Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development

This volume discusses the seminal interface between social entrepreneurship and sustainable development along with their inter-linkages. It traces the role of social entrepreneurship and innovations in societal transformation in creating sustainable societies, especially in developing nations. It explores how social entrepreneurship and enterprise is integral to the promise of fostering opportunities for socially disadvantaged groups (including the poor, women, and young people), as well as in addressing environmental and ecological issues apart from wealth creation. The book presents key concepts, case studies, and multiple innovative models involving social entrepreneurship, such as green financing, serial social entrepreneurship, sustainable livelihood creation, and well-being, in addition to highlighting global sustainable development goals of the United Nations. The chapters are organised under the broad themes of sustainability of the organisation, sustainability of the community, sustainability of the development, and sustainability of the community–organisation interface. They examine social change, social innovation, social enterprise, small and micro-enterprises, microfinance institutions, inclusive growth, education, productivity, physical health, waste management, energy retention, self-reliance, and corporate social responsibility. They contain emerging research issues in the field as well as critical assessments while bringing together theoretical and practitioners’ perspectives.This book will be useful to scholars and researchers of development studies, social entrepreneurship, sustainable development, environmental studies, public policy, and political sociology. It will also greatly interest professionals from non-profit, corporate, and public sectors, other development practitioners, and international bodies.

Archana Singh is Assistant Professor at the Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, School of Management and Labour Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, India. She teaches social entrepreneurship, social sector perspectives and interventions, qualitative research, and corporate social responsibility at the postgraduate level. She has also taught at Kennesaw State University, Atlanta, Georgia, in 2016. She earned her PhD in social work from TISS in 2014, her M. Phil in social work from the same institute in 2008, and her master of social work from Dr B. R. Ambedkar University, Agra, India in 1998. Prior to this, she worked at the ground level on various social issues, such as AIDS awareness, women's self-help groups, women's empowerment, in rural and urban areas, etc. She has presented several papers in conferences, published papers in international journals, and contributed chapters to edited volumes. She has also published the book The Process of Social Value Creation: A Multiple Case Study on Social Entrepreneurship in India (2016). Her research interests also include social work, social change, social value, and women's empowerment.Edakkandi Meethal Reji is Assistant Professor at the Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, School of Management and Labour Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India. He completed his PhD from the School of Management and Labour Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences. His doctoral thesis dealt with value chains and small enterprises. He has more than 15 years of experience in teaching, research, and consultancy in the areas of business and development management. His current teaching and research interests include public policy, inclusive value chains, small enterprise development, inclusive innovations and livelihoods, sustainable development, rural development, and public policies. He has worked as a team member for the Need Assessment Study and Corporate Social Responsibility Policy for L&T Finance Ltd, 2014–2015. He also drafted a comprehensive district plan for Gajapati District for the years 2008–2012, a project sanctioned by the State Planning and Co-ordination Department, Government of Orissa. He has organised conferences, presented papers, and has several publications in reputed journals.