Social Enterprises in Brazil: Socially Produced Knowledge Versus Social Innovation.

• Main Authors: Edileusa Godói-de-Sousa, Valdir Machado Valadão Júnior
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad Alberto Hurtado 2013-04-01
• Series: Journal of Technology Management & Innovation
• Subjects: social entrepreneurship, knowledge management, social innovation
• Online Access: http://www.jotmi.org/index.php/GT/article/view/1167

This study investigated whether socially produced knowledge in social ventures in Brazil has promoted social innovation and local development. The research is exploratory and descriptive, and was developed in two stages. At first, the sample group was composed of 378 projects selected from the mapping of Solidarity Economic Enterprises, conducted by the National Secretary of Solidarity Economy (Secretaria Nacional de Economia Solidária). The sample was surveyed to verify the main characteristics of these enterprises. After that, interviews were conducted with key managers in a sample of 32 projects. The results indicate challenges in the long path of favoring dynamic learning, with a generation of knowledge from the collective experiences of socialization: there is a lack of joint discussion and a predominance of individualized learning actions.