An analysis of factors influencing the development of Social enterprises in the Republic of Serbia

Abstract

The paper investigates the impact of different factors on the establishment and development of social enterprises (SPs). The aim of this paper is to identify the key stimulants and restrictions of development of SPs in the Republic of Serbia, and to propose measures, the application of which can increase their long-term sustainability. The paper is based on exploratory research using data covering 27 interviews with founders of social enterprises in the Republic of Serbia. By applying the methods of regression analysis, it was found that favorable financial resources (especially grants) are the key stimulants for the establishment of social enterprises, while the enthusiasm of managers of social enterprises has the greatest impact on their development. It was found also that legal regulations and the macroeconomic environment, as well as difficulties in accessing the market, are serious restrictions on the establishment of social enterprises, while lack of knowledge in the field of marketing and management limit the development of social enterprises in the Republic of Serbia.

Modalities and specificities of financing social enterprises

“…Čak i kada socijalni preduzetnici obezbede skroman početni kapital, vrlo često imaju problema sa pronalaženjem i opremanjem poslovnog prostora, nabavkom opreme, obezbeđivanjem sirovina i sl. [9].…”

Social Entrepreneurial Intention Factors of Tourism Management Students

“…In order for a social entrepreneur to succeed in his intention to establish and promote a social enterprise, it is necessary for him to possess extremely high moral responsibility, empathy, compassion for other people's problems, etc. (Ivanović Đukić, et al, 2020).…”

“…The importance of social enterprise support systems and networks is especially stressed during their establishment when access to finance and other resources needs to be provided. Lack of trust in local authorities and business partners and lack of their support can be a serious constraint for social enterprises (Ivanović Đukić et al, 2020).…”

“…), who do not have enough experience in marketing, sales, financial management, business performance monitoring, business negotiation which brings with it numerous problems (poor organization, poor approach to defining the marketing mix, etc.) (Ivanović Đukić, et al, 2020).…”

Ecosystem of Social Enterprises - A Comparative Review of the Practice of European Countries and the Republic of Serbia

“…One of the possibilities that can contribute to solving a number of problems of social enterprises is their networking (Austin et al, 2006;Sharir & Lerner, 2006;Spear, 2006;Weber & Kratzer, 2013;Yitshaki et al, 2008). A network is usually understood as a group of actors who have frequent and lasting interrelationships and where there is an exchange of information and trust (Hoang & Antonic, 2003). In modern business conditions, networking is seen as a prerequisite for the survival and success of the organization (Weber & Kratzer, 2013).…”