Conceptualizing the health and well-being impacts of social enterprise: a UK-based study

Abstract

SummarySocial enterprises–businesses that work for social benefit rather than for the maximization of financial returns to shareholders or owners–could potentially prove to be an innovative and sustainable way of tackling ‘upstream’ social determinants of health. However, empirical work focusing upon how, and to what extent, social enterprise-led activity may impact upon health and well-being is still relatively scarce. This study examines how social enterprises portray their impact, and how such impacts may be considered in health and well-being terms. Through analysing evaluative reports of the work of social enterprises in Scotland (n = 17) utilizing a ‘process coding’ method, we investigate both the self-reported impacts of the work of social enterprises and the mechanisms by which these are said to be derived. Revisiting previous conceptualizations in the extant literature, this work allows us to present an ‘empirically-informed’ conceptual model of the health and well-being impacts of social enterprise-led activity, and thus presents a significant advance on previous hypothetical, theoretically-based conceptualizations. It is considered that these findings further improve our overall knowledge of ways in which social enterprise and other parts of the third sector could be considered as potentially valuable ‘non-obvious’ public health actors.

Social enterprises’ impact on older people’s health and wellbeing: exploring Scottish experiences

“…Public health interventions are inherently complex ( Rychetnik et al , 2002 ; Breuer et al , 2015 ) but can act upon the social determinants of health ( Macaulay et al , 2017 ; Suchowerska et al , 2019 ). Such complexity is a result of (i) the magnitude and the range of interacting components; (ii) the flexibility of the intervention and its fit with the local environment; (iii) behaviours, groups or levels and (iv) their outcomes ( Craig et al , 2008 ; Fletcher et al , 2016 ; Grant and Hood, 2017 ).…”

“…Such complexity is a result of (i) the magnitude and the range of interacting components; (ii) the flexibility of the intervention and its fit with the local environment; (iii) behaviours, groups or levels and (iv) their outcomes ( Craig et al , 2008 ; Fletcher et al , 2016 ; Grant and Hood, 2017 ). It has been suggested that social enterprises have the potential to be a ‘non-obvious actor’ in the delivery of such complex public health interventions ( Roy et al , 2017 ; Calò et al , 2019 ), even where health is not part of the stated social mission of the organization ( Macaulay et al , 2017 ), however, more empirical evidence is needed to determine this ( Calò et al , 2018 ).…”

Should social enterprises complement or supplement public health provision?

“…Debates focus on whether SEs can be an alternative provider of healthcare (Hazenberg and Hall, 2016;Roy et al, 2013), to understanding how SEs affect health outcomes (Farmer et al, 2016;Gordon et al, 2017). Much of the former research stream arises from countries where the public health infrastructure is well developed, such as the United Kingdom (UK) (Macaulay et al, 2018(Macaulay et al, , 2017. The latter stream of research examines the pathways by which SEs can address health and wellbeing (Roy et al, 2013), and the social determinants of health (Macaulay et al, 2017;Whitehead and Popay, 2010).…”

“…Much of the former research stream arises from countries where the public health infrastructure is well developed, such as the United Kingdom (UK) (Macaulay et al, 2018(Macaulay et al, , 2017. The latter stream of research examines the pathways by which SEs can address health and wellbeing (Roy et al, 2013), and the social determinants of health (Macaulay et al, 2017;Whitehead and Popay, 2010). The potential health effects are varied, with the specific impact seemingly dependent on the type of SE (Macaulay et al, 2017).…”

“…The latter stream of research examines the pathways by which SEs can address health and wellbeing (Roy et al, 2013), and the social determinants of health (Macaulay et al, 2017;Whitehead and Popay, 2010). The potential health effects are varied, with the specific impact seemingly dependent on the type of SE (Macaulay et al, 2017).…”