Increasingly, social enterprises are relying on collaboration with partners to tackle the resource constraints that they face. In this research we focus on the strategy of bricolage to explore whether and how the different types of partner becoming involved may impact on the mission of social enterprises. Grounded in resource dependency and transaction cost theories, we explore how power asymmetry and the nature of involvement may impact on the outcomes of bricolage. Our findings demonstrate that in the more integrated relationships with high power asymmetry, more instances of mission drift might be observed compared to when social enterprises develop the more collaborative or complementary nature of partnerships with symmetrical power dependency, or when the partners' involvements are mainly transaction-based.
War and conflict brings about adverse changes for those who are displaced. How do entrepreneurial individuals respond to such adversity to either setup , or continue with their existing entrepreneurial endeavours that would improve their own livelihood or that of others who have been affected? Whilst previous studies have found local knowledge, networks and resources to be crucial in the development of ventures in the war and conflict context, alienation from mainstream society within the host location often means that to succeed, those who are displaced require alternative strategies and approaches. Through examining the entrepreneurship ventures of six internally displaced entrepreneurs in Pakistan, our study identifies that entrepreneurial individuals find different ways to adapt to the new order, with both internal and external bricolage becoming the key strategies deployed to either re-establish their previous business(es) or to develop new endeavour(s) in the host location. To compensate for lack of local knowledge, networks and resources, we found that entrepreneurs followed closely their previous paths in their bricolage attempts, relying on reconfigurations of their preexisting competencies, as well as utilising pre-established and clandestine networks.
Studies have previously examined the path development of entrepreneurs within a penurious environment but what if their path encounters a conflict situation? Does it make the place even more resource-poor and subsequently squeeze out any remaining life from entrepreneurism? Utilising Isaksen's (2014) characterisation of path-dependence, we intend to examine how entrepreneurs negotiate their path through the 'double whammy' of penurious environment and conflict. Through an event-based approach examining the entrepreneurial paths of three wartime entrepreneurs, our study indicates that, whilst the immediate aftermath is chaos leading to limited path-extension and even path-exhaustion, once the initial fog is clear, entrepreneurial individuals find different ways to adapt, not only through path-extension, but also through path-renewal and path-creation. These opportunities are place-dependent, the recognition of which requires considerable local knowledge and resources acquired through experience and prior local investment as well as interdependent networks.
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