A Conceptual System of Antecedents and Processes in Social Entrepreneurship Opportunity Identification

Abstract

Aiming to complement and ground the theory of social entrepreneurship opportunity identification, we draw from a database of 2,872 entrepreneurs’ life stories with two main objectives. The first is to provide a comprehensive list and categorization of antecedents of opportunity identification in the context of social entrepreneurship. The second is to demonstrate the systemic interconnections between those and build a model of social entrepreneurship opportunity identification. We review the literature and establish a framework of five high-order key antecedents’ areas (context, background, social networks and interactions, affect, and cognitive process). We then proceed to a five-step empirical triangulation methodology mixing computerized and manual content analysis. We thereby identify 42 antecedents nested into 17 first-level items grouped into the five high-order key antecedents’ areas. Our detailed results shed light on a wide array of previously ignored antecedents and provide more precisions about those that had already been documented elsewhere. Finally, we highlight and explain the relationships between the antecedents, show that they constitute an “opportunity growing ground,” and present a full model of social entrepreneurship opportunity identification based on their interconnections. The context of the social entrepreneur combines stable features regarding access to various resources, a strong geographical identity and history, the encounter of several worlds, all condition or are conditioned by his/her social networks and background. This context is also subject to diverse constraints and institutional barriers that can shape the entrepreneur’s background, her/his experiences, as well as his/her affect specificities. This stable context is at some point hit by elements of change that disrupt this stability, triggering chains of reactions between the various antecedents of opportunity identification.

Exploring the role of narrative in social enterprise and social innovation

“…, 2021; Liu and Liang, 2021; Stirzaker et al. , 2021; Vial and Richomme-Huet, 2021), motivations for becoming and continuing to be a social entrepreneur (Mody et al. , 2016; Yitshaki and Kropp, 2016; Kropp et al.…”

“…The majority of articles in this theme are of a descriptive nature and use forms of narrative analysis to explore opportunity identification for and pathways into social entrepreneurship (Chandra and Shang, 2017;Itelvino et al, 2018;Asarkaya and Keles Taysir, 2019;Alvarez de Mon et al, 2021;Liu and Liang, 2021;Stirzaker et al, 2021;Vial and Richomme-Huet, 2021), motivations for becoming and continuing to be a social entrepreneur (Mody et al, 2016;Yitshaki and Kropp, 2016;Kropp et al, 2017;Milczarczyk, 2019;Sadílek et al, 2022) or experiences of being and strategies for thriving or surviving as a social entrepreneur in India (Padhy and Bhaskar, 2021), the Philippines (Caringal-Go and Canoy, 2019), China (Hsu, 2017), during the Covid-19 pandemic (Borzaga and Tallarini, 2021), as a single elderly woman (Meliou et al, 2019) or women of colour (Schachter, 2022).…”

Cultural Heritage and Social Adaptation: The Internalization of Paddisengeng Values by the Bugis-Bone Ethnicity in Masamba Village

“…Social psychology theories on empathy and identification processes offer a relevant framework for understanding the positive impact of these values' internalization. Empathy, the ability to understand and feel what others are feeling (Akinbobola & Zugwai, 2019), and identification, where an individual adopts another's values or attitudes as their own (Vial & Richomme-Huet, 2021), are critical aspects of internalizing paddisengeng values. Through the teaching and practice of these values, the Bugis-Bone ethnicity in Masamba Village has successfully instilled a deep sense of compassion and care in human social interactions and their relationship with nature, ensuring that these values continue to live and be cherished by future generations.…”

Hunting the Best Opportunity Through the Arrow of General Decision-Making Styles: Unfolding the Role of Social Capital and Entrepreneurial Intention

“…It revealed that the decision to exploit opportunity is due to the relationship between individual differences and discovery theory ( Li et al, 2020b ). It became challenging to examine the individual differences and variations in opportunity simultaneously, so this approach becomes irrelevant to entrepreneurial general decision-making styles (GDMSs) ( Jones and Barnir, 2019 ; Vial and Richomme-Huet, 2021 ).…”