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The social entrepreneurship value cycle: generation, appropriation, devolution and transformation of sustainable value

Leandro da Silva Nascimento (School of Management, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil)
Diego S. Silva (Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, SENAI CIMATEC University Center, Salvador, Brazil)
Adriana Fumi Chim-Miki (Management Department, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campina Grande, Brazil and Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies (GOVCOPP), Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal)
Júlio César da Costa Júnior (Coordination of Research, Postgraduate Studies and Innovation (CPPI), Teaching Department, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Ceará, Ubajara, Brazil)
Viviane Santos Salazar (Department of Hospitality and Tourism, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil)

Social Enterprise Journal

ISSN: 1750-8614

Article publication date: 2 October 2024

79

Abstract

Purpose

Social entrepreneurship literature emphasizes the creation of social value for society from three main concepts – generation, appropriation and devolution - that form a value cycle. This paper aims to analyse how social enterprises operationalize this cycle to create positive social impact.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a multi-case approach, conducting semi-structured interviews with founders of Brazilian social enterprises.

Findings

This study empirically supports the existence of the value cycle and identifies an additional stage –value transformation – emerging from the data. While the initial three stages occur within social enterprises, value transformation unfolds within served communities. This stage not only facilitates the conversion of value types (e.g. social to economic or environmental) but also stimulates the formation of new social enterprises. Consequently, this paper proposes a comprehensive social entrepreneurship value cycle encompassing generation, appropriation, devolution and transformation of value.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to clarifying concepts and mitigating theoretical ambiguities surrounding social value creation in the context of social entrepreneurship. It provides a framework for understanding the underlying principles of each stage in the value cycle, thereby empowering scholars and practitioners to enhance the innovative mission of social enterprises and drive social change within underserved communities.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Funding: Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES).

Citation

Nascimento, L.d.S., Silva, D.S., Chim-Miki, A.F., Costa Júnior, J.C.d. and Salazar, V.S. (2024), "The social entrepreneurship value cycle: generation, appropriation, devolution and transformation of sustainable value", Social Enterprise Journal, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/SEJ-01-2024-0002

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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