Background, Characteristics and Context of Social Entrepreneurship

Abstract

Social entrepreneurship has become a relevant topic in business, society and politics. Public attention has also been aroused through the increasing presence of social entrepreneurs in the media and numerous popular science publications. Here we may mention David Born- stein´s book “How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ide- as” (2004) as well as “The Power of Unreasonable People” by Elkington und Hartigan (Bornstein, 2004, Elkington and Hartigan 2008).1 In his case-study based publication, Born- stein highlights the power (vision, mission and passion) of individual social entrepreneurs in various historical, economic, legal, political and socio-cultural contexts. Many other re- cent publications in this field focus on the person of the social entrepreneur rather than on the economic function of social entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurs act as „change agents and engines“ of social and economic progress and bring about positive change in the economy as well as the society through their pro-active and innovative activities. Literature on social entrepreneurship often focuses on role models such as Muhammad Yunus. Some