Social Entrepreneurship: A Practical Introduction

143 Pages·2022·7.297 MB·English

by  Rasheda L. Weaver

Social Entrepreneurship
Social Entrepreneurship: A Practical Introduction equips aspiring entrepreneurs
with the tools needed to design and launch businesses to create positive so-
cial change in their communities. This accessible textbook aims to educate
and motivate people interested in social entrepreneurship, showing that such
businesses are a valuable part of the community development toolbox. Each
chapter focuses on a key aspect of social entrepreneurship, from value creation
and business planning to impact measurement and scaling up. Different social
business models are presented, with analysis of their strengths and weaknesses.
Cases and examples are included throughout the book and showcase r eal-
life social enterprises in North America, South America, Europe, Australia,
Africa, and the Caribbean. Discussion questions also support reflection and
learning. A downloadable workbook offers support with checklists, social
impact measurement, and other areas. An instructor manual containing test
questions and experiential exercises is also available as a digital supplement for
adopters. This book is ideal for introductory courses in social entrepreneur-
ship and community development. It will also be valuable for those involved
in social enterprises on the ground.
Rasheda L. Weaver, PhD, is one of the world’s leading experts on social
and commercial entrepreneurship. She conducted the first large-scale empir-
ical study on the social, economic, and legal activities of social enterprises in
the United States and is the Founder of Weaver’s Social Enterprise Directory,
Inc. As a Professor, she has taught entrepreneurship to over 1,000 students
globally. She served as the first Assistant Professor for the Hynes Institute for
Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which was established with a $15 million
donation at Iona College in 2017, helping to build its teaching, research, and
service foundation.

Social Entrepreneurship
A Practical Introduction
Rasheda L. Weaver
Designed cover image: Getty
First published 2023
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Rasheda L. Weaver
The right of Rasheda L. Weaver to be identified as author of this
work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library C ataloguing-i n-P ublication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 9781032129464 ( hbk)
ISBN: 9781032129433 ( pbk)
ISBN: 9781003226963 ( ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9 781003226963
Typeset in Bembo
by codeMantra
Access the Support Material: www.routledge.com/ 9781032129433
Contents
Acknowledgments vii
The Purpose of This Book ix
Introduction 1
1 What Is Social Entrepreneurship? 6
2 The Emergence of Social Enterprise across the World 13
3 Assessing Needs to Create Value 24
4 Social Enterprise and Community Development 38
5 Models of Social Impact 47
6 Startup Financing 58
7 Revenue Models 70
8 Business Planning and Launching 80
9 Social Impact Measurement 90
10 Scaling a Social Enterprise 100
vi Contents
11 Social Enterprise Challenges and Success Factors 105
12 Social Enterprise Laws 111
Conclusion 121
Discussion Questions for Educators 125
Index 129
Acknowledgments
I thank Iona College and its Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship and Inno-
vation, the University of Vermont, Rutgers University-C amden, the Asso-
ciation for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action
( ARNOVA), the EMES International Research Network ( EMES), and the
United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship ( USASBE)
for supporting my work. All of these organizations have advanced my devel-
opment and confidence as a scholar by giving me platforms to utilize my
gift and love for writing, research, teaching, and the overall advancement of
human and community development.
I specifically would like to thank my colleagues at Iona College for the
great contributions they have made to my life and work. Dr. Natalie Red-
cross, Dr. Michelle Veyvoda, Dr. Nadine Cosby, Dr. Yaliu He, Dr. Jennifer
Kaalund, the entire Faculty of Color Circle at Iona College, and Danny
Potocki. I thank you for your support, words of encouragement, and for be-
ing there when I needed it.
I thank my research assistants Chyanne Blakey, Riana Khan, and Mai-
mouna Mbacke for the work we have done together throughout my years at
Iona College and for their specific contributions to the development of this
book. It has been a pleasure working with you and watching you evolve.
I thank my parents Angelina and Robert, my cousin Kenisha, my friends
Daysi, Rene, Willa, and Chukwuma for being an amazing support system
for me for years, but especially during the period through which this book
was written. I went through great life challenges while producing this work.
I thank you all for the advice and support that you gave me to help me over-
come these challenges and to thrive in the midst of them.
I thank my children Benjamin Franklin and Havana Rose Weaver for be-
ing everything that they are. Not a day goes by that I don’t feel joy from be-
ing their mother. Their beauty, warm spirits, big personalities, and short, but
wise words beyond their age keep me humble, loyal, focused, and resilient.
I love you.
I thank my late husband Alexander Weaver for being my champion and
greatest supporter. I thank Alexander for believing in me and investing in me
more than anyone in this world and for being my best friend.
viii Acknowledgments
Lastly, I would like to thank myself for not giving up on my dreams, re-
gardless of any challenge that I encounter. I specifically thank my younger
self for having a relentless self-c onfidence, courage, intellect, and love for
humanity that fuels everything I do today. The most powerful weapon on
Earth really is “t he human soul on fire.”
The Purpose of This Book
This book aims to answer a
burning question that I have
had for years…
If I teach good people how
to make money, lots and lots of
money, will they in return do
tremendous good with it? Will
they create deep and lasting im-
pact in their own lives and in
the lives of others? Will they
inspire a new way of thinking
about business, money, and pos-
itive social change?
I am striving to teach good
people how to make money so I
can see whether and how much
good they do with it.
This book is just the begin-
ning of a series of training pro-
grams, conferences, and global
networking opportunities that Dr. Rasheda L. Weaver, PhD
seek to bolster the social entre-
preneurship community worldwide.
Join me on this journey…
to connect commercial business strategies
to the heart and soul of social entrepreneurs.
Let’s equip them to develop and launch sustainable social ventures.