Social or Commercial? Innovation Strategies in Social Enterprises at Times of Turbulence. Issue 4 (27th February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ramus, Tommaso; La Cara, Barbara; Vaccaro, Antonino; Brusoni, Stefano
• Is Part Of: Business ethics quarterly. Volume 28:Issue 4(2018)
• Page Start: 463
• Page End: 492
• Publication Date: 2018-02-27
• Subjects: social enterprises, -- innovation strategy, -- social performance, -- commercial performance, -- mission drift; Business ethics -- Periodicals; 174.405
• DOI: 10.1017/beq.2017.55
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1052-150X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In this study, we investigate how different internal and external stakeholders influence the innovation strategy of a social enterprise to adopt product, process, and partnership innovations that impact either social or commercial performance. Relying on survey data from a sample of work integration social enterprises, we find that in situations of turbulence, administrative leaders do not significantly influence the innovation strategy of a social enterprise. Instead, board members and external stakeholders seem to play a role. Our study contributes to strategic and business ethics research on social enterprises and, more broadly, to the literature that explores how business organizations combine social value creation and wealth generation.