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Isomorphism, Social Enterprise and the Pressure to Maximise Social Benefit

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  • Chris Mason

Abstract

Social enterprises face extraordinary pressures, both endogenous and exogenous in nature. In light of the social and economic upheaval occurring on a global scale, these pressures are more acute than ever. This paper uses the concept of isomorphism as a starting point to explore how these organisations respond to pressure to ensure the conferment and maintenance of legitimacy. In so doing, I propose a conceptual model that utilises current work in the field and also redevelops J. Pedersen and F. Dobbin's (2006. In search of identity and legitimation: bridging organizational culture and neoinstitutionalism. American behavioral scientist , 49, 897--907) framework to categorise social enterprise isomorphism. Based on recent experiences in the United Kingdom, I propose that Government supported social enterprise initiatives (and the civil society movement in general) might make popular policy makers but is also fragile in its success. Thus, I use the applied example of social enterprise governance to illustrate the practical implications for structural similitude. Limitations to the model and directions for further empirical research are proposed to encourage further refinement to, or competing interpretations of, the model.

Suggested Citation

  • Chris Mason, 2012. "Isomorphism, Social Enterprise and the Pressure to Maximise Social Benefit," Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 74-95, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jsocen:v:3:y:2012:i:1:p:74-95
    DOI: 10.1080/19420676.2012.665382
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Chris Mason & Bob Doherty, 2016. "A Fair Trade-off? Paradoxes in the Governance of Fair-trade Social Enterprises," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 136(3), pages 451-469, July.
    2. Ana Margarida Esteves & Audley Genus & Thomas Henfrey & Gil Penha‐Lopes & May East, 2021. "Sustainable entrepreneurship and the Sustainable Development Goals: Community‐led initiatives, the social solidarity economy and commons ecologies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(3), pages 1423-1435, March.
    3. Ignacio Bretos & Marie J. Bouchard & Alberto Zevi, 2020. "Institutional and organizational trajectories in social economy enterprises: Resilience, transformation and regeneration," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 91(3), pages 351-358, September.
    4. Bing Ran & Scott Weller, 2021. "An Exit Strategy for the Definitional Elusiveness: A Three-Dimensional Framework for Social Entrepreneurship," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, January.
    5. Kumudu Jayawardhana & Imali Fernando & Janaka Siyambalapitiya, 2022. "Sustainability in Social Enterprise Research: A Systematic Literature Review," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(3), pages 21582440221, September.
    6. Denise Baden & Ken Peattie & Adekunle Oke, 2020. "Access Over Ownership: Case Studies of Libraries of Things," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-18, September.
    7. Syrus M Islam, 2022. "Social impact scaling strategies in social enterprises: A systematic review and research agenda," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 47(2), pages 298-321, May.

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