Linking entrepreneurship and society: solutions for today and tomorrow
International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research
ISSN: 1355-2554
Article publication date: 20 December 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Motivated by the constant daily emerging social challenges worldwide, this special issue analyzes how entrepreneurship becomes a mechanism for social change under different institutional settings. A brief reference to the content of each of the articles included in this special issue is presented.
Design/methodology/approach
Institutional theory at the macro, meso and individual levels is utilized to further comprehend the inherent complexities involved in the entrepreneurship–society nexus. A brief literature analysis is offered for the different research questions that framed the current special issue.
Findings
By exploring the extant research and the articles collected in this special issue, we find that social, sustainable, immigrant and ethnic entrepreneurship, among others, emerge as a response to exclusion and market failures. However, we also observe that other forms of entrepreneurship, such as opportunity-driven, self-employment, senior, etc. transcend economic purposes to pursue societal outcomes.
Social implications
Our results serve to inform scholars, policymakers and practitioners about the importance of integrating and coordinating actors and elements in national, regional, university and community ecosystems to guarantee entrepreneurial activities that bring inclusion and social solutions as a natural mission and action.
Originality/value
Our paper offers insights into how to bridge entrepreneurship and society. This stems from the institutional analysis of entrepreneurship as a catalyst for personal realization, industrial development, economic growth and social inclusion.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
David Audretsch acknowledges the Institute for Development Strategies at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) at Indiana University for constant support. Sebastian Aparicio as a Serra Hunter Fellow acknowledges the Serra Hunter Programme and the Catalan government for constant support. Additionally, Sebastian acknowledges COLCIENCIAS Ph.D. programme (617/2013), as well as Sapiencia-Enlaza Mundos (Municipio de Medellín) for financial support during Ph.D. studies. Mat Hughes acknowledges support from the University of Leicester. Likewise, Sebastian Aparicio and David Urbano acknowledge the financial support from the projects PID2022-141777NB-I00 (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation) and 2021 SGR 00719 (Research and Universities Department, Catalan Government). Finally, David acknowledges ICREA under the ICREA Academia programme.
Citation
Audretsch, D.B., Aparicio, S., Hughes, M.(M). and Urbano, D. (2024), "Linking entrepreneurship and society: solutions for today and tomorrow", International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-08-2024-0864
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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