Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the link between social entrepreneurship and sustainable tourism and to examine the Canadian context in this regard. Design/methodology/approach The methodology entails a case study approach that includes a thorough review of the related literature and of any existing Canadian sources of hospitality and tourism social entrepreneurship/intrapreneurship projects to determine the state of the Canadian industry with respect to sustainability. Findings Findings show that there are limited showcased hospitality and tourism social entrepreneurship projects in Canada. Two main assumptions related to the Canadian context can be drawn from this search: (1) There is a lack of hospitality and tourism social entrepreneurship projects and/or, (2) hospitality and tourism social entrepreneurship projects and/or businesses are not recognized and/or there is a lack of awareness of them. Research limitations/implications This study assessed the situation in Canada and although it was comprehensive under conditions of limited data availability, it cannot speak to social entrepreneurship in sustainable hospitality and tourism globally, which is a future research opportunity. Practical implications The design of a national incentive program would encourage industry sustainability through tax breaks. This voluntary system would require that firms provide standardized annual reports with their tax filings so that reliable industry data could be collected for analysis and understanding of the sustainability of the industry. Participating firms would be distinguished on a public list. Originality/value This research has theorized on the connection of social entrepreneurship to sustainable hospitality and tourism such that social entrepreneurship drives sustainable industry growth. This is also the first study of its kind to explore social entrepreneurship’s potential contribution to the sustainability of this industry.

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The confluence of increasing urbanization with climate change, and the associated need to decarbonize the economy, is driving urgency for the global adoption and diffusion of sustainable scalable solutions. IT-enabled, multi-modal transportation, often referred to as the "new mobility", is making inroads in developed and emerging economies alike. Local emerging market entrepreneurs as well as multinationals, seeking transformative innovation strategies to open up new markets are engaging in this rapidly growing industry. This has created an opportunity for innovative indigenous firms in emerging economies to either scale internationally on their own or partner with (often Western) multinationals to define frugal products, services, and business models that address recession-constrained Western markets. Part and parcel to this shift in global engagement is the emergence of a new product development strategy, referred to as reverse innovation (RI). Here, we seek to explore the nexus of RI and the new mobility opportunity, by explicitly recognizing the spillover effects of knowledge transfer and economic development through local firms and, more broadly, the supply chains that internationalize. In fact, some Western companies are outsourcing RI to emerging economy partner firms, thus shifting historical cost-based relationships to value-based engagements. At the core, lies a radical shift in how products and processes are designed, to include: stripping out complexity without sacrificing customer experience; a high degree of customization not through features but by re-using underlying platforms; and customization at the latest stage of the value chain so as to not disrupt materials, components, and subsystems. The potential implications of RI designs and business models on the adoption of frugal innovations in the West are explored, and paths to engaging entrepreneurs in emerging economies are highlighted.

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This perspective documents current thinking around climate actions in Canada by synthesizing scholarly proposals made by Sustainable Canada Dialogues (SCD), an informal network of scholars from all 10 provinces, and by reviewing responses from civil society representatives to the scholars’ proposals. Motivated by Canada’s recent history of repeatedly missing its emissions reduction targets and failing to produce a coherent plan to address climate change, SCD mobilized more than 60 scholars to identify possible pathways towards a low-carbon economy and sustainable society and invited civil society to comment on the proposed solutions. This perspective illustrates a range of Canadian ideas coming from many sectors of society and a wealth of existing inspiring initiatives. Solutions discussed include climate change governance, low-carbon transition, energy production, and consumption. This process of knowledge synthesis/creation is novel and important because it provides a working model for making connections across academic fields as well as between academia and civil society. The process produces a holistic set of insights and recommendations for climate change actions and a unique model of engagement. The different voices reported here enrich the scope of possible solutions, showing that Canada is brimming with ideas, possibilities, and the will to act.