Transforming or Complying? The Rise of Social Enterprises in Shanghai

Abstract

A relatively new concept in China, Social Enterprises (SE) have been on the rise in Shanghai. This trend seems to mark a new turn since the so-called 'association revolution', which had brought about an exponential development of NGOs in China over the last three decades. In recent years, a growing number of different actors have emerged, actively promoting a new entrepreneurial approach to social issues and positive community changes. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and interviews, the following article reflects on the concept of organisational hybridity in Shanghai's third sector development. By analysing the emergence of SEs in this Chinese mega-city, this study aims to understand whether the growing hybridisation of civil society involved in the development of SEs represents a global trend or a reaction to the Central State new policies. Research findings show that the elasticity of a SE identity can help organisations adapt to shifts in the macro-level political discourse of authoritarian regimes.

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“…For example, very recent work by Arantes (2020) notes that there has been much conjecture on social enterprise as a result of the impact of the financial crisis of 2008. In her work, Arantes (2020) highlights other studies that have found a similar pattern (see Kim and Defourny, 2011;Poon, 2011). The increased emergence of social enterprise reflects the realization that social enterprise can have a real, positive impact on society at different levels in many countries across the world.…”

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