Purpose -This paper explores the growth of social enterprise in the UK in the context of the renewed interest in the creative use of organisations with a social mission to complement public service delivery. Given the impact of globalisation and increased demands for effective social welfare interventions, this paper specifically focuses on the nature and type of social enterprise governance models and how they influence their outcomes.Design/methodology/approach-The study utilises an in-depth multiple case study approach. The data was collected from interviews of key informants and was recorded, transcribed and manually analysed inductively.Findings -The paper finds that the way in which the social enterprise governance structure is designed ultimately influences its outcomes. In particulate those with stewardship governance models tend to perform better than those with democratic models of governance. This leads to a conclusion that in the social context of the UK, social enterprise should aim for a paradigm shift in the design and selection of governance models.Research limitations/implications -Comparative regional experiences in other regions or social contexts could enrich our understanding of whether these results are applicable across the board.Practical implications -This article is of potential benefit to researchers and particularly those designing policies for the governance of social enterprise.Originality/value -The study employs innovative analytical theoretical lenses not normally associated with the social economy to increase our understanding of the growth and evolution of social enterprise governance.

Legal structure and outcomes of social enterprise: The case of South Yorkshire, United Kingdom AbstractOver the past two decades the discourse on social enterprise has emerged as a powerful intervention for addressing socio-economic deprivation in communities across the globe. Although the concept is increasingly attracting academic interest, there are still several areas requiring further scrutiny. One such key area is how the legal structures of social enterprises influence their outcomes. Drawing on a qualitative case study approach in South Yorkshire UK, this study contributes to ongoing debate on social enterprise by providing insights into the nature of legal structures and related operational issues across the region. The findings revealed that type of legal structure is intricately linked to social enterprises' ability to achieve their objectives. Rather than rely on traditional legal structures, social enterprises in South Yorkshire have adopted innovative legal vehicles that help them to achieve financial sustainability while at the same time maintaining their social ethos. KeywordsSocial enterprises, legal structures, South Yorkshire, extraction of value, economic development 2 IntroductionThe concept of social enterprise derives from discourses on the social economy that dates back to the nineteenth century industrial revolution (Hines, 2005; Teasdale, 2011). As a concept, this type of business is politically contested and subject to different interpretations (Dacin et al, 2011;Kerlin, 2010;Weerawardena and Sullivan, 2006). Despite different views on its meaning, there is a general consensus that a social enterprise is, first and foremost, a competitive business engaged in some form of trading to produce a financial surplus which helps to sustain its social ethos (Defourny and Nyssens ,2010; Doyle,2013;Zahra et al, 2009). Historically social enterprises have utilised legal structures that support their philanthropic origins and their not-for-profit business activities. A legal structure (or form, structure or constitution) provides an operating framework for social enterprises and it relates to the way these enterprises are set up and the rules and regulations that govern them (SEL, 2003;Snaith, 2007). The advent of globalisation, largely typified by liberalisation of trade and scarcity of resources, appears to have prompted social enterprises to re-evaluate their legal and governance structures so as to maximise mobilisation of resources (Peattie and Morley, 2008;Snaith, 2007). Current discourses therefore suggest a move by some social enterprises to align their structures with the demands of their institutional environment (Lewis et al, 2004).They reveal a gradual shift towards hybrid models of social enterprise, supported by more innovative governance and legal structures to improve their competitiveness in the market (Lewis et al, 2004;Low, 2006;Salamon and Anheier, 1996). Though research interest in the legal structures of social enterprises has increased over the past decade, there is still a...

Purpose This study aims to analyse the development of social enterprises in the UK, in the context of the increased need for creative solutions to ameliorate deprivation and deliver effective public services. Design/methodology/approach The investigation draws on a mixed method approach from a postal survey of 102 social enterprises complemented by detailed analysis of two selected cases and key informant interviews. Findings The results of the study show that there is a paradigm shift in the practice and conceptualisation of social enterprises in South Yorkshire, as they are increasingly taking a more corporate approach to achieve their outcomes. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to social enterprises in South Yorkshire, UK. Further comparative analysis in other regions and social contexts is required to explore if these results are widely applicable. Practical implications This study is of potential benefit to researchers and those involved in formulating policies for the development and support of social enterprise. Originality/value The study contributes to the extant literature by investigation of the development of social enterprise in competitive markets, which is an area that requires further academic scrutiny. The South Yorkshire region presents an interesting case that extends our understanding of the operations of social enterprises in the UK, given the high levels of deprivation because of the steady decline of its industrial base (Bache and Chapman, 2008).

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CONCEPTUALIZAÇÃO DO EMPREENDIMENTO SOCIAL NO REINO UNIDO: UMA PERSPECTIVA CONTEMPORÂNEA RESUMOO conceito de empresa social é cada vez mais de interesse acadêmico em todo o mundo e é cada vez mais um componente integral das economias tradicionais de vários países, incluindo o Reino Unido. Apesar do interesse persistente de acadêmicos, o conceito é relativamente subdesenvolvido e inerentemente complexo e há vários aspectos da empresa social que permanecem em grande parte em pesquisa quanto à comparação com as empresas convencionais. Dado o advento da globalização e o aumento da concorrência, empresas sociais estão "sob pressão" para fornecer soluções mais inovadoras para problemas sociais que a sociedade no Reino Unido enfrenta. Por meio de uma ampla revisão da literatura de empresas sociais, o presente trabalho analisa a evolução destas organizações, como essas se adaptaram às mudanças no ambiente em que operam. As discussões mostram uma mudança cultural na conceitualização e prática das empresas sociais no país. Palavras-chave:Privação; Empreendimentos Sociais; Sustentabilidade; Reino Unido. CONCEPTUALISATION OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE IN THE UK: A CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVE ABSTRACTThe concept of social enterprise is gaining academic interest worldwide and is increasingly becoming an integral component of the mainstream economies of many countries, including the Unite Kingdom. Despite persistent interest from academics, the concept is relatively underdeveloped inherently complex and there are various aspects of social enterprise that remain largely under researched compared to conventional businesses. Given the advent of globalization and increased competition social enterprises are under pressure to provide more innovative solutions to social problems that society in the UK faces. Through a comprehensive literature review of social enterprises, this paper scrutinizes the evolution of these organizations as they adapt to changes in the environment in which they operates. The discussions show a cultural shift in the conceptualization and practice of social enterprises in the UK.Keywords: Deprivation; Social Enterprise; Sustainability; United Kingdom. RESUMENEl concepto de empresa social está cada vez más del interés académico en todo el mundo y es cada vez más un componente integral de las economías tradicionales de muchos países, incluyendo el Reino Unido. A pesar del interés persistente de los estudiosos, el concepto es relativamente subdesarrollada e inherentemente complejo y hay varios aspectos de la empresa social que siguen siendo en gran medida poco investigado en comparación con las empresas convencionales. Ante la llegada de la globalización y el aumento de la competencia, las empresas sociales están bajo presión para proporcionar soluciones más innovadoras a los problemas que enfrenta la sociedad en el Reino Unido. A través de una revisión exhaustiva de la literatura de las empresas sociales, este trabajo analiza la evolución de estas organizaciones ya que se adaptan a los cambios en el entorno en el que oper...