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Research on social enterprise and social entrepreneurship has sought to examine the role that can be played by selling to the public sector in the generation of social enterprises' traded income. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the perceived barriers to engaging in a procurement relationship from the point of view of social enterprise practitioners and public sector procurement professionals.

This paper stems from focus group work carried out during 2007 with social enterprise practitioners and public sector procurement professionals.

The analysis of these “voices” demonstrates the progress that has been made in various parts of the UK towards a procurement relationship between the public sector and the social enterprise sector that is more mutually beneficial. However, it also permits reflection on the barriers and challenges that still remain for social enterprises that wish to sell to the public sector.

This paper, therefore, highlights the key areas of support that are needed by both sides in order to create a more productive two‐way relationship. In turn, this allows the paper to reflect on how future research into this topic can support action “on the ground”.

To study the reasons why UK social enterprises are not yet fulfilling their potential due to the lack of support and trust on the part of key decision makers.

The study was based in Tees Valley, the southernmost sub‐region in northeast England, which has suffered from a decline in its traditional industries over the past 30 years. Reports the results of in‐depth qualitative interviews with 18 local authority economic regeneration officers and leading local strategic partnership managers across the five borough councils as key stakeholders across Tees Valley to explore potential barriers to the development of the social enterprises sector in this sub‐region. Explains that each interview focused on: perceived differences in the culture of the social enterprise sector compared with private business and the public sector; representation of the sector in key decision making in the sub‐region; the potential for developing entrepreneurship and foresight in the sector; and opinions on the level of support required for capacity building.

The results indicated that key stakeholders in the public sector assume that there is a value continuum between the voluntary and community sector, through the social enterprise sector, to the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, while the assumption is also that the closer an organization is to the voluntary and community sector, the more likely that it will be driven by its social values. Supports the view that social enterprises are both “value led” and “market driven”.

Draws on previously unpublished data from a research project that aimed to assess the size, shape and scope of the social enterprise sector for Tees Valley Partnership.

This paper aims to investigate the issue of performance measurement of social enterprises with main particular focus on economic performance approach reflecting local aspect, since the local aspect plays a significant role in social entrepreneurship concept. Thus, comparison of two instruments that consider local aspects: local multiplier 3 (LM3) and Input-Output analysis is examined. Input-Output analysis is empirically used to calculate social enterprises’ impact on the Czech economy and to confirm the assumption to be more suitable instrument for economic performance measurement of social enterprises in comparison to local multiplier 3 method.

The research adopted two-phase approach. At first a qualitative approach was used to compare the two selected instruments (LM3 and Input-Output analysis). Consequently, a quantitative research was applied to determine the impact of social enterprises’ activities on the economies of individual regions. The research was carried out on a sample of social enterprises (143 subjects) in the Czech Republic covering the year 2015. For this approach, Symmetric Input-Output tables and multipliers were calculated and revenue data from each observed social enterprise were used.

The findings of the research indicate effects of social enterprises’ activities on the economy in individual regions of the Czech Republic. The results clearly show that the impact of social enterprises on the Czech economy is not negligible. Calculated impacts differ in sectors as well as in regions. Besides, of these findings, the assumption that the Input-Output analysis is more appropriate instrument for economic performance measurement of social enterprises, especially in situation of a larger sample of social enterprises in different regions, in comparison to LM3 method, was confirmed.

The limitations of this study is the dependence on the Symmetric Input-Output tables, which are usually published by local statistical offices and it takes some time to construct them. A more significant limitation and future research direction relates to the lack of generally accepted measurement framework in the sector of social enterprises and lack of the data, especially quantitative, in the Czech Republic.

The findings of the research represent a significant contribution to the process chain of understanding the role of social enterprises in (local) economy. The lack of proven impact of social enterprises to economy is considered as important limit of this sector development, not only from the perspective of investors and donors but also from the perspective of policymakers and even social enterprises themselves. The Input-Output analysis can be applied for any region of any country and can contribute to reduce scepticism about economic performance of social enterprises, thus to support putting social and environmental goals of social enterprises into practice.

This research has been carried out on the so far largest identified sample of social enterprises in the Czech Republic and provides data for discourse among stakeholders about social enterprises’ impact; thus, it enables to understand their impact and make capable to enlarge their support network and development.

This research is a pioneering attempt to provide data about economic impact of social enterprises using Input-Output analysis in the Czech Republic. No previous research identifies such a large sample of Czech social enterprises and collects quantitative data about them, as well as considers Input-Output analysis as an option instead of LM3 method. The effort of this research has been to react on a research gap in studies related to the impact of social enterprises (reflecting local aspect). This paper could be understood as beneficial not only from the perspective of the Czech Republic but also worldwide.

To study some of the difficulties involved in defining the nature of social enterprises and the environments in which they operate in order to provide a framework to show how and where social enterprises fit in the overall social economy.

The complexity of organizations involved in the spectrum of the social economy is discussed in terms of the literature to show how many social enterprises in the UK and worldwide can be categorized as small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Discusses the ambiguity prevalent in the social economy concerning the terms and concepts of “not for profit”, “non‐profit”, social enterprise and social entrepreneur and illustrates the successes, failures and difficulties of the social enterprise sector.

The four key issues which the definitional debate needs to address, comprise: voluntary participation; independence from the state; the concept of profit (profit making, appropriateness of profit making from certain activities, profit maximization, profit distribution); and ownership and corporate governance. Illustrates the points made in the article with particular reference to three case studies involving: Edinburgh Lothian Council On Alcohol (ELCA) (company limited by guarantee with charitable status); First Scottish University Credit Union Ltd (FSUCUL) (credit union); and Forth Sector (social firm).

Sorts out some of the difficulties and complexities in the definition and classification of social enterprises.

To identify the challenges faced by UK social enterprises in their attempts to develop the kind of support needed to achieve their social, economic and environmental objectives.

The history of social enterprise development in the UK is traced, focusing on some of the key problems of definition and complexity within the social enterprise sector. Examines some of the current problems facing social enterprises in terms of the provision of business support. Reports the results of a survey of 28 key informants working in 30 social enterprises (20 drawn from Triodos Bank’s client list, 10 non‐Tiodos Bank clients) to gather data relating to: business profile; technical profile; business support; evaluation of business support; and the role of social businesses in the UK and the quality and level of support available to the sector. Includes results for five organizations from two specific industry sectors for more detailed research (electrical and electronic waste refurbishment sector, care sector).

The results indicated that the current needs of social enterprises are not being met by the current provision for such organizations since such provision fails to address the strategic tension that exists between social and business purpose. Concludes with recommendation for providers of business support and advice to the social enterprise sector.

The sample was skewed towards organic related businesses (farming, wholesale/retailing of organic products) and fewer care‐related businesses than anticipated from national statistics were included.

Provides important results based on research commissioned by Triodos Bank, an ethical and social bank that lends to social enterprises across the UK.

The global economic fallout following the unexpected onset and rapid spread of COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, in early 2020, has necessitated international and national action plans towards new normal models of realignment in enterprise bottom-line and management. In 2020, ‘Supporting Small Business through the COVID-19 Crisis’ was declared the lead theme of the MSME Day – June 27 – by the UN. A ‘COVID Response Alliance for Social Entrepreneurs’ was launched by an affiliate of the World Economic Forum (WEF). Drawing inspiration from the ‘small business’ focus of the UN MSME Day declaration and the ‘social entrepreneurship’ perspective of the WEF, the study seeks to draw few perceptions and conclusions in the post-COVID economic recovery context of India, where Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are observed to be a key driver of development, thanks to an add-on supportive package in the wake of the COVID-19 economic crisis. It is found that the package fails to provide a direct push for promotion of social enterprises/entrepreneurship in the Indian MSME sector, as there is no focused policy approach on leveraging ‘entrepreneurship resources’. Hence, the general trend of the sector continues to be dominated by the ‘for-profit first’ concern rather than a fair blend of ‘social value creation first’, with ‘profit’. Discourse on social entrepreneurship and action-oriented rehabilitation tools proposed in the Covid context globally have failed to reorient the dominant outlook of social enterprises in India – business as a tool for achieving social impact – to social impact as a spontaneous/positive outcome from business. The study highlights the lapses on the ground, of theoretical formulations, despite their couching in Covid contexts, and the need for a more institutionalised enabling environment for social value creation, impact investment and social stock exchange in the social enterprise ecosystem.

There is still no universal definition of the third sector in Europe, but it can be seen as including all types of non-governmental not-for-profit entities such as non-profit organizations, mutuals, cooperatives, social enterprises and foundations. This article attempts to make sense of the current shifting conceptualization of the third sector in Europe. It is based on short country summaries of the images and concepts of the third sector in 13 European countries by EMES Network’s members, first presented in 2008 (Defourny and Pestoff, 2008; nine of them were recently revised and are found in the appendix to this article.). The perception and development of the third sector in Europe is closely related to the other major social governance institutions/mechanisms, like the market, state and community and through the third sector’s interaction with them. Moreover, many third sector organizations (TSOs) overlap with these other social institutions, resulting in varying degrees of hybridity and internal tensions experienced by them. TSOs can generate resources from their activities on the market, by providing services in partnership with the state and/or by promoting the interests of a given community or group. The country overviews document a growing professionalization of TSOs in most countries and a growing dependency of public funds to provide services. This has important theoretical and practical implications for orienting the articles included in this book. Thus, it can provide a key for better understanding the discussion and analysis in the remainder of this volume.

The purpose of this paper is to offer new reflection upon the contested interaction of social enterprises with the public sector. It does this by fore fronting the notions of boundaries, boundary work and boundary objects.

The paper reports qualitative research with social enterprise practitioners (from social enterprises and support agencies) in the north of England. Accounts elicited through interviews are combined with visual data in the form of pencil drawings made by practitioners when the authors invited them to respond to and rework diagrammatic models from the literature about the social and economic dimensions of social enterprise.

Participants explained in words and images how normative images of social enterprise depicting linear and static boundaries inadequately represent the complexity of ideas and interactions in their world. Rather, they perceived an iterative process of crossing and re-crossing boundaries, with identities and practices which appeared to shift over time in relation to different priorities.

Through participant generated visual data in which social enterprise practitioners literally redrew models from the literature, the paper open space to show movement, transgression and change.

This paper is timely as social enterprises are becoming increasingly prominent in the welfare mix. The authors make novel use of conversations and drawings in order to better understand the dynamic and everyday practices of social enterprise within public services. In doing this, the authors also potentially contribute to richer methodological resources for researching the movement of services between sectors.

In Hungary, as in other Central and Eastern European countries, the concept of social enterprise (SE) has attracted increased attention in recent years, with certain key actors shaping the organisational field. This growing interest is largely because of the availability of European Union funds focussing on the work integration of disadvantaged groups but ignoring other possible roles of SEs. This study aims to consider a seldom examined and underfunded area: SEs’ institutional environment and organisational activities in the social and health sectors.

Based on neoinstitutional theory, the paper uses desk research and qualitative case studies. It presents the experiences of SEs providing social and health services for specific disadvantaged groups.

This paper identified the key actors influencing the everyday operation of SEs and examined their connections, interactions and partnerships. Based on the findings, SEs primarily depend on the central state, public social and health institutions and local governments. At the same time, their connections with private customers, networks, development and support organisations, third sector organisations and for-profit enterprises are less significant. The key actors have a relevant impact on the legal form, main activities and the financial and human resources of SEs. SEs, however, have little influence on their institutional environment.

The paper contributes to understanding the opportunities and barriers of SEs in Hungary and, more generally, in Central and Eastern Europe, especially regarding their place in social and health services.