the concept bears considerable potential.

Keywords: Nonprofit Organization; Asperger Syndrome; Initial Public Offering; Social Entrepreneurship; Social Entrepreneur (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-642-45275-8_13

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/9783642452758

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-45275-8_13

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Springer Books from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().