Is there a Nexus between Social Entrepreneurship and the Employability of Graduates?

Abstract

Social entrepreneurs have, in several ways, been regarded as engines of intense socioeconomic development. They are also famous for intervening with projects for society's problems that are often either inadvertently ignored or inadequately managed by mainstream society. The issue of graduate employability has gained increased tension around the world especially in emerging markets such as South Africa. Currently, suggestions are that considering the avowed contribution of social entrepreneurs, it may be worthwhile to start examining how they can assist with graduate employability in South Africa. This paper, therefore, takes an exploratory yet focused scrutiny of the social entrepreneurship ecosystem to find out the likelihood of social entrepreneurs participating in programs that prepare students for the workplace, thereby reducing graduate unemployability. This is a conceptual paper that has benefitted from an extensive review of literature. Conclusions are drawn therefrom to suggest that opportunities exist for social entrepreneurs to provide practical, project-based learning opportunities for college and university students so that by the time they graduate, they have attained reasonable work-readiness levels that stand them in good stead for employment. While the authors propose an intensive empirical study of the subject matter, we are equally positive that this paper may be used to advance the current platforms of engagement of the role of social entrepreneurs or grow innovative methods that provide graduates with a better chance to be successful in the working environment. In short, this paper calls for sustained discussions on how social entrepreneurs can improve graduate employability.

The role of social entrepreneurship in socio-economic development: a meta-analysis of the nascent field

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The Social Art of Wealth Creation: Unpacking Alternative Philosophy for Inclusive Socio- economic Development in South Africa

“…There are many characteristics of social enterprises elucidated in the literature, of which some are useful in building the philosophical foundations for social entrepreneurship [16][17][18][19]. For instance, Mandyoli, Iwu and Nxopo [20] identi ed seven key characteristics which are the social mission, value creation, value capture, innovation, reinvesting pro t, impact, and market-based. Categorically, this can be summarized in twofold.…”

Graduate employability skills of business students: the moderating role of reflective practices

“…Coetzee and Esterhuizen (2010) define employability as a set of proactive behaviours and abilities that assist graduates in obtaining access to employment and maintaining employment by successfully adapting and performing optimally. As already indicated above, it is becoming increasingly important for institutions of higher education to demonstrate that the skills and attributes of their graduates contribute positively to their employability skills upon completion of their studies (Mandyoli et al, 2017). Jackson and Wilton (2017) describe employability as the individual's ability to effectively present and use what he/she knows in a particular work context.…”