Social entrepreneurial leadership

Abstract

Social entrepreneurial leaders are persons who create and manage innovative entrepreneurial organisations or ventures whose primary mission is the social change and development of their client group. The social enterprise's activities and its client group's activities can primarily be, either economic or non-economic, but the mission is social change and development This paper examines research prospects in social entrepreneurial leadership and its relevance to mainstream entrepreneurship research and proposes useful cross-fertilisation opportunities. In doing so it covers the common characteristics and differences of the two types of entrepreneurial leaders, and then examines features of social entrepreneurial leadership behaviour in terms of motivations, risk taking abilities, background, experience, cultural impact, societal impact, abilities, roles, networks, external relations and careers. It also covers issues of partnership formation, innovation, competition, involvement of members, involvement of employees and closure in social entrepreneurial organisations.