Entrepreneurial Orientation in Social Entrepreneurship: A Systematic Literature Review and Research Agenda

Abstract

This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) in social entrepreneurship to clarify theoretical boundaries, integrate diverse findings, and identify research gaps. The “Theory–Context–Characteristics–Methodology” (TCCM) framework is adopted to analyze 81 articles on EO in social entrepreneurship. The review reveals that the field remains fragmented due to diverse theoretical and empirical contributions. The study highlights the need for future research to adapt theoretical perspectives to understand EO’s unique and hybrid aspects in social entrepreneurship, expand empirical research into under-represented geographical areas, conduct more longitudinal and qualitative studies to track changes in EO over time, and explore new variables that can further our understanding of EO in social entrepreneurship. The novelty of this study lies in the application of the TCCM framework to systematically analyze the literature on EO in social entrepreneurship. This framework facilitates the organization and evaluation of theoretical underpinnings, methodologies, contexts, and variables to identify relevant research gaps and future directions on the topic.