Entrepreneurship and Societal Change

Abstract

This chapter explores entrepreneurship and societal change through a multi-disciplinary lens. First, we explore entrepreneurship as a facilitator of societal change through addressing societal need and empowerment of people and communities. Second, we explore entrepreneurship born out of societal change. Drawing upon sociology, entrepreneurship, and innovation disciplines, multiple perspectives are considered. We reflect upon the significance of community-led, volunteer-led, and social enterprise and opportunity-driven, needs-driven, and necessity-driven entrepreneurship to society, in both market and consumer-centric focus. Bringing the chapter to a close, contemporary events which have acted as catalysts for changes in society are reflected upon in the context of entrepreneurship, with closing thoughts from the authors answering the question, where do we go from here?