Print

Print


Special issue call for papers from Social Enterprise Journal: Social
Enterprise and Networks

*Guest Editors *

David Littlewood, University of Sheffield, UK ([log in to unmask]
.uk)

Zaheer Khan, University of Kent, UK ([log in to unmask]
<[log in to unmask]@kent.ac.uk>)


Networks, and their role in the entrepreneurial process, has been the
subject of significant study in entrepreneurship literature (see for
example Birley, 1986; Greve & Salaff, 2003; Newbert et al 2014). In
contrast, and despite widespread acknowledgement of the importance of
networks for social entrepreneurs (Austin et al, 2006), social enterprises
(Jenner, 2016; Lyon & Fernandez, 2012), and in wider processes of social
entrepreneurship and innovation (Smith & Stephens 2010; Dufays &
Huybrechts, 2014), scholarship explicitly examining social enterprise and
networks, and in which relationships between them are centre stage, remains
limited. Similarly, there are still few examples of social enterprise
literature applying network based theories, despite identification by Dacin
et al (2011) of networks and social entrepreneurship as a key area of
research opportunity and theory development for scholars in the field. This
special issue aims to contribute towards addressing this gap in knowledge
and theory about social enterprise and networks. We invite empirical and
conceptual papers addressing this subject, particularly on the following
topics, although this list is not exhaustive:



   - In extant literature participation in networks has been linked to
   various positive outcomes for social enterprises, yet there remains
   significant scope for further enquiry. Potential research questions
   include: what is the role of social networks in social enterprise start-up?
   What role do they play later on as social enterprises grow and if they seek
   to upscale (Lyon & Fernandez, 2012)? What role do networks play in
   knowledge acquisition, capability development, and venture sustainability?
   How do social entrepreneurs manage their networks strategically to achieve
   their social objectives?
   - Globally, there has been a proliferation in organisations aiming to
   support social enterprises but also shape the nature of the wider social
   entrepreneurship field e.g. Ashoka, UnLtd, the Skoll Foundation, the Social
   Enterprise Alliance etc. (Nicholls, 2010), yet to date these organisations
   themselves, and the networks and networking they enable are little studied.
   What role do these organisations play in building global social enterprise
   networks and the networks of social entrepreneurs? What is the nature of
   these networks and of the relationships within them? How does interaction
   with such support organisations and networks benefit social entrepreneurs,
   if at all? How do social entrepreneurs leverage these networks to carry
   out their work?
   - Social capital theory represents another potential area of research,
   and lens to consider some of the questions posed previously. Papers might
   address questions of: how social entrepreneurs build, maintain and deploy
   social capital to achieve their social objectives? What is the role of
   trust in building social capital and how is it developed and maintained in
   social enterprise networks? What roles do structural, cognitive and
   relational social capital play in social enterprises? What are the
   downsides and negative implications of social capital for social
   enterprises?
   - Theories of strong and weak ties, embeddedness and institutions offer
   further potential theoretical frameworks for research on social enterprise
   and networks. Possible research questions include: how do social
   entrepreneurs utilise their strong and weak ties in pursuit of their social
   missions? Under what conditions are each important? How are social
   enterprises and is social entrepreneurship and innovation locally embedded?
   What are the positives and negatives of local embeddedness? How do
   institutional factors influence the development of social enterprise
   networks and the social networks of social entrepreneurs?
   - Papers comparing the role of networks for social enterprises versus
   more traditional enterprises are also welcome. Potential questions include,
   whether and if so how the nature of networks differ between social
   enterprises and traditional business ventures? Are there differences in how
   social capital, embeddedness, strong and weak ties and institutional
   influences play out in social enterprises versus traditional ventures?

   - Across the research field, work on social enterprises in developing
   and emerging economies remains limited (Rivera-Santos et al, 2016;
   Littlewood & Holt, 2015), this includes in relation to social enterprises
   and networks. Papers could therefore address questions of: how do social
   entrepreneurs under conditions of resource scarcity and institutional voids
   leverage their networks in start-up, to grow, and to achieve their social
   missions? What are the positives and negatives for developing and emerging
   economy social enterprises in engagement with global social enterprise
   support organisations and networks? Are social entrepreneurs’ social
   networks different in developed versus developing and emerging economies?
   Are there differences within and between developing and emerging economies?
   - Finally, work offering more critical perspectives on social
   enterprises and networks, engaging with the “dark side” of social
   entrepreneurship and innovation, is also welcome. Questions might focus on
   whether and how social entrepreneurs might exploit their network positions?
   Or what is the nature, and implications, of unequal power relationships in
   social enterprise social networks?

Enquiries should be directed to the special issue editors: David Littlewood
[log in to unmask] and Zaheer Khan [log in to unmask]
<[log in to unmask]@kent.ac.uk>


The deadline for initial paper submissions is *24th January 2018.* Submitted
papers should follow SEJ submission guidelines (
http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/author_
guidelines.htm?id=sej) and be written in good English to be fully
considered.  The submitted papers will go through the usual double blind
review process as per the guidelines of the Journal. Submissions to this
special issue must be made through the Social Enterprise Journal’s
ScholarOne submission system (http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/sejnl). When
submitting your paper, please ensure that the correct Special Issue is
selected from the dropdown menu on page 4 of the submission process.


The special issue editors will also be running a special track on Social
Enterprise and Networks at the 9th International Social Innovation Research
Conference *13th-14th December 2017*, Melbourne, Australia. Submitters to
the special issue are encouraged to also submit to this session, although
this is not compulsory.



*References*

Austin, J., Stevenson, H. & Wei-Skillern, J. (2006). Social and Commercial
Entrepreneurship: Same, Different, or Both? Entrepreneurship Theory and
Practice, 30(1): 1-22.

Birley, S. (1986). The role of networks in the entrepreneurial process.
Journal of Business Venturing, 1(1): 107-117.

Dacin, TM. Dacin, PA. & Tracey, P. (2011).  Social Entrepreneurship: A
Critique and Future Directions, Organization Science, 22(5): 1203-1213.

Dufays, F. & Huybrechts, B. (2014). Connecting the Dots for Social Value: A
Review on Social Networks and Social Entrepreneurship, Journal of Social
Entrepreneurship, 5(2): 214-237.

Greve, A. & Salaff, JW. (2003). Social networks and entrepreneurship,
Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 28(1): 1-22.

____
AIB-L is brought to you by the Academy of International Business.
For information: http://aib.msu.edu/community/aib-l.asp
To post message: [log in to unmask]
For assistance:  [log in to unmask]
AIB-L is a moderated list.