A comparative overview of social enterprise 'ecosystems' in Scotland and England: an evolutionary perspective. Issue 2 (3rd May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hazenberg, Richard; Bajwa-Patel, Meanu; Roy, Michael J.; Mazzei, Micaela; Baglioni, Simone
• Is Part Of: International review of sociology. Volume 26:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 205
• Page End: 222
• Publication Date: 2016-05-03
• Subjects: Social enterprise -- ecosystems -- social policy -- political devolution; Sociology -- Periodicals; 301.05
• DOI: 10.1080/03906701.2016.1181395
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0390-6701

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Social enterprise has been identified as a culturally and socially constructed phenomenon; over recent years there has been increasing focus on how social enterprise 'ecosystems' differ across countries. There has been less focus on the differences in social enterprise ecosystems within countries, where regional differences in the cultural, political and social environment can lead to variations in the environment for support. Recent devolution within the United Kingdom has led to all four countries developing fairly diverse political and policy environments. This paper explores these differences through the lens of evolutionary theory which posits that within an ecosystem all organisms are a product of the evolution of that ecosystem and that socio-political and regulatory differences can lead to the rapid divergence of social enterprise ecosystems.