Social Entrepreneurship
Theory and Practice

This book is about the creative ways in which social entrepreneurs solve pressing and insurmountable social problems.

Ryszard Praszkier (Author), Andrzej Nowak (Author)

9780521149785, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 17 October 2011

250 pages, 43 b/w illus.
22.6 x 15 x 1.8 cm, 0.34 kg

"...Social Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice provides good, concrete examples of successful social entrepreneurs, an overview of the processes, and a good introduction that offers opportunities for further discussion and motivation for research and development. It would be a valuable asset for any student wanting to learn about the field of social entrepreneurship, the development of social capital, and the functions of networks. The references provide a broad listing of research done on this topic..."
--Mr. George W. Doherty, PsycCRITIQUES

Social Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice is about the creative ways in which social entrepreneurs solve pressing and insurmountable social problems. Theories of social change are presented to help demystify the 'magic' of making an immense, yet durable and irreversible, social impact. Utilizing case studies drawn from various fields and all over the world, the authors document how social entrepreneurs foster bottom-up change that empowers people and societies. They also review the specific personality traits of social entrepreneurs and introduce the new kind of leadership they represent. This book will be valuable to undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students, while remaining accessible to non-academic readers thanks to its clear language, illustrative case studies and guidelines on how to become a successful social entrepreneur.

Part I. Social Entrepreneurship: 1. Defining social entrepreneurship: an overview
2. Dimensions of social entrepreneurship
3. Identifying social entrepreneurship in practice
Part II. The Dynamics of Social Change: 4. Social change theories and dilemmas
5. Equilibrium and complexity
6. Theory of social emergence
Part III. Social Capital Built by Social Entrepreneurs: 7. Social capital
8. Social networks: bedrock of social capital
9. Personality traits that facilitate the building of social capital
Part IV. A New Kind of Leadership: 10. Social entrepreneurship: a dynamical account
11. A new kind of leadership
12. Addressing insurmountable problems and conflicts
Epilogue: the past and the future.

Subject Areas: Management & management techniques [KJM], Entrepreneurship [KJH], Public administration [JPP], Social, group or collective psychology [JMH], Sociology: work & labour [JHBL]