Mitigating challenges of small social enterprises to improve performance

Abstract

PurposeSmall social enterprises (SEs) face many challenges as they seek to secure their survival, sustainability and performance, but little is known about the interrelations among these challenges and how these SEs might mitigate their challenges by using online platforms.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the results of 19 in-depth semi-structured interviews with founders of small SEs in Australia, the authors present two integrative frameworks: one demonstrates how different challenges directly or indirectly influence SE performance, and the other represents the linkage between online platforms use and SE performance.FindingsThe authors’ findings indicate that SEs face social, economic and organizational challenges, and that SEs use online platforms to mitigate these challenges and improve their performance. Online platforms enable these enterprises to identify funding opportunities, recruit staff and volunteers, connect with other SEs, form partnerships, promote their organization, market their products and services, and avoid competition and duplication in their ecosystem.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors provide a guiding model for further research on using online platforms to mitigate challenges for small enterprises to improve performance. This study advances current understanding of why some SEs fail to thrive, while others survive, flourish and grow.Originality/valueThe authors’ study advances the resource-based view by identifying how online platforms offer a valuable resource to improve SE performance, and assist managers to maintain the strategic direction of their enterprise.

Exploring social enterprise legitimacy within ecosystems from an institutional approach: A systematic literature review and research agenda

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“…Typically, investors and government bodies invest based on traditional market principles that emphasize financial reporting , with high revenues serving as a means of legitimizing the enterprise. In contrast, society expects to see social impact demonstrated through social reporting (Abedin et al., 2021). Bradford et al.…”

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Designing and implementing performance measurement systems based on enterprise engineering guidelines

“…Also, some studies indicate a skepticism on the use of traditional PM systems depending on the organization structure (Moxham, 2009;Straub et al, 2010;Moura et al, 2019Moura et al, , 2020, e.g. on projects and institutional planning (Moura, 2018) or different organizational structures (Abedin et al, 2021;Wang et al, 2021;Martins et al, 2021). Also, the industry 4.0 era represents a challenge to adopt some PM systems.…”

“…, 2019, 2020), e.g. on projects and institutional planning (Moura, 2018) or different organizational structures (Abedin et al. , 2021; Wang et al.…”