Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual overview of linkages between buen vivir and social enterprise as emerging from a review of the literature regarding indigenous development approaches in Latin America. As reported in the literature such approaches aim to reduce poverty and affirm indigenous cultural identities through the sustainable use of natural resources. Design/methodology/approach -The conceptual arguments build on a review of literature regarding social enterprise, mainly in its European conception, on social and solidarity economy according to several Latin American scholars, and on streams of literature related to indigenous development and indigenous entrepreneurship. Findings -Against the failure of externally-driven developmental policies, social enterprise can be considered as a useful vehicle for indigenous peoples to establish direct control and management of natural resources and territories that constitute an important step towards their self-determination and self-managed development.Research limitations/implications -An empirical validation of the presented argument is lacking in this paper and further empirical work is needed. Originality/value -The paper is an attempt to provide a general conceptualization of social enterprise as a meaningful tool for the development of indigenous peoples in Latin America, bringing together different concepts borrowed from theories on social enterprise, social and solidarity economy and indigenous development.

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Abstract:The interest in the potential role of community enterprises in sustaining self-managed development strategies stems from the analysis of the scarce results provided by top-down development interventions in indigenous settings. This paper reports on an ethnographic study carried out in the Mexican state of Chiapas, where 16 community enterprises managed by local indigenous communities have been analysed. The focus of the analysis was to identify the main needs of local indigenous communities and the contribution that community enterprises could give to addressing these needs. The main findings pinpoint some enabling factors for the emergence of community enterprises and some specific characteristics that explain the contribution of community enterprises in supporting alternative approaches to development, where local communities are actors of their own development processes.