A conceptual overview of What We Know About Social Entrepreneurship

“The idea of ‘social entrepreneurship’ has struck a responsive chord,” wrote Dees (1998, p. 1). One may conclude that in the 10 years since Dees’ statement, the “responsive chord” has only become more responsive, given the growing attention from media, support organizations, policymakers, and targeted university research centers and teaching programs. Where entrepreneurship is widely acknowledged for bringing growth and economic wealth to society, social entrepreneurship is assumed to play the same role in creating social wealth in times where pressing social and ecological needs are abundant.