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Playing with Numbers: A Methodological Critique of the Social Enterprise Growth Myth

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  • S. Teasdale
  • F. Lyon
  • R. Baldock

Abstract

Social enterprise is a contested concept which has become a site for policy intervention in many countries. In the UK the government has invested significant resources into social enterprise infrastructure, partly to increase the capacity of social enterprises to deliver or replace public services. Government publications show the number of social enterprises to have increased from 5,300 to 62,000 over a five-year period. This paper explores the myth of social enterprise growth in the UK through a methodological critique of the four government data sources used to construct and legitimise this myth. Particular attention is paid to how political decisions influence the construction of evidence. We find that growth is mainly attributable to political decisions to reinterpret key elements of the social enterprise definition and to include new organisational types in sampling frames.

Suggested Citation

  • S. Teasdale & F. Lyon & R. Baldock, 2013. "Playing with Numbers: A Methodological Critique of the Social Enterprise Growth Myth," Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(2), pages 113-131, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jsocen:v:4:y:2013:i:2:p:113-131
    DOI: 10.1080/19420676.2012.762800
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    Cited by:

    1. Nicole ALIX & Adrien BAUDET, 2014. "La mesure de l'impact social : facteur de transformation du secteur social en Europe," CIRIEC Working Papers 1415, CIRIEC - Université de Liège.
    2. Noelia Franco-Leal & Carmen Camelo-Ordaz & Juan Pablo Dianez-Gonzalez & Elena Sousa-Ginel, 2020. "The Role of Social and Institutional Contexts in Social Innovations of Spanish Academic Spinoffs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-24, January.
    3. Kimbu, Albert Nsom & Ngoasong, Michael Zisuh, 2016. "Women as vectors of social entrepreneurship," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 63-79.
    4. Sarah Kimakwa & Jorge A. Gonzalez & Hale Kaynak, 2023. "Social Entrepreneur Servant Leadership and Social Venture Performance: How are They Related?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(1), pages 95-118, January.
    5. Casper Hendrik Claassen & Johanna Mair & Eric Bidet, 2023. "Social Enterprises Within the Public Sector’s Purview: A Taxonomy-Based Study on South Korea," Post-Print hal-04329237, HAL.
    6. Kumudu Jayawardhana & Imali Fernando & Janaka Siyambalapitiya, 2022. "Sustainability in Social Enterprise Research: A Systematic Literature Review," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(3), pages 21582440221, September.
    7. Ana Fernández-Laviada & Carlos López-Gutiérrez & Andrea Pérez, 2020. "How Does the Development of the Social Enterprise Sector Affect Entrepreneurial Behavior? An Empirical Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-15, January.
    8. Valerie Paelman & Philippe Van Cauwenberge & Heidi Vander Bauwhede, 2020. "Effect of B Corp Certification on Short-Term Growth: European Evidence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-18, October.

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