I stumbled upon an article a few days ago. The topic was on Social Entrepreneurship(SE). It was a very creative write-up on the concept of SE where the heat of the Valentine's Day season was taken into consideration. It talks primarily of the love the goes between Social Entrepreneurs/organizations(SEO) and their respective Social/societal group partners. These groups are seen as marginalized and neglected in the concept of SE, thus SEO's saw the need to help them cope with the ever developing challenges of our society. Notably, SEO's help these groups by "partnering" with them in producing products and services that are significantly profitable in nature. If it's not, then it won't be Entrepreneurial. Social Entrepreneurship seeks to combine and manage resources to produce outputs that are not just profitable, but provides a significant, social value in return. Social Responsibility or Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) on the other hand, given that am writing this impromptu tonight, is the concept where an organization, particularly a business organization takes into consideration our society in their plans, projects, decisions and outputs (for better definition, please search for management books/online articles, thanks). We can show the CSR concept in two basic implementations. First, it can be effected internally through scientific/causal research on products and services before they are sold in the market. This makes sure that the products won't harm a consumer or the environment as a whole. It can also be internally applied by using sustainable raw materials, economic/environmental materials and/or recycled materials. The second way is an external application of the concept. This goes directly to consumers or our society as a whole. This can be seen by providing feeding programs, all expense paid medical checkups and/or by outright donation of goods or cash to an affected social group. Another external way of CSR is through more activity/interactive projects such as Storytelling Sessions, Kids shows, Sports and games, Cooking Lessons and Entrepreneurial tutorials.
Given these definitions, I have my personal opinions on Social Entrepreneurship and Corporate Social Responsibility. For SE, after a very introductory research experience on the concept, I completely disagree with the implementation of its essence. It maintains that SE is a great way of encouraging Entrepreneurs to be entrepreneurs because it satisfies both the profit objective of an entrepreneur and the very loving feeling of being able to give back to society because you employ marginalize and neglected groups who, without the SE, wouldn't have the chance to earn profits, build houses, or have properties. But the question comes from the middle-ground, the psychological contract, or the kasunduan of the social group and that of the SE. The contract of much will they be getting from the enterprise, the usapan or bargain of what the group gets from doing the job in producing the output of the enterprise; this is where my doubts on the concept of SE are. On Corporate Social Responsibility, it is a better way of providing help to our society, it is more reassuring. But sometimes, organizations use the concept of CSR in the wrong way. This is most particularly seen on a Fastfood's home shelter project for kids. It states that for every Smiley Meal that you buy, they give a peso to the Home Shelter Project. The program is very manipulative of the CSR concept because it indirectly states that, "we will only help, when you but something...if you don't buy, we won't help". However, to remedy this program is to just take the poster/ads off the counters. They don't have to tell people that "we help when you buy". The idea is to "just help when you can". If they are after a certain budget before they can implement the CSR, then just do it when you can. And if you want people to know that you help people, that you help our society because you want others to replicate the good deed, then document your program from planning to implementation. Then after giving, you may by all means, show it to the public, both for internal satisfaction and public relations, and also for others to see and follow. For Social Entrepreneurship, I still can't combine the concept of Social and Entrepreneurship....that is because if you are after profits, you are Entrepreneurial...no social effects will change the idea of entrepreneurs earning profits from their undertakings. By employing marginalized and neglected groups, giving them income opportunities, it is for me, no different from employing college graduates or professionals. For Entrepreneurs who profit from social values that they emphasize, I'd suggest that they simply call it CSR or find another construct to define it. Because unfulfilled social values needs to be addressed by the government. Entrepreneurs cannot/should not profit from the lack of it. When Entrepreneurs say they gain profits and at the same time fills up social problems/gaps, they take advantage of the poor services provided by the government, and thus by effect is not really helping our society. If the social problem/gap is solved by the government, will the SE stop its operations? If yes, then it is definitely not helping the society, it exploits the problems of our society.
(The topic is quite old for me, meaning there could be new developments and new definitions for the concept of Social Entrepreship and Corporate Social Responsibility...therefore, if there are new studies and conjectures from more recent research, feel free to discuss or comment your sources, additional references. Thanks. )
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