Value drivers of social businesses: A business model perspective. Issue 3 (June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Spieth, Patrick; Schneider, Sabrina; Clauß, Thomas; Eichenberg, Daniel
• Is Part Of: Long range planning. Volume 52:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: 427
• Page End: 444
• Publication Date: 2019-06
• Subjects: Social business models -- Business model -- Social value creation -- Value driver -- Social business -- Value logics -- Hybrid organizations -- Characteristics of social businesses -- Exploratory study -- Qualitative study; Management -- Periodicals; Business planning -- Periodicals; Gestion -- Périodiques; Management; Periodicals; 658.4012
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lrp.2018.04.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0024-6301

Abstract

Abstract: Hybrid organizational forms that combine commercial and welfare institutional logics play an increasingly important role in addressing the grand societal challenges we face today. Building on the literatures on hybrid organizations and social business models, we explore the characteristics of social businesses from a business model perspective. This study seeks to better understand the particularities and value drivers of hybrid social purpose in contrast to purely commercial business models. We follow a grounded theory approach and our findings are based on interview data from 17 social business firms. Building on social businesses' identified particularities, we propose four value drivers of social business models: 1) responsible efficiency, 2) impact complementarities, 3) shared values, and 4) integration novelties. We link our findings to the literature, contributing new insights into social businesses models and implications for practitioners.