Building Sustainable Rural Communities through Indigenous Social Enterprises: A Humanistic Approach

Abstract

This article follows a humanistic management approach to analyze how indigenous social enterprises contribute to building sustainable rural communities. To this end, I first explore the process of how these entities were formed and developed the necessary capabilities to generate such outcomes. Then, I examine the strategies indigenous social enterprises create to engage in value creation activities with the community and their main outcomes. Such outcomes are finally classified by the problems they addressed according to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), since one of the gaps in the literature indicates a lack of studies that relate specific SDGs with the outcomes of social enterprises in developing countries. This article follows a qualitative approach, a case study research strategy, and uses semi-structured interviews as the main data collection instrument. Evidence from four cases of indigenous social enterprises in Latin America suggests that these entities originate as a result of a major crisis that affects the dignity of the individuals and compromises the socio-economic dynamics of the communities. Second, local leadership urges a response that takes the form of a social enterprise that follows local principles and governance and pursues dignity protection, sustainability, and cultural reaffirmation. As a result, the communities have increased their levels of well-being and sustainability, linked to SDGs such as good health, decent work, reduced inequalities, public infrastructure, sustainable communities, and partnerships for the goals. This article also sheds light on how a humanistic management approach can contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of social enterprises, as these humanistic principles and practices seem to be naturally promoted by social entrepreneurs.

Is the Buen Vivir of indigenous social enterprises in Colombia informing SDGs?

“…The findings show that ISEs address most of the SDGs spite the unfamiliarity and unawareness of the indigenous peoples and that these ISES are contributing to the society, socio-economic benefits and peace conflict in Colombia. This is in line with a study conducted by Vázquez-Maguirre (2020) that demonstrated how ISEs generate strategies that have a positive impact on the prosperity of the stakeholders and contribute to the community sustainability. We consider that UN SDG supporters should recognise the BV ISEs as an alternative approach under different assumptions that lead to many of the same positive outcomes envisioned for SDGs misusing the ill effects for indigenous communities.…”

Embeddedness as a Differentiating Element of Indigenous Entrepreneurship: Insights from Mexico

“…In regards to Indigenous enterprises, the common good is sought and, as a consequence of it, economic gains can be obtained [39]. From this perspective, social entrepreneurship contributes to the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDG), by encouraging economic development [36] and providing sustainable communities [40].…”

“…In this way, it is also verified that Indigenous entrepreneurship, as a form of social entrepreneurship, contributes to the achievement of SDGs, by encouraging the economic development of these communities [36] once sustainable communities are built [40]. This work has certain limitations.…”

NasiQu: Designing Mobile Applications with the Concept of Social Entrepreneurship for Hunger People Using Agile Methods

“…The difficulties with the DSE model have also been looked at, including how important it is to get institutional support from various levels of both non-governmental and governmental organizations in general [18], [19], challenges and needs for how to be able to package business in alternative and unique ways for various respondents [20], [21], and the needs of employees involved in job transitions. social culture from their home community to the workplace [22]. The breakthroughs and innovations that are presented through DSE are by building a relationship between digital works and the recipient's needs, where there are two essential skill elements, namely operator skills that focus on the core of the digital business with skills that are not related to digital, such as interaction and communication between people and users [23].…”