A Multilevel Perspective of Nascent Social Entrepreneur Disengagement

Abstract

Each year, a significant number of grant programs select, award, and support young social entrepreneurs. However, not all can bring their ideas to fruition; many nascent entrepreneurs terminate their efforts before launching the business. Determining why some individuals continue while others disengage is critical to understanding the entrepreneurial process. This study explores factors affecting nascent social entrepreneurs' decisions to disengage. We interviewed 18 social entrepreneurs who intended to start a social venture but decided to terminate the process. The findings suggest that macro-, meso-, and micro-level factors influence nascent social entrepreneurs' decisions to disengage.