Social entrepreneurship and open systems theory: a look from the inside

Abstract

Social Entrepreneurship is a phenomenon with rising interest amongst scholars (increasing research in the field), entrepreneurs (increasing number of certifications and labels), and consumers (increasing demand). Yet, scholars don’t agree on an explanation of the phenomenon and it is too often described as a closed system in the literature, neglecting the importance of its relationship with its environment. A closer look at the Open Systems Theory provides us with a framework to analyze the phenomenon as a system in relationship with its environment. As an entrepreneur myself, I’m concerned by my process of entrepreneurship and I immerse myself completely in the phenomenon to seek for better comprehension. Through the systematic process of Moustakas’ heuristic inquiry, I come up with similarities between the behaviors of co-researchers’ organizations and the ones of my enterprise. These similar behaviors resemble what Open Systems Theory describes as seeking ideals of homonomy, nurturance, humanity, and beauty. These conclusions could provide a new definition of Social Entrepreneurship based on Open Systems Theory’s active adaptive system, as well as a bridge between the fields of the literature of Social Entrepreneurship, Open Systems Theory, and Corporate Responsibility.

Date	29 Nov 2020
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	École de technologie supérieure
Supervisor	James Lapalme (Supervisor)