Article

Turning rebellion into money? Social entrepreneurship as the strategic performance of systems change

Details

Citation

Teasdale S, Roy MJ, Nicholls A & Hervieux C (2023) Turning rebellion into money? Social entrepreneurship as the strategic performance of systems change. Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, 17 (1), pp. 19-39.

Abstract
Research Summary Critical scholars recognize a disjuncture between the problems identified by social entrepreneurs and the solutions they propose. Existing theory treats this as a problem to be rectified at the organizational level. In this essay, we widen attention to the macro-oriented systems change strategies of social entrepreneurs. We develop a dynamic typology showing how strategies are reassembled over time to stimulate or deflect desire for systems change. Deriving inspiration from Goffman, we theorize the ways that different types of systems change actor perform systems change via interaction with their environments. Drawing on illustrative cases on the boundaries of social entrepreneurship, we show how the collective action frameworks developed by systems change actors can be adapted and repurposed by their (systems) audiences: effectively turning rebellion into money. Managerial Summary Social entrepreneurs often call for systems change to tackle wicked problems such as poverty or climate change. However, the strategies they propose for tackling these problems, such as lending money to poor people are considerably less radical. In this essay, we identify three types of systems change actor distinguished by the degree of systems change they call for. We trace their ideas over time to illustrate how strategies are mediated, and subsequently repurposed through interaction with the systems they seek to change. In conclusion, we call upon researchers and social entrepreneurs to widen their perspectives to incorporate more radical ideas and potentials for systems change, and for greater attention to be devoted to scrutinizing and protecting the integrity of systems change strategies.

Keywords
assemblage; collective action framework; framing; social entrepreneur; systems change

Journal
Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal: Volume 17, Issue 1

StatusPublished
FundersGlasgow Caledonian University
Publication date31/03/2023
Publication date online05/12/2022
Date accepted by journal21/11/2022
URLhttp://hdl.handle.net/1893/35773
PublisherJohn Wiley \& Sons, Ltd Chichester, UK
ISSN1932-4391
eISSN1932-443X

People (1)

Professor Michael Roy

Professor Michael Roy

Prof Social Innovation & Sustainable Org, Management, Work and Organisation