The microstructures of rhetorical strategy in social entrepreneurship: Building legitimacy through heroes and villains

Innovation for Society: Towards a Typology of Developing Innovations by Social Entrepreneurs

“…The stakeholders who are needed to provide legitimacy for the innovation can therefore also be a source of resistance (Newth and Woods 2014). Social entrepreneurs are aware of this and may use different rhetorical strategies to persuade stakeholders of the legitimacy of their organization and their innovative ideas (Ruebottom 2013). However, one could question whether such innovations are 'social' since they are not the result of a public political process.…”

Balancing “what matters to me” with “what matters to them”: Exploring the legitimation process of environmental entrepreneurs

“…Entrepreneurial actors can draw on political and story-telling skills (e.g. Garud et al, 2014;Lounsbury and Glynn, 2001;Navis and Glynn, 2011;Ruebottom, 2013), use a variety of different types of arguments (van Wervan et al, 2015) and/ or use visual symbols (e.g. setting, props, dress and expressiveness) (Clarke, 2011) as they actively negotiate legitimacy with their audiences.…”

“…Voronov et al, 2013), and legitimation activity by entrepreneurs (e.g. Clarke, 2011;Ruebottom, 2013;Zott and Huy, 2007).…”

Application of the Delphi Method for the Analysis of the Factors Determining Social Entrepreneurship

“…In contrast, they assume more personal non-financial risks, such as the possibility of losing their reputation or their network of personal relationships. Because they are recent organizational forms, they must still work to achieve legitimacy (Ruebottom, 2013). They also have a greater fear of bankruptcy because their funds often come from governments and single stakeholders (Sharir and Lerner, 2006).…”