Outcome-Based Typology of Social Enterprises: Interlacing Individual Transformation, Capital Provision, and Societal Influence

Abstract

Social entrepreneurship has emerged as a global phenomenon aimed at tackling societal grand challenges through market-based activities. A holistic understanding of social enterprise outcomes is crucial for reflecting their effectiveness in meeting social objectives and informing internal organizational processes. This study explores the outcomes of social enterprises through a comparative qualitative analysis of 49 social ventures in Austria, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United States, spanning diverse sectors. Three key outcome dimensions are identified: individual transformation, capital provision, and societal influence. Our analysis results in a typology of seven distinct types of social enterprises, each integrating these dimensions to varying degrees. Utilizing this typology, we reveal how social enterprises navigate barriers to solving complex social and environmental problems, illustrating the dynamic interplay between outcome dimensions and the importance of multi-objective organizing – beyond hybrid organizing – in addressing complex societal issues.