Social change initiated by social entrepreneurs

Abstract

In this chapter we introduce various aspects of social change. The departure point is an overview of social change theories, highlighting Kurt Lewin's 'force fields' change theory and Andrzej Nowak's 'bubbles' theory of social change. Next, we describe the phenomenon of social entrepreneurship and the role of the individual in introducing social change. Then we explore what are the specific methods used by social entrepreneurs that, by enhancing trust and the propensity for cooperation, empower their communities. Also we present field research analyzing the results achieved by social entrepreneurs, especially their impact on the people and societies in the places where they operate. We conclude that social entrepreneurs launch change process that are multi-pronged and that have long-term results on the individual as well as societal levels. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.