Profits and purpose: Organizational tensions in social enterprises

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the way in which three indigenous social enterprises from Guatemala, Mexico and Peru, solve the paradox of simultaneously producing social and economic value, which creates organizational tensions. Design/methodology/approach: This research follows a qualitative m...

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Main Authors: Mario Vazquez-Maguirre, Luis Portales
Format: Article
Language:Catalan
Published: OmniaScience 2018-10-01
Series:Intangible Capital
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.intangiblecapital.org/index.php/ic/article/view/1208
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spelling doaj-05edaebee6944bdcb3a1302e0b4d9ba22020-11-25T00:47:01ZcatOmniaScienceIntangible Capital1697-98182018-10-0114460461810.3926/ic.1208460Profits and purpose: Organizational tensions in social enterprisesMario Vazquez-Maguirre0Luis Portales1UNIVERSIDAD DE MONTERREYUNIVERSIDAD DE MONTERREYPurpose: This paper aims to explore the way in which three indigenous social enterprises from Guatemala, Mexico and Peru, solve the paradox of simultaneously producing social and economic value, which creates organizational tensions. Design/methodology/approach: This research follows a qualitative method based on a case study research strategy. Three different data collection techniques are applied: Analysis of internal reports, direct observation, and semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholder, mainly employees and managers. Findings: Indigenous social enterprises deal with organizational tensions by adopting different organizational structures and privileging one dimension over the other (social or economic) in decision making Social implications. Indigenous social enterprises generate quality of life and reduce historical exclusion patterns by strengthening local economy dynamics through social innovation. Originality/value: Social innovations, appreciated in different organizational structures, contribute to alleviate the tension that arises from managing entities with double purpose. Also, this research provides evidence of how marginalized groups can overcome exclusion and poverty conditions by creating indigenous social enterprises.http://www.intangiblecapital.org/index.php/ic/article/view/1208Latin America, social entrepreneurship, social enterprises, sustainable development, indigenous communities, organizational tensions
collection DOAJ
language Catalan
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Mario Vazquez-Maguirre
Luis Portales
spellingShingle Mario Vazquez-Maguirre
Luis Portales
Profits and purpose: Organizational tensions in social enterprises
Intangible Capital
Latin America, social entrepreneurship, social enterprises, sustainable development, indigenous communities, organizational tensions
author_facet Mario Vazquez-Maguirre
Luis Portales
author_sort Mario Vazquez-Maguirre
title Profits and purpose: Organizational tensions in social enterprises
title_short Profits and purpose: Organizational tensions in social enterprises
title_full Profits and purpose: Organizational tensions in social enterprises
title_fullStr Profits and purpose: Organizational tensions in social enterprises
title_full_unstemmed Profits and purpose: Organizational tensions in social enterprises
title_sort profits and purpose: organizational tensions in social enterprises
publisher OmniaScience
series Intangible Capital
issn 1697-9818
publishDate 2018-10-01
description Purpose: This paper aims to explore the way in which three indigenous social enterprises from Guatemala, Mexico and Peru, solve the paradox of simultaneously producing social and economic value, which creates organizational tensions. Design/methodology/approach: This research follows a qualitative method based on a case study research strategy. Three different data collection techniques are applied: Analysis of internal reports, direct observation, and semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholder, mainly employees and managers. Findings: Indigenous social enterprises deal with organizational tensions by adopting different organizational structures and privileging one dimension over the other (social or economic) in decision making Social implications. Indigenous social enterprises generate quality of life and reduce historical exclusion patterns by strengthening local economy dynamics through social innovation. Originality/value: Social innovations, appreciated in different organizational structures, contribute to alleviate the tension that arises from managing entities with double purpose. Also, this research provides evidence of how marginalized groups can overcome exclusion and poverty conditions by creating indigenous social enterprises.
topic Latin America, social entrepreneurship, social enterprises, sustainable development, indigenous communities, organizational tensions
url http://www.intangiblecapital.org/index.php/ic/article/view/1208
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